AGENCY
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday was welcomed with chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ at the inaugural of World Sufi Forum in New Delhi.
Speaking at the ceremony, PM Modi said that this is an extraordinary event of great importance to the world, at a critical time for humanity.
Modi said that Sufism is one of the greatest contributions of Islam to this world.
“At a time when the dark shadow of violence is becoming longer, you are the noor or the light of hope,” PM Modi said.
“Welcome to a land that is a timeless fountain of peace and an ancient source of traditions and faiths,” PM Narendra Modi.
“When young laughter is silenced by guns on the streets, you are the voice that heals,” PM said at the Forum.
PM Narendra Modi also mentioned about terrorism in the festival.
“99 names for Allah, none of them stand for violence. Allah is Rahman and Rahim,” PM Narendra Modi said. “The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be,” said Modi. “All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India,” the Prime Minister said.
The four-day event is being organized by All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), the apex body of Sufi dargahs in India. It will see more than 200 delegates from around the world taking part. They will include spiritual leaders, scholars, academicians and masters of Sufism. The forum will see the presentation of papers and an interdisciplinary seminar, focusing among other things on issues concerning world peace. The meeting is expected to debate on how Sufi teaching can prevent global terrorism. The conclave will also debate on how to guide the Muslim community away from sectarian division.
The organizers also said the debate on role of women in Islam will also conducted in the international conference.
The Sufi conference is expected to come out with a declaration against extremism and Wahabism in the last day of the event to be convened in the Ramlila Maidan.(PTI)
