"Angaaray" railed against social inequity, hypocritical Mawlawis, and the exploitation of women in a deeply patriarchal society. These criticisms caused an uproar in the Indian Islamic community, and "Angaaray" was publicly condemned by the Central Standing Committee of the All-India Shia Conference in Lucknow as a "filthy pamphlet" that had "wounded the feelings of the entire Muslim community." Fatwas were issued against the book and the Urdu press called for its proscription. Demonstrations were held outside book stores and the publisher had to issue a written apology and surrender unsold copies to the government. In March 1933, the British colonial government banned the book for violating religious freedoms under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code. The outcry was so severe that only five copies from the original press run still exist.