Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 25th edition of Jahan-e-Khusrau on Friday, where he extended his wishes for the month of Ramzan and praised the Sufi tradition as an integral part of India’s shared heritage.
He also praised the saints of the Sufi tradition for their pluralistic message, saying that they recited the verses of the Quran and also listened to the Vedas.
Speaking at the event, which honours the renowned Sufi poet and scholar Amir Khusrau, Modi said the Sufi tradition has established a unique identity in India.
After a performance by Sufi artistes, he said that their music represents a shared heritage of the Indian people, a tradition lived and celebrated together.
The prime minister also acknowledged the contributions of several Sufi saints and poets, including Nizamuddin Auliya, Rumi, Raskhan—who, despite being born a Muslim, wrote devotional poems dedicated to Lord Krishna—and Khusrau, for their enduring messages of love and harmony.
PM Modi said that the Sufi saints did not confine themselves to mosques and shrines. If they recited verses from the sacred Quran, then they also listened to the words from the Vedas, he added.
Khusrau, born in the 13th century, lauded India as superior to all nations, its scholars as unmatched, and Sanskrit as the finest language in the world. He also highlighted how the country’s philosophical and mathematical discoveries had a global impact.
Modi recalled fondly his 2015 visit to Afghanistan’s parliament, where he recited a Hindi translation of Rumi’s sayings. He said that Rumi’s belief that he belonged not to one place, but to every place, drawing a parallel to the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is a family) from the Upanishads.
“These ideas inspire me as I represent India in various countries,” Modi said, recalling his visit to Iran, where he quoted Mirza Ghalib’s verse about the short distance between Kashi and Kaashan (an Iranian city) when one sets their mind to it.
