We're parts of one body, if we ignore the scant differences
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I have close friendships with many Sunni scholars: Imam Khamenei
Aug 28, 2017
2015
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The Zionist regime was planted in the region to create discord
Jul 18, 2015They inject this discord into the world of Islam. Why do they do so? It is because the interests of superpowers lie in it. They do not want the Islamic Ummah to be united. They do not want this great power to arise in the horizons of global powers. They do not want this. If the Islamic Ummah were united and if it relied on its common points, it would undoubtedly become a unique power in the firmament of global politics. Considering its large population, underground resources and provisions, and natural and human sources of wealth and considering the countries that are located in this sensitive area of the world, if we became united, such a phenomenon would dominate the world. They do not want this to happen. They have planted the Zionist regime in the region so that they can create discord and busy regional countries with themselves.Nations resisted the Zionist regime and they did not surrender to them. You should pay attention to this point. During the 10 years when the Zionist regime increased its materialistic power on a daily basis with the assistance and support of England and later on America, some weak governments and vicious individuals in Muslim governments were drawn to the Zionists. Many Muslim governments and some politicians in the world of Islam - including the former sinister regime in our country and some others - established close relations with the Zionists. This was while the Zionists were usurpers, transgressors and murderers.
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This discord is an imposed one
Jul 18, 2015Today, the world of Islam is facing many problems. Islam has placed great emphasis on the unity, unanimity and brotherhood of Muslims. We can hold fast by the rope that Allah stretches out individually, but Islam does not advise this: "And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah stretches out for you" [The Holy Quran, 3: 103]. All of us should hold fast by this rope together. We should be together. Despite all this emphasis, today we Muslims do not unfortunately obey this command of Islam. And as you can witness, this is the result. I want to ask all Muslims - particularly ulama, intellectuals, officials, politicians and outstanding personalities in all Islamic countries - to see the treacherous hands of the enemies of the Islamic Ummah in this discord. This discord is not a natural one, rather it is imposed on and suggested to us. Muslims can naturally live together. Experience has shown that when the enemy's temptations, deception and malevolence do not enter the arena, they can live together. We have seen this in our own country. We have seen this in Iraq and other Islamic countries.
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Who is the real enemy?
Jan 9, 2015This is the responsibility of everyone. Today, all Muslims throughout the world should think about the Islamic Ummah and Islamic unity. If we think of the Islamic Ummah, the interests of our countries will be safeguarded as well. The interest of the enemy lies in separating us from one another. His interest lies in attacking one country and raising an army with the help of another country. His interest lies in this. We should not allow him to do this. Who is the enemy? The enemy is American capitalism and global arrogance which is headed today by America and the Zionists. The Zionist government in occupied Palestine is part of the dangerous group and the deadly cancer which the Zionists have created in the world. We should stand up against them. We should refer to Islam and Quranic texts in order to stand up against them.
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When Muslims walk together
Jan 9, 2015I deem it necessary to thank the government, people and different tribes of Iraq who made sacrifices, rendered services and showed greatness of character in this very important test. This year's Arbaeen of Karbala was an astonishing event. The enemies of Islam and Ahlul Bayt vainly thought that they had blocked the path of Muslims. Notice what a great movement was launched. When even bodies stay together, it has such a reflection. If we stay together, if Islamic governments and Muslim nations - whether Shia or Sunni or different denominations of Shia and Sunni - are honest with one another, if they are not suspicious of one another, if they do not insult and have malevolent intentions against one another, notice what will happen in the world and what great dignity will be brought about for Islam. Unity, unity!
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Muslim should know their real enemies
Jan 9, 2015This is the responsibility of everyone. Today, all Muslims throughout the world should think about the Islamic Ummah and Islamic unity. If we think of the Islamic Ummah, the interests of our countries will be safeguarded as well. The interest of the enemy lies in separating us from one another. His interest lies in attacking one country and raising an army with the help of another country. His interest lies in this. We should not allow him to do this. Who is the enemy? The enemy is American capitalism and global arrogance which is headed today by America and the Zionists. The Zionist government in occupied Palestine is part of the dangerous group and the deadly cancer which the Zionists have created in the world. We should stand up against them. We should refer to Islam and Quranic texts in order to stand up against them.
