World Sufi Forum 2016: What you need to know about Muslim event inaugurated by Narendra Modi

The World Sufi Forum 2016 begins in New Delhi on 17 March, bringing together 200 Sufi leaders and scholars to present their research. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the four-day event dubbed the 'Global Forum for Peace, Tolerance and Unconditional Love'.

The World Sufi Forum is being organised by the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB) alongside their partner and sister organisations. The Forum was started by Hazrat Syed Mohammad Ashraf, a prominent spiritual master from Kichawchcha Sharif, a famous Sufi shrine in Ambedkar Nagar in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking of the creation of AIUMB, a statement from the World Sufi Forum noted: "It was the first time in Indian history that [Syed] gathered the heads of Indian Sufi shrines, including Ulama, Imams and Muftis and other Muslim leaders in India to build community resilience against violent extremism and terrorism."

Syed believes that in the 21<sup>st century materialism and extremism have "captivated the young" and that Sufis should reach out to the masses to assist with curing this. The World Sufi Forum will host five conferences, peaceful rallies and thousands of meetings in all corners of the country in an attempt to promote peace and encourage state governments to consider the current issues of Indian Muslims.

IBTimes UK rounds up everything you need to know about the World Sufi Forum 2016.

What is the World Sufi Forum 2016?

The World Sufi Forum attempts to provide a platform for Ulama, Mashaikh, scholars, writers and academics to contribute to the causes of "peace, dialogue, education and knowledge production". Through seminars, conferences, panel discussions and publications, it brings together those interested in fostering peacemaking, countering extremism and participating in interfaith harmony.

A statement from the World Sufi Forum organisers said: "With the World Sufi Forum, Hazrat Syed Ashraf embarked on an ambitious mission: providing a space for enlightening discourses on Sufiism and spirituality in Islam and building a platform for intra and inter-community dialogue on a wide variety of religious, social, cultural and ethical issues."

What is happening over the four-day event?

Day One: 17 March 2016

4pm until 8pm (All times local, GMT -6 hours)

Opening speeches by VIP guests and AIUMB President (Vigyan Bhawan)

Day Two: 18 March 2016

9am until 12.30pm

Inaugural session (BS Abdul Rahman Auditorium)

Preside By: Shaikh Shauqui Ibraheem Abdulkareem Allam (Mufti-Azam, Egypt), Shaikh Hasheemuddin Al-Gilani (Iraq)

Guest of Honor: Honorable Mr. Arvind Kejrival (Chief Minister of Delhi)

Inaugural Speech: Hazrat Syed Mohd Ashraf Kachhuchvi (President: AIUMB)

Honorable Speakers:

Dr. Syed Shah Khusroo Husaini (India)

Sheikh Faisal Hamid Abdul Razaq (Canada)

Syed Asad Ali Shaah Abualai (Pakistan)

Kabir Helminski (America)

Sheykh Hüseyn Muharrem Tayyar el- Rifai (Turkey)

Md. Tolegen Mukhamejanov (Kazakhstan)

Mr. Damir Hazrat Mukhetdinov (Russia)

Dr. Syed Shamimuddin Munami (India)

2.30pm until 5.30pm

The Revivial of Tasawwuf: Suggestions and Solutions (BS Abdul Rahman Auditorium)

Importance of Sufi Teaching: Advantages and Significance (Conference Room 1)

The Role of Sufis to Reconcile the National Harmony and Culture (Conference Room 2)

7pm until 9.45pm

History and Reasons of Terrorism and Extremism (BS Abdul Rahman Auditorium)

Tasawwuf and Sufia: Issues and Discussions (Conference Room 1)

The Role of Tasawwuf and Sufi in the Promotion of Tolerance and Coexistence (Conference Room 2)

Day Three: 19 March 2016

9.30am until 12.30pm

The Role of Sufisto Build up the Unity of Muslims Ummah (BS Abdul Rahman Auditorium)

The Role of Sufis to Restore Ethical Values of Human Society (Conference Room 1)

Tasawwuf: Mission and Movement (Conference Room 2)

2pm until 5.30pm

Tasawwuf in 21<sup>st Century: Seeking to Solve Global Crises – English (BS Abdul Rahman Auditorium)

Islam and the Role of Women as Leaders and Peacemakers (Conference Room 1)

Tasawwuf in 21<sup>st Century: Seeking to Solve Global Crisis – Arabic (Conference Room 2)

7pm until 10pm

Valedictory Session (BS Abdul Rahman Auditorium)

Day Four: 20 March 2016

10am until 2.30pm

Mass Congregation (Ramlila Maidan)

Who is speaking at the event?

International speakers

Allama Shahzad Mujaddidi

Dewan Ahmad Masood Chishti

Dr Alan A Godlas

Dr Sayed Makhdoom Raheen

Dr Walter Andersen

Maulana Hamid Sayeed Kazmi

Tolegen Mukhamejanov

Jonathan Granoff

Mufti Ansarul Qadri

Muhammad Alauddin Siddiqui

Professor David Peck

Muhammad Saqib Bin Iqbal Shami

Professor Carl Ernst

Richard Helminski Edmund

Shah Taj Hussain

Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam

Shaykh Afeefuddin Al-Jailani

Shaykh Allama Ghulam Rabbani

Shaykh Ashraf Mahmood Parker Al-Qaadri

Shaykh Awn Al-Qaddoumi

Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdul Razaq

Shaykh Hashimuddin Al-Gaylani

Shaykh Mohammad Bin Yahya Al Ninowy

Shaykh Mohammad Idrees Bouchibti

Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada

Shaykh Tugrul Jerrahi Effendi-Darwesh

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri

Sheykh Huseyn Muharrem Cafer Tayyar el-Rifai

Stephen Suleyman Schwartz

Sufi Mohamed Minazur Rahman

Utsad Haji Nurooddin

Indian speakers

Dr Qamrul Huda Fareedi

Dr Syed Aleem Ashraf Jaisi

Dr Syed Siraj Ajamli

Hazrat Aby Saeed Ehsanullah Safwi

Hazrat Dr Syed Shah Shamimuddin Munami

Hazrat Maulana Syed Ashraf Kaleem Jaisi

Hazrat Maulana Syed Kazim Pasha Qadri

Hazrat Maulana Syed Sibtain Haider Barkati

Hazrat Mufti Mohd. Mukarram Ahmad Naqshandi

Hazrat Prof. Syed Muhammad Amin Mian

Hazrat Prof. Syed Talha Razvi Barq

Hazrat Shah Mohammad Saqlain Miya

Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Hameed Mohd Salim Qadri

Hazrat Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhowchhawi

Hazrat Syed Muhammad Najeeb Haider Barkati

Hazrat Syed Saifuddin Firdausi

Maulana Syed Ruknuddin Asdaq

Mufti Mutiur Rahman Razvi

Mufti Ziyauddin Naqshbandi

Prof Farooq Ahmed Siddiqui

Prof Hussainul Haq Chishti

Prof Akhtarul Wasey

Prof Khwaja Ekramuddin

Prof Masood Anwar Alavi

Prof Mustafa Shareef

Shaikh Abubakr Ahmad

Shaikh Sufi Javed Hussain Hasani

Shaikh Sufi M. Sabahat Hasan Shah

Shaikh Sufi Rashid Raza Asvi

Syed Salman Chishty

Syed Mohammad Mehdi Miyan Chishty