Clerics welcome Supreme Court’s interim verdict on Waqf Amendment Act
Muslim clerics welcomed the Supreme Court's stay on parts of the Waqf Amendment Act (2025), hoping for a favorable final verdict for their community.
Muslim clerics on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s interim order putting on hold several key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
The clerics said they believe that the final verdict will be in their favour. The apex court stayed some parts of the Act but refused to stay the legislation in its entirety.
“The interim judgment by the Supreme Court of India today in the matter related to the Waqf Amendment Act (2025), is not as per our demands. Though some of the provisions of the Act have been stayed and we welcome that. The final judgment is yet to be delivered and we believe that we will get complete relief in it,” said prominent cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, an executive committee member of All India Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).
Shia Personal Law Board general secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas stated, “We welcome the Supreme Court’s (interim) verdict. The way in which the survey was done by the JPC and the Bill was passed in a hurry, our only hope was the Supreme Court. We expect that the Supreme Court will continue to do justice.”
All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi said, “This verdict is welcome as this will curb illegal encroachments on the Waqf land. Now the lands which will be freed from encroachments can be used to build schools, madrasas, mosques etc which will benefit the Muslim society.”
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh minister of state for minority welfare Muslim Waqf and Haj Danish Azad Ansari said that the interim verdict makes it clear that the intention of the central government was not bad at all.
“The amendment was brought only for the uplift of backward Muslims. The property of Waqf should be utilised for the development of backward Muslims,” he said.
Among the provisions of the Act suspended are those empowering district collectors to decide whether a property claimed as waqf actually belongs to the government, and the stipulation that only a lawful property owner who has been practising Islam for at least five years can create waqf through a formal deed.
