The Intellectual Legacy of the Martyred Leader: Islamic Unity as a Grand Strategy

In the contemporary history of the Islamic world, few subjects have commanded as much attention in both thought and practice as Islamic unity.

Within this intellectual discourse, the name of Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been inextricably linked for over three decades to the ideal of Taqrib—the proximity of Islamic schools of thought.

His approach—fostering dialogue between Shia and Sunni scholars and striving to bridge sectarian divides—was, in his view, a permanent strategic necessity to preserve the dignity and authority of the Ummah (the global Muslim community).

Crucially, this vision took shape during an era in which the Islamic world faced a convergence of internal and external crises: from devastating wars and the ongoing occupation of Islamic territories to the rise of Takfiri extremist currents and increasing interventions by foreign powers.

Under these volatile conditions, the martyred Leader repeatedly emphasized that the greatest asset of Muslims is “unity of word” (Wahdat al-Kalima), warning that any sectarian discord would ultimately serve the interests of Islam’s enemies.

An analysis of the positions, actions, and institutions established during his leadership reveals that Islamic unity was never intended to be a mere political slogan. Instead, it became a cornerstone of the cultural and religious policy of the Islamic Republic and, by extension, a pillar for the broader Islamic world.

This commitment is manifested in a series of concrete institutional and legal milestones: the founding of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought; the vigorous support for the International Islamic Unity Conference; and the issuance of the historic fatwa prohibiting the insult of Sunni sanctities. Throughout his tenure, the martyred Leader maintained a consistent mandate: to avoid any action that might provide a pretext for division among Muslims, thereby transforming the ideal of unity into a lived, institutional reality.

Unity: A Strategy Rooted in the Quranic Text
In the intellectual legacy of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Islamic unity is not merely a political necessity; it is fundamentally rooted in Quranic teachings. He frequently cited verses such as “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided” (Surah Ali 'Imran, 103), maintaining that while jurisprudential (fiqh) and theological (kalam) differences are inevitable, they must never escalate into hostility or conflict among Muslims.

During a meeting with officials and guests of the Islamic Unity Conference on October 8, 1990—just one year after his leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran was established—the martyred Leader of the Revolution stated: “When we advocate for the slogan of unity, the primary objective is to resolve the disputes, conflicts, and confrontations that have, for centuries, been to the detriment of the Muslim world.”

In that same address, he raised another critical point: unity only gains true meaning when it serves the dignity and authority of the Islamic world, enabling Muslims to transform into a unified front against common threats.

From the martyred Leader’s perspective, jurisprudential differences between Islamic schools of thought are a natural phenomenon. However, the transformation of these differences into political and social strife was viewed as a deviation—one that has been repeatedly exploited throughout history by various governments and foreign powers.

A defining characteristic of the martyred Leader’s unification strategy was the attempt to transition this ideology into enduring institutional structures. In 1990, under his directive, the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought (Taqrib) was established. The institution’s mandate was to foster connections between Shia and Sunni scholars, develop scholarly dialogues, reduce religious misunderstandings, and strengthen cooperation among the intellectuals of the Islamic world.

At the time, many analysts identified the establishment of this forum as a turning point in the religious policy of the Islamic Republic and the wider Islamic world, as it marked the first time an organization with a specific mandate for religious rapprochement began formal operations.

In the ensuing years, the forum succeeded in convening an extensive network of Shia and Sunni scholars from dozens of Muslim-majority countries. It has facilitated scientific symposiums, published research, and provided a platform for discourse between thinkers of diverse schools of thought.

Alongside this institution, the International Islamic Unity Conference has evolved into one of the most significant annual events in the Islamic world, drawing hundreds of religious scholars, academics, and political figures from various nations each year. In his numerous messages and meetings with conference participants, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei repeatedly emphasized that unity does not imply the abandonment of religious convictions, but rather signifies cooperation centered upon the commonalities of Islam.

Sectarian Discord: A Project to Weaken the Islamic World
A consistent theme in the discourse of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has been the role of foreign powers in fueling sectarian divisions within Islam. He argued that many wars and conflicts do not stem from the core tenets of faith, but rather from the political interventions of powers that stand to gain from the fragmentation of Muslim unity.

Regarding this issue, the martyred Leader of the Revolution emphasized during a meeting with state officials and guests of the Islamic Unity Conference in August 1995: “Today, we face a singular enemy. Not only do we share a single Book, a single Prophet, a single Qibla, and common fundamental beliefs, but our enemy is also singular. The issue of unity among Muslims is a matter of utmost gravity.”

He repeatedly warned that the incitement of religious sentiments and the desecration of the sanctities of various Islamic schools of thought is the exact path pursued by enemies to create rifts among Muslims. In the view of the martyred Leader, any movement or media outlet that deliberately inflames sectarian differences is, in effect, playing into the hands of those who seek to weaken the Islamic world.

