Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's marriage to journalist Nidhi Razdan has sparked controversy after a Muslim cleric issued a fatwa declaring their union 'invalid' under his interpretation of Islamic law.
Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, issued the fatwa on Sunday, November 1, just days after Omar Abdullah and Nidhi Razdan announced their wedding on October 31.
The cleric claimed that their marriage was against Islamic principles, as Omar Abdullah is a Muslim while Nidhi Razdan is a non-Muslim. He argued that the marriage could not be considered valid under his interpretation of Sharia unless Razdan converted to Islam before the nikah.
Why did the cleric issue a fatwa against Omar Abdullah and Nidhi Razdan's marriage?
Speaking about the marriage, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi said Islam has certain rules and conditions governing marriage, which must be followed for a nikah to be considered valid.
According to the cleric, both the man and woman must be Muslims for a marriage to be recognised under his interpretation of Islamic law.
"If either one of them is not Muslim, the marriage cannot be considered lawful," the cleric said.
He further claimed that Omar Abdullah should have ensured that Nidhi Razdan embraced Islam before their marriage. Had she converted and the couple married according to Islamic customs, the union could have been considered permissible under his interpretation of Sharia.
A new journey began yesterday ?@Nidhi https://t.co/BXbdLq2d1H
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 31, 2026
However, since that did not happen, the cleric described their marriage as 'najaayaz', or impermissible, under Islamic principles.
It is important to note that the fatwa reflects the cleric's religious interpretation and does not determine the legal validity of the couple's marriage in India.
Omar Abdullah and Nidhi Razdan's wedding
Omar Abdullah and Nidhi Razdan announced their marriage on October 31, 2026, taking fans and political circles by surprise.
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister shared a photograph with Razdan on social media platform X and wrote, "A new journey began yesterday."
The couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony attended by their family members and close relatives. Photographs from the wedding showed the couple exchanging rings in the presence of their parents.
According to reports, their marriage was solemnised under the Special Marriage Act, which allows people from different religious backgrounds to marry without converting.
The wedding came months after Omar Abdullah's divorce from his first wife, Payal Singh, was finalised in July 2026. The former couple have two sons.
Does the fatwa affect the legal validity of their marriage?
Although the cleric has questioned the marriage on religious grounds, a fatwa does not automatically invalidate a marriage under Indian law.
The Special Marriage Act provides a legal framework for interfaith marriages without requiring either partner to change their religion.
The controversy has once again brought the debate surrounding interfaith marriages, religious beliefs and individual freedom into focus.
