ISLAMABAD (IRNA) – Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Iran has said the Muslim world is experiencing a critical time and ‘unity’ is the best solution to most of the troubles.

"There are thousands of reasons for Muslims to unite while no reason allows us to fight each other," he was delivering a lecture at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on 'Unity of the Muslim Ummah; Challenges and Opportunities'.

Manzoor Ahmad, Rector IIUI, Mashallah Shakeri, ambassador of Iran in Islamabad and a large number of diplomats, intellectuals, faculty members and university students attended the lecture.

Commenting on differences of opinion between Shia and Sunni schools of thought, Haddad-Adel said Shias and Sunnis live in full harmony in almost every part of the world. Whenever there is a clash between the two, a foreign hand is involved.

Muslims of the Subcontinent struggled for a homeland jointly and there was no question of sectarian differences. Together, Muslims of the Subcontinent achieved a goal that was unimaginable before, he said.

He said Shias and Sunnis of Iraq lived together for centuries and if there is bloodshed now, there is a foreign hand.

"We are well aware of the expression of 'divide and rule' and that is one of the main reasons of bad news frequently coming out of Iraq," Iranian official added.

He stated that difference of opinion is an integral part of the world of scholars and there is nothing unnatural in difference of opinion. Differences commonly emerge even among experts of pure and applied sciences but doctors of medical science never get harsh for prescribing different medicine for the same ill.

"We need to learn living peacefully along with differences. Common Muslims of Shia and Sunni schools of thought in a number of parts live together, enjoy mutual friendships and cross marriages. There is no reason to fight each other and there are thousands of reasons to live together," concluded Haddad-Adel.

Manzoor Ahmad, Rector IIUI appreciated the visiting dignitary and said one of the motives behind establishing the university was to promote dialogue for harmony not among Muslims only but the mankind at large. He added: "We can cover our intellectual deficit through a culture of open dialogue."

On this occasion, Iranian Parliament speaker presented seven volumes of the encyclopedia of the Islamic world, edited by him and some of his books, to the university.