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Be compassionate among yourselves
Jan 9, 2015This is the meaning of the Holy Quran. It says about the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), "Ardently anxious is he over you. To the believers is he most kind and merciful" [The Holy Quran, 9: 128]. He is kind to believers and "those who are with him are strong against unbelievers, but compassionate amongst each other" [The Holy Quran, 48: 29]. You should be strong against those who show enmity to you and who are your enemies. You should be firm against them. You should not be like a soft earthwork which the enemy can infiltrate easily. You should stand firm against the enemy, but you should be compassionate among yourselves. You should be honest with and kind to one another. Names should not be able to separate you. Geographical borders should not arouse hostility among you and they should not be able to pit nations against one another. This is one of the lessons of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). Today - which is the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) - we should learn his lessons. Mere praise of that great personality is not the only thing that is expected of us today. We should learn his lessons. We should achieve what the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) was sent for. As I said, the primary thing in today's world of Islam is unity. I hope that Allah the Exalted helps us to succeed in doing what we say.
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Iran has based it's foreign policy on brotherhood and friendly relationships
Jan 9, 2015I have heard that some regional governments have based their foreign policy on confronting Iran. Why should they do this? This is against reason. This is against wisdom. This is an idiotic course of action. Why should someone make such a great mistake? On the contrary, we have based our foreign policy on camaraderie, brotherhood and friendly relationship with all Muslim and regional countries, whether those which are our neighbors and those which are not. This is our policy. We have acted in the same way until now and we will act in the same way in the future. Thankfully today, the people of Iran have gained such a deep awareness that they know the future interest of their country depends on Islamic unity with other Muslim nations and countries. Of course, some people are trying very hard to create obstacles in the way of this unity, to arouse suspicions and to temp the people, but our people have thankfully understood this today. The cry of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) - both before the victory of the Revolution and after the formation of the Islamic government - about the issue of unity paid off and our people became aware.
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Beware of Shia and Sunni mercenaries working at separating Muslims
Jan 9, 2015Today, some elements both among Sunnis and Shias are working at separating Muslims from one another. If you trace these elements, you will see that all of them are connected to espionage and intelligence services of the enemies of Islam - not the enemies of Iran and Shia Muslims, rather the enemies of Islam. The kind of Shia which works with the MI6 of England and the kind of Sunni which is a mercenary of the CIA of America are neither Shia nor Sunni. Both of them are against Islam. It is 35 years now that we in the Islamic Republic are letting out this cry. We do not only speak, rather we act. The Islamic Republic's assistance to its Muslim brothers has mostly been given to Sunnis. We have stood beside the Palestinians. We have stood beside the religious people of regional countries because we know that today, the issue of unity is at the top of Islamic issues. I advise and I insist that well-known ulama, outstanding personalities and politicians of the world of Islam do not speak so much about discord and disunity. Some people in the world are spending money in order to promote Islamophobia and damage the reputation of Islam. And we ourselves are trying to damage one another's reputation and frighten people of one another. This is against wisdom and politics.
2014
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A warning to count unity as a priority
Sep 30, 2014Hajj is the manifestation of unity and harmony and the focal point of brotherhood and mutual help. During hajj, all have to learn the lessons of focusing on commonalities and rejecting differences. The filthy hands of imperialist politics have, for some time now, placed division on the agenda in order to fulfill their sinister interests, and today with the blessing of Islamic Awakening, Muslim peoples have correctly recognized the enmity of the imperialist and Zionist front and they have taken a stance against them while the policies of division between Muslims have intensified. The scheming enemy is aiming to stoke the fire of a domestic war among the Muslims, to misdirect the motivation for resistance and jihad and to secure the Zionist regime and the servants of arrogance- who are the real enemies. Instigating terrorist-takfiri and similar groups in the countries of the region of West Asia is among these abhorrent policies. This is a warning to all of us to count the issue of unity among Muslims as the priority of our national and international duties.
