Abid Faheem

Chief Product Officer, Nous

Electoral Power, Developmental Marginality: Muslims in West Bengal

Muslims in West Bengal are electorally decisive yet structurally marginalized. Despite shaping political outcomes, their access to education, jobs, healthcare, and political representation remains limited, alongside rising concerns over voting rights through SIR.

Nous Explains

The Blueprint for Marginalization: Decoding the Assam Model | Assam Elections 2026

Behind Assam’s citizenship debates lies a deeper story of identity, exclusion, and institutional power. From the NRC to eviction drives and political rhetoric, this article examines how legality, belonging, and democracy are being contested in contemporary India.

Law as a Weapon: How Assam's State Is Systematically Dismantling Muslim Life

From bulldozers and mass evictions to polygamy bans and "jihad" rhetoric, a documented account of how ostensibly neutral laws are being weaponised against Assam's Muslim communities.

Who Are Assam's Muslims? What the data says before polling day

On 9 April, over a crore Muslim voters will cast their ballots in Assam. For decades, narratives around their numbers have shaped how they are seen, policed, and governed. This article examines the data behind these claims and explains what it actually tells us about Assam’s Muslims.

Nous Opinions Featured

Maharashtra’s 5% Muslim Quota: Administrative Closure or Policy Shift?

Maharashtra has scrapped the 5% Muslim quota, inactive for over a decade. But is this merely administrative clean-up or a signal of shifting priorities in minority welfare? This article revisits the data, legal history, and broader policy context behind the decision.

Explainer

Madrasas & its Contribution in Shaping Knowledge & Learning

Watch Episode 1 of our Madrasa Series: The History and Evolution of Madrasas. Moving beyond media stereotypes, this explainer traces the madrasa’s origins as a place of learning and its historic role as a centre of education and scholarship across the Islamic world and India.

Projects

School Education in a Muslim-Concentrated Urban Neighbourhood: Evidence from a Large-Scale Household Survey in Jamia Nagar, Delhi

Based on a large-scale household survey in Jamia Nagar, Delhi, this report examines school access, educational costs, and learning outcomes among children in a Muslim-concentrated urban neighbourhood, highlighting the structural factors shaping educational inequality.

Decrypted by Nous

Muslims, Development, and the Politics of Neglect in Bihar

Despite forming 17% of Bihar’s population, Muslims remain largely invisible in its development story. Concentrated in Seemanchal’s poorest districts, they face deep gaps in education, jobs, and representation—raising urgent questions ahead of the 2025 Bihar election.

Decrypted by Nous

Invisible Bihar: The Untold Story of Muslims in Seemanchal | Poverty, Politics & Representation

Bihar is India’s third-most populous state — yet remains one of its most underdeveloped. But behind Bihar’s well-known struggles lies a story almost never told: the story of its Muslim citizens, especially in Seemanchal. Muslims make up 17% of Bihar’s population — one in every six people — but remain

History

The History of Gaza Genocide

The genocide in Gaza did not begin on October 7, 2023 — it is the continuation of over a century of occupation, dispossession, and resistance. This timeline traces that long, painful history of occupation and the enduring spirit of Palestinian resistance.

History

1947: Loss, Migration, and Memory

Partition of 1947 remains one of the greatest ruptures in modern history. It did not merely redraw borders—it uprooted communities, fractured identities, and left millions dead, displaced, or unaccounted for. Drawing on census data from 1931, 1941, and 1951, this video examines migration flows, demographic upheavals, and the uneven

History

Equal Partners in Freedom: The Muslim Contribution to India’s Independence

The story of India’s independence is not the tale of one religion, caste, or community; it is the shared struggle of an entire nation. Yet, the sacrifices of Indian Muslims in the freedom movement have often been overlooked. In this video, we remember some of the countless Muslim freedom

Nous Explains

Are We Unknowingly Funding Genocide in Gaza? Role of Western and non-Western Nations

What If We’re Funding a Genocide — Without Even Knowing It? That app on our phone, the bank we trust, the clothes we wear — could they be linked to bombs falling on Gaza? In this urgent explainer, we uncover how global corporations — from tech giants and arms manufacturers to tourism

Projects

Muslim-Managed Higher Education Institutions in India: A Status Report

Are Muslims Being Left Out of Higher Education in India? A new study by Nous Network and CSR shows: ~ Only 2.6% of colleges are Muslim-run. ~ Most offer only UG courses. ~ 55% of students in these colleges are non-Muslims. ~ Growth of Muslim institutions has nearly stalled since 2014. What do

Explainer

Places of Worship Act & Waqf Act 2025: What Does It Mean For Muslim Sites?

With temples being "discovered" inside mosques and dargahs across India, sites from Gyanvapi to Sambhal are facing mounting legal petitions under the reclaiming mandir campaign by right-wing Hindu groups. At the heart of it all lies a crucial but overlooked law: the Places of Worship Act, 1991. But

Waqf

The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025: A Legalized Tool for Land Grabbing?

The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 was passed in the Lok Sabha at midnight on Thursday after nearly 12 hours of heated discussion, and was cleared by the Rajya Sabha the very next day. The government projected itself as the champion of Muslim rights, making grand promises. However, history has shown

Waqf

From British Rule to Modern India: Waqf Administration & Its Systematic Encroachment

Since the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 was tabled in Parliament, discussions on various aspects of Waqf have intensified. With the bill now back in discussion after being reviewed by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and amid nationwide protests by Muslim organisations, one issue stands at the center of contention—the

Nous Explains

Is Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 a LEGAL Tool for Snatching Properties?

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is not just a legal change, it is a direct attack on Muslim community assets. By tweaking key provisions of the Waqf Act, the government is creating systematic loopholes to weaken Waqf institutions, strip them of their autonomy, and make it easier to take over

Explainer

Understanding the Impact of Section 40 Omission: Waqf Act Reforms and Their Consequences

In this video, we delve into the complexities surrounding Section 40 of the Waqf Act, 1995, which empowers Waqf Boards to identify and declare properties as Waqf based on evidence and a formal procedure. With proposals to omit this section and replace the Survey Commissioner with the District Magistrate (DM)

Nous Explains

Can Waqf Board Claim Your Property? Section 40 Explained!

Nous Explains

Does the Waqf Board Have Unlimited Power? | The Truth About Section 40 of the Waqf Act, 1995

Can the Waqf Board really claim any property under Section 40 of the Waqf Act, 1995?

Research

Empowerment through Education: A Comprehensive Analysis of Muslim-Managed Higher Education Institutions in India

Education is a vital component of development and empowerment.

Nous Explains Featured

Uncovering the Truth: Muslim Criminalisation in India

Among the many hardships that Muslims in India face today, one prominent issue that has always existed but has worsened over time is their unjust criminalization. In this video, we discuss various forms of unjust criminalization that Muslims currently experience, accompanied by prison statistics that underscore the gravity of the

Decrypted by Nous

Is India’s Population Problem a Muslim Problem?

Of all of the marks India is making on the global stage this year, from the moon landing to the G20 Summit, not least of it all is India becoming the most populous country in the world.

Nous Opinions

Eid-ul-Adha: Debunking Myths and Exploring Socio-economic Significance

Muslims in India are often questioned about meat consumption in general and on animal sacrifice on the day of Eid-ul-Adha, in particular. As the festival of Eid-ul-Adha approaches, campaigns such as Save Animal, Eco-friendly Eid, Bloodless Eid etc., gain momentum. While some people, mainly right-wing individuals and social activists, advocate