Imam Mojtaba Khamenei’s Message On Muslim Unity Week

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are firm against the Kuffar and merciful among themselves” [Quran 48:29].

I extend my congratulations to the noble nation of Iran and the great Islamic Ummah on the occasion of the auspicious birth anniversary of the Great Luminary, the Noblest of Creation, the Radiant Lamp, Allah’s Chosen One, the City of Knowledge, his eminence the Mercy to the Worlds, the Honorable Messenger of Islam (S), and the auspicious birth anniversary of his pure and virtuous son, the definitive Proof of Allah, his eminence Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (A).

From the moment that the sun of his eminence the Last Prophet (S)’s existence rose in holy Mecca, the horizon of human prosperity [and salvation], which is contingent upon the perfection of the servitude and obedience to the Exalted and Almighty Allah, gained a renewed brilliance.

The souls of the Prophets (A), the angels of Allah, and the holy ones were immersed in joy, while the devils among human beings and the Jinn bit their fingers in rage, regret, and sorrow.

This was because the greatest of Allah’s creation throughout all the countless realms of existence had stepped upon the earth (i.e. Prophet Muhammad (S)), soon to be vested with the mantle of Nubuwwah (prophethood) and the Seal of the Prophets (S).

And with the magnificent Quran in his hands, and tasked with the mission of the comprehensive guidance of humanity, he was to direct the movement of humanity’s great caravan toward the servitude of Allah and [toward attaining] perfection [in the journey] toward Allah.

The life of his eminence [the Messenger of Allah (S)] and the lives of his Ma’sum (infallible) successors (A) are all lessons for guidance and servitude, lessons in understanding and love, lessons in belief and Jihad, lessons in living and good ethics individually and socially, lessons in trustworthiness and honesty, lessons in honor and dignity, lessons in knowledge and action, lessons in mercy and decisiveness, lessons in equity and justice, and lessons in unity and brotherhood.

The better these lessons are learned and acted upon, the more attainable the peaks of prosperity and good fortune become for all of humanity. We believe that the immaculate soul of the Prophet of Mercy (S), as well as the pure souls of his immaculate successors and the immaculate Proofs [of Allah], peace and blessings be upon him and all of them, are always attentive to, guiding, and compassionate with regard to the situation of the Muslims and the Islamic Society.

Whenever a mistake is committed by the children of this kind and noble father, his soul is aggrieved. And whenever Muslims act in accordance with his lessons and instructions, his blessed heart rejoices.

At this point in time, after passing through difficult times full of turmoil, and having traversed numerous ups and downs from the early eras [of Islam] to the present time, Islam and its followers have reached a fateful and decisive juncture. Today, the Muslims can play a highly effective and historical role.

Today is a time when the prospect of the ultimate triumph of Truth over falsehood, and of Islam over Kufr, has come much closer to becoming a reality than at any other time.

The first prerequisite [in reaching this critical objective] is the unity of word of the Muslims. The unity of Muslims in the face of global Kufr is a Quranic strategy and a fundamental teaching of the Pure Muhammadan Islam (S). This isn’t a superficial or transient matter. By unity, what is meant is that at the level of the general public in Islamic societies, commonalities must serve as the core and foundation for everyone.

Naturally, efforts must be made that are backed by logical reasoning and that observe all the requirements of brotherhood and camaraderie, exactly as is understood from Quranic teachings, to transform points of difference into common grounds, in an atmosphere of complete peace and harmony.

What is certain is that all Muslims, in [all] Islamic societies, must keep the Quranic principle “firm against the Kuffar and merciful among themselves” [Quran 48:29] at the center of their thought, speech, and action when facing global Kufr. It is with this approach that Islamic Unity and solidarity are achieved.

Whenever either of these two aspects of this heavenly message is separated from the actions of the Muslims, they will likewise be removed from the position of honor that they had rightfully attained in the Medina of Islam. And this is a rule which is inviolable.

This principle is one of the fundamental tenets and core messages of the Islamic Revolution.

The first Unity Week to be commemorated, traces back to Esfand of 1356 AHS (February – March 1978) during the time of the uprising against the tyrannical Pahlavi regime, when our illustrious Martyred Leader (Shaheed Imam Khamenei), may Allah elevate his noble station, proposed this concept while he was in exile in Iranshahr.