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Some people are ready to cooperate with the Zionists to kill their Muslim brothers
Jun 3, 2014The policy of the enemies of Islam is to promote fratricide and wage domestic wars by their agents. Their policy is to sit aside and watch us kill one another. Well, this is the reason why we should know the enemy and understand his plots. This is the shortcoming of the world of Islam. There are some people among the Islamic Ummah who join hands with the enemies of Islam in order to confront their Muslim brothers. Today, we have such people. They approach shaitan in order to oppose, fight against and confront their Muslim brothers. Today, there are some people who are prepared to cooperate with the Zionist regime in order to destroy their Muslim brothers: "They took the shaitans for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right" [The Holy Quran, 7: 30]. They befriend and join hands with the shaitan and they vainly think that they are stepping on the path of guidance. These are Quranic standards. These are clear standards that the Holy Quran has offered to us. We should understand these standards. When can we understand them? We can understand them when we establish a close relationship with the Holy Quran and when we open our hearts to it
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Islam invites people to freedom, dignity and honor
Jan 19, 2014What do people think of Islam when media networks show a person who is devouring the liver of another person in the name of Islam? The enemies of Islam have planned this. These are not things that happen all of a sudden and out of the blue. These are things for which many plans have been devised over a long period of time. There are different policies and spy rings behind these moves. There is big money behind these moves. Muslims should confront any phenomenon which is against their unity. This is a great responsibility for all of us. Both Shia and Sunni Muslims, and different groups which exist among Shia and Sunni Muslims should shoulder this responsibility. Unity means reliance on common points. We have many common points. Muslims' common points are more than their disagreements and therefore, they should rely on them. The main responsibility in this regard falls on the shoulders of outstanding personalities - whether political, scientific or religious personalities. Religious scholars in the world of Islam should prevent Muslims from creating sectarian and religious discord. Academic scholars should help students understand that today, unity is the most important issue in the world of Islam. The most important issue is unity for the sake of reaching goals. These goals are achieving political independence, establishing religious democracy and observing divine rules in Islamic societies. Islam invites people to freedom, dignity and honor. This is an obligation and responsibility today. Political personalities too should know that their dignity and honor lies in their reliance on Muslim peoples, not on foreigners and those who are arch enemies of Islamic societies
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Muslims should be strong against the enemies, compassionate towards one another
Jan 19, 2014Islam has asked Muslims to be "strong against unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other" [The Holy Quran, 48, 29]. Muslims should be strong against the enemies of religion. They should stand firm and they should not be influenced by the enemies. Being "strong against unbelievers" is the clear message of this ayah. Muslims should be compassionate towards one another, they should stay together and join hands and they should hold fast to the rope which Allah stretches out for them. This is the command of Islam. Now what happens if an orientation emerges which divides Muslims into believers and unbelievers, which targets a group of people as unbelievers and which pits Muslims against one another? Who can doubt the role of arrogance and the security services of arrogant and malevolent governments in creating, supporting and enriching these orientations and in equipping them with weapons? These arrogant powers sit and plan for this. The world of Islam should attend to this issue because it is a grave danger. Unfortunately, a number of Muslim governments unwittingly add fuel to the fire of this discord. They do not understand that fueling this discord will kindle a fire which will burn them as well. This is what arrogance wants: they want a group of Muslims to wage a war against another group of Muslims. Those who give rise to this war are people who benefit from the money provided by puppet rulers. These puppet rulers give them money and weapons in order to pit people in such and such a country against one another
2013
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The kind of Shia Islam promoted from London and America is useless
Sep 11, 2013The existence of differences between Islamic denominations and between Shia and Sunni Muslims will not create any problem as long as these differences are confined to ideological differences. One person may believe in something and another person may believe in something else. Problems arise when these ideological differences lead to behavioral differences, confrontation, hostility and enmity. The enemies of the world of Islam are after creating such a situation and hatching such a plot. They have properly understood that the Zionist regime can breathe easily if Islamic denominations in the world of Islam start confronting and fighting with one another. They have understood this truth perfectly and properly. On the one hand, they form groups which engage in takfirism - not only do these groups anathematize and curse Shia Muslims, but they also anathematize Sunni denominations - and on the other hand, they hire a number of mercenaries to add fuel to the fire of discord. You know and have heard about this plot. They provide these groups and mercenaries with different means of mass communication. Where do they do this? They do this in America and London. The kind of Shia Islam which is promoted from London and America is useless for Shia Muslims. Shia leaders - particularly the leaders who emerged after the victory of the Islamic Revolution - our Imam and other leaders placed great emphasis on preserving the unity of the Islamic Ummah and behaving in a brotherly way towards Muslims. This is while a number of people - who interfere in the affairs of Muslims for no reason - are after fueling the fire of discord. This is the thing which the enemy wants. This is the thing which the enemies of Islam - who are neither Shia nor Sunni - like to pursue.
