Omar Abdullah Tells J&K Waqf Board to Stop Uniform Friday Sermon Plan
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday opposed the reported move by the J&K Waqf Board to introduce uniform Friday sermons in mosques across the Union Territory, calling it interference in the religious affairs of Muslims.
In a post on X, Omar said the proposal was unacceptable and urged the Waqf Board chairperson to immediately stop the exercise.
“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 Chief Minister said. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
He further criticised the Waqf Board chairperson over the reported initiative, saying she should halt what he described as an attempt to please her political leadership.
Omar’s remarks came amid growing opposition to reports that the Waqf Board was considering a common set of sermons for Friday prayers in mosques across Jammu and Kashmir. The proposal has raised concerns among political leaders and religious organisations over the autonomy of mosques and the role of religious scholars in determining sermons.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has also opposed the reported move. The organisation maintains that religious discourse should remain within the domain of Ulema, Imams and recognised religious institutions rather than being prescribed by the Waqf Board.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has also criticised the proposal. She called for the transfer of Waqf administration in Jammu and Kashmir to the elected government and urged authorities to allow the MMU to review sermons delivered in mosques.
The issue has sparked a wider debate over the administration of Waqf properties, religious freedom and the authority of the Waqf Board in Jammu and Kashmir. Political leaders and religious representatives have raised questions about who should determine the content of Friday sermons and how religious institutions should be managed.
The reported proposal has brought the relationship between religious authorities, the Waqf Board and the elected government into focus, with opposition leaders calling for the initiative to be halted.
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