Imam killed outside New Jersey mosque, shooter remains at large, authorities say
Newark (US), Jan 4: A New Jersey imam was gunned down outside his mosque before dawn on Wednesday, leaving authorities hunting for a shooter and saying they have found no evidence yet that an anti-Muslim bias played a part in the shooting.
Imam Hassan Sharif was in his car when he was shot more than once at about 6 am near the Masjid-Muhammad Mosque in Newark, the state's largest city, Essex County Prosecutor Ted Stephens said at a news conference. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died in the afternoon.
"I know that in light of global events and with a rise in bias directed at many communities we are experiencing across our state -- particularly the Muslim community -- there are many in New Jersey right now who are feeling a heightened sense of fear or anxiety at the news of this slaying," Attorney General Matt Platkin said.
Despite that, Platkin said law enforcement has stepped up outreach to houses of worship, particularly Jewish and Muslim ones, explicitly acknowledging the tensions unfolding in many parts of the world amid the fighting in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Sharif had been a resident imam at the local mosque for five years, Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. He remembered the imam as a leader in the interfaith community who worked to keep the city safe.
"We share your pain and we promise to utilise the full resources of those here and those who are continuing to partner with us to make sure that this heinous crime is solved," he said.
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation, called Sharif a "beacon of leadership and excellence" and said while the shooter's motives are unknown, the group is advising all mosques to "remain cautious" while keeping their doors open.
About 320,000 of the state's roughly nine million (90 lakh) residents are Muslims, Platkin said. After Wednesday's shooting, officials reached out to Muslim communities in the city and across the state.
"We are asking everybody in our community and our partners to let us know if there is anything that they want to be done and anything that is making them feel unsafe so we can respond," Fragé said.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
