Meeting with a Group of Clerics, Friday Prayer Leaders, and Sunni Seminary Teachers

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

First, I extend a warm welcome to the esteemed gentlemen and dear brothers, and I am very pleased to see you again after some time.

We have a long-standing friendship with some of you, having sat together and discussed the issues of the Islamic world for years. It is worth mentioning here that the main idea of the Unity Week—which, thanks be to God, has been held for years—was conceived before the victory of the Revolution. In 1979, before the victory of the Revolution, we discussed with Mr. Molavi Qamaruddin in Iranshahr to have a mutual celebration and celebrate from the 12th to the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal. The discussion took place at that time, coincidentally when a flood came to Iranshahr and swept away our celebration and everything. Of course, that flood was also one of God's hidden blessings, and it acquainted us more with the living conditions of the people. We went inside the huts and houses and saw the people's living conditions up close. Before that, we had been in Iranshahr for several months, but we only saw the surface of the matter. The people did not know us, and we did not know the people. After the flood came, both we got to know the people, and the people became somewhat familiar with us.

This issue of unity, which I want to emphasize more than anything else in this sincere and friendly meeting, is a vital issue. Not that it is vital for the Islamic Republic—of course, its importance for the Islamic Republic is beyond doubt—but it is truly vital for Islam and the Islamic world. You observe that today the world is moving towards bloc formation; that is, several countries in a corner, for the slightest reason, find unity and agreement with each other. For example, the ASEAN member countries in East Asia, the European Common Market, the Warsaw Pact (until Eastern Europe had an identity before recent events), the alliance of countries around the Gulf of Mexico, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and all these scattered units around the world are turning into cohesive units. The reason is that in this world, they understand that each unit alone is not capable of meeting its needs—including the need for self-defense—and must join hands with others.

While governments, powers, and world administrators move towards unity for the interests of governments and their political issues, all the efforts of global arrogance are directed towards weakening nations, especially the Islamic nation, and creating discord among them. The issue of Shia and Sunni is not a new matter; for centuries, Shia and Sunni have existed in Islam. Within the Sunni sect, there are Ash'ari and Mu'tazili and various sects. In Shia, there are Six-Imam and Twelve-Imam and Akhbari and Usuli. The same categorizations that exist in Sunnism also exist in Shiism. Various categorizations and sectarian divisions have arisen either due to poor politics, poor understanding, malicious hands, or ignorance. These are not new; but you see how much effort is being made today in the Islamic world against the unity of Muslims.

Right now, in my library, I have a shelf of books that have been written with the utmost effort and obstinacy against Shia in the last five or six years, with high-quality prints and respectable names, such as professors from certain universities. On the other side, the same has happened. Perhaps some of the gentlemen who have a history of sitting and rising with me know that I have no intention of judging one-sidedly in matters. They write against each other, and none of it is healthy.

When we pursue some phenomena within Shia that had things in them and seemed biting, we reach suspicious places, and it is quite clear that it connects to suspicious points. The same is true in Sunni. In the same scholars of Baluchistan, Zaydi was doing some things that, when we later investigated, reached suspicious and affiliated places. Therefore, you see that the hands of global arrogance and colonialism and global policies are trying to create discord among the Muslim community.

Of course, after the victory of the Revolution, discord has intensified because they fear the Islamic Revolution and the revival of Islam. Islam is strong. The strength and spirituality of Islam are such that if its conditions are met and Islam is truly implemented, it shakes the powers of the world and their thrones. They fear this and therefore do not want the strength and spirituality of Islam to be revived. They see that in this country, Islam has come to life, and we have returned to Islamic principles and laws and are making our lives Islamic again. They fear this and want it not to be.

One of the ways to combat this phenomenon, which is extremely frightening for them, is to isolate this place from the rest of the non-Shia Muslims of the world and portray our revolution as a Shia revolution and also to strengthen the dispute between Shia and Sunni so that the result is that the Muslims of the world, who today chant in our name, stop it. Mr. Molavi Madani, in some of the countries we visited, was present and knows that when a Muslim from a certain country sees that the head of an Islamic country has come, he does not even remember whether this person is Shia or Sunni. He only remembers that this person is a Muslim. For this reason, he feels honored and chants slogans. They want to stop or eliminate this, where Muslims of the world chant in the name of Islam and the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic. What better way than to say you are separate from the Islamic Revolution of Iran. It is something else, and you are something else!

The one who is an enemy of Islam itself does not differentiate between Shia and Sunni in enmity. We saw how global arrogance pressures Sunni revolutionaries in Palestine and Egypt. These are not Twelve-Imam Shia. All of these are our Sunni brothers. You see what pressure they put on them. For global arrogance, it makes no difference. But the one who opposes Islam and the branches of Islam and the Islamic nation—in any form—now takes a position in one of these sects and strives against another sect and spends money. We must be vigilant.

