‘Common khutbah’ proposal sparks row in Kashmir; Omar Abdullah accuses BJP of religious interference

Amid mounting criticism, Waqf Board chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi rejected allegations that the Board had issued a directive requiring mosques to deliver a common sermon.

The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board’s proposal to hold common Friday sermons across its affiliated shrines, Jamia mosques and other religious institutions has triggered a political and religious controversy, drawing sharp criticism from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and prominent Muslim religious bodies.

The dispute centres on an initiative discussed by the Board on October 10, under its chairperson, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, a BJP leader.

The meeting involved Islamic scholars and considered a mechanism for deciding sermon topics in advance through a core committee of preachers.

The proposal was presented as an effort to coordinate discussions on common social issues.

However, political parties and religious organisations have opposed the move, arguing that it amounts to interference in religious affairs.

Omar Abdullah accuses BJP of interference

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led the political criticism, accusing the BJP of attempting to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims.

In a post on X, Abdullah said, “This is an unacceptable attempt by the BJP to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims, and it will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The BJP-appointed chairperson must immediately desist from this misguided attempt to please their masters.”

National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq also condemned the proposal, arguing that the responsibility for deciding the content of Friday sermons should rest with imams and khatibs who have studied the Quran and Hadith.

Sadiq said religious scholars consider the audience, the prevailing circumstances and the setting before delivering a sermon.

He argued that political leaders or their representatives should not dictate what must be discussed during religious gatherings.

Calling the proposal condemnable, he demanded its immediate withdrawal. Sadiq also accused Andrabi of using the pulpit for personal praise and said it should instead be used to guide people on religious matters and encourage them to become better human beings.

He added that the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a body of Islamic scholars in Kashmir, had also strongly criticised the initiative.

Mehbooba Mufti questions Kiren Rijiju’s understanding of Islam

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also criticised the proposal, accusing the BJP of targeting Muslims and interfering in their religious affairs.

She referred to previous controversies over mosques and shrines, as well as the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), arguing that attempts were now being made to impose uniformity on religious practices.

“The Maulvis and Imams know best what to say in their sermons (khutbahs),” Mufti said, warning against what she described as an attempt to dictate the content of Friday sermons through BJP or RSS offices.

She said that if the government wanted sermons to address a particular issue across religious institutions, it should consult the Majlis-e-Mutahidda Majlis-ul-Ulama, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Questioning who had the authority to make decisions about Muslim religious affairs, Mufti also asked whether Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju was knowledgeable about Islam and the issues faced by Muslims. She maintained that such decisions should be left to religious scholars and imams.

Religious bodies reject the proposal

Opposition to the initiative extended beyond political parties, including the National Conference, PDP, Apni Party and People’s Conference. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema and the Muslim Personal Law Board also rejected the proposal.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who heads the MMU, said the organisation had taken serious note of the Waqf Board’s initiative and rejected it outright.

“The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema wants to clarify that no government or state institution has the authority to decide what sermon the pulpit’s Imam will deliver,” he said, describing the proposal as irresponsible and insisting that Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir would not accept it.

Farooq said the Waqf Board should concentrate on protecting, managing and maintaining Waqf properties rather than becoming involved in religious matters.

Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, the Mufti Azam of Jammu and Kashmir and head of the Muslim Personal Law Board, also urged people in the Union Territory not to adopt or act on the proposal.

He questioned the rationale behind issuing a common sermon for mosques, arguing that the region had scholars and imams with established standing in Islamic jurisprudence.

Nasir-ul-Islam described the decision as contrary to the principles of Shariah and Islam and warned that such measures could create discord. He urged the Waqf authorities to carry out their responsibilities without hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims.

Darakhshan Andrabi denies issuing any directive

Amid mounting criticism, Waqf Board chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi rejected allegations that the Board had issued a directive requiring mosques to deliver a common sermon.

She said the idea had emerged from discussions among religious scholars and was intended to encourage them to address shared social concerns, including drug abuse and other social evils.

“This is not a new thing. Sermons happen everywhere and will continue to happen in every masjid in the future as well,” Andrabi said.

She maintained that the scholars involved were well-educated and had themselves discussed the possibility of speaking about common issues affecting society. According to her, neither she nor her officers had made the decision independently; the scholars were to decide what should be discussed in sermons.

Andrabi also referred to a video in which Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had reportedly spoken about delivering common sermons and addressing religion, social evils and other concerns affecting society. She questioned why the Waqf Board was facing criticism when its stated aim was similar.

Waqf Board Chairperson accuses politicians of politicising the issue

Andrabi rejected suggestions that the controversy stemmed from her association with the BJP, saying political leaders routinely raised objections when the Board undertook initiatives involving dargahs, hospitals or development work.

She said that if religious leaders did not support the proposal, they were free to discontinue it, adding that the decision ultimately rested with them.

Andrabi also argued that politics was no longer taking place inside mosques and dargahs, claiming that public discussion had increasingly shifted towards Waqf development. She suggested that some people were uncomfortable with this change because they would have to account for what had been done over the previous 70 years.

She further said that Jammu and Kashmir, as a Union Territory, falls under the Ministry of Minority Affairs and that the Waqf Board would remain under the Government of India for as long as the region retained that status.

Dispute puts religious autonomy at the centre

The controversy has exposed a sharp divide over the Waqf Board’s role in religious affairs. While Andrabi has described the initiative as a voluntary effort by scholars to address social problems, political leaders and religious organisations have argued that sermon content should remain the responsibility of imams and established religious authorities.

The disagreement has brought questions of religious autonomy, government oversight and the management of Waqf institutions to the forefront of public debate in Jammu and Kashmir.

Whether the proposal is withdrawn, revised or pursued remains unclear. However, the dispute has already turned the question of common Friday sermons into a flashpoint between the Waqf Board, elected political leaders and influential religious bodies in the Kashmir Valley.

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