Webinar looks at interfaith dialog phenomenon in Imam Reza’s (a.s.) era

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Interfaith Dialog Webinar from “The Imam of Dialog” webinar series centering on “Interfaith Dialog: History, Current Status and Prospects” has been held under the aegis of the Razavi Islamic Sciences University’s Interfaith Dialog Center.

“Addressing the webinar, Ayatollah Mohaqeq Damad the chairperson of Islamic Studies at the Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran said: “The word al-Ihtijaj has appeared in the Holy Quran to mean argumentation and dialog. The purpose is raising an argument so that to astound the other side to the point of falling into silence together with acceptance of the argument.”

“Sheikh Tabarsi authored a book on the matter titled ‘al-Ihtijaj’ in the sixth century AH recounting negotiations of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and the Infallible Imams (AS) with scholars of other faiths and Islam”, noted the Ayatollah.

He added: “Another element of dialog is argumentation, which is one of the best features of Shia Islam”.

Maintaining that an hour of argumentation transcends a year of studying, Mohaqeq Damad said, “Even one of the Roman scholars wrote a book in 12 volumes on debating and how to do it in the 1st century AD”.

He touched upon the current definition of interfaith dialog between representatives of two faiths stating that it means neither dispute, nor argumentation, or Ihtijaj. “It rather means mutual understanding or understanding each other; that is, I understand him, he understands me”.

Stressing that an agreement is needed to forge a monotheistic alliance against the global idolatry, he said it indicates respect for others’ beliefs – an instruction by the Quran which needs to be followed.

“The issue of interfaith dialog with the right interpretation of the word ‘dialog’ is premised on the idea that one has to have the personal insight to give the other side the right to ponder and think, otherwise they are not entitled to dialog,” he concluded.

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