Fourth Int’l Congress of 'Imam Reza, Contemporary Sciences' Kicks Off in Mashhad
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Fourth International Congress of Imam Reza and Contemporary Sciences commenced in Mashhad, marking the upcoming birth anniversary of Imam Reza (AS) and the start of the Karamat (munificence) Ten-Day Celebrations.
The event is being held at the Imam Reza International University in Mashhad, northeast Iran, drawing the participation of both Iranian and international researchers, including Valerio De Vito, an Islamic Studies expert from Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg; Zainab Yasin from Al Maaref University of Lebanon; and Sandew Hira, a post-colonial researcher and author.
De Vito emphasized the necessity of a bond between religion and contemporary sciences, stating, “Religious beliefs and logic are two aspects of societies; unfortunately, in European communities, the bond between these two is no longer connected.”
The Italian researcher highlighted that religion cannot be discussed merely as a scientific category like philosophy but is also an emotional and internal subject.
Reflecting on his first visit to Mashhad, De Vito remarked, “The architecture of Imam Reza shrine has attracted me so much. This place is a unique architectural masterpiece.”
Hira discussed the impact of colonialism, noting, “Colonialism has created a gap between religion and science, which is aimed at exploiting nations.”
He referenced some 20 scholarly works about Imam Reza (AS), saying, “As a great thinker, Imam Reza regarded the bond between science and religion as very important in all matters, believing they were not separable.”
The Dutch researcher added, “In Islamic civilization, there has never been a rift and contrast between science and religion; rather, they have been regarded as complementary.”
Zainab Yasin also addressed the conference, referring to the bond between science and religion as the only solution to save human societies.