Kedarnath: Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan has come under criticism from Islamic cleric Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi following her recent visit to the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand. The cleric has issued a fatwa describing her participation in worship at the Hindu shrine as impermissible under his interpretation of Islamic Sharia law and urged her to seek forgiveness from Allah.
Sara visited the Kedarnath shrine on October 25, 2026. Reports said she joined devotees waiting for darshan and was seen offering prayers at the temple. Photographs and videos of her visit subsequently drew attention on social media, bringing renewed focus to her longstanding association with the shrine.
Cleric objects to Sara’s temple visit
In a video statement, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said that several Muslim youngsters had approached him with questions about whether Sara’s visit and worship at Kedarnath were permissible under Islamic law.
Responding to those questions, the cleric said that Islamic Sharia did not permit Muslims to adopt the religious practices of another faith or participate in worship at a temple. He described Sara’s actions as “impermissible and haram” under Sharia and advised her to repent.
The cleric also urged the actress to seek forgiveness from Allah, saying she should acknowledge the act and repent. His remarks have brought the actress’s religious choices into public discussion and prompted widespread coverage of the controversy.
The statement represents the cleric’s religious interpretation and opinion. A fatwa is a religious opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar on a question relating to Islamic law; it is not, by itself, a state-issued legal order.
Sara has visited Kedarnath on several occasions
Sara Ali Khan has frequently spoken about her affection for Kedarnath and has visited the shrine on multiple occasions. Her connection with the region also has a link to her film career.
The actress made her Bollywood debut with the 2018 film Kedarnath, in which she starred opposite the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The film was based around the 2013 floods in Uttarakhand and featured the Kedarnath shrine as an important part of its story.
Since then, Sara has returned to the temple several times. Her visits have attracted public attention, particularly because she has openly expressed her devotion and shared glimpses of her trips on social media.
Her latest visit on October 25 has once again brought that association into the spotlight, this time following the cleric’s comments.
Temple committee’s affidavit requirement
The controversy has also drawn attention to the rules followed by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), which oversees the management of the two prominent shrines.
According to media reports, the committee has made it mandatory for non-Hindu visitors wishing to offer prayers at the temples to submit an affidavit. BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangar reportedly confirmed that Sara’s team had submitted the required affidavit before her visit.
The reported confirmation indicates that the visit took place after the required documentation was submitted to the temple authorities. The committee’s requirement is separate from the religious objection raised by the cleric.
No immediate response from the actress
As of the latest reports, Sara Ali Khan had not issued a public response to the fatwa or the cleric’s remarks. Her team had also not responded to the controversy.
The episode has renewed public discussion about celebrities’ religious choices, personal faith and the scrutiny that can follow when public figures visit places of worship associated with another religion.
Sara’s visits to Kedarnath have been a recurring part of her public life. The latest controversy, however, has shifted attention from her temple visit to the criticism directed at her by the cleric.