Summary
the Islamic Republic has been moving in this direction since the first day. Our magnanimous Imam (may God bestow paradise on him) was the leader on this path and different luminaries, government officials, speakers, writers and organizations throughout the world of Islam also made a lot of efforts. Do not let these efforts go to waste.
One of the factors that can serve as the pivot of Muslims unity is the existence of the Holy Prophet (pbu). Muslims and Muslim intellectuals should invest their time and efforts on the personality of the Holy Prophet (pbu). Among the factors which can serve as the pivot of this unity is following the household of the Holy Prophet (pbu). All Muslims hold the household of the Holy Prophet (pbu) in high respect.
Of course, Shia Muslims believe in their imamate and non-Shia people do not consider them yet they consider them among Islamic luminaries and the Holy Prophet’s (pbu) household. They believe that our Imams were knowledgeable about Islamic teachings and divine rules as well. Muslims should be unanimous in implementing the words of the Imams and the Holy Prophet’s (pbu) household. This is one of the instruments that can be used to achieve unity.
Of course, this is a task that should be by experts. It is an easy and simple task. Experts on hadith and related areas of knowledge know what the requirements are. It is necessary to reach an agreement on the standards of understanding and interpreting hadith, and the standards of verifying the validity of hadith. It is necessary to reach an agreement on hadith narrators. In the past – during the time of the Umayyad Caliphate and particularly during the time of the Abbasid Caliphate – they tried to erase the teachings of the Holy Prophet’s (pbu) household from the minds of Muslims. For this reason, there are fewer narrations from their time.
A hadith narrator goes about the task of narrating hadith without being favoring a particular person to narrate from. So why would they not narrate from Ja’far ibn Muhammad (pbu)? It was the governments of Harun, Ma’mun, Mu’tasim, Mutawakkil and other such people that would stand in their way and sometimes they would condemn hadith narrators. Therefore, one of the things that must be done is reaching a common understanding in the areas relating to the requirements of hadith. Religious scholars are responsible in this regard. Muslim intellectuals are also responsible.