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How can nations stand on their own feet?
Aug 9, 2013Faith in God and solidarity are the two things which can help nations stand on their own feet and put up a resistance. Thankfully, the Iranian nation benefits from these things.
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What is real Polytheism?
May 6, 2013They make these evil moves under the pretext that commemorating such people is a kind of worship. Is paying a visit to the grave of an individual in a spiritual environment and asking Allah the Exalted to show His mercy on him and on oneself a polytheistic act? Polytheism means being a tool in the hands of the intelligence services of England and America and distressing the hearts of Muslims. These people do not consider obeying, worshipping and kneeling before the current Taghuti powers as a polytheistic act, but they consider respecting outstanding personalities as a polytheistic act. This is a disaster. The evil and blasphemous movement which has begun in the world of Islam thanks to the financial resources of the enemies - unfortunately, they have money and resources - is one of the disasters of Islam.
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Islamic unity; The holy Prophet's major demand
Jan 29, 2013Islamic unity is a sacred slogan. If the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) were among us today, he would invite us to promote unity as this holy ayah says, "It grieves him that you should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the believers is he most kind and merciful" [The Holy Quran, 9: 128]. He would prevent these kinds of discord. If we love the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), we should meet this major demand that he made.
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Creating discord; The British ominous plot
Jan 29, 2013Creating religious discord is a great danger which the enemies have been involved with. The British have long experiences in this regard. We have read about them in history books and we can see what they have done to create discord. They know how to do it and the others have learnt this from them. They are busy trying to create discord. We should avoid discord. We should not fuel the fire of discord by arousing shallow and vulgar feelings. This will burn the fate of nations. It will completely destroy them, it will help the enemies of Islam, the enemies of Muslims and the enemies of independence succeed in their goals and it will help them hatch their plots. We should remain vigilant.
2012
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America uses English experience to cover up her crisis
Mar 6, 2012America is in a crisis. Of course, they want to shift this crisis to Asia. They want to shift it to Africa. They want to shift it to the Middle East. They want to cover up their weakness by causing problems in other countries. Among the things that they want to do is to turn the great popular uprisings in the region against the people. They want to keep the people busy with ethnic, religious and tribal conflicts. We need to be vigilant. Today the Americans are using the experience of the English in creating sectarian conflicts between Shia and Sunni. The English are very skillful at creating enmity among different groups, especially between Shia and Sunni in the world of Islam. They have been doing this since several hundred years ago. The Americans are making use of their experience. When the issue of Palestine comes up, when the issue Egypt comes up, as soon as they are faced with the people, they use some trickery and immediately bring up the sectarian issue in one way or another. Everybody must stay vigilant. Sunni Muslims must stay vigilant. Shia Muslims must stay vigilant. Religious scholars must stay vigilant. Outstanding academic figures must stay vigilant. The people must stay vigilant. They should know what they are doing. They should be aware of the enemy's plots and machinations. They must not contribute to the enemy's plot. This is what they are doing today.
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Iran's revolution has never been an Iranian or Shia imperialism
Feb 3, 2012They speak about Iranian or Shia imperialism while everybody knows that we have never considered or described our Revolution as a purely Shia, nationalistic or Iranian revolution. Over the past 30 years, all the expenses we have incurred and all the threats we have heard have been due to our tendency towards Islam, building an Islamic Ummah and shouting slogans of unity, closeness of Islamic denominations, freedom and dignity for our Muslim brothers – from East Asia to deep into Africa and Europe
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Helping combatants, Shia or Sunni, is a religious obligation for Iran
Feb 3, 2012Iran is not after Iranizing Arabs or making other Muslims become Shia. Iran is only trying to defend the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.). Iran is only after reviving the Islamic Ummah. Helping the Sunni combatants of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the Shia combatants of Hezbollah and Amal is an equally important religious obligation for the Islamic Revolution. The people and government of Iran declare in a clear and decisive way that they are committed to popular uprisings and not terror, to Islamic unity and not sectarian conflicts, to brotherhood among Muslims and not ethnic and racial discrimination, to Islamic jihad and not violence against foreigners.
