Sara Ali Khan's Kedarnath and other temple visits deemed 'haram' under Sharia law, says UP cleric

Sara Ali Khan is facing trouble over her religious beliefs. The actor, who is the daughter of a Muslim father, Saif Ali Khan, and a Hindu mother, Amrita Singh, is facing backlash for visiting temples. The issue was raised by Uttar Pradesh-based Islamic cleric Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi.

Khan has always embraced both religions and has been a strong believer in Lord Shiva and is a regular visiter of Kedarnath Temple. During the promotions of her upcoming film Udta Teer, the actress visited several temples and religious places, which has brought her back into the limelight. Visiting Kedarnath has been a regular practice for her since her debut film.

Sara Ali Khan's Kedarnath and Hindu visit deemed 'haram' under Sharia law, says UP Cleric

Days after Sara was seen waiting in a queue outside the Kedarnath shrine to offer prayers, objections were raised to her visits to places of worship of other faiths such as the Kedarnath Temple, Mahakaleshwar Temple and the Golden Temple, with the cleric questioning her faith and stating that such acts are not permissible in Islam and are 'haram'.

In a video message, the cleric questioned her faith and stated that the actress should ask for apologies from Allah and called it Haram in Islam.

Weighing in on the controversy surrounding Khan's temple visits, All India Muslim Jamaat National President Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi issued a clarification on the Islamic perspective, saying that he had been approached by several people questioning Khan's faith.

He saying,'"I have received information, and many young Muslims have also asked me regarding actress Sara Ali Khan visiting the Kedarnath Temple and offering prayers. Is this permissible in light of Sharia, and does Sharia allow for such actions? Regarding this, I would like to clarify the perspective of Islamic Sharia and what its ruling is on this matter.''

’'For any Muslim, whether a man or a woman, to participate in the faith of another religion, offering prayers and performing religious rituals, is considered impermissible (najayaz) under Sharia. Such actions are not permitted…''he said.

This is not the first time that Khan has faced backlash for her visits to Kedarnath and other temples. Earlier too, several Islamic clerics have raised questions over her religious identity and criticized her for offering prayers at Hindu shrines. She is a regular visitor to the temple and often shares photos and videos from her spiritual trips on social media.

Recently, the actress also made headlines after a video of her getting emotional at the Golden Temple went viral.