New Delhi

National security Advisor Ajit Doval today told Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, chief of the Muslim World League, that in India, no religion is under any threat as a “proud civilizational state, India believes in promoting tolerance, dialogue, and cooperation to deal with the challenges of our time.”

He said, “It was no coincidence that despite having around 200 million Muslims, the involvement of Indian citizens in global terrorism has been incredibly low. “

Doval was speaking at a function where Dr Issa was the main guest and the audience comprised academicians, religious leaders, and intellectuals. The function was organized by the Khusro Foundation.

Praising Dr Al-Issa, Doval said that his message of peace, empathy, and co-existence most unambiguously and effectively has not only brought about a deeper and better understanding of Islam but also worked as a catalyst in promoting the values of compassion, tolerance, and respect among different faiths.

The NSA said India and Saudi Arabia share an excellent relationship that is rooted in their shared cultural heritage, common values, and economic ties. “Our leaders share a common vision of the future. The enduring profoundness of our historic relationship can be understood from the fact that Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH)’ wife Hazrat Khadija had a liking for silk and Kashmiri shawls from India.

Doval said India, the world's largest democracy is a land of incredible diversity. “It is a melting pot of cultures, religions, and languages that coexist in harmony. As an inclusive democracy, India has successfully managed to provide space for all its citizens, regardless of their religious, ethnic or cultural backgrounds.”

He said Islam occupies a unique and significant position in India, and it’s home to the second-largest Muslim population in the world. The Indian Muslim population is almost equal to the combined population of around 33 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

He said after Islam arrived in India in the 7th century CE, it developed a unique syncretic tradition that is deeply rooted in the ethos of Indian cultural life. The deep spiritual contents of Hinduism and Islam brought the people together and helped in bringing about a social and intellectual understanding of each other.  

“It gave rise to a distinct and vibrant expression of peace and harmony, notwithstanding the vagaries of political ups and downs. While the historians have focused more on the political events, they have failed to capture the societal undercurrents that brought the people together.”

He said, this philosophy of cooperation and dialogue in Islam has over the centuries merged seamlessly with the ancient Hindu civilizational tradition of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – The World is One Family’.

India welcomed Arab exiles (in the court of Raja Dahir of Sindh), Jews, Tibetans, Parsis, Shias, Bangladeshis, Afghans, and many others with open arms. This enduring tradition of accommodation is a testament to India being a deeply rooted multiethnic, multi-religious, and multilingual society. Swami Vivekananda in the famous Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893, had rightly declared, "I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth."

“This ethos of acceptance becomes all the more significant vis-à-vis Islam given that at a time when the Islamic Golden Age was coming to an end with the Mongol capture of Baghdad in 1258, the Indian heartland was quietly nurturing a Sufi renaissance with many sages and mystics spreading the message of peace and brotherhood. It was otherwise a time of great tumult in which striking changes in the realm of ideas and beliefs were taking place across the world. The Islamic world had suddenly lost its political heft.

 “A new orthodoxy was challenging the Islamic universe of thought. And in the midst of all this India offered an oasis of stability and peace where Yogis and Qalandars, mystical masters, pilgrims, exiles, and dissidents from different schools of thought found a common home.

“The close interactions among the people led to cultural fusion. It not only enriched art, literature, architecture, cuisine, technology, etc. but more importantly created a syncretic consciousness that permeated through common people. The edifice of modern India is built on the principles of equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal responsibilities. 

"This equality is guaranteed by our Constitution and Law. “

He said India continues to play its role as a refuge for heterodox ideas with an infinite capacity to absorb dissent.

"Yet the challenge of extremism and global terrorism compels us not to lower our guard. To preserve the security and stability within our borders and also rise to the security challenges beyond, India has been leading the fight - the fight against individuals and organizations - who are promoting extremism, narcotics, and terrorism."

Speaking about the terrorist attack on the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979, Doval said the incident became a turning point in the way Saudi Arabia looked at itself and the rest of the world. The attack was carried out by a group of militants who seized the mosque and held the hostages for several days. The attack brought the issue of terrorism to the forefront and forced Saudi Arabia to reevaluate its security measures and foreign policy.

Doval said India has also been a victim of terrorism for many decades and also faced numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which claimed 168 lives. 

"India has actively been working to combat terrorism through various means, including strengthening its security apparatus, enacting new laws, and cooperating with other countries to prevent terrorist activities.

He said, " India is an extremely responsible power but when the need for a hot pursuit against terrorist havens was felt, we have gone all out to destroy terrorism in our national interest.

Excellency you have in the past rejected any attempt to associate terrorism with any nationality, civilization, or religion. You have been a strong votary of the need to shun the paths of conflict and instead supported peace, harmony, and understanding." 

We, in India, too fully subscribe to this approach and believe in doctrines of convergence, dialogue, and peace leading to conflict avoidance and mitigation.

As G-20 President, we ideated our slogan for the Summit as “One Earth, One Family, One Future.” It is only with mutual trust and cooperation among nations, civil societies, religions, and people of the world that security, stability, sustainable development, and dignified life for all citizens can be ensured."

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Doval said, "In the past, nations might have fought with each other to resolve their differences. But, as our Prime Minister says, this is no more the age of war. Future battles for the good of humanity will have to be fought against hunger, poverty, and ignorance. In today’s world, with complex geopolitical challenges confronting us, religion has to become a beckoning light for humanity to usher into an era of peace and harmony.

Our differences will have to take a backseat if we wish to realize our true human potential and make this world a better place to live for our coming generations."