2011
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Palestinians consider Iran as their own home
Oct 17, 2011Muslims should consider their situation and see on what basis their unity has been built. Is it just a verbal agreement or is it built on a truth? Well, we see that our collective religious knowledge is the same. Our monotheism is the same. Our conception of returning to God is the same. Our conception of prophethood is the same. Our daily prayers and fasting are the same. Our hajj is the same. Our enemies are the same. Our goals, ideals and interests are intertwined. How can Muslim nations - Shia or Sunni - be separate from one another? The enemy wants to impose this on us. Therefore, since the first day the Islamic Republic has stood by its Palestinian brothers. This is while as far as I know, there are either no Shia Muslims in Palestine or there are very few of them. Our Palestinian brothers used to consider our country as their own home. They still have the same feeling: they come and go. No other Islamic country with different denominational composition has ever treated Palestinians so sincerely and kindly free of charge. The enemy can see this. Therefore, he does not want this to happen. He does not want the Islamic Ummah to become unified
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All kind of discords, a tool to prevent a great Islamic movement
Oct 3, 2011The enemies of Islam and Muslims want the Islamic Ummah to be disunited because if the Islamic Ummah unites, it will become powerful and it will seek its identity in different areas. Then everything will become difficult for the arrogant powers of the world. Therefore, they want to create discord. They create religious discord. They create ethnic discord. They promote radical nationalism in different countries. They divide Muslims into different groups and label them as Persians, Arabs, Turks, Pakistanis, Shia and Sunni. They constantly try to highlight and magnify these differences in order to build a wall among Muslims. They highlight these differences in order to make us suspect each other and prevent us from joining hands and giving rise to a great movement.
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The effects of Islamic unity on Muslim nations
Feb 20, 2011It is necessary to eliminate discord among Muslim nations. The first effect of Islamic unity is that Muslim nations should sympathize with each other. When a Muslim nation is happy, other Muslim nations should also feel happy. When a Muslim nation is sad, other Muslim nations should feel sad. When a Muslim nation is in trouble, other Muslim nations should share in their trouble. When a Muslim nation asks for help, other Muslim nations should rush to its aid. This is our duty. We believe in this divine promise. We believe that "those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them to Our paths." [The Holy Quran, 29: 69] And Allah the Exalted will undoubtedly help faithful people.
2010
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We demand Unity but unity with whom?
Aug 22, 2010I also spoke about unity - and later on certain questions were asked in this regard. What I meant was unity on the basis of the principles. Unity with whom? With those who believe in the principles, and with unity being as strong as their belief in the principles. And this is Vilayat among Muslims. Those who do not believe in the principles, those who show that they do not believe in the principles, those who announce that they do not believe in the principles - they must be excluded.
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Israel prevents Islamic countries from progressing
Mar 4, 2010Today, Islamic countries form a very big group. They can exchange knowledge, wealth, experience and understanding among themselves. They can help one another to progress and they can reach peaks. The enemies have put this cancerous tumor in the middle of the arena and this way they have caused Islamic countries to drift away from one another. Of course, nations do not show enmity to one another. Unfortunately, it is the officials of countries who are to blame in some cases.
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The Islamic unity and the issue of Palestine are the Islamic republic's main goal
Mar 4, 2010We should be awake. This is what the Islamic Republic says. From the beginning of its formation, the Islamic Republic set these things as its main goals: promoting unity among Muslims, making their hearts get close to one another and pursuing the issue of Palestine. There are two points which Imam (may God bestow paradise on him) highlighted in his statements: one is the issue of unity among Muslims on all matters, decreasing intellectual and fiqhi differences of opinion and preventing such differences from causing enmity among Muslims, and another is pursuing the issue of Palestine. The Islamic Republic has stood by its claim and we are paying the price for it. Our people look at this issue as a wajib task and as a religious responsibility. They know that if this deadly and dangerous cancer is kicked out of the body of the Islamic community, many problems of Muslim societies will be solved and many alliances will be formed.
