Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the scientific conference “The Positioning of the Proximity of Religions in the Current Situation,” held at the Proximity Studies Research Center in Qom, Shahriari said rapprochement should be understood as cooperation and coexistence among the followers of Islamic schools, not the elimination of doctrinal, jurisprudential, or historical differences.
“Rapprochement does not mean that seven or eight Islamic schools should turn into one school,” he said. “Approximation in the sense of philosophical unity is rejected. Shi’ism is not a project of the Islamic Republic, just as Sunnification should not be the project of any country.”
Unity without erasing identities
Hojatoleslam Shahriari explained that Islamic unity has multiple dimensions, including social, customary, and political unity, and should be understood as standing together in a single front against common threats.
“Unity means cohesion, solidarity, and filling the gaps so that the enemy cannot exploit differences among Muslims,” he said, warning that sectarian fragmentation has historically enabled foreign domination of the Islamic world.
According to Shahriari, the aim of rapprochement is not uniformity in belief or jurisprudence, but mutual recognition and cooperation among diverse Islamic traditions, each with its own interpretive heritage.
Forty years of rapprochement
The cleric said Iran’s experience over the past four decades demonstrates the practical success of rapprochement policies. He noted that Shiites and Sunnis have lived side by side in Iran without major sectarian conflict, describing the country as a working model of Islamic unity.
He pointed to broad Sunni support for Iran during periods of external pressure and conflict, saying such solidarity reflects the maturity of inter-sectarian relations within the Islamic Republic.
“This is a tangible model of unity that has proven itself in practice,” Shahriari said. “The enemy seeks to exploit religious divisions, but the followers of Islamic schools showed they stand together when the Ummah is under threat.”
Unity among nations, not a single state
Referring to remarks by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Shahriari said unity does not require the formation of a single Islamic state.
“Unity does not mean that all Islamic countries must become one country,” he said. “That model is neither realistic nor necessarily desirable today. What matters is cooperation, coordination, and shared strategic vision.”
He described this approach as a “league of Islamic countries” model, based on solidarity rather than political amalgamation, and said it could serve as the next phase of rapprochement efforts.
Managing differences in the media age
Hojatoleslam Shahriari warned that the expansion of social media and digital platforms has transformed private religious debates into public and often polarizing confrontations, increasing the risk of sectarian tension.
“For forty years, we have emphasized commonalities such as the Qur’an, the Prophetic Sunnah, and love for the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them),” he said. “The next phase of rapprochement is to address differences responsibly, not to inflame them.”
He stressed that dialogue over differences must aim at management and understanding, not provocation or playing into what he described as enemy-driven projects of division, takfir, and religious violence.
“Any discourse that leads to hostility, excommunication, or insult to sacred beliefs is forbidden,” Shahriari said. “Such actions only serve the enemies of Islam.”
Toward a new Islamic civilization
Concluding his remarks, Shahriari said the future of rapprochement lies in strengthening a discourse of truth, peace, and mutual respect, particularly in the digital sphere.
“In an age of widespread media influence, we must speak politely, firmly, and effectively,” he said. “Our goal is to explain our beliefs clearly without fueling conflict, and to prevent unjust accusations against either Shiites or Sunnis.”
He emphasized that managing differences with wisdom and restraint is essential for building a new Islamic civilization and preserving the unity of the Muslim Ummah in the face of growing external and internal challenges.
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