(Dialogue with Christians) An Evening of the ACADEMION Cultural Platform Weekly
The non-profit ACADEMION Cultural Platform has worked to attract a distinguished elite of experienced figures in various scientific and literary fields to spread knowledge and sciences through the institute's members, ambassadors, and advisors. The platform also broadcasts a series of interactive weekly meetings that shed light on many important points in various fields. On Tuesday, the 11th of Rabi' al-Thani in the year 1443 AH, corresponding to November 16, 2021, the platform hosted an evening with Professor Nadia Hako, the educational consultant, titled (Dialogue with Christians), which began at 9 PM via Zoom. The evening was presented by Dr. Mishal Al-Mahlawi.
Professor Hako began the evening by clarifying the motivations for proper dialogue with Christians, which consist of religious, psychological, and social motivations. She explained the religious motivations that lie in: obeying Allah Almighty, as it is a branch of faith, and that a kind word is charity, and that it is a victory over Satan, and that through it one can be saved from the fire, and also that a kind word is one of the reasons for entering Paradise.
Professor Hako then addressed the psychological and social motivations revolving around: gaining the trust of the interlocutor and avoiding falling into problems. If there are problems, proper dialogue helps to solve them. How many wars in history occurred due to poor dialogue, and how many wars stopped because of proper dialogue? She then pointed to the creation of peaceful and sound relationships, which can be achieved by listening well to the other, as this nourishes their feeling that they are within your circle of interest, which in turn fosters respect. Additionally, participation; proper dialogue increases participation with you in the matter you wish to achieve, thus increasing satisfaction from both parties. She then indicated that proper and gentle dialogue frees you from feelings of superiority, so one must adhere to high morals and ethics during dialogue and not belittle the value of the interlocutor, as this itself is a call to the truth.
Professor Hako then explained how one should see themselves in this universe. If you see yourself as one of eight billion and think that it does not matter how your dialogue will be or how it affects the other, this is a lack of sense of responsibility. However, if you truly think that you are in a network through which you can influence a thousand people, and they are in contact with another thousand people, it means that you can communicate and even influence a million people or perhaps more through proper dialogue. This is how the network operates; it passes from one person to two, and more and more. Therefore, never underestimate the significance of your words when it comes to speaking the truth, especially.
Professor Hako presented that actions have a greater impact than words. She then talked about the story of the famous American journalist "Elizabeth Gilbert" with the Indonesian Muslim woman, where Elizabeth mentioned her famous quote in that story: "This is truly God's work through someone's kindness." Professor Hako pointed out that this Indonesian woman taught Elizabeth the etiquettes of Islam, such as greeting, feeding, and caring. She taught her monotheism, taught her to acknowledge the blessings of Allah Almighty, and more without saying a single word, as language was a barrier between them. This American woman is a celebrity, and her story is now watched by millions.
Professor Hako concluded the evening by stating that proper dialogue, as Al-Qurtubi رحمه الله said in the interpretation of the verse: (Except for one who comes to Allah with a sound heart), specifically mentioning the heart because if it is sound, the limbs will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the limbs will be corrupt.