KOZHIKODE, INDIA Sept 14, 2026 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received the inaugural Sheikh Abu Bakar Foundation Excellence Award on Sunday during a visit to Markazu Saquafathi Sunniya, also known as Jamia Markaz, one of India’s leading Islamic educational institutions in Kerala.
The award recognises more than five decades of public service and contributions to education, Islamic scholarship, institutional development, international dialogue and human well-being. It was presented by Grand Mufti of India Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad at a “Gathering of Honour” that included a zikir and doa ceremony attended by respected ulama from Kerala and about 2,000 students.
Anwar also received a plaque and a handwritten manuscript of Sahih al-Bukhari in appreciation of Malaysia’s support for international hadith recitation gatherings held under government patronage in recent years.
In a post on X, Anwar said he accepted the award with humility and dedicated it to ulama, preachers, scholars and seekers of knowledge who have devoted themselves to spreading da’wah and elevating the dignity of the ummah. He pledged that Malaysia would continue supporting scholarly efforts, including khatam sessions and the study of hadith texts, to strengthen ties with Kerala and nurture a community strong in faith, knowledge and character.
The visit formed part of Anwar’s five-day official trip to India after attending the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan welcomed him upon arrival in Kozhikode. Discussions with Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad focused on educational cooperation between Markaz and Malaysian institutions, community development, interfaith harmony and the welfare of the Indian community in Malaysia.
The two leaders have a prior relationship. Anwar visited the Markaz campus in 2022 before becoming prime minister, and Malaysia conferred its Hijra Award on Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad in 2023. The latest engagement underscores ongoing people-to-people and scholarly links between Malaysia and Kerala’s Sunni Muslim community.
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