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Freedom of Palestine unifies the Islamic Ummah
Mar 4, 2010They want to busy us with one another so that they can distract our attention from the main point. They want to pit Muslim ethnicities, nations and denominations - including Shia, Sunni and other Islamic denominations - against one another so that the issue of Israel will be forgotten. The issue of occupying Palestine should have made us get close to one another. But they are using it to make us drift away from one another. They create discord in the world of Islam and pit governments against one another by using the issue of Palestine. The issue of Palestine is a clear issue. There is no Islamic denomination that has any doubts about the fact that jihad is wajib for Muslims whenever an Islamic land is under attack. All Islamic denominations share this belief and there is no ground for disagreement on this matter. However, the enemies cast doubt on this matter which all Muslims believe in. They create division among Muslims, they provoke denominational and tribal prejudice and they fuel its fire so that they can freely pursue their goals.
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Separating Shia Islam from Sunni Islam is America's main goal
Mar 4, 2010Today, it is the enemies of Islam who provoke discord. It is the Americans and the English who bring up the issue of Shia and Sunni. This is a source of disgrace for us. One of the matters that American, English and western analysts study and highlight is separating Sunni Islam from Shia Islam and pitting them against each other. The enemy wants to adopt this scheme and this has always been the case. The enemies of the world of Islam have always tried to make maximum use of denominational, tribal, geographical and regional differences. And today, they are using modern instruments to fulfill their purpose. We should pay attention to this and we should awaken.
2009
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Enemies are terrified of Islamic Awakening
Dec 6, 2009We should all try to understand this. Shia Muslims should try to understand this. We should know that the policies of the arrogant powers are aimed at separating Shia Muslims form non-Shia Muslims. We should know that their policies are aimed that dividing Muslim denominations and pitching them against one another. We should not help them achieve this goal. We should prevent the enemy from achieving this goal. Both Shia and non-Shia Muslims are responsible in this regard. Today it is Shia Muslims in Islamic Iran who have raised the flag of Islamic power and glory, and the arrogant powers feel powerless. All Muslims should know this. This is a fact. The plots that have been hatched by the enemies - America being the most important, and England being the most evil among them - against the Islamic Republic during the past 30 years are all due to the fact that they are terrified. They are terrified of the Islamic movement and Islamic Awakening. The areas that are populated by Muslims are the most strategic areas in the world. They know that they will have no control over these areas when Muslims wake up to the realities, pay attention, and feel independent and powerful. They know that they will lose control of these strategic areas when Muslims feel their Islamic identity. They are afraid of this. They hatch plots because they are afraid. They use various means to achieve their goal. Today the leaders of arrogant policies - namely, America, the Zionists, and other arrogant powers of world - are using all their power in order to isolate the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic. So far, they have not achieved this goal. And by Allah's grace, they will not be able to do so in the future either.
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Fulfilling the dream of all Muslims
Dec 6, 2009Some people try to show that this great Islamic movement (Shia Islam) and its followers are outside the scope of Islam. What do they gain out of this? Today policies are being adopted to promote this idea. Why? Because thanks to the spirit of Wilayat, Shia Islam has managed to achieve something that was a dream for all Muslims. In the past, all benevolent, committed, and sympathetic Muslims wished that Islam would one day gain power and would restore its original unity and authority. Muslim intellectuals of the past few centuries lived out their lives, wishing to see such a day. Today Shia Islam has fulfilled this dream - the dream of Islamic rule, grandeur, and dignity. This achievement has been made thanks to the spirit of Wilayat. The enemy can see this. It wants to scatter the supporters of Shia Islam and Wilayat. As a result, today more accusations are leveled against Shia Islam than ever before. Throughout history, there have been some twisted individuals who have talked against Shia Islam, leveled accusations against it, and spread lies about it. But today these accusations are far more than ever before, and this state of affairs is due to the policies adopted by the arrogant powers. Why do they not understand this?
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Ghadir is a source of unity for the Islamic Ummah
Dec 6, 2009The late Allamah Amini - the author of the book "Al-Ghadir" - and Shahid Motahhari believed that Ghadir is a source of unity for the Islamic Ummah. Some people should not assume that Ghadir is a source of discord. That is not the case. Today Shia Muslims are being accused more than the past. Shia Islam is rooted in a correct, healthy, and pure belief in divine revelations. That is the meaning of Shia Islam. Shia Islam means being committed to the values and Quranic criteria. Some people may talk nonsense and accuse Shia Islam of something that has nothing to do with it. They may say that Shia Islam is a fake sect. They may claim that Shia Islam is political in nature and that it has been added to Islam later on. Ghadir invalidates all these claims.
