Here is the English abstract of Dr. Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Alavi (Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran)'s presentation at the 9^nd pre-con meeting of the conference “Imam Reza (PBUH) and Interreligious Dialogue" which was held in Hakim Sabzevari University Sabzevar, Iran on  December 12, 2023.

Interreligious Dialogue as a Method of Interfaith Religious Knowledge

Dialogue is recognized as a method in epistemic domains and adheres to the principles of the logic of mutual understanding. Religious knowledge has two levels: one is specific to each religion, being its unique essence, and the other is a common level shared among religions, covering shared topics. In various realms of religion, including beliefs, ethics, and law, there exists a common religious knowledge. In the realm of beliefs, especially in Abrahamic religions, there are common principles such as belief in God, prophecy, and the afterlife. These shared beliefs can be subjects of dialogue between religions. In the ethical domain, the ethical principles of religions are generally shared, and interreligious knowledge in this area can be deeper and more comprehensive. Moreover, in the domain of practical instructions, there are shared aspects of religious practices among religions especially regarding the prayers, which, although accompanied by differences, are common in content. Identifying the principles and foundations of this shared knowledge in ontological, epistemological, anthropological, and methodological dimensions forms the paradigm of this religious knowledge. In this paradigm, dialogue is not only introduced as a method in the field of political and social stability but also considered as a method for the emergence and deepening of religious knowledge among religions and the expansion of human knowledge.

Translator: Mahdi Qasemi