Iran Symbol of Shia-Sunni Unity
April 7, 1998 - 0:0
MECCA -- Iran has proved that unity between the followers of Sunni and Shia schools of thought is practical, said Molavi Seyed Ishagh Madani in his speech at the 10th meeting of World Forum for Proximity Among Islamic Schools of Thought held here April 1. Madani, who is the Iranian president's advisor on Sunni affairs, said both Sunnis and Shias had overwhelmingly voted in favor of the establishment of an Islamic Republic in Iran in 1979.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is the best proof that Islam can constitute the conceptual framework of a government, he said. The opponents of this idea used to rely on two arguments: the world has changed and that there is no unity among Muslims. The Islamic Republic of Iran proved that despite changes in the world, it is possible to establish a system based on the Islamic teachings.
Although Islam originally is 1400 years old, its teachings are compatible with today's requirements, he added. The Islamic Republic of Iran has put behind a number of difficulties, he said, adding, the success of the Islamic system in Iran stems from the Islamic teachings. In response to the second argument, Madani said, the 20-year history of the Islamic Rpublic in Iran shows that both Sunnis and Shias can work together.
This is an example for other Islamic countries. Referring to the attempts made some 50 years ago in Egypt, for proximity among Islamic schools of thought, Madani said, compared with Irans attempts to bring unity among Muslims, the latter has some advantages and some difficulties. The main advantage of Irans attempts for forging proximity among Islamic schools of thought is that the founder of proximity among schools of thought in Iran was a learned Muslim scholar who himself was at the apex of political hierarchy.
Imam Khomeini, the harbinger of unity,was a religious scholar and a political leader, he said. In Egypt a group of prestigious and renowned Ulema established a forum for proximity among Muslims. But this group did not have any executive power, he said, adding, hence they had limited facilities and the arena of their activities was limited. In Iran the harbinger of unity was the leader of a strong political system, his followers considered themselves duty-bound to follow him and he had great facilities at his disposal.
All these were advantages of Iran's attempt for unity compared to those of prestigious Ulema in Egypt, Madani said. As a result we can claim that unity has been achieved to a great extent in Iran. As to the difficulties Iran faces in its attempts for unity, Madani said, the opposition to unity call in Egypt was meager because the attempts for unity were limited.
But the opposition to unity call in Iran is very extensive, for the unity call is serious and the response it has received from other countries is wide-ranging.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is the best proof that Islam can constitute the conceptual framework of a government, he said. The opponents of this idea used to rely on two arguments: the world has changed and that there is no unity among Muslims. The Islamic Republic of Iran proved that despite changes in the world, it is possible to establish a system based on the Islamic teachings.
Although Islam originally is 1400 years old, its teachings are compatible with today's requirements, he added. The Islamic Republic of Iran has put behind a number of difficulties, he said, adding, the success of the Islamic system in Iran stems from the Islamic teachings. In response to the second argument, Madani said, the 20-year history of the Islamic Rpublic in Iran shows that both Sunnis and Shias can work together.
This is an example for other Islamic countries. Referring to the attempts made some 50 years ago in Egypt, for proximity among Islamic schools of thought, Madani said, compared with Irans attempts to bring unity among Muslims, the latter has some advantages and some difficulties. The main advantage of Irans attempts for forging proximity among Islamic schools of thought is that the founder of proximity among schools of thought in Iran was a learned Muslim scholar who himself was at the apex of political hierarchy.
Imam Khomeini, the harbinger of unity,was a religious scholar and a political leader, he said. In Egypt a group of prestigious and renowned Ulema established a forum for proximity among Muslims. But this group did not have any executive power, he said, adding, hence they had limited facilities and the arena of their activities was limited. In Iran the harbinger of unity was the leader of a strong political system, his followers considered themselves duty-bound to follow him and he had great facilities at his disposal.
All these were advantages of Iran's attempt for unity compared to those of prestigious Ulema in Egypt, Madani said. As a result we can claim that unity has been achieved to a great extent in Iran. As to the difficulties Iran faces in its attempts for unity, Madani said, the opposition to unity call in Egypt was meager because the attempts for unity were limited.
But the opposition to unity call in Iran is very extensive, for the unity call is serious and the response it has received from other countries is wide-ranging.