Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has decided to constitute a core committee of religious scholars to finalise common themes for Friday sermons at mosques, shrines and other religious institutions under its administration.
The decision was taken during a meeting of Muftis, Imams, Khateebs and other religious scholars chaired by Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi at the Board’s central office in Sonwar, Srinagar, on Saturday, according to an official statement.
The proposed committee will identify sermon topics in advance and communicate them to religious scholars associated with Waqf-managed institutions across Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the statement, the initiative seeks to bring greater consistency to the subjects addressed during Friday congregational prayers, particularly those concerning moral responsibility, religious awareness, social harmony and the eradication of social evils.
Addressing the meeting, Andrabi said the initiative was aimed at bringing Imams from different sects onto a common platform to strengthen religious values and encourage social reform.
“This is a decision to bring Imams across sects together to strengthen faith, reform society, uphold humanity and eradicate social evils,” she said.
The Board said the committee would select topics of public and community interest in accordance with Islamic teachings, while encouraging religious scholars to use their sermons to address contemporary social concerns.
The meeting also deliberated on improving coordination among religious institutions and strengthening the role of religious scholars in promoting unity, responsible behaviour and mutual understanding in society.
The common themes will be shared with the concerned Imams and Khateebs in advance for inclusion in their Friday sermons, the statement said.
The proposed arrangement will apply only to religious institutions associated with the Waqf Board and will not cover all mosques and religious institutions across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Waqf Board members Dr Ghulam Haleem and Syed Mohammad Hussain Haqani, along with religious scholars from various districts of Kashmir.
The Board said the initiative was intended to improve coordination among religious scholars and encourage sermons addressing common social concerns.
However, the Board has yet to announce the composition of the core committee, when it will be constituted or the first set of themes to be taken up. Once established, the committee will be responsible for deciding sermon topics ahead of Friday congregations across Waqf-administered institutions.