If one were to identify a defining milestone in the practical actions taken by Ayatollah Khamenei toward religious rapprochement, it would undoubtedly be the fatwa prohibiting the insult of Sunni sanctities. Issued in 2010 amidst escalating regional religious tensions, this edict resonated widely across the Islamic world.

The crisis was precipitated by the publication of derogatory remarks concerning the honored wife of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which ignited widespread protests among Sunni scholars in various countries. In response to this volatile atmosphere, the martyred Leader, answering a formal religious inquiry (istifta), declared: “Insulting the symbols of our Sunni brothers, including making accusations against the wife of the Prophet (PBUH), is haram (forbidden).”

This fatwa was more than a mere jurisprudential ruling; many observers evaluated it as a profound political and social message intended to prevent sectarian tensions from erupting into violence. Numerous Sunni scholars from Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Pakistan, India, and other Islamic nations welcomed the stance, viewing it as a vital step toward de-escalating inter-sectarian tensions.

Ultimately, the martyred Leader sought to demonstrate that the defense of Shia beliefs is entirely compatible with showing respect for the sanctities of other Islamic denominations, establishing a clear boundary between scholarly dialogue and outright insult.

Unity Does Not Imply the Eradication of Differences
One of the misconceptions regarding the proximity of Islamic schools of thought (taqrib) is the erroneous belief that its objective is to eliminate the doctrinal differences between Shia and Sunni Muslims—a notion that the late Leader of the Revolution repeatedly refuted. He emphasized that the jurisprudential (fiqhi), theological (kalami), and historical divergences among Islamic schools are undeniable realities. However, he maintained that these differences must not escalate into enmity, violence, or mutual excommunication (takfir). On the fortieth day following the passing of Imam Khomeini (RA) on July 14, 1989, the late Leader defined Islamic unity as follows: “Islamic unity signifies the convergence of those with diverse perspectives and methodologies around the central axis of Islam.”

In other words, he believed that while Muslims may hold varying interpretations regarding religious and creedal matters, they must stand united on critical issues such as the defense of Palestine, countering Islamophobia, combating extremism, advancing scientific development, and preserving the dignity of the Islamic world.

The significance of intra-Islam unity in the thought of the late Leader was such that throughout the 37-year leadership of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, meetings with Sunni scholars from Iran and other Islamic nations became a consistent pillar of his agenda.

In these meetings, emphasis was habitually placed on mutual respect, the avoidance of takfir, the preservation of the dignity of all Islamic schools, the confrontation of extremist currents, and the necessity of cooperation against shared threats.

Domestically, he also repeatedly underscored the observance of the citizenship rights of Sunnis, the utilization of their intellectual capacities, and the avoidance of any divisive conduct. Fundamentally, from the perspective of the late Leader, the security and cohesion of Islamic nations can only be preserved when all schools of thought feel they possess a stake in shaping the future of the Islamic community.

Hajj: The Grandest Manifestation of Muslim Unity
Another constant theme in the discourses of the late Leader was the role of the Hajj pilgrimage in achieving the unity of the Ummah (the global Muslim community). He believed that the assembly of millions of Muslims from dozens of nations represents an unparalleled opportunity for mutual understanding, synergy, and a demonstration of the Islamic world’s collective strength—an opportunity that must not be sacrificed to sectarian or political disputes.

In a message to the pilgrims of the House of Allah in 2002, Ayatollah Khamenei warned: “Those who seek to incite discord and sedition during the Hajj rituals are destroying the immense reservoir of the Ummah’s unity.” He repeatedly stressed that Hajj is not merely an individual act of worship, but rather a platform for strengthening Muslim solidarity and reinforcing the concept of a single, unified Ummah.

Perhaps the most significant distinction between the late Leader’s perspective and certain other political approaches lies in this very distinction: he did not view unity as a transient political tactic to navigate crises, but rather as an intrinsic component of the identity and future of the Islamic world.

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized in numerous speeches that unity is not a mere tactic; it is an Islamic principle and a permanent strategy. Accordingly, the proximity of Islamic schools of thought should not be contingent upon political conditions or state relations, but must instead be transformed into a sustainable culture among Muslim nations. In his view, if unity is only invoked during times of crisis and subsequently forgotten, it can never culminate in the genuine cohesion of the Islamic world.

A Necessity Reaffirmed by Regional Shifts
The geopolitical shifts in the Middle East over the past two decades—ranging from the wars in Iraq and Syria to the rise of Takfiri (extremist excommunicatory) groups, and most recently, the conflict in Gaza following the events of October 7, 2023—have once again elevated the issue of Islamic unity to the forefront of the region’s most critical political and intellectual discourses.

