Tehran to host Islamic coexistence confab with focus on Sharia goals
The University of Tehran is set to host the second international conference on peaceful coexistence on June 10, which is expected to bring together 500 scholars, thinkers and academics from Iran and 18 other nations.
Mostafa Zolfaqar-Talab, the chair of the conference, told a press briefing on Tuesday that during the academic gathering titled ‘Convergence of the Islamic world and its civilizational prospects in the light of Sharia objectives,’ participants would discuss six main
topics.
Zolfaqar-Talab added that the topics include the application of Sharia objectives in jurisprudence, the manifestation of moderate thoughts rooted in Sharia objectives, the future of unity in the Islamic world premised on Sharia objectives, the synergy of Islamic movements and parties toward a new Islamic civilization founded on the goals of the Sharia, the role of Muslim women in advancing the convergence of the Islamic world in light of the future civilizational horizon, as well as issues related to media and the future of Islamic unity.
The upcoming conference, as elucidated by Zolfaqar-Talab, marks a sequel to the first of its kind held four years ago. “That conference had then created a significant impact in the Muslim world, which was grappling at a time with multifaceted crises and tensions, and strived to bridge the ideological chasm amongst its constituents,” he pointed out.
The conference chair noted that the goals of Sharia possess enormous potential to foster greater convergence within the Islamic world and engender a new Islamic civilization.
Moreover, the Palestinian issue has been accorded particular attention at the conference. Zolfaqar-Talab averred that, in adherence to the tenets of the Sharia, the Islamic world and its intellectuals must come to an understanding that the plight of Palestine could serve as a unifying factor for the liberation from subjugation, oppression, anti-Islamism, and arrogance.
Mahmoud Vaezi, the head of Tehran University’s Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, who has co-organized the upcoming event, said the conference seeks to demonstrate that religion is an embodiment of peace and humanity, rather than a source of hardship and misfortune. Vaezi emphasized the significance of such programs to provide a platform for showcasing the true face of Islam to the world.
“Islam is a faith founded on the principles of peace and amity, but its enemies try to vilify it through their Islamophobic agenda.”
The dean further warned that anti-Islamic forces manipulate the media to propagate falsehoods about Islam and sow seeds of discord among Islamic nations.
Encouraging dialogue and interaction, Vaezi suggested that Islamic countries need to come together and seek factual clarity instead of adopting confrontational stances.