Kashmir Waqf Board faces backlash over proposed Friday sermons
A proposal by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board to introduce uniform Friday sermons at mosques across Indian-administered Kashmir has sparked strong opposition from Muslim scholars and political leaders, who say the move could undermine religious freedom.
The board, headed by Darakshan Andrabi, a leader associated with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), announced the proposal last weekend.
Andrabi initially said a committee of senior religious scholars would prepare sermons addressing social issues, including drug abuse.
The announcement prompted criticism from religious leaders, who argued that decisions about sermon content should rest with Islamic scholars rather than an administrative body.
During a meeting on Sunday, the board summoned around 1,500 scholars and preachers from across the region, with some attending virtually.
A scholar from Rajouri district told Al Jazeera that participants were informed that mosques would be expected to deliver sermons prepared and approved by a committee.
The scholar, who requested anonymity, said concerns raised during the meeting were dismissed and that participants were not told who would serve on the proposed committee.
Religious leaders oppose centralised sermons
Nayeem Akhtar, a senior politician and former education minister of the region, criticised the proposal, arguing that the board’s responsibilities should be limited to administrative matters rather than directing religious practices.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s leading Muslim religious figure, also warned that standardising Friday sermons would amount to direct interference in religious affairs.
The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema, a coalition of religious organisations led by Farooq, said determining sermon content was the responsibility of Islamic scholars, not an administrative authority.
Omar Abdullah, the region’s elected head, also joined the criticism.
Following the backlash, Andrabi clarified that independent scholars, preachers and sermon leaders would be free to address social concerns such as suicide, mental health, substance abuse and other community issues.
Dispute reflects wider concerns over religious autonomy
The controversy comes amid longstanding tensions over the management of Muslim religious institutions in Indian-administered Kashmir.
In 2019, India revoked the region’s special status and brought it under direct federal control.
Changes to the legal framework governing religious endowments subsequently expanded the role of federally controlled authorities in managing local waqf institutions.
Muslim groups have since raised concerns about restrictions on religious practices and increased administrative oversight of mosques and shrines.
In January, religious scholars criticised police efforts to collect detailed information about mosque officials through a profiling form that reportedly sought personal and biometric data.
The Waqf Board has also faced criticism over earlier decisions affecting traditional religious practices, including the collection of donations at shrines and the distribution of yellow rice associated with local Sufi traditions.
Political scientist and historian Noor Ahmad Baba told Al Jazeera that religion has long played a significant role in political mobilisation in Kashmir.
He said attempts to change established religious arrangements were likely to generate public suspicion, particularly when introduced by politically affiliated authorities.
The dispute highlights continuing tensions over religious autonomy, administrative control and the preservation of Kashmiri Muslim traditions.