Cleric criticizes Sara Ali Khan’s Kedarnath prayers

Actor Sara Ali Khan’s visit to Kedarnath on October 25 prompted Islamic cleric Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi to criticize her participation in prayers and rituals, which he described as impermissible under his interpretation of Sharia. He urged Khan to repent, making her visit the focus of renewed public debate over personal faith and religious practice. Razvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, said that a Muslim’s voluntary participation in another religion’s worship was not permitted under Islamic law. His judgment was a religious opinion, not a legal order, and the reports do not establish it as a ruling binding on Muslims generally. His comments were conditional on Khan having taken part in the rituals of her own free will. Khan has visited Kedarnath repeatedly. Her association with the shrine dates to the filming of her 2018 debut, Kedarnath, which starred the late Sushant Singh Rajput. She has previously described the temple as personally meaningful and said her spiritual choices were a matter of personal belief. In a 2025 interview, she also spoke about celebrating festivals from different religious traditions. The dispute has drawn criticism of Razvi’s remarks from...