Dear reader, sometimes I feel like sitting down and speaking to you honestly. Not with formal, clichéd words, but from the heart. These days, as we see news of war and bloodshed in the region, a question spins in many minds: “Are we Muslims enemies with each other? Why are we killing one another? Why should Shia and Sunni fall upon each other?” To tell you the truth, the answer to this question is very simple: **the enemies of Islam have wanted it this way.** Let us together turn the pages of history and examine the behind‑the‑scenes currents.
📿 Hold Firmly to the Rope of Allah
God, in the Quran, has commanded us clearly and explicitly: *”And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided”* (Quran, Al-Imran 3:103). This verse is not a simple recommendation but a **red line**. The rope of Allah is Islam itself – the very phrase “La ilaha illallah” (there is no god but Allah) upon which we all agree. So why have we fallen apart?
Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) gave the answer many years ago: **”Our enemies fear our unity. They want to pit Shia and Sunni against each other so that they can dominate us.”** The more we look at the days of war in Gaza, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, the more we believe this statement.
🎯 The Enemy’s Plan: Divide and Rule
The enemies of Islam, from the very first day colonialism set foot in Islamic lands, understood that the only way for them to survive is **division among Muslims**. Their tools have always been up‑to‑date:
1. **Supporting takfiri groups** that, in the name of Islam, kill both Shia and dissident Sunnis. ISIS, Al‑Qaeda, and the like are neither true Sunnis nor true Shia; they are products of the intelligence factories of the West and the Zionist regime.
2. **Launching religious satellite channels** that magnify minor jurisprudential differences night and day. For example, they ask: “Why do Shia place their hands on their chests?” or “Why do Sunnis not recite the Basmala aloud?” – forgetting that these are branches of religion, not its core principles.
3. **Supporting extremist currents within the schools** – those who, instead of calling for tolerance, raise the banner of excommunicating others. These currents are not without resources.
4. **Highlighting minor jurisprudential differences** in the media and social networks, so that a young Muslim in Egypt, Pakistan, or Iran imagines that the other is not a Muslim at all.
✅ What Does Unity Mean? Let Us Be Clear
Does unity mean Shia become Sunni? Or Sunni become Shia? **No, never.** Unity means preserving your own school, with all its rulings and branches, while forming **a single front** against the common enemy. Unity means extending your hand to someone who says “La ilaha illallah,” who believes in the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), whose qibla is the Kaaba, and whose book is the Quran. The rest of the matters are open to discussion and mutual respect.
Our Prophet described this Ummah as a single body: *”The example of the believers in their mutual love and mercy is like the example of one body”* (Sahih Muslim). He did not say “Shia believers” or “Sunni believers”; he said “the believers.” So Islamic brotherhood transcends any sectarian label.
🔥 Why Is This Discussion Vital Today?
These days, when the Zionist regime with US support has reduced Gaza to ruins and, since February 28, 2026, has begun a new war against Iran and the Axis of Resistance, we need **unity of ranks** more than ever. The enemy knows that if Shia and Sunni join hands, the arrogant powers will have no place left in the region. That is why they invest all their energy in “Shia‑phobia” and “Sunni‑phobia.”
Ayatollah al‑Uzma Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, has repeatedly emphasized: **”Islamic unity is a duty, not a temporary tactic. Anyone who sows discord among the Islamic schools is in the camp of the enemies of Islam.”**
🕊 What Should We Do?
Dear reader, perhaps you too have encountered people in cyberspace who speak ill of another school with sarcasm and mockery. Perhaps you have even seen differences among your family and friends. What is our duty in these circumstances?
1. **Awareness** – Know that these differences have been designed by the enemy. By studying early Islamic history and the conduct of the Ahl al‑Bayt (AS), understand that jurisprudential differences have never prevented cooperation and brotherhood.
2. **Refraining from fuelling discord** – Do not “like” or “share” religious jokes, divisive clips, or pages that promote insults to others’ sanctities.
3. **Strengthening commonalities** – The Quran, the Prophet (PBUH), the qibla, Hajj, fasting, prayer, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and the common enemy (Zionism and arrogance). Focus on these.
4. **Be a voice of unity** – In your gatherings, welcome scholars and thinkers who create unity, and distance yourself from extremists.
📌 Final Word
If today the Resistance front in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran stands with strength, it is thanks to the **blessing of united word**. Look at the people of Palestine – Shia, Sunni, and Christian side by side defending their land. That is the model that the enemy fears. God has promised in the Quran that if we are grateful for the blessing of unity, He will increase it (Quran, Ibrahim 14:7). So let us join hands and move together toward the bright horizons of Islamic civilization – not with slogans, but with action. ✋🌍
📚 Sources
1. **The Holy Quran**, Surah Al-Imran (3):103; Surah Ibrahim (14):7.
2. **Sahih Muslim**, Book of Piety and Ties of Kinship, chapter on the mercy of believers, hadith 2586.
3. **Imam Khomeini, Sayyid Ruhollah** (2010). *Sahifeh‑ye Imam*, Vol. 13, speech to Sunni scholars, Tehran: Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
4. **Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei** (2023). Statements at the meeting with Sunni scholars, October 4, 2023, Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Leader’s Works.
5. **Tabatabai, Sayyid Muhammad Husayn** (2011). *Tafsir al‑Mizan*, Vol. 3, commentary on Surah Al-Imran 3:103. Tehran: Dar al‑Kutub al‑Islamiyyah.
