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Religion
J&K Waqf Board seeks uniform Friday sermons, forms committee to pre‑set topics
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 13 Oct 2026, 06:18 AM
👁 16
The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board announced plans to standardise Friday sermons across the state by creating a preachers’ committee that will select sermon topics in advance.
The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has moved to bring consistency to the content of Friday (Jumu'ah) sermons delivered in mosques throughout the union territory. In a resolution passed at its recent meeting, the board approved the formation of a dedicated committee of senior preachers tasked with deciding the themes of sermons well before the weekly congregations.
The newly constituted committee will meet periodically to review current socio‑religious issues and select topics that align with the board’s objectives of promoting communal harmony and religious education. Once the agenda is finalised, the chosen subjects will be communicated to mosque imams across the region, ensuring that all Friday congregations address a common message.
Board officials said the initiative aims to curb the spread of divergent or polarising narratives and to provide a unified platform for addressing matters of public interest, such as social welfare, moral values and legal awareness. Implementation is expected to begin from the next Friday, with periodic reviews to assess the impact of the standardized approach.
Stakeholders, including local religious scholars, have welcomed the move as a step towards greater cohesion, while also urging the committee to respect the diversity of local contexts. The board has indicated that feedback from mosque authorities will be incorporated to fine‑tune the process.
The newly constituted committee will meet periodically to review current socio‑religious issues and select topics that align with the board’s objectives of promoting communal harmony and religious education. Once the agenda is finalised, the chosen subjects will be communicated to mosque imams across the region, ensuring that all Friday congregations address a common message.
Board officials said the initiative aims to curb the spread of divergent or polarising narratives and to provide a unified platform for addressing matters of public interest, such as social welfare, moral values and legal awareness. Implementation is expected to begin from the next Friday, with periodic reviews to assess the impact of the standardized approach.
Stakeholders, including local religious scholars, have welcomed the move as a step towards greater cohesion, while also urging the committee to respect the diversity of local contexts. The board has indicated that feedback from mosque authorities will be incorporated to fine‑tune the process.