This suggestion was welcomed by both the Shia and the Sunni. Because of the foresight of the founder of the Islamic Republic, his eminence Imam Khomeini, may Allah exalt his noble soul, “Unity Week” was officially established shortly after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

By the grace of the Almighty Allah, this issue of unity throughout the entire Muslim nation has had a successful role model in the Iranian nation, and the machinations of the enemies have had little effect in undermining it.

However, ill-wishers are always lurking to ambush this great blessing. That which makes them hopeful is highlighting differences. Although ideological differences and differences in religious sects are a major part of what the enemies of Islam are seeking – and which the enemies of Islam heavily rely on – they won’t stop there.

They strive to turn every kind of racial, cultural, social, economic, political, and geographical difference into a pretext for sowing division among the Muslims in Iran and in every other Islamic country.

Their goal in doing so, is to see Islam’s Ummah cut to pieces and the erosion of its strength, as they wait for an opportune moment to impose their dominance over Islam’s Ummah. The command of the holy Quran in such matters may be seen in the noble verse, “And do not dispute, for you will lose heart and lose your power” [Quran 08:46].

Therefore, anyone, in any position, who does any action that leads to a division among the Muslims and creates strife within the Muslim Society (the Islamic Ummah) – whether this is done knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally – has advanced the agenda of the enemies of Islam.

And in this day and age, how can anyone attribute such an act [of sowing division] to their own ignorance or negligence, when [it is clear that] at the present-day the Taghuts (tyrants) of the world – at the forefront of whom stands the criminal America – have stripped the deceptive and flimsy masks from the hideous face of their colonial objectives, and their arrogant and domineering plots; and they have removed their deceptive, velvet gloves and have exposed their blood-stained claws to the entire world?

It is now time for the Muslims to think and examine events with a more careful scrutiny.

If the Muslims had been a single, united hand, which had clenched its fist with firm resolve, would the Palestinian nation have been left so defenseless in this way and subjected to the oppression and crimes of the occupiers?

And if the nations and governments, which are on the shores of the Persian Gulf, had firmly established their unity under the banner of Islam, would corrupt and unprincipled scoundrels have dared to covet their lands and wealth, [who are coming] from thousands of kilometers away?

My insistent and repeated recommendation to the rulers of Islamic countries, particularly those in the West Asian region and along the Persian Gulf, is that you must know who your true enemy is, understand their plots, and oppose them.

The solution to the Islamic Ummah’s problems is unity of word, friendship, and cooperation in the pursuit of goodness and virtue.

The criminal rulers of America and the illegitimate Zionist regime are the sworn enemies of this unity and friendship.

They aren’t just the enemies of the Islamic Republic, the Iranian nation, and the vast front of the Islamic Resistance; rather, they hold an enmity toward the entirety of Islam’s Ummah, including the nations in West Asia and North Africa.

And in this regard (i.e. their enmity), not even the rulers of these countries – many of whom are considered to be their allies – are exempt, and the blatant disrespect and derogatory remarks of the leaders of [Global] Arrogance directed toward some leaders of Islamic countries are still fresh in your memory and in ours.

The important lesson of unity and avoiding discord is the first lesson of Islam’s Maktab (ideological school) regarding the discussion of how to deal with foes and friends. But the second lesson is to defend one another against Kufr. And the third lesson includes various forms of cooperation and synergy in the diverse material and spiritual spheres of the lives of Muslims – [whether] in terms of wealth, security, science, and progress. The ultimate outcome of this path will be the attainment of the New Islamic Civilization.

Therefore, the unity of the Muslims is the fundamental cornerstone for achieving an exalted and triumphant Islamic civilization. This conceptual and intellectual package – in which our aspiration for the Islamic World resides – has materialized in our dear Iran to an acceptable degree. Once again, this humble servant’s recommendation to the entire nation is that you must not allow any division whatsoever to emerge between you.

In conclusion, I am hopeful that through the intercession of the holy Messenger (S) and his pure Progeny (A), the shield of Allah’s mercy and the blessing of Allah’s grace will be cast over the Islamic Society. And, under the aegis of acting in accordance with Allah’s commands, may the Islamic Society scale the heights of progress and honor day by day, even more than before.

May Allah’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.

Sayyid Mojtaba Husayni Khamenei
8 Shahrivar 1405
17 Rabi al-Awwal 1448
20 August 2026