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Unity in all arenas
Sep 24, 2009The issue of forming unity - religious, ethnic, and political unity - is extremely important. We should try our best. Fomenting discord is one of the courses of action that the enemy is following. They try to foment discord - among different groups of people, including government officials, ordinary citizens, clergymen, academics, and other groups of people - wherever they can. You can see many of the instances in our society today
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Israel is nothing compared to the United Islamic Ummah
Jul 6, 2009Today, you should be vigilant against those who slander the Shia in order to foment discord among Shia and Sunni. The opposite is also true. There are also some people who provoke and hurt the emotions of their Muslim brothers. Muslims should be united. This is what the Muslim world needs today. Today, the Islamic community is in need of unity and togetherness. The Muslim world should not let its enemies take advantage of its weaknesses. These enemies are not strong by themselves. What is Israel? The Zionist enemy is nothing compared to the one and a half billion Muslims of the world. Discord in the Muslim world - the weakness which currently exists in the Muslim world - provides the weak enemy with the opportunity to find solutions for its problems and find allies from among Muslims.This is a fact which the Iranian nation should also pay attention to. We are a united nation. Islam created unity among us. Islam set our Revolution in motion and instilled in our hearts deep love for each other. It made us motivated and inspired us. This helped us turn into a strong force against the enemies of Islam, the Islamic Republic, and Muslims. The enemies are seeking to undermine this unity and cause discord among the people. They intend to pitch Muslim brothers against one another.
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The world of Islam is in need of unity
Jul 6, 2009The Islamic Ummah has suffered from injustice at all times. It has also suffered from disunity, discord, and conflicts. The world of Islam has always suffered from these bitter realities. The more you refer to the history of Islam - particularly the history of Islam in the recent centuries - the more clearly you perceive these realities. The world of Islam is in need of unity.The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) should be the focal point of unity in the world of Islam. The enemies of Islam are trying to foment discord among different Muslim groups by means of Imam Ali (a.s.) who is himself the source of unity among Muslims. These are facts that the Muslim world should be aware of.
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What we mean by unity
Jun 12, 2009I call all Muslims throughout the world to reflect on these realities. We do not at all insist that in a unified Islamic Ummah certain Islamic denominations should accept the beliefs of other Islamic denominations. No, this is not what we mean by unity. Unity means that different Islamic denominations should highlight what they have in common and do not use their differences to cause fratricide, war, and enmity among Muslims. That is what we mean by unity.
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Disrespect for others' beliefs is our red line
May 19, 2009Islamic denominations must work shoulder to shoulder in a brotherly fashion and move towards the lofty goals and ideals of Islam. The enemy is hoping to pitch the followers of different Islamic denominations against one another. Nobody must give in to this spiteful plot of the enemy. They want to incite Shia against Sunni and Sunni against Shia. They want to sow spite and suspicion in the hearts of Muslims. That was why I declared that disrespect for each other's beliefs forms the red lines from an Islamic point of view and from our perspective. Those who disrespect what is held sacred in an Islamic denomination, be it Sunni or Shia Islam, do not know what they are doing. These acts of desecration provide the enemy with the best means. These are the red lines
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There are differences but we should accept them
May 13, 2009"And lest your power depart." [The Holy Quran, 8: 46] What is the meaning of this? This verse exactly reflects our current situation. When there is discord, when we are suspicious of one another, and when we consider one another as traitors, we will naturally avoid cooperation. Even if we do cooperate with one another, we will not be sincere. That is exactly what the enemy is after. Both Shia and Sunni scholars must understand this. It is quite natural for two denominations of a religion to have differences in some of their primary and secondary principles. Of course they are normally similar in the majority of their principles. But difference is not the same as hostility. In some cases, the fatwas that are issued by Shia muftis are radically different. Similarly, the fatwas issued by Sunni muftis are sometimes very different from one another. But when there is difference, one should not necessarily engage in insulting and slandering. We should accept the differences.That is to say, no particular denomination should think that the members of the Prophet's household belong to them. That is not the case: They belong to the world of Islam. Is there anyone who cannot accept Fatima Zahra (a.s.)? Is there anyone who cannot accept Imam Hussein (a.s.), the master of those who live in Paradise? Is there anyone who cannot accept the honorable Shia Imams? Shia Imams may be considered a religious leader by some, and some others believe that it is not obligatory to obey them, but all Muslims accept them. These are the facts, and we must understand and institutionalize them. Of course there are some people who do not understand these things. They give in to the enemy's provocations, while they think they are doing the right thing.
