Cleric Issues Fatwa Against Sara Ali Khan Over Kedarnath Visit
UP cleric labels Sara Ali Khan’s Kedarnath visit impermissible under Sharia, months after temple committee sought affidavits from non-Hindus.
Sara Ali Khan’s latest Kedarnath visit has become a flashpoint after an Uttar Pradesh-based cleric issued a fatwa against her. The Mid-day report says Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi described her participation in temple rituals as impermissible under Islamic Sharia.
In a video cited by the report, the cleric said Sharia does not allow Muslims to adopt the religious practices of another faith, calling it shirk. He described worship at another religion’s place of worship as “impermissible and haram” and said Sara should repent before Allah like a “guilty person.”
A fatwa is a non-binding religious legal opinion rather than a legal ruling, but in India’s celebrity culture it can still dominate a news cycle within hours.
A temple connection that goes back to her debut
Sara’s Kedarnath story long predates this controversy. She first travelled to the shrine in 2017 while shooting her debut film, Kedarnath, opposite the late Sushant Singh Rajput. She has returned several times since, often sharing glimpses on social media.
- 2017: First visit during the shoot of Kedarnath.
- October 25: Stands in queue, takes part in puja and aarti, and visits Bhukunt Bhairav Temple.
- March this year: Badri-Kedar Temple Committee says non-Hindus must file an affidavit to pray.
Why this visit is being read differently
This time, the attention is less about her personal faith and more about religious boundaries. The fatwa arrives months after Hemant Dwivedi, chairman of the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee, told the media that non-Hindus would need to submit an affidavit to seek blessings at the temple. At the time, he said that if Sara expressed devotion towards Sanatan Dharma and filed an affidavit, she would be allowed to offer prayers.
The sequence of events also underlines how temple access became an institutional conversation earlier this year. The report did not include a public response from Sara or her team.
The takeaway for Bollywood watchers
For fans, this is a reminder of how closely Sara’s public image is tied to Kedarnath. The temple gave her debut film its name and has remained part of her personal milestones. It also shows how a star’s off-screen pilgrimage can become a national talking point overnight.
We will update this story as it develops.
Source: Mid-day
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