Four Provinces To Host ‘Rain of Qadir’ Confab

Tehran, Sept 30, IRNA - The Fifth International Rain of Qadir Conference will be held concurrently in Tehran, Qom, Khorasan Razavi and Fars provinces during October 15-11. Speaking at press conference on the event on Monday, Mohammad-Reza Zaeri, the forum’s secretary, said the Rain of Qadir conference seeks to provide literary figures and artists from different religions with an opportunity to meet, exchange views and present their works. He added that poets and literary figures from Lebanon, Tajikistan, India, Turkey and Pakistan will be attending this year’s conference. The works are required to focus on ‘Qadir’ and ‘Prophet Muhammad’s Household’, Zaeri noted. He added a Lebanese music ensemble, conducted by Neda Aboumorad, is also to stage a performance based on poems pertaining to Imam Ali (Peace Be Upon Him), the first Shia Imam. The conference’s secretary noted the event also aims to present the unique personality of Imam Ali (PBUH) and Prophet Muhammad’s Household to the world and promote Alavi culture in other countries. “The other objective of the conference is to bring together intellectuals from other countries and religions to reflect on the personalities of Imam Ali and that the Household of Prophet Muhammad in the works of non-Muslim artists and literary figures.” Organized by Art Bureau, the annual conference focuses on identifying and honoring Muslim and non-Muslim artists and literary figures who have contributed to make Qadir mission and Prophet Muhammad’s Household more known to the world. “Today, Takfiris struggle to present a distorted and unpleasant picture of Islam to the world. People of different countries can bring thoughts closer, strengthen friendship and boost interaction by using their religious commonalities. Imam Ali’s (PBUH) justice and Imam Hussein’s (PBUH) resistance against the enemies of Islam are among the subjects used in the works of Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian and Buddhist artists and literary figures.” He recalled that one of the positive impacts of the earlier editions of the conference is that it helped clarify some of the religious misunderstandings between different nations and increase production of new works in the field./end