Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the scientific conference titled “The Positioning of the Proximity of Religions in the Current Situation,” held at the Qom Institute for Proximity Studies, Ayatollah Araki said that efforts toward rapprochement are, in essence, efforts to preserve the Islamic Ummah in the face of division and external threats.
“The responsibility for rapprochement is the responsibility for protecting the Ummah,” said Ayatollah Araki, a member of the Supreme Council of Seminaries and Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council. “In Islam, we face two levels of duty: individual responsibility and social responsibility. Neglecting the latter undermines the very purpose of religion.”
Unity as a Qur’anic imperative
Citing a verse from the Holy Qur’an— “He has prescribed for you of the religion what He enjoined upon Noah and what We revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: that you establish religion and do not divide therein”—Ayatollah Araki stressed that unity is a foundational principle shared by all divine religions.
“This verse makes it clear that religion is a common truth among all prophets, and their central mission was to establish religion in society and prevent division,” he said.
Individual Islam and social Islam
Elaborating on the Qur’anic conception of religion, Ayatollah Araki distinguished between “individual Islam” and “social Islam,” noting that while personal religious duties are essential, they are meant to pave the way for the formation of an Islamic society governed by divine law.
“Religion is law and order,” he said. “The mission of the prophets, from Noah to the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon them all), was to establish a society centered on God’s decree. Without this perspective, religion is reduced to individual rituals and stripped of its transformative power.”
Limited differences, shared foundations
Addressing doctrinal and jurisprudential differences among Muslims, Ayatollah Araki said such differences are limited and should not be exaggerated to the point of undermining unity.
“From an Ummah-centered perspective, the differences among Muslims are not fundamental,” he said. “All Muslims believe in monotheism, the Holy Qur’an, and the Prophetic Sunnah. These shared foundations far outweigh secondary differences.”
He pointed to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a practical example of coexistence, noting that it was drafted in a manner compatible with the principles of various Islamic schools.
“Differences of opinion among jurists exist in all schools, Shiite and Sunni alike,” he added. “These differences do not prevent coexistence, joint worship, or the formation of a unified society.”
Practical unity in action
Drawing on personal experience, Ayatollah Araki said he has, on several occasions, led Sunni worshippers in congregational prayers, demonstrating that practical unity is achievable while respecting jurisprudential frameworks.
“We are one Ummah,” he said. “Jurisprudential diversity does not negate national and religious unity.”
Lessons from prophetic history
Referring to the Qur’anic account of Prophet Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them), Ayatollah Araki highlighted the challenges of preserving unity during critical historical moments. He said the episode of calf worship during Moses’ absence underscored the necessity of prudence, patience, and leadership in maintaining the cohesion of a divinely guided community.
He added that the Qur’an ultimately links enduring divine mercy and governance to the Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), describing it as the final divine community destined to inherit the earth.
Scholars’ consensus on unity
Ayatollah Araki noted that leading Shiite and Sunni scholars—including the late Ayatollah Boroujerdi, Imam Khomeini, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and Iran’s Leader of the Islamic Revolution—have consistently stressed the importance of rapprochement among Islamic schools.
“This is not a slogan,” he said. “It is a historical and strategic necessity.”
Warning against divisive media narratives
Criticizing certain media approaches, Ayatollah Araki warned that irresponsible discourse can inflame sectarian tensions and serve the interests of Islam’s enemies.
“The enemies of the Islamic world do not distinguish between Shia and Sunni,” he said. “Any blow to one is a blow to all. The fate of Palestine and other oppressed Muslim regions concerns the entire Ummah.”
Rapprochement as synergy, not assimilation
Concluding his remarks, Ayatollah Araki stressed that rapprochement does not mean dissolving religious identities but aligning them toward common Islamic goals.
“Rapprochement of Islamic schools is the synergy of identities in pursuit of shared objectives,” he said. “Only through unity and an Ummah-centered outlook can Muslims protect their independence, dignity, and future.”
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