Many analysts contend that a significant portion of the costs borne by Islamic nations in recent years is the direct consequence of deep-seated political and sectarian schisms; fractures that have at times escalated into civil wars and, at others, provided a vacuum for the intervention of external actors.

In such a volatile climate, a review of the perspectives of the late Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, regarding the rapprochement of Islamic schools of thought transcends a mere historical retrospective of the Islamic Republic; rather, it offers a profound analysis of a strategic imperative for the Islamic world. His thought was predicated on the principle that no sectarian divergence should obstruct Muslims from addressing the broader, existential challenges that threaten the collective security of the Islamic Ummah.

He repeatedly emphasized that the Islamic world faces a convergence of shared challenges: the occupation of Islamic territories, Islamophobia, scientific stagnation, economic dependency, and extremism. From the perspective of the late Leader, engaging in sectarian disputes under such circumstances constitutes a strategic negligence of the Ummah’s primary priorities.

During a meeting with state officials on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr in February 1997, Ayatollah Khamenei underscored that, in a broad sense, the key to the triumph of the Islamic Ummah lies in the “unity of purpose” (Wahdat al-Kalima). He stated that if the Islamic Ummah seeks progress in the realms of science, material advancement, mastery over its own destiny, liberation from foreign hegemony, and both internal and external prosperity, its path is inextricably linked to the concept of Tawhid (the Oneness of God) and the unity of the community.

Expanding on this, and referencing the situation in Palestine, he remarked that the profound suffering endured by the Palestinian people is, in part, a consequence of the divisions among Muslims. He maintained that if Islamic nations were to achieve true unity, they would possess the collective capacity to stand firm against shared existential threats.

Confronting Takfir: A Constant Pillar of the Thought of Unity
During the years when Takfiri movements expanded across segments of the Islamic world, the late Leader repeatedly warned against the danger of transforming religious differences into physical violence. He posited that Takfir (the practice of declaring other Muslims apostates) serves as the greatest service to the enemies of Islam, as it compels the Ummah to exhaust its energy in internal strife rather than addressing its primary challenges.

Although Takfiri currents gained significant power in Syria and parts of Iraq in the late 2000s, the late Leader had issued warnings regarding such phenomena as early as 2004. During a meeting with Hajj officials in December 2004, he emphasized: “The enemy seeks to incite us to conflict against one another to achieve its own objectives. They provoke certain groups to insult the sanctities of others, so that when a retaliatory response occurs, the enemy has successfully achieved its aim.”

Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly called upon scholars, preachers, media outlets, and cultural activists—both Shia and Sunni—to refrain from any discourse or action that incites religious sentiment, and to maintain a strict distinction between academic/theological disagreements and political conflict.

Furthermore, in the thought of the late Leader, the preservation of unity was not merely the mandate of governments or religious institutions. He emphasized that scholars, academics, the media, and the general public all bear a collective responsibility for maintaining the cohesion of the Ummah.

In a meeting with the people of Kazerun in April 2008, he stated that anyone who calls a nation toward division or beats the drum of discord is acting against the fundamental interests of that nation. This principle extends to the global Islamic community: any form of instigation of discord, regardless of the actor or the movement behind it, ultimately results in the systemic weakening of the Islamic Ummah.

A Legacy that Continues to Shape the Discourse of the Islamic World
An examination of the positions and actions taken by the late Leader over more than three decades reveals that the rapprochement of Islamic schools of thought and the unity between Shia and Sunni Muslims have remained a constant pillar of his intellectual and practical endeavors. From the establishment of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and the support of the Islamic Unity Conference, to the issuance of a formal fatwa (religious edict) prohibiting the insult of Sunni sanctities, and his consistent engagement with scholars of diverse traditions through dialogue, all these actions were framed within a comprehensive strategic paradigm. The objective of this paradigm was to mitigate sectarian schisms and foster greater convergence among Muslims.

Today, as the Islamic world navigates profound crises—including warfare, extremism, Islamophobia, the Palestinian struggle, and foreign interventions—the rapprochement of Islamic schools of thought remains one of the most critical imperatives for the Muslim world. Within this context, the intellectual legacy of Ayatollah Khamenei regarding Islamic unity is predicated on a fundamental principle: that despite their jurisprudential (fiqhi) and theological (kalami) divergences, Muslims can stand united around the central axes of the Holy Qur’an, the lifestyle of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), shared interests, and the collective defense of the dignity of the Islamic Ummah.

From this perspective, unity in his thought was never a transient political slogan; rather, it was a long-term strategic imperative designed to preserve the authority, independence, and solidarity of the Islamic world. It was a strategy that, according to the late Leader, is the indispensable prerequisite for achieving the ideal of a single, unified Islamic Ummah.