NEW DELHI -- While a addressing a gathering of Sufi leaders and scholars from at least 20 countries in the national capital today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Islam is a religion of peace, which had nothing to with terrorism, and he credited India's progress to every citizen of every faith.
"When we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence, and that the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem," Modi said.
"All our people, Hindu, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India," he said.
Inaugurating the three-day World Sufi Forum, Modi gave his most detailed speech about Islam since taking charge as Prime Minister, and very likely in his entire political career.
As if responding to months of criticism about the threat to religious minorities under his leadership, and questions raised over his
silence at the offensive remarks unleashed by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Modi today exhorted the virtues of Islam and exhorted the teachings of Sufism.
"You represent the rich diversity of the Islamic civilization that stands on the solid bedrock of a great religion," he said. "It is a civilization that reached great heights by the 15th century in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture and commerce."
Last month, Ananth Kumar Hegde, BJP's lawmaker from Karnataka, called for the end of Islam.
On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be the chief guest at the World Sufi Forum, which, over the next two days, will
discuss the teachings of Sufism, which is widely regarded as the spiritual dimension of Islam, and how to counter extremism and terrorism.
"Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere," Modi said. "Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious."
"We must advance the message of Sufism that stands for the principles of Islam and the highest human values," he said.
The event has been organised by the Delhi-based All India Ulama & Mashaikh Board, will end of Sunday at the Ram Leela Maidan, where Sufi leaders will read a declaration committing to keeping Islam out of the clutches of Wahhabism and extremism.
In his speech today, Modi said that Muslims in India are defined by the "spirit of Sufism, the love for their country and the pride in their nation," and "shaped by the values of the Islamic heritage of India."
"They are steeped in the democratic tradition of India, confident of their place in the country and invested in the future of their nation," he said.
Modi ended his speech with: Om Shanti Om.
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"When we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence, and that the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem," Modi said.
"All our people, Hindu, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India," he said.
Inaugurating the three-day World Sufi Forum, Modi gave his most detailed speech about Islam since taking charge as Prime Minister, and very likely in his entire political career.
As if responding to months of criticism about the threat to religious minorities under his leadership, and questions raised over his
silence at the offensive remarks unleashed by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Modi today exhorted the virtues of Islam and exhorted the teachings of Sufism.
"You represent the rich diversity of the Islamic civilization that stands on the solid bedrock of a great religion," he said. "It is a civilization that reached great heights by the 15th century in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture and commerce."
Last month, Ananth Kumar Hegde, BJP's lawmaker from Karnataka, called for the end of Islam.
On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be the chief guest at the World Sufi Forum, which, over the next two days, will
discuss the teachings of Sufism, which is widely regarded as the spiritual dimension of Islam, and how to counter extremism and terrorism.
"Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere," Modi said. "Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious."
"We must advance the message of Sufism that stands for the principles of Islam and the highest human values," he said.
The event has been organised by the Delhi-based All India Ulama & Mashaikh Board, will end of Sunday at the Ram Leela Maidan, where Sufi leaders will read a declaration committing to keeping Islam out of the clutches of Wahhabism and extremism.
In his speech today, Modi said that Muslims in India are defined by the "spirit of Sufism, the love for their country and the pride in their nation," and "shaped by the values of the Islamic heritage of India."
"They are steeped in the democratic tradition of India, confident of their place in the country and invested in the future of their nation," he said.
Modi ended his speech with: Om Shanti Om.
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