The practical conduct of the martyred Imam; a strategic model of unity

Hujjat al-Islam Mohammad Meidanchian, the head of the Office of the Supreme Leader at Payame Noor University, Kurdistan Province, in an interview with the Taghrib News Agency (TNA), while congratulating the arrival of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, elaborated on the various dimensions of Islamic unity from the perspective of the martyred Imam's practical conduct and practical solutions for its realization.

In response to a question about assessing the martyred Imam's practical conduct in the field of Islamic unity, he stated: "The practical conduct of the martyred Imam shows that he considered unity not as a temporary tactic, but as a strategic principle. Emphasis on commonalities, refraining from fueling religious differences, respect for the sanctities of Islamic denominations, and confronting divisive currents were among the clear manifestations of this approach. The great lesson of this conduct is that differences of opinion should not lead to enmity and social rupture. Today, too, the Islamic Ummah, by relying on commonalities, can act more powerfully and cohesively against common threats."

Hujjat al-Islam Meidanchian further, referring to the greed of the arrogant powers and the recent aggression against Islamic Iran, noted: "Historical experience has shown that one of the most important tools of the dominant powers is to create division among nations and denominations. Muslim unity increases the political and social cost of aggression and foreign intervention, and complicates their calculations. Islamic solidarity also prevents the enemy from isolating a Muslim nation or country. In such circumstances, unity must mean support for the independence, security, and dignity of Muslim nations, and can become an important support for confronting divisive and hegemonic conspiracies."

He enumerated the most important practical obstacles to effective dialogue between Islamic denominations as follows: blind religious prejudices, incomplete knowledge of one another, misconceptions, and the activities of extremist currents. Political differences and the interests of powers sometimes give more color to religious differences. The fundamental solution is to create continuous scientific dialogues among scholars of denominations and strengthen mutual understanding. The media and scientific centers should focus on commonalities and the issues needed by the Ummah, rather than reproducing differences. Real dialogue takes shape when it is accompanied by respect, fairness, refraining from insults, and acceptance of differences.

In response to the question of how unity can be transformed from a slogan into an executive discourse, the head of the Office of the Supreme Leader at Payame Noor University, Kurdistan Province, stated: "Unity becomes a discourse when it finds practical manifestation in social, educational, media, and political behavior. Holding joint scientific meetings, joint cultural activities, and cooperation in social issues are effective steps in this direction. Also, insulting language and the production of divisive content in cyberspace must be eliminated. Scholars and elites have a duty to promote the model of respectful dialogue and cooperation based on commonalities in society. If unity moves from the level of speech to real cooperation among people and elites, it will become a sustainable social capital."

In conclusion, emphasizing the use of the Prophetic conduct as an effective model for resolving religious, ethnic, and political differences, he stated: "The conduct of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) shows that managing differences is possible based on ethics, dialogue, justice, and respect for human dignity. In the diverse society of Medina, by establishing treaties and strengthening shared responsibility, he provided the ground for coexistence and cooperation. Today, too, this model can be used to transform differences from a factor of confrontation into an opportunity for dialogue and understanding. The media, schools, universities, and religious pulpits can promote Prophetic ethics in interaction with opponents and religious brothers. If Prophetic mercy, fairness, forgiveness, and brotherhood become a public culture, Islamic unity will move closer from a slogan to a social reality."