Sara Ali Khan is facing a religious controversy after an Islamic cleric issued a fatwa, demanding that she repent for offering prayers at the Kedarnath temple. The ruling was issued by Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, an Uttar Pradesh-based cleric and national president of the All India Muslim Jamaat.
The Controversy Unfolds
Sara visited the hrine on Sunday, October 25, 2026. She was observed standing in line for darshan, offering prayers, and participating in the temple puja and aarti.
In a video statement, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi declared that performing worship according to the rituals of another religion is ‘impermissible and haram under Sharia law’.
He stated that he issued the decree after several youngsters enquired about the validity of Sara’s actions. He called on the actress to seek forgiveness and ‘repent before Allah like a guilty person’.
Temple Protocols and Personal Significance
The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee requires non-Hindu visitors, who wish to pray at the shrines, to submit a formal affidavit acknowledging their faith or devotion to the spiritual traditions of the temple.
BKTC Chief Executive Officer Sohan Singh Rangar confirmed that Sara’s management team had fully complied with the protocol and submitted the mandatory affidavit prior to her visit.
Kedarnath holds a deeply personal and spiritual significance for Sara who made her acting debut in the 2018 film Kedarnath alongside the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She has frequently documented her routine pilgrimages to the region over the last four years, stating that the destination brings her peace.
Interfaith Background and Past Incidents
Because of her interfaith background — being the daughter of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh — Sara has regularly been targeted by religious hardliners and online trolls from multiple communities for visiting both Hindu temples (including the Kashi Vishwanath temple) and Islamic shrines.
In past instances of public criticism, Sara has firmly maintained that her personal faith and choice of worship remain her own business. Neither Sara nor her representatives have issued a response to the cleric’s fatwa.