Full Breakdown
J&K Waqf Board’s Push for Uniform Friday Sermons Sparks Political and Religious Opposition
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Proposal for Uniform Friday Sermons
The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Waqf Board announced plans to introduce a common theme for Friday khutbas across mosques in the Union Territory. An executive magistrate said a directive had been issued about a month earlier directing all preachers to deliver a single, pre-selected topic each week. The board will form a committee of imams, muftis and khateebs to decide the topics, with the chairperson and officials excluded from selection.
Background & Context
The board, chaired by BJP leader Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, moves amid the party’s broader push for a Uniform Civil Code. In J&K, Friday sermons traditionally blend Prophet-centered teachings with locally chosen discussions of contemporary issues.
Data & Statistics
- A virtual meeting convened by the board attracted “hundreds of preachers” from districts across J&K.
- A gathering at the board’s central office in Srinagar was attended by roughly 1,500 muftis, imams and scholars representing diverse sects.
Official Statements & Responses
Andrabi emphasized that the initiative seeks a single voice on social matters such as drugs, women’s issues and youth waywardness while preserving the unchanged “Khutba Rasool.” She reiterated that a committee of religious scholars, not the chairperson or board officials, will determine the weekly topics.
Following backlash, the board issued a clarification stating that no formal directive had been passed and that the discussion was limited to allowing imams and scholars to function independently.
Criticism & Opposition
- Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, head of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), called the idea “ridiculous” and said a statutory body cannot regulate pulpit preaching.
- PDP president Mehbooba Mufti described the move as interference, arguing that a board run by the BJP and the Minority Ministry, headed by a non-Muslim, lacks legitimacy to dictate sermon content.
- National Conference spokesman Imran Nabi Dar warned that the BJP would control both the issues and the wording of the sermons, turning mosques into political mouthpieces.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether an official directive was ever finalized. Earlier statements from the board’s executive magistrate and chairperson describe a concrete directive and a planned committee, while a later board clarification claims no such direction was formally passed. No independent verification has been provided, leaving the procedural status unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Almost a month ago, a directive was issued to all the preachers to have a common khutba (sermon) at all places (of worship). One topic will be selected and the same topic will be highlighted (in the mosques),” — Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din, Executive Magistrate
- “This is an unacceptable attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims and will not be accepted under any circumstances.” — Mr. Abdullah, Kashmir chief
- “The Waqf Board should remain within its administrative responsibility of management, maintenance and protection of the Waqf properties entrusted to it, rather than come up with such a devious agenda and unnecessary controversy,” Mr.” — Mr. Farooq
- “A board run by the BJP and the Minority Ministry headed by a non-Muslim cannot decide what should be in a sermon, which is meant to discuss local issues too,” Ms.” — Ms. Mufti, PDP president
