Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board’s proposal of common Friday sermons across shrines and mosques has sparked a fresh debate over the religious autonomy, political interference and the religious rights of Muslim community in the region.According to the proposal, which has been largely criticised, the Waqf Board wants a “committee of Islamic scholars” to decide and pre-approve sermon topics for the preachers at Waqf-affiliated mosques.The waqf board said the common sermon proposal aims “to push social harmony, moral values and awareness of issues such as drug abuse and women’s rights”. However, critics raised serious questions about who has the right to decide what is preached from mosque pulpits.The board has proposed a committee of religious scholars that will finalise the topics. These topics would be communicated to the concerned preachers before the sermons, an official from the board said.The directive was issued by Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din, an executive magistrate associated with the Waqf Board, in a virtual meeting with religious leaders from across Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, The Hindu reported. The Board’s plan covers mosques and Jama masjids under its control. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Waqf board Chairperson, Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, responded to the criticism by saying that the board’s officials will have no direct role in deciding the content. “I don’t take decisions on my own, we (Waqf board) have Imams and scholars associated with us who take religious decisions,” she told the media.Andrabi also rejected the allegations concerning BJP or RSS’s role in the proposal, adding that there was no political or government interference in this decision. “People are coming in media with half truths. If our politicians want there to be no discussion on drugs, no discussion on social issues. Then let there be no discussion,” she said without naming anyone who criticised it.Her assurance has not pacified the issue. Critics argue that even if scholars select the topics, the arrangement raises questions about how the committee will be constituted, how its decisions will be enforced and whether preachers will have the freedom to speak on local concerns.Friday sermons are not limited to religious teachings in Kashmir. They provide a platform to discuss social problems, public grievances and issues concerning locals as well.They also question whether the move will be impleneting uniformly. If religious leaders are expected to follow approved topics, they said the public deserves clarity on who establishes the rules and what safeguards will protect their independence.Before the Union government passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was India’s only Muslim-majority state, according to the 2011 Census. The region was subsequently divided into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Kashmir Valley continues to have a Muslim-majority population.This context makes religious autonomy an important public concern in the muslim dominated region. The question, political and religious scholars argue, is whether an administrative body should have any role in deciding the topics for religious leaders. They believe that a policy aimed to promote unity can still generate concerns if people feel that decisions about their religious lives are being made through an official mechanism rather than through independent consultation.The key questions raised by the critics remain unanswered: Who will oversee the proposed committee? Will mosques be required to follow its decisions? Can preachers address issues outside the approved themes? And what protections will exist against political influence? Until these questions are addressed transparently, the proposal is likely to remain contentious.Chief minister opposes proposalChief minister Omar Abdullah has strongly opposed the Waqf Board’s move. In a post on X, Abdullah described the proposal as an unacceptable attempt by the BJP to interfere in Muslim religious affairs. He called on Andrabi to halt the initiative.“This is an unacceptable attempt by the BJP to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims and will not be accepted under any circumstances. The BJP appointed Chairperson must immediately halt this misplaced attempt to please her masters,” Abdullah posted on X.Critics also warn against treating “Kashmir as a testing ground for standardised religious practices”. They argue that local traditions, social realities and community concerns must remain part of religious discourse.Former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti raised similar concerns. Mehbooba questioned how the government-appointed board leadership could determine what Muslim religious scholars should preach.Calling this proposal as interference with faith, Mufti argued that Friday sermons must reflect local concerns as well as wider social and national issues. “I think this is another interference with our faith. Unfortunately, it is the BJP’s agenda to harass Muslims and interfere with their faith. They want to bring a uniformity like Uniform Civil Code,” she told reporters in Srinagar.Her criticism extended to the administration of Waqf affairs. She argued that these responsibilities should be placed under an elected government.The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an umbrella organisation of religious and socio-religious groups headed by Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has also opposed the proposal.The organisation argued that government-linked authorities should not prescribe religious discourse or require preachers to follow scripted sermons.The MMU distinguishes between voluntary cooperation and administrative control. It supports the idea of scholars coordinating their messages on shared social concerns. However, it opposes a system that could restrict the independence of religious leaders.The organisation has also urged the Waqf Board to focus on managing, maintaining and protecting Waqf properties.“MMU strongly rejects any attempt by the Waqf Board to prescribe uniform Friday sermons. The Mimbar is an Amanah, and religious guidance is the domain of Ulema and Imams, not state-linked bodies. Such interference in matters of faith and religious practice is unacceptable. The Waqf Board must confine itself to its administrative responsibilities,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Hurriyat chairman and head of MMU said.The Waqf Board maintains that the initiative is intended to promote constructive messages and improve coordination among religious institutions.Andrabi said that the traditional sermons attributed to Prophet Muhammad, known as Khutba Rasool, will remain unchanged.A similar controversy in ChhattisgarhA similar controversy emerged in Chhattisgarh in November 2024. The state’s Waqf Board directed mosque caretakers to submit Friday sermons for advance scrutiny. The measure was linked to concerns about political speeches in mosques. The move faced objections from the Congress and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, who questioned the Board’s authority to regulate sermon content.The MMU has announced its own programme to coordinate sermons across participating mosques and Imambargahs. It plans to begin on October 16, with Imaan, meaning faith, as the opening theme.The programme differs from the Waqf Board’s proposal. It is based on voluntary participation by religious organisations rather than directions covering institutions under the Board’s administration.Supporters of voluntary coordination argue that scholars can work together to address drug abuse, social responsibility and other community concerns without compromising their independence.