Omar Abdullah slams proposed uniform Friday sermons in Kashmir; what is the controversy?

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly criticised a proposal to introduce a common social theme for Friday sermons at mosques, accusing the BJP of attempting to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims.

The controversy has triggered widespread opposition from political leaders and religious organisations, prompting J&K Waqf Board Chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi to clarify that no official directive has been issued.

Calling the proposal an “unacceptable attempt by the BJP to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims,” Abdullah demanded that the Waqf Board immediately abandon the initiative.

“The BJP-appointed Chairperson must immediately halt this misplaced attempt to please her masters,” Abdullah wrote on X.

The controversy centres on a proposal to encourage mosques across Jammu and Kashmir to address a common social issue during Friday sermons, traditionally delivered by imams before congregational prayers.

While the Waqf Board maintains that the idea emerged from discussions among Islamic scholars to address growing social problems, critics argue that any attempt by a statutory body to influence the content of religious sermons amounts to interference in matters of faith.

What is the controversy over Friday sermons?

The dispute began after a meeting of Islamic scholars and preachers associated with the J&K Waqf Board in Srinagar on Saturday, where participants reportedly discussed the possibility of highlighting common social concerns during Friday sermons.

According to Waqf Board Chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi, the proposal was intended to encourage religious leaders to address social problems and promote values such as brotherhood, humanity and community welfare.

However, the suggestion drew immediate criticism from political parties and religious organisations, which questioned whether the Waqf Board had the authority to influence what imams preach from mosque pulpits.

Andrabi subsequently clarified that the board had not issued any order mandating uniform sermons and insisted that the proposal was neither a government directive nor part of a political agenda.

“This was everyone’s collective concern; it was not a unilateral decision imposed by us. Rather, religious scholars and prominent intellectuals from across Jammu and Kashmir assembled here and made this decision: With societal evils rising, why shouldn’t a Friday sermon universally emphasise eradicating these social ills?” she told PTI, adding that even Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had highlighted the need to address social issues in his Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid.

Andrabi maintained that the initiative originated entirely from religious scholars who believed that Friday sermons could play a greater role in addressing social challenges.

Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti oppose proposal

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was among the first prominent political leaders to question the initiative, accusing the BJP of attempting to extend its influence into Muslim religious practices.

His criticism was echoed by former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, who described the proposal as “yet another interference in our religion and faith”.

Mufti alleged that the initiative reflected the “BJP’s agenda” to harass Muslims and interfere in their religious affairs.

Drawing parallels with the Uniform Civil Code, she claimed that the BJP was attempting to introduce uniformity in religious sermons and was using Jammu and Kashmir as a testing ground for policies that could later be implemented elsewhere in India.

“First, it is tested in the laboratory, and then it is implemented across the entire country. Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority state. Who are they to decide what sermon our Molvis and Imams will deliver on Fridays?” she said.

Mufti further alleged that Jammu and Kashmir had been turned into a “laboratory” for the BJP, with the proposed uniformity in Friday sermons serving as another example of political interference in religious matters.

Religious organisations reject proposed intervention

The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an umbrella organisation of several religious and socio-religious bodies in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also strongly opposed the proposal.

The organisation described the move as “forcible state intrusion into the religious sphere, which is against law and principles of freedom of religious practice”.

In a statement, the MMU argued that the Waqf Board, as a statutory body, had no authority to regulate the religious messages delivered by imams during Friday prayers.

It said even suggesting that such an institution could determine what should be preached from the ‘Mimbar’, or mosque pulpit, was “ridiculous” and unacceptable to Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The state or government cannot assume for itself the authority to determine religious discourse and scripted speech to be delivered, or interfere in matters of faith and religious practice,” the organisation said.

The MMU urged the Waqf Board to confine itself to its administrative responsibilities, including the management, maintenance and protection of Waqf properties, instead