Speech of Ali Akbar Sadeghi Rashad, Director of the institute for islamic culture and thought (Iran)

In the name of Gracious and Merciful Allah! May Allah bless its prophet!
Assalamaleykum your Excellency, Mr. President Nursultan Nazarbayev,
Dear participants,

I express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to visit this Congress on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has recognized the dialogue between religions as one of directions of the own policy. We pray for Allah that this Congress serves the process of mutual understanding. We pray Allah to give us love, our love to Him, love to people and love to everything that He has created.

Let me turn to the basic subject. The theme of my report is "Rapprochement, interaction of religions ".

Security is an issue of public, political and international importance. It demands from us to analyze the concept of security. Security is a human word. The structure of security consists of some components, each of it makes contribution to creation and upbringing of a man: soul, religion, faith, creed, personality etc. Other values, which are connected with a man through another inhuman prism, make us other elements: land, motherland, political regime, wife, children, finances and funds.

Everything that may play role in the formation of a human personality. It means that security is human's protection from any danger. As such danger makes a part of components of the concept "security", they obtain its meaning due to the meaning of a human being.

Everything that can play a role in the formation of a personality of a human being obtains a more significant role. As Imam Hussein said: "If misfortune comes, try to prevent yourself from it. If misfortune is deeper, then it is better to protect your religion". We can characterize these components by priorities, by priority of formation of a human personality. Each school, each conception may classify these components by priority at its own discretion and also due to the time. As they say, in ancient times the idea and religion take a lead over the soul and life. Nowadays soul and life take a lead over idea and religion.

Security factors. Initially we should realize which factors could threaten the security. Poverty and ignorance, capture and conquest, lack of legal norms, which ban those things that can threaten security, result in the destruction of security. And on the contrary, liquidation of poverty, spreading of education, belief in God, paying attention to moral questions are the factors of stability and security.

Religion is one of the main, even the most important factor of security both at world and regional levels. So, security with its factors is the result of faith, result of adherence to religion involving two conditions: that the religion is sent down by the Supreme God and religious views should subject to application.

The exclusive role of religion in the organization, behavior and emotions of each person tells us that abusing of religion will bring to destructive measures, which threaten human lives and all people in this world. Therefore, we can note that religion, like the same aspects of life, is a double-edged weapon. It can become a key factor of the international security. And applying religion, as destructive instrument for terrorizing can become a reason for infringement, conflicts, that can bring to the security violation.

It is impossible to break other relics as justice, human rights for the justification of violence, blood and human rights infringement. There are many facts of such kind in the history.

Taking into account the specified moments, we note that today's attention to constructive session of the present world is a noble purpose. According to the consciousness of danger, sensitivity of relations between religions, I can tell the following.

Does the course of inter-religious relations face the rapprochement or division? However, I focus here on positive aspects of inter-religious relations. The most important preconditions and assumptions can be established between religions. In this context we try to illuminate perspective inter-religious relations by depicting some reasons of each assumption and precondition, also we can concentrate on logic relations between heavenly religions.

Now orientation to modernization is in the avoidance from religion or, on the contrary, is at the stage of returning to religion, as a result of such major events, which take place in the world. Can inter-religious relations be kept in human life in the future and organize his relations with others? Does the principle of doubtfulness in evolution, in development of different directions specify how inter-religious relations will be developed in the future? Will inter-religious relations result in an opposition? Will religions bring to unification or to separation of believers? And finally will believers adhere to a principle of tolerance? Each of these assumptions will take place in the future. A number of arguments point out the continuation of conflicts and separation of religions. Some thinkers put forward these arguments, which deny any opportunity of a dialogue between religions. As an example we can note the following.

Firstly, the expansion of the Internet in different directions leads to expansion of debates on religious themes that bring to aggressive emotions against that or another religion. It can inflame passions of some believers, and in its turn it can develop a conflict between different religions.

Secondly, the present world becomes more and more complicated and holders of authority try to destroy the competitors and liquidate them every day. Some of people use religion for receiving and strengthening their own power. Politicians always follow that direction to strengthen inter-religious breaks and conflicts. And thus, politicians will never allow religions to coexist and establish inter-religious relations peacefully.

Thirdly, some scientists try to strengthen inter-religious conflicts as a result of egocentric directions. Some societies use it for realization of their own purposes.

I would like to note arguments of religions rapprochement. It is possible to note the following in these arguments.

Firstly, as a result of the Internet development the present world becomes smaller and smaller each day. Even some members of one family which were divided under those or other factors, have gathered again, but now under the informational umbrella of people's existence in one house, mutual understanding between them. All this will bring to harmonious coexistence, liquidation of barriers of obscurity and incomprehensibility concerning true religions. The truth will reveal itself and everything will be found out, the divine facts will be found out for everyone.

Secondly, scientific progress of a man can result in rapprochement between people, rapprochement of different people's opinions irrespective of their faith, even opinions about perception of God. In the past people suffered from ignorance, obscurity, however, nowadays the destiny of people follows the way to the reflection, elimination of fanaticism. Time of wars has finished; it's time for a dialogue and everyone who has common sense, who can take a lead over the other competitors.

Thirdly, democracy today is the highest achievement in human life, and mankind willingly goes towards democratization. Acceptance of a cultural variety, cultural specificity of each people is one of the requirements to such democratization. Therefore, humanity finds out only the way, which leads to tolerance.

Fourthly, if home religious figure notices that some improvements contradict to the improvements of others faiths, he should diverge from them. Especially in religions, which originated from prophet Abraham (many starting points). It is necessary to concentrate attention on the starting points. Thus religions can feel approached to each other. Proceeding from this, followers of different religions can feel themselves as members of one family in an opposition to atheists.

Taking into account the limits of time I have to close my speech. I would hope that this Congress focuses on a peaceful co-existence matters and inter-religious dialogue, instead of political problems and distinctions.