Why J&K Waqf Board’s push to uniform Friday sermons triggered a political storm | Explained
The J&K Waqf Board is implementing a policy to standardize Friday sermons across affiliated mosques to address social issues like drug abuse and late marriages. This move has sparked political debate as it marks a departure from the historical autonomy of local religious leaders.
Why it matters
It highlights the tension between state-led administrative control over religious institutions and the traditional independence of local clergy.
The Story So Far: The J&K Waqf Board, headed by senior BJP leader and chairperson Darakshan Andrabi, held a meeting on October 11 at its office in Srinagar. It was attended by imams (prayer leaders) and khateebs (preachers) of hundreds of mosques and shrines affiliated with the Board. Ms. Andrabi informed the meeting about the creation of a core committee of Islamic scholars and preachers to decide on a uniform topic for Friday sermons in Jammu and Kashmir . Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din, an Executive Magistrate at the Board, disclosed that the Board was pushing the idea for the past one month and a directive was already in place “to broach only one topic in sermons”. He also sought views from the religious persons on incorporating non-Waqf mosques under the new uniform sermon. J&K has both Waqf-affiliated and non-affiliated mosques and shrines. Ever since Ms.
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