Srinagar, Oct 13 (KNO): Amid a growing row over proposed common themes for Friday sermons, Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board chairperson Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi on Tuesday asserted that no order had been issued making uniform sermons mandatory, saying religious scholars were free to decide what to preach and insisting that the Board had no authority to dictate sermon topics.
Addressing a press conference here, Dr Andrabi, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the initiative was intended to encourage religious scholars to address pressing social concerns, including drug abuse, suicides, family issues and mental distress among young people.
“Even Darakhshan Andrabi cannot take any such decision, nor can my officer take any such decision. It is the decision of the independent scholars, our preachers, our sermonists, that we should try to remove the vices in society,” she said.
Stressing that the subjects would be decided by the scholars themselves, the Waqf Board chairperson said sermons could focus on whichever social issues they considered important. “If we want to talk about drugs today, then we will talk about drugs. If we want to talk about daughters, if there is no marriage, then we will talk about it. If children are committing suicide, then why are they doing it? Why is there trauma in our society? Everyone has decided,” she said.
“There is no order. There is no order anywhere,” Dr Andrabi said, rejecting suggestions that the Board had made common sermons compulsory.
Dr Waqf Board chairperson said the proposed core committee would comprise religious scholars and that she would not be part of it. “Who will form the core committee? Religious leaders,” she said, adding that she was not a religious teacher and that scholars would independently decide the subjects and manner of their sermons.
“Whatever our religious scholars want, they will do it in their own way. There is no interference in that,” she said.
Defending the initiative, Dr Andrabi said religious scholars could contribute to efforts against social evils, just as professionals such as doctors, engineers and teachers worked in their respective fields. She urged political leaders to focus on issues affecting people rather than oppose efforts aimed at addressing social problems.
Responding to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s statement that the proposal amounted to BJP interference in Muslim religious affairs, the Waqf chief questioned where such interference had taken place and defended her association with the party.
“Where did BJP interfere? If I am the leader of BJP, I am proud. I feel very proud today that I am from BJP,” she said.
The controversy erupted after the Waqf Board announced a proposed core committee of Muftis, Imams and Khateebs to identify common themes for Friday sermons across its affiliated mosques and religious institutions—(KNO)