Scholar: Muslim unity requires focusing on shared Islamic principles

The chairman of the Supreme Council at World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought has stressed that the differences among Islamic schools of thought should not become a source of division, emphasizing that Muslims share fundamental beliefs that can serve as the basis for Islamic unity.

Speaking about the roots of divisions within the Muslim Ummah, Molavi Es’haq Madani said disagreements that emerged after the early period of Islam were often temporary and limited in nature, but were later exploited and given greater significance by rulers and enemies seeking to weaken Muslims.

Molavi Madani said Muslims are united in their belief in Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as God’s final messenger and in the authority of his teachings. While differences may exist over the authenticity or interpretation of individual narrations, he said such disagreements do not undermine the common foundations of Islam. The scholar also rejected claims that Shia Muslims believe the Qur’an has been altered, describing such allegations as unfounded.

 He noted that Muslims of different schools recite, accept, publish and interpret the same Qur’an, while scholars from the Shia tradition have rejected reports alleging its alteration.

The senior scholar similarly dismissed claims that Sunni Muslims do not recognize the Ahl al-Bayt, pointing to the status of the Prophet’s family in Sunni prayers, religious teachings and authoritative hadith collections.

He cited references to Imam Ali (AS), Fatima al-Zahra (AS) and other members of the Prophet’s family as evidence of their recognized status among Sunni Muslims stressing that fake or weak narrations attributed to either Sunni or Shia Muslims should not be used to create division.

He also noted that scholars in both traditions distinguish between authentic and unreliable reports.

Referring to the late Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, he said the former Leader consistently emphasized Islamic unity and sought to counter misconceptions about the relationship between Sunni and Shia Muslims, particularly regarding the Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt.

He said the enemies of Islam fear Muslim unity because the Islamic world possesses significant human, economic and intellectual resources that could become a powerful force if Muslims were united around their common interests.

The scholar stressed that unity does not require Muslims to eliminate legitimate differences in jurisprudential or religious practice. Differences over matters in which Islamic law allows interpretation and scholarly reasoning should not be treated as grounds for hostility or fragmentation.

Instead, he called on Muslims to remain committed to their common principles, including belief in the Qur’an, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Kaaba as the direction of prayer and the Hereafter. He concluded that the Muslim Ummah must move beyond secondary disputes and work toward genuine unity at all levels, saying greater solidarity is essential to restoring the strength and independence of the Islamic world.