Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, categorically denied that the Board had issued any directive mandating uniform Friday sermons across its affiliated mosques and religious institutions in the Union Territory. The denial came in direct response to a political controversy sparked by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had called the reported proposal an unacceptable intrusion into Muslim religious affairs.

What the Controversy Was About

The row erupted after reports emerged of a proposal to introduce common themes for Friday sermons across all Waqf Board-affiliated mosques in Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah weighed in sharply, tagging a newspaper report in a post on social media platform X. 'This is an unacceptable attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims and will not be accepted under any circumstances,' Abdullah wrote. He added: 'The BJP-appointed Chairperson must immediately halt this misplaced attempt to please her masters.'

Andrabi's Point-by-Point Rebuttal

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Andrabi said no order mandating uniform sermons had been issued and that religious scholars and preachers retained full freedom to choose the subjects they address. 'Darakhshan Andrabi cannot take any decision, nor can my officer take any decision. It is the decision of the independent scholars, our preachers, our sermonists, that we should try to remove vices in society,' she said.

She was emphatic that no written directive existed anywhere. 'There is no order. There is no order anywhere,' Andrabi told reporters. She also clarified that the proposed core committee — which triggered much of the controversy — would be composed entirely of religious scholars, and that she herself would not be a member of it. 'Who will form the core committee? Religious leaders,' she said, adding that scholars would independently decide both the subjects and the manner of their sermons.

The Stated Social Objective

Andrabi said the initiative behind any proposed coordination was aimed at using sermons as a platform to address pressing social problems, particularly those affecting young people — including drug abuse, family breakdown, suicide, and mental trauma. She drew a comparison with other professionals: just as doctors, engineers, and teachers work in their respective spheres, religious scholars associated with the Board could play a constructive role in tackling social evils.

She urged political leaders to focus on issues affecting ordinary people on the ground rather than opposing efforts directed at social reform. 'Whatever our religious scholars want, they will do it in their own way. There is no interference in that,' she said.

Political and Religious Opposition

The proposal — as initially reported — drew resistance from both political and religious quarters in the Valley. Chief Minister Abdullah's remarks reflect the sensitivity around any perceived attempt to centralise or standardise religious practice in a Muslim-majority region. The controversy also highlights the fractious relationship between the BJP-appointed Waqf leadership and the elected state government, which operates under a different political alignment.

What Happens Next

With Andrabi's denial on record and the proposed scholars' core committee still reportedly under consideration, the focus will shift to whether the Board formalises any framework — even a voluntary one — and how religious bodies respond. The episode underscores the continuing tension between the administrative and political structures governing religious affairs in Jammu and Kashmir as the Union Territory finds its post-reorganisation footing.