Islamic unity sharpest weapon against US-Zionist project, says Lebanese scholar

Ghazi Hanineh, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gathering of Muslim Scholars in Lebanon, has described Islamic unity as the "sharpest weapon" available to the Ummah after faith in God.

Hanineh delivered the remarks during a series of preparatory webinars leading up to the 40th International Islamic Unity Conference. Here, experts are laying the groundwork for the upcoming forum.

Hanineh emphasized that while the Islamic Republic of Iran provided essential technical and material capabilities to the Axis of Resistance, the overarching strength used to confront the US-Zionist enemy in Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran was the spirit of unity. He argued that this unified front has dealt a decisive blow to the "Greater Israel" project and has pushed American strategic influence back by eighty years, leaving the US administration in a state of confusion and instability.

The Lebanese scholar highlighted that the Iranian people's unwavering support for their leadership and their demand for justice following the martyrdom of the Imam further demonstrated the power of this unity, which has deeply frustrated the enemies of the region. He likened the unity fostered by Imam Khomeini and the martyred Imam Khamenei to a "good tree" (shajaratun tayyibah) with deep roots and branches reaching the sky.

Calling for a comprehensive mobilization, Hanineh urged all spectra of the Islamic world—regardless of sect, Sufi order, or political affiliation—to act as "one hand." He specifically called upon the great religious institutions in Qom, Najaf, Mashhad, Al-Azhar, Zaituna, Kairouan, Damascus, Mecca, and Medina to unite in defending the oppressed.

He said that the strength and eventual victory of the Muslim world lie in this unity. According to Hanineh, the mission is not only to support Muslims but to extend a helping hand to all oppressed people, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, who are in desperate need of assistance.

He paid tribute to the martyred Imam Khamenei, whose lifelong dedication and noble discourse were centered on cementing the bonds between the children of the Islamic Ummah.

The 40th International Islamic Unity Conference, organized by the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, will be held from August 27 to 30. This year's conference carries special significance as the first major gathering of the Muslim world following the martyrdom of prominent leaders of the Resistance Front, and will focus on the theme: "Islamic Unity in the Thought of the Martyred Imam, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei" .

The annual Islamic Unity Conference is an international forum that brings together Muslim scholars and intellectuals from different countries and Islamic schools of thought to discuss challenges facing the Muslim world and explore ways to promote unity, understanding, and closer relations among Muslims.