Brothers! Do not expect friendship from the enemy. The enemy is the enemy. It is the friend who must open his eyes and be aware. In my opinion, you Sunni scholars have a heavy and significant responsibility today. That responsibility is that in the realm of life and in the region where you live, God Almighty has decreed that there should be a ruler in the style of Islam. Previously, it was not like this, where a ruler was chosen based on religion; but now, in our country, it is like this. What they choose is based on religion, not on other matters. Our country is a country where laws are chosen based on the Quran. The gentlemen representatives who are in the parliament see these matters. If a law comes there that is against the laws of Islam, it is rejected; there is no turning back. Anything contrary to jurisprudence is 'thrown against the wall,' even if it has been approved.

You live in a country whose will is to return to the affairs of early Islam and to the same purity and simplicity and justice and decisiveness in the path of religion and to the same characteristics of 'humble towards the believers, mighty against the disbelievers, striving in the way of God' and similar features and distinctions. A country that can, God willing, become a foundation for the revival of Islam. Such an environment is very important, and living in this environment and space carries a lot of responsibility.

In my opinion, you gentlemen should give importance to two matters: The first matter is to strengthen, explain, and clarify Islam as much as possible for your people; those who listen to you and inquire. Familiarize the people with the laws of religion, and religion is not separate from politics. One of the laws of religion is the laws of managing the affairs of the country and the laws of governance. In jurisprudence, there is a chapter that is the chapters of governance laws. Therefore, governance laws are also part of religion. Those who separate these are enemies of religion and plunderers of the field of politics.

Pay attention not to be content with repetitive and superficial matters that have become ordinary for the people. No, speak to the people about monotheism and prophethood and governance and Islamic beliefs and jihad, about education and upbringing in Islam, about the development of talents in Muslims, about the history of Islam and what kind of government it had in the world, and give them a sense of pride in Islam so that everyone—especially the youth—feels proud to be a Muslim. There was a time when communist thought was widespread; but now, this thought has fallen by itself, and its falsehood and error have been proven, and thanks be to God, that 'God sufficed the believers in the fight' has proven its superiority over communism. Of course, the path of doubts is not closed to minds; doubts must be removed from minds.

The second matter is the increasing emphasis on the issue of unity. Years before the Revolution, when I spoke with some Sunni brothers, I told them that if we want Islamic unity to be realized, we must separate and cut ourselves off from the past. Of course, unity means that the followers of these two sects are brothers and feel brotherhood; not that Shia becomes Sunni and Sunni becomes Shia. No, the purpose of unity is not that; rather, unity means feeling brotherhood, and that each side feels that the other is also a Muslim and feels his Islamic right upon himself and reciprocally acts in the same way. I used to say that if we want to do this, we must separate ourselves from the past. If we look back, it is a quarrel. So much debate and denial and distortion and conflict and bloodshed and such things have happened that if we look back, there will be a quarrel again.

If someone sincerely feels that there should be real and practical brotherhood among brothers today, he must strive not to bring the past to mind; otherwise, he will bring the book 'Ihqaqul Haq' and flaunt it, and this one will bring the book 'Tuhfat al-Ithna Ashariyah' and flaunt it! Both have written enough books full of slander and rejection against each other! If we want to bring up the past, unity cannot be achieved. We must look and say: the past is the past. 'May God have mercy on the past people.' We have nothing to do with them. If they did anything, today we want to look at our duty—between us and God. Between us and God, today we must have unity of word and friendship and brotherhood with each other. If we want to do this, we must overlook the past.

This Dar al-Taqrib that we proposed is for this purpose. The Dar al-Taqrib that was in Egypt was dear and very respectable to us; it is still respectable now. Unfortunately, they do not let it work. Only in a period when the magazines 'Risalat al-Islam' were published and the late 'Shaltut' and 'Sheikh Salim' and the noble heads of Al-Azhar were alive, Dar al-Taqrib was moving well. The late 'Ayatollah Boroujerdi,' who was our Marja' of Taqlid, supported the Dar al-Taqrib of Egypt. The head of Al-Azhar was first 'Sheikh Salim,' who was the founder and in fact the facilitator of Dar al-Taqrib, and then the late 'Sheikh Mahmoud Shaltut' became the head of Al-Azhar, who was the Mufti of the Egyptian lands. He himself was also the head of this Dar al-Taqrib. They were supporters of approximation. When they left from both sides, neither in Shiism nor in Sunnism was there another scholar who insisted on this issue.

