Can Different Faiths Unite? RSS and Muslim Leaders Meet!

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Significant dialogue between RSS and Muslim leaders.
- Aimed at fostering communal harmony.
- Focus on trust-building across communities.
- Involvement of diverse religious leaders.
- Recognition of the importance of ongoing engagement.
New Delhi, July 24 (NationPress) In a remarkable move aimed at fostering communal harmony and trust, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat engaged with over 50 distinguished Muslim religious leaders and scholars on Thursday at Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi.
The private meeting, which spanned more than three and a half hours, was organized by Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, the leader of the All-India Imam Organisation.
Imam Ilyasi characterized this dialogue as a significant initiative to bridge the Hindu-Muslim divide, stating to IANS, "Our main goal is to uphold the spirit of dialogue. While we may practice different faiths, we are all Indians. Hostility among communities should be avoided, and such channels of communication must persist."
The assembly included a diverse array of Muslim clerics, featuring the Chief Imams from Gujarat and Haryana, Grand Muftis from Uttarakhand, Jaipur, and Uttar Pradesh (Tile Wali Masjid, Lucknow), along with representatives from Deoband Madrasa, while the RSS was represented by senior leaders including Joint General Secretary Krishna Gopal, Ram Lal and Mohan Bhagwat.
Imam Ilyasi observed that this marked the first instance of such a wide-ranging delegation from the Muslim clergy engaging in a formal dialogue with the RSS.
"The discussion was not focused on specific issues like Gyanvapi or Hijab. Instead, it served as a trust-building exercise. We explored broader themes – from temples and mosques, imams and priests, to madrasas and gurukuls. The essential aim was to ensure the dialogue continues," he remarked.
Sources indicated that the core discussions revolved around national integration, social unity, and peaceful coexistence.
The leaders hailed this milestone as the RSS approaches its centenary year, while the All-India Imam Organisation reaches its 50th anniversary.
Referring to it as a positive development, Imam Ilyasi stressed that this is merely the beginning of ongoing engagement.
"Mohan Bhagwat himself acknowledged that such conversations should persist in the spirit of national unity," he added.
This dialogue is perceived as a crucial signal amidst escalating communal tensions and civil society's calls for both communities to actively engage in maintaining peace and pluralism in India.