Sayyid Abul Hassan Navvab, who is the head of the University of Religious Studies, said in an interview with Mehr News Agency that Muslims have never insulted the prophets of God. He also stated: “In the beginning Christians did not accept the Prophet of Islam (as) and did not tolerate his presence, so they committed catastrophic crimes against Muslims, such as the crusade wars. It was so until 1965, when the second council of the pope was established, and a statement was released apologizing to Muslims. In this statement, the pope’s council said that Muslims who worship one God, call Jesus the word of God and Lady Mary the Virgin, pray and fast, were not worthy of the crimes we committed against them.”
Navvab also talked about the opening versus of the Chapter of the Cow, and pointed out the fact that these verses talk of the faith of the prophets before Prophet Muhammad (saw). He further added: “In other verses it is made clear that there is no difference between God’s prophets and they are all following one path and trying to achieve one aim.”
Navvab also mentioned that the Imam talked of the ‘prophets of God’ many times in his speeches and lectures, and added: “Prophets have common characteristics and are no different from each other. Religion in itself also has a common calling, which to call people to God. However when the followers of different religions come together, their disagreements start.”
Navvab also stated that Europe today is no longer a Christian Europe but rather a secular Europe. “The talks held between the followers of different religions should be scholarly and precise and should not be ceremonial and formal gatherings. Dialogue needs a consistent and academic basis, which we have started at the Religious Sciences University.”
“The Imam always reminded the pope to support the oppressed and the helpless in the letters he sent him. It is necessary that we reread these letters so that we can provide a better environment for dialogue between religions. This will provide the ground for world peace and the elimination of the world’s problems and issues.