Jordan King to talk on Islamic heritage

NEW DELHI: Jordan's King Abdullah II, who is a 41st generation direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad and is known for his global initiative to fight radicalisation, will deliver a lecture on Islamic heritage and promoting understanding and moderation at a conference in Delhi on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, diplomats, representatives from a wide range of Islamic institutions, academicians and think-tanks will attend the event to be held at Vigyan Bhavan, officials said.

India has around 17 crore Muslims which is around 15 per cent of the country's total population. The Muslim population in India is one of the largest globally.

The Jordanian King arrived here last evening on a three-day visit which is aimed at taking bilateral relations to a "new high". Reflecting the importance of his visit, Modi received King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein at the airport, in a special gesture. Tomorrow's event will also witness the release of the Urdu translation of a book titled 'A Thinking Person's Guide to Islam' authored by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, a cousin of the King.

Prince Ghazi, a well-known scholar, is also the Chief Advisor for Religious and Cultural Affairs in Jordan.

The book is an attempt to interpret the real meaning of Islam and to wean it away from those that have been distorting its philosophy and seeking to bring it into perpetual conflict with the rest of the world, said an expert in Islamic studies.

"Because of their actions, very few non-Muslims understand the real difference between Islam as it has always been, and the distorted perversions of the religion today," he said. "So, this book is an attempt to positively say what Islam actually is- and always was- as well as what it is not. The book is split into twelve thematic chapters, each beginning with and centered around a key Quranic verse," he said.

Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad had studied at Harrow School in UK and Princeton University, the US.

He had received his first PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and his second PhD from Al-Azhar University, Cairo. The King's visit comes nearly three weeks after Modi travelled to Jordan as part of his trip to West Asia, including Palestine.