Of course, after the late 'Ayatollah Boroujerdi,' there were scholars. Not that they did not accept it; everyone believed, but they did not have the motivation that the late 'Ayatollah Boroujerdi' had on the issue of approximation. The same was true in Sunnism. Some of them had come to Mashhad, and I had seen some of the gentlemen after the late 'Shaltut.' The scholars of Al-Azhar would come to Iran and also contact the Shia scholars; but they did not have the active and vibrant motivation to pursue this issue; therefore, 'Dar al-Taqrib' became a name without substance.

We cannot sit and wait for someone in Cairo or another city in the Islamic world to think of approximation. We ourselves must create this Dar al-Taqrib; of course, based on intellectual and jurisprudential coordination and cooperation with any center that exists in the world for approximation. That is, here, scholars from Iran—both Sunni and Shia—must form the main foundations of this Dar al-Taqrib.

Thanks be to God, we have good scholars here from Sunni brothers—both Hanafi and Shafi'i scholars—who are knowledgeable and learned and jurists. We have spoken with them. They are familiar with Islamic and Quranic issues, and we know that they are informed and aware. We also make them and the Shia scholars—whose elders are here—the basis of the work, and we intend to invite scholars from the Islamic world—both Shia and Sunni—to cooperate if they wish. Right now, our brothers here are preparing the groundwork for this work. Anyone who has a suggestion in this regard should give it to the gentlemen who are here so that, God willing, complete seriousness and diligence are exercised in organizing and arranging this work, and the opinions of the gentlemen are involved.

Make the people aware of the hands that are breaking unity today. Speak frankly with the people. Today, the hand that America has equipped against unity is this vile hand of Wahhabism. State this clearly to the people; do not cover it up. From the beginning, Wahhabism was created to strike at the unity of Islam and to establish a base—like Israel—among the Muslim community. Just as Israel was created to establish a base against Islam, the Wahhabi government and these Najd leaders were created to have a secure center within the Islamic community that is dependent on them, and you see that they are dependent.

Now, these kings who are in the Wahhabi Islamic precinct have no qualms about explicitly stating their dependence and friendship and support for the policies of the enemies of Islam—namely, America—and they do not hide it. If someone says you are opposed to America, they dislike it! If someone says you are in agreement and allied with America, they do not dislike it! This is exactly a measure and criterion. You should recognize the real Muslim and Islamic ruler from here.

The one who is an enemy of the enemies of Islam is on the path of Islam, and the one who is a friend of the enemies of Islam and boasts of this friendship is on the path of disbelief. His friendship means alliance and dependence and means that he observes his interests to the utmost degree. When in his country and city they say: 'Death to America,' he dislikes it! Sometimes, his own people say: 'Death to America,' which may cause the Americans to ask why your own people are chanting this slogan? But sometimes, guests or travelers from elsewhere come here and say: 'Death to America'; why do you stand up to it?! This is nothing but intense cooperation and collaboration with the enemy of God and Islam. This is the root of Wahhabism, which today shows its vile and malicious fruit.

Wahhabism was created based on creating discord among Muslims. Right now, we know and recognize that the non-Wahhabi Hanbali scholars in Saudi Arabia are deeply troubled by these Wahhabis. These are Hanbalis who did not become Wahhabis. The jurisprudence is the same jurisprudence, and the jurisprudential basis is the same Hanbali jurisprudence; but they did not accept the principles and standards of Wahhabism. These individuals are mostly ostracized; that is, generally, these individuals are not part of the government. They are not given any position, neither in issuing fatwas, nor in leading prayers, nor in any other position. There are many of these individuals.

They recite Mawludiya on the birth of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). In the view of the Saudis, reciting Mawludiya and the like is forbidden! One should not say 'Our Master, the Messenger of God' to the Prophet (peace be upon him)! One should not kiss the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) because it is forbidden! Why do they recite Mawludiya secretly in their homes on the nights of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) birth—even in Mecca and some other places? Naturally, this government is an enemy of Islam. Now, wherever you look in the Islamic world, with the unlimited money at their disposal, they are building mosques and schools and libraries and other deceptive works. Money blinds people. They enter with these works and use them for their political goals, which is certainly a betrayal, and if someone makes such a move, he has certainly betrayed and must be dealt with as a traitor. Make the people aware and attentive to this issue.

We hope that God Almighty grants you goodness and success, and God willing, brings our hearts closer together and treats our past ones—those with whom we were friends and who were in this gathering of ours and yours and are now gone and have passed to God's mercy—with His mercy and forgiveness. May God, God willing, deal with us with His mercy and forgiveness and guidance.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings