On Thursday, December 24, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullah and several members of the Sri Lankan Sufi Spiritual Association met and held talks with Mr. Kobraeizadeh at the Cultural Counselling Office.

During the meeting, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullah, a memorizer of the Holy Qur’an, stated that Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and multicultural country in which Muslims are a minority. He emphasized that religious and ethnic cohesion is therefore of great importance, adding that peaceful coexistence among different religions and ethnic groups constitutes a key strategy of the Sri Lankan government.

Referring to the 2019 terrorist attack, known as the Easter attack, Dr. Abdullah noted that the incident had severe negative consequences, particularly for Muslims. He explained that the attack, carried out by religious extremists, created difficult conditions for the Muslim community. Since then, he said, efforts have been made to present the true image of Islam and to confront religious extremism and Wahhabi groups that seek to provoke sectarian divisions.

Dr. Abdullah further explained that the Sufi Spiritual Association has around 10,000 members, with 33 online branches and three physical branches across the country. The association follows the teachings of Abdul Qadir Gilani and believes that unity is the most effective way to counter religious extremism. He added that the association plans to become more familiar with Shiite teachings and to visit Shiite educational centers, particularly in Mashhad and Qom. Emphasizing the association’s longstanding support for Iran, he called for the development of joint cultural and educational programs in cooperation with the Cultural Counselling Office.

Mr. Kebriaeizadeh, for his part, stated that the enemies of Islam have consistently sought, first, to portray Islam as violent and distorted—an objective pursued by extremist movements created and supported by them—and second, to sow discord among Muslims through various means, including acts of terror and the killing of innocent people. He stressed that Muslim communities must remain vigilant and united in confronting such conspiracies. Mr. Kebriaeizadeh also welcomed Dr. Abdullah’s proposal to organize joint programs and expressed readiness for further cooperation.