J&K Waqf Board pushes for uniform Friday sermons, ‘preachers’ committee to decide topics in advance’
The J&K Waqf Board has introduced a policy requiring uniform Friday sermons across all mosques in the region to ensure religious leaders address pre-approved social topics. A committee of scholars will select these themes, aiming to move away from political discourse toward issues like drug abuse and social welfare.
Why it matters
This initiative represents a significant state-led effort to standardize religious messaging in a sensitive region, potentially altering the traditional autonomy of local mosques and their influence on public opinion.
The J&K Waqf Board has pushed for uniform Friday sermons at all mosques in the Union Terrorist (UT) and will become the first region in the country to adopt this mechanism to ensure the topics to be highlighted at religious places are pre-decided and approved by a committee of preachers.
“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, an Executive Magistrate at the Board, told hundreds of preachers who attended the Waqf meeting in a virtual mode from different districts of J&K on Sunday.
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