UNESCO CHAIR For Inter-Religious Dialogue Studies in The Islamic World
On the auspicious occasion of the birth of the Noble Messenger Muhammad ﷺ and his grandson, Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), Al-Balaghi Center hosted, on the evening of Wednesday, 10 September 2025, a grand two-day celebration at the Dar al-‘Ilm of Imam al-Khoei in the holy city of Najaf. The gathering drew a distinguished assembly of Muslim scholars—both Sunni and Shia—alongside academics and intellectuals from across the provinces of Iraq. The celebration was enriched by scholarly and research sessions that explored diverse themes, including the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the significance of intra-Islamic dialogue, the role of religious discourse in nurturing peaceful coexistence, and other topics within the Islamic intellectual tradition.
The UNESCO Chair for Interreligious Dialogue at the University of Kufa played a notable role in these academic sessions. Dr. Tahseen Fadhil, a member of the Chair, presented a study entitled “The Prophetic Biography and the Embrace of the Other.” In his paper, he offered illuminating examples of the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ approach to accepting those who differed from him in creed or orientation, with the aim of laying firm foundations for the principle of peaceful coexistence. The Prophet, being the guiding inspiration and exemplar of Muslims, embodies a model whose emulation is indispensable for the construction of a reconciled and harmonious society.
Dr. Fadhil emphasized that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, even in the midst of persecution and exclusion during the early days in Mecca, exemplified extraordinary models of coexistence with the other. Historical events established by the Prophet ﷺ testify to his unwavering faith and his clear methodology, rooted in the Qur’an, for living peacefully with non-Muslims and engaging them on the basis of shared humanity, irrespective of faith. Among the shining examples of this noble conduct are the Muslims’ coexistence with others in Abyssinia and Medina, the establishment of the Charter of Medina, and the Prophet’s gracious dealings with the Christians of Najran.
