Cleric Sees Islamic Unity as Main Strategy to Foil Enemy Plots

Muslim states and nations must seize any opportunity and potentiality in Islamic societies and teachings to expand their commonalities and unity to defuse the plots hatched by the enemies to sow discord among Muslims, said a senior cleric.

The remarks were made by Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought (WFPIST) Ayatollah Mohsen Araki in Tehran on Sunday.

Ayatollah Araki noted that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei have always stressed the use of Diplomacy of Islamic unity as a basic strategy for deterring the enemy plots.

Diplomacy of Islamic unity means to make the best use of all opportunities and potentialities to find a unified Islamic nation.

In October, as an evidence of WFPIST’s efforts for expansion of unity among Muslim states, Ayatollah Araki representing an Iranian think-tank said that he has invited Egypt’s Al-Azhar community and its Sheikh, Ahmed al-Tayyeb, to joint collective efforts to find an Islamic solution to the Syrian crisis.

“We are looking for Islamic solutions to the Syrian crisis,” Ayatollah Araki told FNA in a ceremony marking the anniversary of the establishment of the World Forum, adding that his center has extended an invitation to Egypt’s al-Azhar community to joint Tehran in finding a solution to the Syrian problem.

“We expect the al-Azhar and the al-Azhar Sheikh to follow up on talks to work out an Islamic solution and we try to hold such meetings on Syria or other issues in the shortest time possible,” Araki added.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.

In relevant remarks in March 2009, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on the world Muslims to enhance unity and solidarity against enemies of Islam.

Addressing a large number of Iranian officials and people on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Last Messenger of Allah and Muslims’ Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Ayatollah Khamenei said the primary undertaking of the followers of the Messenger (Prophet Mohammad) was to make diligent efforts to enhance Islamic unity and counter against agents of discord.