Imam Khomeini the founder of the Islamic Republic announced the Unity Week in order to bridge differences among Muslim community and strengthen solidarity among them.
Imam once said in a historical message as following:
I congratulate all Muslims on the auspicious birth anniversary of the seal of prophets and his honorable son Imam Sadiq. I beseech God to bless all Muslims.
This goal can be advanced through scholarly gatherings, dialogue, and sincere intellectual efforts aimed at understanding and addressing the historical roots of disagreement. Such efforts can help Muslims move beyond unnecessary disputes and toward greater cooperation.
Throughout Imam Khomeini's speeches and teachings, the emphasis was not on deepening Sunni-Shi'a conflict but on encouraging Muslims to set aside divisive and unproductive disputes and move toward unity. His words, conduct, and leadership demonstrated a consistent commitment to Muslim solidarity.
The Legacy of Islamic Unity
Until the end of his life, Imam Khomeini remained a strong advocate of Islamic unity and solidarity among Muslims throughout the world. He warned against the schemes of those who sought to create division among Muslims and criticized rulers and religious figures whose actions contributed to discord within the Islamic community.
His message was clear: Muslims must recognize their common identity, reject efforts to divide them, and work together for the dignity, independence, and progress of the Muslim world.
Islamic Unity Week is therefore more than a commemorative occasion; it is a reminder of a shared responsibility.
It calls upon Muslims to strengthen brotherhood, respect differences, promote dialogue, and stand together on the principles that unite them.
May Almighty God bless the Muslim Ummah with lasting unity, peace, dignity, and prosperity, and may the spirit of brotherhood among Muslims continue to grow from generation to generat
The great Imam designated the period of the auspicious birthday of the Holy Prophet celebrations from the 12th to 17th of Rabi ul Awwal as the Islamic Unity Week. This initiative step and dynamic announcement aimed to bring all Muslims from various schools of thought on the common platform of Islamic unity.
This solid step bridged the divisions and used it as an opportunity to unite the ranks of Muslims.
Today, in this small, yet luminous and great meeting all schools of Muslims including our Sunni and Shia brothers, universities and theological seminaries and different strata of people have assembled. This is an example of the blessings of the Islamic Revolution God has bestowed upon all of us. By His grace we have became brothers. The universities, that used to be apart from seminaries, are today united with them. It is hoped that this unity will remain forever Sunni and Shi`ite brothers have initiated the unity of expression and I hope this unity will remain till the end.
Declaration of brotherhood with world Muslims
We want all countries to have this kind of harmony we have here. All Muslims should be one hand against the aliens. Everyone in his own environment with whatever government and whatever sect, should be independent. Muslims should be brothers and friends to one another; they should relate to each other; armies of all Islamic countries should support one another. If it were not for disunity among Muslims Israel with its little population would not dare to disregard Muslims. If there were no dispute among Islamic governments and Islamic countries, America could not rule over all countries and take away all their resources. We plan to keep our country independent, to live free and to come to terms with all Muslims of the country and with all inhabitants of the country. We wish to be united with official sects, to stick together and to preserve our country. No power can harm us if we have harmony in this small environment and with this population.
Imam believed that focus on building inter Muslim solidarity is essential to pursue cultural and intellectual methods to help bridge the differences of the past centuries.
This purpose can be achieved through expert gathering in different fields with sincere efforts to study and remove the root cause of differences among Muslims.
In nowhere in Imam’s tracks and preaches a word in mentioning Shia Sunni conflicts even as a regular jurisprudence topic is ever found; but all and every word is on calling for foregoing useless challenges and moving towards unity. Also in practice whether before or after revolution his speeches, deeds and acts as a religious and political leader indicates his true, clear and free from reservation belief in unity.
His holiness Imam right to the end of his blissful life also was the proclaimer of Islam’s world unity and would take some reactionary rulers and fanatic religious jurisprudents different from the Islamic nation and warned Muslims of intrigues of evil – minded people in abetting conflicts and division in between Muslims.