MMU: Religious guidance domain of ulema, imams; should remain free from state interference

Srinagar: The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) has strongly rejected any attempt by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board to prescribe uniform topics for Friday sermons, asserting that religious guidance falls within the domain of Ulema and Imams and should remain free from interference by state-linked bodies.

In a statement, the MMU said the Mimbar (pulpit) was an Amanah (sacred trust) and maintained that decisions concerning religious guidance and practice rested with religious scholars and Imams.

“Such interference in matters of faith and religious practice is unacceptable,” the MMU said, urging the Waqf Board to confine itself to its administrative responsibilities.

The statement comes amid a controversy over the Waqf Board’s proposal to establish a committee of religious scholars to identify common themes for Friday sermons at mosques and other religious institutions under its administration.

The proposal, discussed at a meeting chaired by Waqf Board chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi in Srinagar, was presented as an initiative to encourage religious leaders to address social concerns, including drug addiction and other issues affecting society.

However, the proposal drew objections from religious and political leaders, who raised concerns about the autonomy of Imams and the role of administrative bodies in determining sermon content.

Andrabi subsequently clarified that Imams and religious scholars were free to decide the subjects of their Friday sermons and said no directive had been issued making uniform sermons mandatory.

The MMU’s latest statement underscores the ongoing disagreement over whether the proposed initiative should serve as voluntary coordination among religious scholars or involve prescribing common sermon topics for religious institutions associated with the Waqf Board.