The Islamic Studies and Philosophical Studies departments of Bayt al-Hikma Scientific Institution in Iraq held the second (in-person) international post-con meeting of the International Conference on Imam Reza (PBUH) and Interreligious Dialogue on February 26, 2024. At this session, Dr. Alwan Badr al-Difaei (Assistant Professor, University of Baghdad, Iraq) delivered her speech under the title “Religious Pluralism; from Unity of Truth to Peaceful Coexistence"

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Islam emphasizes the non-elimination of the existence of the other, accepting their creed without affirming its correctness, ridiculing, or insulting it, thereby establishing a distinct philosophy of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths. The Prophet Muhammad serves as a prime example in the practical applications of peaceful coexistence with the People of the Book. However, in the twentieth century, the call for religious pluralism increased along with the contradictions between the religions, as each religion believes it alone possesses the truth. Due to some thinkers' fascination with Western intellectual development, groups emerged advocating for the adaptation of pluralism in the understanding of religious texts, claiming the truth of all religions and affirming that salvation is available in all them. Undoubtedly, Islam has recognized the divinity of Judaism and Christianity and granted non-Muslims—whether they are combatants or peaceful—religious, civil, economic, political, and cultural rights over Muslims. The best evidence of this is the Constitution of Medina, which is considered the first constitution to regulate the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims. After what has been mentioned, we find the extent of confusion that some thinkers have fallen into. Therefore, we can say: Religious pluralism is a Western-born term by John Hick, then it infiltrated into Arab Islamic thought by Abdolkarim Soroush. There is a problematic issue in grounding pluralism in the divine religions. Those who called for adapting this philosophical theory to the understanding of the Quranic text did not differentiate between philosophy and religion, as the aim of philosophy is truth, and the aim of religion is obedience and piety, so they are dealing with contradictions (truth and salvation). As a matter of fact, pluralism adopted the coexistence of truth and falsehood in all religions, indicating that the believer -Jew, Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu- are equal before God, which contradicts divine justice that sent messengers and prophets so that people would have no argument against God. This theory is in harmony with the belief that the paths to the Creator are as numerous as the breaths of creatures. The pluralism that is acceptable to reason, religion, and the Holy Quran has called the People of the Book to a peaceful life under the tent of monotheism; because it is a common foundation among all divine religions. Also, the content Surah Al-Kafirun goes as follows: O Prophet, tell the disbelievers that truth does not harmonize with falsehood at all; the meaning of "To you your religion, and to me mine" is "to you the consequences of your religion, and to me the consequences of mine", and their religion is called a religion because they believe and follow it. From the foregoing, we learn that the reason for the divergence in the Quranic vision of religious pluralism is the difference in the meaning of the word “religion” that appeared in Surah Al-Kafirun. Those who believe in pluralism went to the meaning of the word religion as submission and compliance, whereas the opponents referred to it as meaning the reward/retribution, "for you your reward/retribution and for me my reward/retribution" on the Day of Judgment.