Shafaqna English– A faculty member of the Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy emphasized that the conduct of Imam Ridha (AS) should serve as a point of reference in contemporary interreligious dialogues.
Hojjatul-Islam Hamidreza Motahhari, in an interview with Shafaqna, explained: In the conduct of Imam Ridha (AS), we observe, first, compassion and kindness toward interlocutors; second, respect for their beliefs; and third, reliance on what is acknowledged by the other side, rather than solely on what Imam Ridha (AS) himself believes.
Imam (AS) engages with others on the basis of their own accepted premises, and in some cases this even leads them to become inclined toward Islam. Such an approach, he argued, can indeed provide valuable guidance for the modern world and offer a practical model for interfaith dialogue today.
He added: The Imams (AS) would listen to diverse ideas and perspectives and respond to them in an appropriate and reasoned manner.
Citing an example, he said: In Medina, Imam Sadiq (AS) was held in respect and even acknowledged by his opponents, including atheists. A man named Ibn Abil-‘Awja once sat in the Mosque of Medina mocking religious rulings. One of Imam’s (AS) companions confronted him harshly.
Ibn Abil-‘Awja replied: “I think you are a student of Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, but Ja‘far ibn Muhammad does not treat us in this way. When we speak, he listens to us so attentively that we imagine he has fully accepted our arguments. Yet once we finish, he presents reasoning and counterarguments with such clarity that we are left unable to respond.”
This same method, Motahhari explained, is evident in the conduct of Imam Ridha (AS). The Imam (AS) would engage in dialogues and debates with individuals from different schools of thought, particularly during his time in Khorasan. This openness encouraged people to approach him freely and with confidence, knowing that he would never depart from fairness and impartiality.