Statements that lead to conflict, war, and terrorism are forbidden

Speaking at the conference entitled “Examining Position of Islamic Proximity in the Current Context”, Hujjat-ul-Islam Hamid Shahriari referred to the expansion of media and social networks stressing that Muslims must address differences politely, calmly, and effectively, and strengthen the discourse of truth through peaceful methods, reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).

The scientific conference on “Examining Position of Islamic Proximity in the Current Context” was held at the Research Institute of the Forum in Qom, attended by scholars, clerics, and researchers.

He said,” In this way, no one can falsely attribute claims against Shia or Sunni communities on social media. Therefore, our goal in clarifying differences is to explain what we truly believe to be correct, without it leading to disputes.”

Shahriari considered the gathering as a foundation for dialogical proximity aimed at achieving a united Ummah and a new Islamic civilization. He emphasized, “We must address differences not with hostility or provocation, nor with the intent of forcing others into Shia-ization or Sunni-ization, but rather to manage differences.”

He added,” We must prescribe the discourse of peace and promote anti-takfir (anti-excommunication) and anti-terror narratives in place of war. This, he said, could be the future project of proximity, strengthening the discourse of truth.”

He continued,” Today I want to speak about problems alongside our commonalities—specifically, the differences among schools of thought. These differences do not concern the Qur’an, the principle of the Prophet’s mission, or love for the Ahl al-Bayt, but rather stem from human nature. I believe the second phase of proximity—the second forty-year project—should involve speaking openly about differences.”

Dr. Shahriari explained,” The Forum, with nearly forty years of dedicated work, has succeeded both nationally—such as during the twelve-day Israeli-imposed war—and internationally. Although Qur’anic and historical interpretations differ between Sunnis and Shias, the methods of addressing such differences are clear.”

He stressed,” We must only address differences to the extent necessary. For example, in the Shia tradition, there may be a misconception that Sunnis do not love the Ahl al-Bayt. This is a false assumption. If differences are raised with the intent of hostility, provocation, or playing into the enemy’s hands—fueling division and insults—this is essentially the American project of creating discord. As explained in the United Ummah booklet, war, terrorism, takfir, disputes, and insults are matters that must be prevented.”

He added,” If raising these issues serves the enemy’s agenda, such dialogue is impermissible. Any dialogue that leads to war among Muslims, terrorism, takfir, or insults to sacred values is forbidden, because creating hostility and sectarian strife is the enemy’s project. Therefore, when speaking of a new Islamic civilization, our words must be effective and avoid playing into enemy schemes.”

The senior cleric reiterated,” With the growth of media and social networks, we must address differences politely, calmly, and effectively, strengthening the discourse of truth through peaceful methods. Our aim in clarifying differences is to explain what we truly believe without causing disputes.”

He noted,” In the field of proximity, there are diverse interpretations and descriptions. We believe proximity of Islamic schools means proximity of their followers, not merging the schools themselves. Shia-ization is not a project of the Islamic Republic, nor should Sunni-ization be the project of any country, because the goal is not to create a single unified denomination.”
He continued,” Unity includes social, customary, and philosophical unity. Perhaps the word “union” is a better term to interpret this type of proximity. Union means being united, cohesive, and standing side by side in a single line against enemy projects—like a “solid structure”—covering gaps so that no one can exploit division to break our ranks, as happened after World War II with the Ottoman Empire.”

The Secretary-General referred to the upcoming 40th edition of the International Islamic Unity Conference in 2026 and said,” In my view, this forty-year proximity project has been successful. We have presented a successful model in the Islamic Republic for Shia-Sunni unity. For forty years, Sunnis and Shias have lived together in Iran without serious divisions. During the twelve-day imposed war, various ethnicities and sects stood by the Islamic Republic. More than two thousand pages of fatwas, statements, and Friday sermons by Sunni scholars were collected in support of the Islamic Republic during that war.”

He added,” The enemy attacked and sought to exploit social divisions, including sectarian differences. Yet the followers of different schools demonstrated maturity and stood firmly in the field, which is truly remarkable. This, praise be to God, is a successful model of the Islamic Republic.”

Shahriari recalled, “When I met with Martyr Sayydd Hassan Nasrallah, he said unity does not mean all Islamic countries becoming one, but rather the idea of an Islamic Union of States is good. He advised writing this down, and today it is available in booklet form. This model of an Islamic Union represents the political dimension of proximity—how we can achieve an Islamic Union.”

“The Qur’an, the Prophet’s Sunnah, and love for the Ahl al-Bayt are the three shared elements between Shia and Sunni”, said the Secretary General of World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought and concluded,” Over nearly forty years of unity conferences have revealed that focusing on commonalities has made us successful”.