A proposal to introduce standardised sermon content for Friday prayers and other religious gatherings in the Kashmir Valley drew notable opposition at a recent meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board. Footage from the Saturday gathering carried audio of attendees discussing the formation of a panel — drawing on imams and senior religious scholars — that would be responsible for selecting themes for standardised sermon content.
Following discussions that drew objections from the Chief Minister, Waqf Board Chairperson Darakshan Andrabi told reporters on Tuesday that no such directions had been issued, adding that the matter had been taken up by imams and religious scholars affiliated with the Waqf, who she said should be permitted to operate without interference.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah characterised the move as an attempt to interfere in Muslim religious affairs, stating that such interference would not be tolerated under any conditions.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir's chief cleric, voiced opposition to the proposed measure, while a separate statement called on the chairperson — described in that statement as having been appointed by the BJP — to withdraw what the speaker characterised as an ill-conceived initiative.
On Tuesday, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema Jammu and Kashmir — an umbrella body led by Mirwaiz that brings together prominent religious and socio-religious organisations across the region — took a firm position against any statutory authority being granted power over pulpit content. Its statement described such an arrangement as one the Muslim population of Jammu and Kashmir would not accept, and asserted that guidance on matters of faith belongs within the domain of ulema, imams, and established institutions rooted in Islamic scholarship and the diverse traditions of recognised schools of thought. The organisation further stated that neither the state nor any governmental body holds standing to shape religious discourse, prescribe what is delivered in religious settings, or intervene in questions of faith and practice.
Mehbooba Mufti, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, also raised objections to the standardised sermon proposal, calling into question the reasoning behind such directives. Speaking through a recorded video, she explained that the content of Friday sermons tends to reflect the specific conditions and concerns of a given community, while broader social and national matters also find a place in those addresses. Applying a single standardised format to those sermons, she argued, overlooks the varied circumstances facing different communities and the influence religious scholars hold in advising their congregations.
Mufti further argued that the BJP's push for a Uniform Civil Code reflects a broader tension between standardised governance and the preservation of India's varied religious practices, customs, and traditions. She added in her statement that the country's pluralism — rooted in each community's freedom to observe its own faith and way of life — represents a more authentic foundation than any single unifying framework imposed across all groups.
At a Tuesday press conference, Andrabi urged political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to keep the Waqf Board free from partisan involvement, stating that its work had no connection to electoral or party-driven agendas. She told reporters that the content of Friday sermons falls within each imam's own purview to determine. As the person leading a religious organisation, she said, she and her colleagues held the view that open discussion of community matters and concerns should be permitted.
