Chishty Foundation, Ajmer Sharif: The 75th birthday of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is not just a personal milestone in the life of a statesman, but a moment of national reflection. It provides us with an opportunity to appreciate his visionary leadership, his commitment to the nation, and his deep engagement with India’s spiritual and cultural traditions. As the 26th generation Gaddinashin of the world-revered Dargah Ajmer Sharif, I feel it is important to highlight how his journey has touched lives across communities and upheld the values of unity, brotherhood, and compassion.
Sufi Tradition and National Leadership
The Dargah Ajmer Sharif has, for centuries, sent out the timeless message of “Love for all, malice towards none.” It is the spiritual resting place of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishty (r.a.), fondly known as Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, whose universal message has shaped India’s composite culture. In the same spirit, Prime Minister Modi has consistently upheld and celebrated India’s shared heritage. His interactions with the Sufi world reflect his recognition of this tradition as a bridge between communities, nations, and faiths.
On 2 January 2025, during the 813th Annual Urs of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, the Prime Minister presented a holy chaddar at Dargah Ajmer Sharif. His annual devotion to the revered saint demonstrates a personal bond with the Sufi message and its embodiment of pluralism. This continued tradition strengthens the link between India’s leadership and its spiritual foundations.
Unity Against Extremism
In times when terrorism and violence attempt to divide societies, Prime Minister Modi has consistently emphasized that terrorism has no religion. As I have often said, the Muslim community in India stands firmly with the nation in upholding peace and supporting decisive initiatives like ‘Operation Sindoor.’ The Prime Minister’s vision of “Nation First” resonates strongly with the teaching of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, who saw service to humanity as service to God.
Engagement with the Sufi World
Recently, the Prime Minister attended the Jahan-e-Khusro Sufi Music Festival at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, where he beautifully highlighted how Sufi traditions bridge spiritual distances between humans and even nations. He recalled Hazret Amir Khusraw and Rumi, who declared that he belongs everywhere and nowhere, an idea that resonates with the Indian principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family.
Such statements are not mere rhetoric but reflect his understanding of spiritual traditions as powerful forces for peace in a conflict-ridden world. In 2016, at the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi, he addressed spiritual leaders and scholars from across the globe, reaffirming India’s commitment to pluralism and the message that Indian Muslims have always stood united with the nation.
Symbolic Acts of Brotherhood
In 2016, Prime Minister Modi gifted a gold-plated replica of the Cheraman Juma Masjid — India’s first mosque — to King Salman of Saudi Arabia. This gesture was not only diplomatic but deeply symbolic, highlighting Islam’s peaceful entry into India and the centuries of coexistence that followed. Similarly, his appreciation of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi as a “Shining light of tolerance and peaceful coexistence” reflected his genuine admiration for institutions that promote cultural dialogue.
Empowering India’s Muslim Citizens
Prime Minister Modi’s engagement with the Muslim world is matched by his outreach to Muslims within India. His Saugat-e-Modi campaign during Eid-ul-Fitr 2025, providing festival kits to 32 lakh underprivileged Muslim families, ensured that no family was left behind in celebration. In May 2024, he underlined that their participation is vital for India’s development, thus recognizing the socio-economic needs of marginalized groups within the Muslim community.
Educational reforms have also benefited Muslims significantly. Scholarships, skill development programs, and modernization efforts in more than 40,000 madrassas have helped integrate youth into India’s growth story. The Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme for the welfare of minorities, launched in 2022, is another major step to ensure equal opportunities and social justice.
Nation First, Always
The hallmark of Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has been his unwavering commitment to placing the nation above all else. He has not shied away from taking firm positions — whether in warning against cow vigilante violence or in promoting peaceful coexistence among all communities. His outreach to the global Muslim world, from Egypt to Central Asia, has strengthened India’s internal and external relations.
For Muslims in India, his policies on education, skill training, and minority welfare have opened doors of opportunity. His leadership assures us that despite differences in faith and worship, what binds us all is the nation we share. At Ajmer Sharif, this principle finds deep resonance: devotion to God must always translate into service to the nation and humanity.
Conclusion: A Spiritual Reflection
As a spiritual leader rooted in the Chishty Sufi tradition, I see in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership an echo of the values we hold dear — humility, service, unity, and peace. His journey reflects a visionary approach to governance, blending India’s ancient wisdom with modern aspirations. On his 75th birthday, I pray for his health, long life, and continued guidance in steering India towards harmony and progress.
May the Prime Minister’s life continue to be a source of inspiration for the youth of India, and may his commitment to unity in diversity illuminate the path for generations to come.
The Dargah Ajmer Sharif stands as a spiritual example to India’s pluralism, and it is heartening to see our nation’s leadership walking in alignment with this timeless message.
On this special occasion, we celebrate not only the life of a leader but also the enduring vision of an India where every community contributes to the collective progress of the nation.
Happy 75th Birthday to our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji.
