“Shia, Sunni Remarkable Force in Unity” : Hashemi Rafsanjani

Chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani says unity between Shia and Sunni Muslims can turn them into a “remarkable and influential” force in the international scene.

“If Shia and Sunni [Muslims] find coherence and solidarity, many of their problems and issues will be settled and [they] will turn into a remarkable and influential force in the international scene,” Rafsanjani said on Saturday.

He stressed the importance of forging unity between Shias and Sunnis, particularly under the ongoing sensitive regional and international circumstances.

“As Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] has recently emphasized, minor differences between these two [Shias and Sunnis] should not lead to major divisions and hostility,” the senior official pointed out.

Addressing members of the Assembly of Experts in Tehran on Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei called on clerics to thwart “the American and Zionist plot to create divisions” and avoid touching on divisive issues among Shia and Sunni Muslims.

“The enemies of Islam are trying to turn these differences into a religious strife so that they don’t end easily. We must not contribute to this dangerous goal,” the Leader stated.

Rafsanjani further said enemies of Islam wish to create sectarian strife between Shia and Sunni Muslims and called for the adoption of a “wise and rational” approach to strengthen relations among Muslims.

And The holy Quran states in a beautiful verse 3:103 “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided”. This verse clearly commands that you are not to be divided because we are a single nation. This is not my command, this is the command of the most high. We are all holding on to the rope of Allah, so let us hold it together!