Discussion of Master
The first Master Thesis on the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, College of Islamic Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, was held on August 13 2017.
The lecture was presented by Dr. Hind Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed El Hammadi, under the supervision of Dr. Badran Masoud Bin Lahcen and Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Zein. The discussion committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Khalifa.
The thesis was approved with the recommendation to publish, and the committee suggested that the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue/DICID That the center assumes the responsibility for the publication and translation of the thesis.
The presented research is an analytical and critical study to analyze Qatar’s efforts in the field of interfaith dialogue. It has specialized in the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue through the follow-up of the papers presented at the international interfaith conferences held by the Center since its opening in 2007. These conferences represent the periodic intellectual and consultative forum between thinkers Representatives of major religions (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) as well as religious scholars, academics and interfaith work leaders from around the world.
The purpose of the thesis is to study and enumerate the term of “dialogue” , within the selected conference papers, as the subject of the study , and its implications and objectives in the research presented in these conferences to determine the extent of the development of the term along with the conference process. The main question that the study attempts to answer is about the extent to which the dialogue develops its objectives, concept, and results, and the researcher raised a number of sub-questions on the subject. The study was the first to introduce the NVivo 11 program, one of the programs supporting quantitative and qualitative research.
The study comprises three chapters, a conclusion, and recommendations. One of the most prominent results was the evolution of the concept of dialogue through the papers of the conferences in question. The concepts of dialogue and its meanings were broadened and other papers focused on its necessity and importance. The researcher is necessary to achieve the objectives of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, including the expansion of partnerships in terms of quality, not quantity, so that new entries in conferences represent scientific disciplines, as well as moving from the conceptual context of the application to activating the individual initiatives of personalities and institutions and ministries that Served the idea of dialogue, as the researcher suggested the idea of creating (the international Federation of Interfaith Dialogue).
At the end of the discussion, the panel commended the effort made by the researcher during her unique study, which highlights the efforts of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, one of the leading specialized centers of dialogue in the Arab world. It also recommended the publication of the thesis.
In the interview Dr Ibrahim Al-Naimi gave on that occasion, he declared : “ We congratulate the researcher on this outstanding achievement that earned her the Master’s Degree in Comparative Religions, and which we consider as DICID success. This message comes not only from being the first undergraduate study on the Doha International Dialogue Center Religions, but also other reasons such as that it is an embodiment because young students became aware of the importance of dialogue and its necessity and its main role in resolving all issues and crises, and in fact I testify to this researcher excellence and perseverance in scientific research, and keen to collect information not only sources and references, The DICID confirms that it is fully prepared to welcome the thesis we are committed to publishing and translating it, after the corrections asked by the committee . Debaters of the Dr. Ibrahim Al Naimi, Chairman of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, said: “We message. ”
The Student that presented the thesis stated out :
“I started my story with interfaith dialogue, and with the interfaith program at the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad bin Khalifa University, which allows me to learn about the world’s religions, beliefs, and cultures, and open up opportunities for communication with others and dialogue with them, During the course of a full semester, we discussed the details of the history of interfaith dialogue, its objectives, obstacles, causes and means, and its types, Therefore we have learned Islamic philosophy about dialogue , as well as the other Revealed religions, such as Christianity, and Judaism . The most important part of the decision was its practical side, The International Religious Dialogue Center, which was titled “Spiritual and Intellectual Security in the Light of Religious Teaching.” Then, I discovered the importance of such conferences which discuss topics of interest to humanity, which are dealt with from the perspective of each religion, to reach common conclusions and recommendations that serve the values of justice, peace, coexistence, and freedom. ”
She added : “I came out of this conference with a firm belief in the important role my beloved country Qatar plays in consolidating the values of peace, love and coexistence among human beings.I understand that this is part of an integrated vision of political leadership and good governance. Based on all these facts, and as a Qatari citizen, she decided to contribute in this area by writing a master’s thesis on the role of the State of Qatar in interfaith dialogue, taking the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue as a model because of the great effort it makes in preparing these conferences appropriate for and take it out in form and content in a way that suits Qatar’s status and its role globally. ”
When asked about the stage of writing the thesis and the difficulties she faced, she said: “There is no doubt that the stage of writing the letter was a rich one. I opened my eyes to a great role for my country in establishing the value of dialogue in various fields and trends. It is my hope that the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue will continue to play an important role in promoting dialogues between followers of religions in order to activate the role of religious and religious leaders in the face of regional and regional challenges, therefore to adopt more innovative methods to transform the outcomes of the Center’s conferences from recommendations, proposals, and initiatives into action programs that reap the benefits of human rights, and this is what I have emphasized in the proposals and recommendations of my thesis . Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Zain, Dr. Badran bin Lahcen, and the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, represented by Dr. Ibrahim Al-Nuaimi, for all his facilities, the information he provided and the documents and data he provided. I took it out I would also like to thank all the staff of the center whose cooperation was unlimited. I was honored by the presence of guest from DICID , in particular Dr. Ahmed Abdel Rahim and Dr. Mahamade Ali. ”
The Doha International Center is the leading institution in Qatar for interreligious and intercultural dialogue, capacity-building in dialogue and a culture of peace, and is active in its field, in cooperation with all relevant institutions, at the local, regional and international levels. At the local level, the Center regularly organizes training courses for students and teachers in independent and private schools to train in dialogue and communication skills with different religions and cultures. The Center also organizes educational lectures and round tables for communities residing in Qatar, as well as the Adian magazine in Arabic and English, , Translated books, selected letters, and publications related to the activities of the Muharraq, all available to researchers and visitors, in addition to a library that was opened last year, specializing in comparative studies of religions and dialogue.
At the international level, the Center organized seminars focusing on promoting a culture of dialogue and peaceful coexistence held in Bosnia and Kosovo. The Center also plans to organize a conference in Ukraine for religious leaders in October entitled “The role of religious values in promoting community stability and spreading a culture of coexistence and hatred “The Center will also prepare for the coming period several activities and events, the most important of which is the preparation of the Thirteenth International Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, entitled:” Human Rights in Religions “, to be held on 20-21 February 2018.
We will also be working on a seminar on the regional conditions in the Gulf, specifically the siege crisis. This issue will be addressed from the specialized aspect of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, which will be on 25 September 2018. As we prepare to receive the next school year, the third training course for school students to enhance the value of dialogue with new generations, and the development of tools.