The purpose of Shawki Allams visit to India is to deepen cultural ties and promote interfaith understanding, and he has been invited by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which operates under the external affairs ministry. In addition to meetings in New Delhi, he is also scheduled to travel to Agra, Aligarh, Jaipur, and Hyderabad. According to sources, he is set to speak to students and meet with the vice chancellor, Mohammad Gulrez, at Aligarh Muslim University on Tuesday.According to ICCR president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the visit of Shawki Allam is consistent with the cultural bodys efforts to strengthen relations between India and other nations. Sahasrabuddhe stated that this visit is a typical cultural exchange initiative aimed at deepening knowledge of Indian culture.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the guest of honour at Indias Republic Day celebrations in January. Despite having had a strong relationship dating back to the Non-Aligned Movement era, Sisi was the first Egyptian leader to be invited as the chief guest for Indias Republic Day.The purpose of the Grand Muftis visit is consistent with Indias aim of engaging with prominent Muslim nations clerics. In November of last year, during a trip to New Delhi, Indonesias national security advisor, Mohammed Mahfud Mahmodin, and his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, met with Muslim scholars from both nations to discuss subjects like terrorism and separatism.The visit of the Grand Mufti is happening during a time when the Indian government is making efforts to reach out to minority communities in India. However, an ICCR official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that such visits are decided in consultation with foreign missions in New Delhi.Shawki Allam spoke about the need for cooperation and bridge-building in a challenging world, referencing statements made by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While many have welcomed these overtures, Allam stated that practical steps are necessary to transform such good wishes into a sustained relationship of mutual trust and respect. He added that he wishes to deliver this message on behalf of the Muslim world during his visit to India this week.The ruling political party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been making a concentrated effort to connect with minority groups. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has instructed his colleagues in the party to build relationships with these communities, regardless of their voting choices. At a national executive meeting of the BJP last year, Modi urged the party to engage with Pasmanda Muslims, who are seen as socially and economically disadvantaged, and to ensure they have access to social welfare programs.According to an unnamed BJP official, the Grand Muftis visit can help counter the notion that the Indian government discriminates against minority communities. The official stated that there are vested interest groups that try to create a narrative of minority persecution in India, but the social welfare schemes offered by the government disprove this narrative. The official added that the visit of influential personalities from other regions helps to give them a better understanding of Indias governance model.Shawki Allam, who was appointed to his position by the council of senior scholars at Al Azhar University, has frequently condemned terrorism, including attacks that have targeted Egypts Christian minority and the Shia community in Pakistan. In a treatise he authored in 2018, the Grand Mufti described terrorism as a “manifestation of the immorality of people with cruel hearts, arrogant souls, and warped logic”.He further stated that “Islam is utterly against extremism and terrorism, but unless we understand the factors that provide a rationalisation for terrorism and extremism, we will never be able to eradicate this scourge.”
