Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Dec 11: Mumbai is preparing to host the 33rd annual international Sunni Ijtema from December 12 to 14, 2025, at Azad Maidan, an event regarded as the largest Sunni religious congregation in the country. The three-day gathering is organised by Sunni Dawate Islami (SDI), a global non-political organisation known for its religious, educational and charitable initiatives. This year’s Ijtema is especially significant as it aligns with the completion of 1,500 years of Islam, and the theme chosen for the convention is “Celebrating 1500 Years of Guidance & Mercy brought by the Messenger of Mercy.”
The annual Ijtema has a history of drawing massive participation from across India and abroad, with men, women, youth and scholars attending sessions that connect contemporary issues with Islamic teachings. This year’s topics range from artificial intelligence and digital finance to modern trade ethics, reflecting the community’s engagement with emerging global challenges.
The event will open on Friday evening with programmes dedicated entirely to women, focusing on themes such as women’s role as seekers of knowledge, the right to inheritance, modesty and character as central values, and lessons from the marital life of the Prophet. Scholars are expected to explain the Islamic concept of Khula, highlighting a woman’s right to initiate divorce through mutual agreement or return of dower. The session will also emphasise that Islamic scholarship has never been restricted to men, citing examples like Hazrat Aisha, widely respected for her knowledge, and Fatima Al-Fihri, founder of one of the world’s earliest universities, Al-Qarawiyyin. Discussions will further address women’s rights related to financial maintenance, choosing a spouse, and the importance of education in shaping families and communities. More than one lakh women are expected to participate in the opening day.
The second and third days of the Ijtema are reserved for men, with sessions focusing on spirituality, service to humanity, the life of the Prophet, the role of artificial intelligence in religious learning, and questions surrounding modern digital finance and ethics. A special segment for youth titled “From Distraction to Discipline” will address the growing challenges faced by young Muslims in the digital age. Career guidance and higher education counselling will once again be offered by SDI Ummeed, a regular feature of the event aimed at helping students plan academic and professional futures. Over two lakh men are expected to attend the sessions before the concluding mass prayer for global peace and prosperity.
The event will feature well-known scholars and speakers from India and abroad, including SDI founder Allama Shakir Ali Noorie, Allama Qamruzzaman Khan Azmi, Allama Qari Zahiruddin Khan, Mufti Nizamuddin Razavi, Sayyed Khalid Al-Gilani, Sayyed Moin Ashraf, Sayyed Aminul Qadri, Maulana Yunus Misbahi, Qari Rizwan Khan, Dr Waqaruzzama Azmi, Maulana Arif Patel and Al-Haj Sadiq Razavi. Both SDI president Hazrat Allama Shakir Ali Noorie and chief mentor Hazrat Allama Qamruzzaman Khan Azmi continue to be listed among the “500 Most Influential Muslims” by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Amman.
Extensive facilities and security measures have been arranged for the three-day congregation, including multiple ablution areas, ample restrooms, over 60 CCTV cameras, 2,000 women volunteers for the opening day, and more than 1,000 male volunteers for the remaining sessions. Police have issued advisories asking attendees not to carry cameras, laptops, wires, batteries, lighters, matchboxes, nail cutters or other electronic items into the venue. Parking of any vehicle, including two-wheelers, will not be permitted in or around Azad Maidan.