Unity Week Special (3)

These days most Muslims all over the world are marking the Islamic Unity Week on the occasion of the blessed birth anniversary of the Messenger of Mercy, Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny).

According to Sunni Muslims, on the basis of the narrations of the Sahaba, he was born on the 12^th of Rabi’ul Awwal, while Shi’a Muslims who regard the accounts of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt or Impeccable Household as more reliable, he was born on the 17^th of this month. Forty years ago, in order to bridge this 5-day gap and to bring the Islamic Ummah on the platform of solidarity, the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) took the dynamic initiative of declaring the Prophet’s birthday as Islamic Unity Week.

We use this opportunity to study in brief some of the merits of Allah’s Best-Ever Creation. The following is the third episode of the Unity Week Special.

Unity of Muslims has been highly stressed in Islamic teachings. In the holy Qur’an, in Ayah 10 of Surah Hujurat, God Almighty says:

“The faithful are indeed brothers. Therefore, make peace between your brothers and be wary of Allah, so that you may receive [His] mercy.”

The Father of the Islamic Revolution and the Founder of the Islamic Republic in Iran, Imam Khomeini (RA), was among the best followers of the Prophet of Islam and his Infallible Progeny, the Ahl al-Bayt. He was a true caller to unity among Muslims in the contemporary era. He tried his best to knit the ranks of Muslims, irrespective of the schools of jurisprudence that they follow. He had correctly figured out that unity and solidarity is the main factor for effective confrontation against the enemies of Islam, especially the Great Satan, the US, as well as the symbol of state terrorism and crimes against humanity, illegal Zionist entity – which he called a cancerous tumour that ought to be weeded out.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the enemies of humanity became hell-bent on sowing the seeds of discord and hatred among Muslims. But Imam Khomeini in a prudent move, issued the message of Islamic solidarity by declaring Unity Week in Iran and abroad on the occasion of the birthday of the Prophet, in an effective move to thwart the plots of the enemies and ill-wishers. His message was issued on November 1980, thereby bridging the two dates of Rabi al-Awwal, considered as the birthday of the Prophet – the 12^th by Sunni Muslims and the 17^th by Shi’a Muslims.

Imam Khomeini said, “Creation of differences between Sunnis and Shi’as and spread of seditious propaganda that causes enmity among Muslim brothers, is more dangerous and more grievous than chauvinistic nationalism. Thank God, there is no difference between the two groups in the Islamic Revolution of Iran, and all are living together in friendship and fraternity. The Sunnis, who live in different parts of Iran and have produced many scholars and religious leaders, are our brothers and we are their brothers. We are all equal as brothers-in-faith. Sunni Muslims are opposed to the seditious calls that are being made by some criminals and the agents of Zionism and US imperialism. Our Sunni brothers are well aware that the lackeys serving the interests of satanic powers are not true Muslims, and thus, it is necessary for Muslims to denounce them and not listen to their seditious propaganda. I extend my hand of brotherhood to all committed Muslims throughout the world.”

It is interesting to know that there are numerous commonalities between Shi’a and Sunni Muslims. They believe in the indivisible unity of the One and Only Creator of the universe; they regard the Prophet of Islam to be the Last and Greatest Messenger of God; they face the same Qibla (or focal point for the daily ritual prayer) during their formal acts of worship; unlike the Christians and the Jews, they have the same single version of the divine scripture, the holy Qur’an; they all fast in the month of Ramadhan; they celebrate the two principal Eids of Fitr and Adha; they perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the same days of the month of Zilhijja; they belief in the Day of Judgment, and so on. Sunni Muslims also revere the Prophet’s Blessed Ahl al-Bayt and regard Imam Ali (AS) as the greatest person after the Prophet.

In view of these facts, the Islamic Unity Week is an important step in strengthening fraternity among Muslim communities in different parts of the world and removal of differences and animosities.

But, unfortunately, some Muslim countries do not abide by this Qur’anic call and make efforts to cause division and difference among Muslims just to gladden the US and the Zionist regime of Israel. The Saudi regime is the main factor of disunity among Muslims. Had the self-styled Custodian of the Two Holy Shrines done his duty toward Islamic unity, the most important issue of the Islamic world (the issue of Palestine) would have been solved and there would not have been crises in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Nigeria and so on.

Had Muslim thinkers and influential figures gathered round the excruciating issue of Palestine, the criminal regime in Tel Aviv would have been exterminated. Over 70% of the world energy resources and 65% of natural reserves are in the lands of Muslims but most of this wealth is being devoured by the big powers due to the negligence of Muslim leaders.

The foresighted and sharp outlook of Imam Khomeini regarding the issue of unity among Muslims meant resistance against the illegal demands of Global Arrogance and Zionism.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, too, considers unity as the essential factor for the Islamic Ummah. He says, “The enemies portray us ugly and try to depict us as unpleasant towards each other. This is the enemies’ plot. Any move that causes us to know each other better and more, to recognize our strong points, to synergize our strong points, to convey them to each other; this move will result in unity, solidarity and sublimity of the Islamic Ummah.”

In response to the call to Islamic unity in Iran, thousands of conference and sessions have been held in different regions of Iran and abroad among various schools of Islamic jurisprudence and groups. These gatherings have pushed seditious elements and puppets of the US and Zionism to the margin.

The main concern of the Islamic world is to support Palestine and other oppressed nations. It is obvious to every fair-minded person that Israel is an illegal and illegitimate regime that has been planted in the heart of the Islamic lands to serve as a base for Global Arrogance.

The 33^rd International Islamic Unity Conference will be held in Tehran from November 14 to November 16 this year. The event will have 15 expertise sessions on the issue of defence of Masjid al-Aqsa. We will broach on that in a separate program.

AS/ME