Muslims, Christians’ Common Views Basis for Strengthening Interfaith Dialogue
He made the remark during a meeting with the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia Jeyakumar on the eve of the birth of Jesus Christ (AS).
He emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue, cultural cooperation, and the role of education in strengthening morality and peaceful coexistence.
Arzani congratulated the birth of the Prophet Jesus (AS) and welcomed the expansion of interactions between religious and cultural institutions and expressed hope that such meetings will pave the way for further cooperation in the future.
He pointed to the presence and peaceful life of followers of religions in Iran and said that in Iran, Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, Sabaeans and Muslims have been living together in peace and goodness for millennia.
Referring to the position of Jesus Christ (AS) in Islam, the Iranian cultural envoy emphasized that Muslims have always had special respect for this great prophet and this common view can provide a suitable platform for strengthening interfaith dialogue.
He said Malaysia is a country where Islam is its official religion and, alongside it, followers of other religions, including Christianity and Buddhism, operate within the framework of the country’s laws.
He also emphasized the development of educational and cultural cooperation between Iran and Malaysia and the exchange of experience in the field of social and cultural activities, saying, “Our goal is to establish continuous and sustainable communication between the educational and cultural institutions of the two countries.”
Expressing his satisfaction with the meeting, Bishop Jeyakumar presented a report on the educational process of the church-affiliated schools and said in the state of Sarawak in eastern Malaysia and also in Kuala Lumpur, extensive activities have been carried out in the field of education, especially through international and national schools.
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He added that in these schools, in addition to academic education, students are introduced to social services, responsibility and moral values, and contacts with different countries of the world for continuing education to improve educational programs are on the agenda.
The Methodist Church in Malaysia is one of the oldest and most coherent branches of Christianity in the country, with a history of over 140 years. The church plays an important role in religious, educational and social spheres.
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