Kozhikode (Keralam) [India], September 13 (ANI): Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim received a warm welcome at Markaz in Karanthur, Kozhikode, where he arrived to meet Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar.

Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Kozhikode after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi as part of his five-day visit to India.

The Malaysian Prime Minister reached Markaz at around 5:40 pm, where he was received by Markaz Working Secretary Muhammed Abdul Hakeem Azhari and Secretary C Mohammed Faizi, among others.

He later held a private meeting with Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar. Discussions focused on educational exchanges between Markaz and Malaysian higher education institutions, cooperation in education, culture and knowledge, and the welfare of the Indian community in Malaysia.

At a reception held at the Markaz Convention Centre, the Sheikh Abu Bakar Foundation's 'Excellence Award', instituted to honour prominent personalities working in the fields of humanitarian service, social reform and educational advancement, was presented to the Malaysian Prime Minister.

As a gesture of appreciation for the international Hadith recitation gatherings organised under the patronage of the Malaysian government over the past three years, the Grand Mufti presented Anwar Ibrahim with a handwritten manuscript of Sahih al-Bukhari, one of the world's most renowned collections of Hadith.

Following the reception, Anwar Ibrahim attended a dinner hosted by the Grand Mufti, which was attended by prominent personalities from the religious, political, social, cultural and business sectors.

At around 9:30 pm, Anwar Ibrahim, accompanied by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, also visited the Madavoor CM Valiyullah Dargah, a prominent pilgrimage centre in South India.

This was Ibrahim's second visit to Keralam to meet the Grand Mufti. His first visit to Markaz took place in September 2022, a few weeks before he became Malaysia's Prime Minister.

In 2023, the Malaysian government conferred the 'Hijrah Award', the country's highest honour for Islamic scholars, on Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar. In recognition of his six decades of teaching Hadith, international Hadith recitation gatherings were organised in Kuala Lumpur under the leadership of the Grand Mufti in 2023, 2024 and 2025 with the support of the Malaysian government.

Before arriving in Keralam, Anwar Ibrahim had said on social media that his visit to the state would help create significant momentum and progress in trade, tourism, investment, economic cooperation, education and connectivity between Malaysia and India.

State Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty, Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader, Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama leader E Sulaiman Musliyar, Sayyid Ali Bafaqi Thangal, Sayyid Ibrahimul Khaleel Al Bukhari, Perode Abdurahman Saqafi, C Mohammed Faizi, VPM Faizi Villyappally, Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, Kuttur Abdurahman Haji, AP Abdul Kareem Haji Chaliyam and other prominent figures from religious, political, social, cultural and business circles attended the meeting and reception. (ANI)