The New Indian Express ·
Politics
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim meets Kanthapuram
KOZHIKODE: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar at Markazu Saqafathi Sunniyya (Sunni Cultural Centre), Karanthur, in Kozhikode on Sunday, with the two discussing educational and cultural cooperation between Markaz and Malaysian higher education institutions and the welfare of the Indian community in Malaysia.
Anwar, who arrived in Kozhikode after attending the BRICS summit in Delhi as part of his five-day visit to India, reached Markaz around 5.40 pm. He was received by a team led by Markaz working secretary Dr Muhammad Abdul Hakim Azhari and secretary C Muhammad Faizy.
At a reception held at the Markaz Convention Centre, Anwar was presented with the Excellence Award instituted by the Sheikh Aboobacker Foundation to honour prominent figures for their contributions to humanitarian service, social reform and education.
In recognition of the international Hadith recitation gatherings organised under the Malaysian government over the past three years, Kanthapuram presented Anwar with a handwritten manuscript of Sahih al-Bukhari, one of the world’s most renowned Hadith collections.
Later, Anwar, accompanied by Kanthapuram, visited the Madavoor CM Valiyullahi Maqam, a major pilgrimage centre in South India.
Addressing the gathering at Markaz, Anwar Ibrahim said he had conveyed to the Grand Mufti the warm regards of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with him at the BRICS summit.
He said Kerala’s cultural heritage had an important place in history and highlighted the centuries-old ties between the Malabar coast and Malaysia.
He also stressed the importance of respecting humanity and fostering friendship among diverse communities and religions. Referring to his discussion with Kanthapuram on artificial intelligence, he said it was encouraging to see religious scholars engaging with the concept of “Responsible AI”. “We must harness the opportunities of the modern era while preparing ourselves to face its challenges,” he said.
