A proposal by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board to establish common themes for Friday sermons across mosques and shrines in the region has triggered intense criticism from religious scholars and political leaders, who view the initiative as an attempt by the state to control Islamic practices.
The controversy began after the October 10 proposal was put forward by the board, which is headed by Dr. Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, a Kashmiri leader associated with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Although the Waqf Board directly manages fewer than 150 mosques and shrines out of the thousands operating across the region—including at least 1,450 mosques in Srinagar city alone—the proposal aimed to set uniform sermon themes for all Muslim places of worship in Kashmir.
Local residents and religious figures condemned the effort, describing it as an infringement on religious freedom presented under the guise of administrative coordination. At his home in the Khanyar area of Srinagar, resident Ghulam Sofi, who bears a mark on his forehead from years of offering namaz, expressed widespread community skepticism. Sofi observed that religion and politics have historically been intertwined in Kashmir, noting that residents recognize a political motivation behind the current proposal.
The move comes amid broader structural changes that followed the Modi administration's decision in 2019 to revoke Kashmir’s special constitutional status and place the region under direct central governance. These legal and administrative shifts reshaped local institutions, leading to the creation of a new board in 2022 under India's national Waqf framework, with BJP leader Andrabi appointed as chairperson.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the region’s prominent Muslim religious leader, voiced strong opposition to state involvement in dictating sermon topics. He stated that the Waqf Board's attempt to prescribe uniform sermons is deeply problematic because it amounts to interference in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. He emphasized that the mosque pulpit is a sacred trust whose guidance belongs solely to Islamic clerics and recognized religious bodies, warning that state-mandated sermons disregard long-established traditions and jeopardize religious autonomy.
Farooq further cautioned against government overreach, asserting that the pulpit cannot function as an instrument of the state. He clarified that while the community is not opposed to coordination or reform, it firmly rejects state authority over matters that fall strictly within the purview of religious scholars and the faith community.
Political leadership in the region also rejected the proposal. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticized the initiative as an unacceptable attempt by the BJP to meddle in Muslim religious affairs, urging the board's leadership to immediately stop the effort.
Following widespread resistance across political circles and Islamic sects, Andrabi backtracked on the plan. While defending the initiative, Andrabi—whose social media profile on X displays a photo alongside Modi—clarified that the concept was merely a proposal and that no binding order had been issued. Despite the clarification, the proposal has heightened concerns over state oversight of religious institutions in Kashmir.
