FIRST DISCOURSE

Islam as the School of Unity

The Holy Qur’¡n invites all human beings to unity—Muslims, Christians, Jews, etc.—and this invitation is not exclusive for the time of the Prophet (¥) or a certain group of the People of the Book [ahl al-kit¡b]:[1]

﴿قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلاَّ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ.﴾

Say, ‘O People of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you: that we will worship no one but Allah, and that we will not ascribe any partner to Him, and that we will not take each other as lords besides Allah’.[2]

The Glorious Qur’¡n speaks about the synagogue, temple, church and mosque in the same line because the Name of God is mentioned in all of them. As such, they must be held in high esteem and respect.

Although the blessed verse quoted invites all to unity, the greater emphasis is on the solidarity of Muslims. This is because, in addition to their unity and commonality in taw¦¢d [unity of God], prophethood [nubuwwah] qiblah [the direction where one faces for prayer and other acts of worship], etc., Muslims also have a commonality with some branches of religion. Thus, among the followers of the various religions, Muslims are more deserving of having unity, and thus the possibility of scientific, cultural, political and other interactions among them is stronger.

Keeping aloof from spitefulness

The life conduct [s¢rah] of the Holy Prophet (¥)[3] serves as a proof, guideline and model for all of us. Through compassion, magnanimity and endeavor, he (¥) was able to unify the people of °ij¡z,[4] most of whom had been idol-worshippers, under the banner of Islam.

After their acceptance of Islam, some of them, known as the mun¡fiq£n [hypocrites], engaged in open confrontation with the Prophet (¥) who had to deal with them. They were those who ostensibly embraced Islam but in intention and practice they were not assisting him (¥). In spite of this, the Prophet (¥) peacefully associated with them and his objectives were the accomplishment of the mission as well as imparting the understanding and implementation of the Holy Qur’¡n. The very same conduct was adopted by the infallible Im¡ms (‘a) and they never kindled the flame of discord among Muslims.

We can see that although ‘Al¢ (‘a) had reproached the earlier caliphs as recorded in Nahj al-Bal¡ghah,[5] in other instances he would laud them. All this was primarily to foster the freedom of thought and the spread of Islamic beliefs. The conclusion is that in the present age, indulging in magnifying Sunn¢-Sh¢`ah differences, apart from not being useful, will result in an irreparable loss.

Proximity between Sunn¢s and Sh¢`ah advances the interests of both. The Sh¢`ah in particular have not confined their thought, culture, jurisprudence [fiqh], exegesis of the Qur’¡n [tafs¢r], and beliefs to themselves and their seminaries. A survey of Muslim-populated countries substantiates this statement as the books of great Sh¢`ah figures such as Shaykh al-Muf¢d, Shaykh a§-±£s¢, ‘All¡mah °ill¢, ‘All¡mah Tab¡§ab¡’¢, and Professor Mu§ahhar¢ can be easily found in these countries.

The proximity of Sunn¢s and Sh¢`ah opens the ways for the spread of Sh¢`ah thought and culture in the Muslim world, and as a result, makes the further proximity of these two sects even more possible.

More than anyone else, the Wahh¡b¢s are apprehensive and endangered by this proximity. It is for this reason that during the °ajj season, they prohibit the entry into the country all religious books including the Qur’¡n (in Persian translation), tafs¢r, history and ¦ad¢th books, and even Iranian magazines and newspapers. This is because they are afraid that these printed materials would present facts against their particular policy and doctrines. This is in spite of the fact that those matters are never repugnant to the truth of Islam.

In terms of outlook, they oppose not only the Sh¢`ah but also the four Sunn¢ schools of thought. They write books against the proximity of Sunn¢s and Sh¢`ah, campaigning against it, regarding it as an impossible venture, and claiming thus: “We shall never have an understanding with those who are engaged in speculative interpretation of the verses of the Qur’¡n and who disrespect the two sheikhs [shaykhayn].”

Why Wahh¡bism should be identified

The anti-unity campaign of Wahh¡b¢s reaches its peak during the Unity Week.[6] One of the best means of replying to such a plot is that the ‘ulam¡’ of the °ajj caravans and pilgrims should be the promoters of unity more than anyone else. They should be familiar with the methods of dealing with them and understand their views and opinions so that during confrontations and argumentations, they could reply to them consciously and intellectually.

It is necessary for some Muslims who are following the Sunn¢ school to be properly informed about the opinions of the Sunn¢ im¡ms so as to realize that the Wahh¡b¢s also have views difference to them and even regard many of the beliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah as polytheistic and, worse still, prone to infidelity [kufr]. In reality, Wahh¡bism is a political movement under the religious cover of identifying with the Sunnis and it wants to prevent the unity of the Islamic schools of thought [madh¡hib]. It is trying to kindle the flame of discord among Muslims especially between the two main sects—Sunn¢ and Sh¢`ah—so as to make the imperialist hegemony permanent over the Muslim nation.

Unfortunately, with the acquisition of the oil-rich land of Arabia and reliance on the enormous God-given wealth, Wahh¡bism has succeeded in becoming a potent force and has established innumerable offices and organizations throughout the world for the propagation of its dogma. In the Sunn¢-populated regions of Iran and Pakistan where most of the people are suffering from poverty and deprivation, the Wahh¡b¢s are making huge investments, constructing religious schools [mad¡ris], spending large amounts of money upon their students and others, and attracting people to Wahh¡b¢ doctrines. Since most of our Sunn¢ brothers are living on the border regions of Iran, they are more subjected to the influence of the propaganda of the imperialist Wahh¡b¢s.

As the ‘Alaw¢ Sh¢`ah and Mu¦ammad¢ Sunn¢s have risen up now hand in hand against their enemies and can clearly see the hand of imperialism behind the curtain of Wahh¡bism, it is necessary for Sunn¢ and Sh¢`ah ‘ulam¡’ to conduct research about Wahh¡bism and identify it well so as to make it clear that this group has differences of opinion not only with the Sh¢`ah but also with the Ahl as-Sunnah. Although the Wahh¡b¢s are always playing the Sunn¢ card and try to portray themselves as the well-wishers and sympathizers of the Sunn¢s, Sunn¢s in turn have to know that the issues regarded by Wahh¡b¢s as their points of departure with the Sh¢`ah are the same issues that are common between the Sunn¢s and the Sh¢`ah. They also have to know that the Sh¢`ah school is closer to the Ahl as-Sunnah than Wahh¡bism is.