Islamic Unity, Key Element of Quranic Culture
The statement, released on Monday, congratulated all Muslims on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Islamic Unity Week.
Referring to the Quranic motto of "Hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited,” (Verse 103 of Surah Al-i Imran), it stressed that unity and accord among Muslims are a major Islamic teaching and of special importance in today’s world.
Every Muslim who seeks dignity and power for their fellow Muslims and resistance against hegemonic powers should spare no efforts to enhance Islamic unity, it added.
The statement also urged Shia and Sunni Muslims to keep vigilant and work to safeguard Islamic unity.
The 17th day of the month of Rabi al-Awwal in the lunar Hijri calendar (which falls on Saturday, December 17, this year) is believed by Shia Muslims to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), while Sunni Muslims regard the 12th day of the month as the birthday of the last prophet.
The interval between the two dates is celebrated every year as the Islamic Unity Week.
Various programs, including conferences and seminars, are held in the Muslim world every year to mark the Islamic Unity Week.
Late founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini (RA) declared the occasion as the Islamic Unity Week back in the 1980s.
