Al-Issa of the Muslim World League and NSA Doval to Address a Gathering of Religious Leaders

New Delhi: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Muslim World League secretary-general Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Known as a renowned expert on moderate Islam, will jointly address other religious leaders and academics at a conference in New Delhi the following week.

It is believed that Al-Issa’s five-day travel to India starting on July 10 is a part of the Indian government’s ongoing outreach to critical religious leaders from the Islamic world. On July 11, Al-Issa and Doval will speak to the crowd at the India Islamic Cultural Center one day prior.

Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, met with prominent leaders, religious leaders, and academics during a visit in May. In contrast, in November, Doval and his Indonesian counterpart Mohammed Mahfud Mahmodin spoke to a unique gathering of ulema, or Muslim scholars, in New Delhi.

Al-Issa, a former Saudi justice minister, is currently in charge of the Intellectual Warfare Center, a department of the Saudi defence ministry tasked with battling extremist and terrorist ideology. People who know the situation indicated that he is likely to speak on religious tolerance, interfaith dialogue, and preventing radicalization.

Diplomats, academics from schools like Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, religious and community leaders, and community leaders are scheduled to attend the July 11 event, organized by the Khusro Foundation and the India Islamic Cultural Centre.

Al-Issa is also anticipated to meet with Smriti Irani, the minister for minority affairs, and S Jaishankar, the minister for external affairs. He will attend Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid and visit the Akshardham shrine as part of his obligations in New Delhi.