Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei stresses the need for Muslim unity as a Quranic principle during the Islamic Unity Week in Iran.
A number of Sunni scholars and elders from across Iran’s provinces met with Ayatollah Khamenei as part of the Islamic Unity Week in Tehran this month.
At the event, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the need to safeguard the identity of the Ummah and emphasized unity among Muslims, while cautioning against the efforts of adversaries seeking to undermine this essential solidarity.
“The issue of the Ummah’s identity is a fundamental one that transcends nationality, and geographical borders cannot alter the reality and identity of the Ummah. Malicious efforts to make Muslims indifferent to their Islamic identity are contrary to Islamic teachings, which hold that a Muslim should not be oblivious to the suffering of another Muslim in Gaza or other parts of the world,” says Khamenei.
The Leader pointed to longstanding plans and activities of ‘bad actors’ who aim to fuel religious differences in the Islamic world, especially in Iran.
“They seek to separate Shiites and Sunnis in our country and in others Islamic regions using intellectual, propagational, and economic tools. They incite anger and discord through measures such as pressuring individuals from both sides to speak ill of each other,” says Khamenei.
According to Khamenei, unity is the solution to counter conspiracies, stating that unity is not a tactic but rather a Quranic principle. He also expressed regret regarding certain intentional or unintentional actions aimed at undermining unity between Shiite and Sunni communities.
“The Sunni community has diligently countered hostile motives, as evidenced by the 15,000 Sunni martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the Sacred Defense and other periods. Today, it is our duty to support the oppressed people of Gaza and Palestine,” says Khamenei.
During the conference, Sunni scholars from across Iranian provinces including Mawlavi Abdul-Rahman Chabahari, Chabahar Mawlavi Abdul-Rahim Khatibi, and Mamosta Abdul-Salam Imami, expressed their appreciation for the unity-promoting approaches of the Islamic Republic and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution as well as Ayatollah Khamenei’s support for the Sunni community.
They also underscored the importance of reinforcing the foundations of unity and leveraging local capacities, particularly in Sunni-majority regions, to foster national progress.
Notes from the Editor: This feature has been edited from its original publication here.
