A book launch and panel discussion on Syed Ubaidur Rahman’s latest book ‘History of Waqf in India’, took place at Lamakaan in Hyderabad on December 12, 2025. The event drew a diverse and engaged audience, comprising scholars, bureaucrats, professors, intellectuals, and prominent community leaders, all eager to delve into the rich historical and contemporary dimensions of waqf endowments.
Prof. Amirullah Khan, a respected academic and former Deputy Director and policy advisor to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, opened the proceedings with high praise for Syed Ubaidur Rahman’s prolific contributions. He highlighted the author’s remarkable body of work over the past decades, emphasizing his dedicated efforts in documenting and preserving India’s medieval Islamic history. Prof. Khan lauded the new book as a comprehensive masterpiece—the only one of its kind—that meticulously covers nearly all facets of waqf, from its Islamic jurisprudence and historical evolution across centuries to its complex legal frameworks in modern India.
The main discussion was expertly moderated by Dr. Inamur Rahman Ghayur, a renowned Hyderabad-based scholar known for his incisive analyses of socio-religious issues. Dr. Ghayur posed a series of probing and challenging questions to the author, prompting detailed and thoughtful responses. The conversation delved deeply into the ongoing controversies surrounding waqf properties, with particular focus on the recently enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
Syed Ubaidur Rahman articulated a widely shared concern among many in the Muslim community: that what is fundamentally a religious and charitable institution rooted in Islamic tradition has been reframed primarily as a real estate and administrative issue.
He explained that waqf—endowments dedicated irrevocably for pious, religious, or charitable purposes—has historically supported mosques, madrasas, graveyards, orphanages, and community welfare initiatives. However, critics argue that the 2025 amendments introduce excessive government oversight, potentially eroding the autonomy of waqf boards. Key points of opposition include the mandatory inclusion of non-Muslim members in central and state waqf bodies (seen by some as undermining the religious character of these institutions), restrictions on who can create a waqf (requiring proof of practicing Islam for at least five years), the application of limitation periods that could jeopardize long-standing claims, and the removal or dilution of “waqf by user” provisions, which traditionally recognized properties as waqf based on prolonged religious use even without formal documentation. Many view these changes as discriminatory, unconstitutional infringements on minority rights under Articles 25 and 26, potentially enabling greater state control over valuable Muslim-endowed assets and opening doors to disputes or encroachments.
The insightful discussion was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, where audience members raised further queries on historical precedents, current challenges like encroachments and litigation affecting thousands of waqf properties, and pathways for transparent yet community-led reforms. The event underscored the timely relevance of Rahman’s book in fostering informed dialogue amid evolving debates on waqf governance in India.
NOTE: Issued by the organiser