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Spreading nonsense about Sunni and Shia, the job of the enemies' agents
May 13, 2009Take the case of Palestine and our support for the Palestinian people - that is just an example that I am going to discuss. Regarding the Palestinian issue, no country and government was as active as the Islamic Republic. We supported them so much that some Arab countries voiced their dissatisfaction and said that Iran was pursuing its own objectives in Palestine. Of course the Palestinians did not pay any attention to these claims. Particularly, during the 22-day war that was waged on the people of Gaza a few months ago(2009), the Islamic Republic served the cause of the oppressed and faithful Palestinian brothers. Public rallies and financial support were used to further their cause. At the height of our support for Palestinians, we realized that some dangerous ideas were being propagated. Some individuals were trying to convince a number of ulama to withdraw their support for the Palestinian people. These individuals had told them that the people of Gaza were Nasebi, which meant that the people of Gaza were opposed to the members of the Prophet's (s.w.a.) household. They convinced these ulama. Then the ulama sent me several letters saying that the people of Gaza were Nasebi. I replied, "May God protect us. May God curse the evil and abolished Satan. There are some Mosques in Gaza named after the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) and Imam Hussein (a.s.). How could these people be Nasebi? They are Sunni, but not Nasebi.". There is another side to the coin. Some people go all the way to Qom to search Shia books for an insult to what Sunni Muslims hold sacred or they try to record the voice of an ignorant and spiteful speaker who talks nonsense about Sunni beliefs Thus, they try to encourage a negative attitude towards Shia.
2007
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Enemies Attitude toward the Sunni Hamas is the same as Shia Hezbullah
Apr 6, 2007Islam and the Islamic awakening pose a threat, but only to arrogant powers. Wherever they notice this threat, they make it the target of their attacks. It does not matter to them whether this threat emanates from the Shia or from the Sunni. The arrogant powers' attitude and behavior toward the Palestinian Hamas is the same as their attitude and behavior toward the Lebanese Hezbollah; the first is Sunni and the second is Shia. The attitude of the global arrogance toward faithful and committed Muslims living in any part of the world is the same, and it does not make any difference to arrogant powers whether those Muslims are Shia or Sunni. Now is it wise for Muslims to engage in tribal or ethnic or sectarian disputes and waste their energy and forget that their common enemy is seeking to destroy them all?
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Islam is the religion of kindness
Apr 6, 2007The main target of the arrogant powers is Islam. They are seeking to subvert this religion. There exists no difference to them between the Shia and the Sunni. They feel threatened by any nation or community or any individual that firmly adheres to Islam. They are justified in feeling threatened, since Islam indeed does pose a threat to the domineering goals and hegemonic objectives of the arrogant powers. However, Islam poses no threat whatsoever to non-Muslim nations. The arrogant powers are insinuating the opposite in their negative propaganda. By using artistic and political means and through their media they are insinuating that Islam is hostile to other nations and to other religions. This is not true. Islam is not antagonistic toward other religions. When Islam dominated non-Muslim regions, the followers of other religions were grateful to Muslims for their Islamic mercy. They told Muslim rulers that they treated them more kindly than those who ruled them prior to Muslims. When Muslims conquered Syria, they showed kindness toward the Jewish and Christian residents of the region. Islam is the religion of kindness. It is the religion of mercy. It is a blessing for the entire humanity. Islam tells Christianity that "come to an equitable agreement between us and you" (The Holy Qur'an, 3: 64). It stresses the commonalities that they share. Islam is not hostile to other nations or to other religions. Islam is opposed to compulsion, oppression, arrogance and domination. Those seeking predominance over nations and the oppressors and arrogant powers are trying to portray the opposite of this reality to the world by utilizing all their resources, from Hollywood and propaganda means to arms and weapons and military forces.
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