Marwa Sadat/ Afghanistan is a land where different ethnic groups and religions have lived side by side for centuries. What has kept this society intact has been mutual respect, shared religious values, and a culture of coexistence, not disagreement and separation. In the context of such a history, whenever fair and ethical scholars have been in the field, this coexistence has deepened and tensions have given way to understanding.
Publish dateSunday 7 June 2026 - 09:03
Story Code : 356963
Shia and Sunni are complementary, not rivals
Lessons from the legacy of Ayatollah Fayyaz (RA) for religious coexistence
Grand Ayatollah Fayyaz (RA) was among the prominent figures who, with his ethics, humility, knowledge, and avoidance of religious tensions, showed that a religious scholar can be an asset to all Muslims. That pious jurist always emphasized piety, unity, Islamic ethics, and service to the people, and avoided any speech or behavior that would cause division among Muslims. The scholarly and practical life of this late authority was a tangible embodiment of the Quranic principle that “Only the believers are brothers” transcends sectarian and ethnic boundaries and defines religious brotherhood beyond common categories.
The widespread reactions of the Afghan people, both Shia and Sunni, to the passing of this divine scholar showed that respect for knowledge and virtue goes beyond religious boundaries. Many Sunni scholars, cultural figures, and ordinary people, with messages of condolence and sympathy, glorified the scholarly and moral status of Ayatollah Fayyaz. This behavior is a manifestation of the authentic culture of Afghanistan, in which pious scholars do not belong to a specific religion, but are considered a common asset of the Islamic nation; an asset whose loss is mourned by only one group, all lovers of morality and knowledge.
Shia and Sunni have much in common in the fundamental principles of Islam, such as faith in one God, the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), a single Qibla, and moral values. Differences in some jurisprudential and theological issues should never turn into hostility and distance between Muslims. The history of Islam has also shown that whenever unity and empathy prevail, the Islamic community grows, and whenever disagreement and prejudice take its place, the ground for weakness and harm is prepared. Instead of lining up against each other, the two great Islamic religions can complement each other in an atmosphere of dialogue and mutual understanding and cover the cognitive and social gaps in society.
Ayatollah Fayyaz’s legacy carries the clear message that knowledge, morality, moderation, and service to the people are the best ways to strengthen religious coexistence. Today, Afghanistan needs such a perspective more than ever; a perspective in which Shia and Sunni are not rivals, but two wings of one nation, two companions on the path to the development of the country, and two partners in maintaining the dignity and peace of society. The realization of this vision, however, is conditional on religious scholars, intellectual elites, and social activists demonstrating a practical model of this coexistence in their words and behavior, as that esteemed authority did.
If mutual respect, dialogue, justice, and Islamic ethics are the focus of social relations, differences, rather than being a factor of division, will become an opportunity for greater understanding and broader cooperation. This is the lesson that can be learned from the life and character of pious scholars like Ayatollah Fayyaz; a lesson that promises a future full of empathy, brotherhood, and progress for Afghanistan. May God’s mercy be upon that wise jurist whose unifying legacy is a beacon of light in our turbulent times.
The widespread reactions of the Afghan people, both Shia and Sunni, to the passing of this divine scholar showed that respect for knowledge and virtue goes beyond religious boundaries. Many Sunni scholars, cultural figures, and ordinary people, with messages of condolence and sympathy, glorified the scholarly and moral status of Ayatollah Fayyaz. This behavior is a manifestation of the authentic culture of Afghanistan, in which pious scholars do not belong to a specific religion, but are considered a common asset of the Islamic nation; an asset whose loss is mourned by only one group, all lovers of morality and knowledge.
Shia and Sunni have much in common in the fundamental principles of Islam, such as faith in one God, the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), a single Qibla, and moral values. Differences in some jurisprudential and theological issues should never turn into hostility and distance between Muslims. The history of Islam has also shown that whenever unity and empathy prevail, the Islamic community grows, and whenever disagreement and prejudice take its place, the ground for weakness and harm is prepared. Instead of lining up against each other, the two great Islamic religions can complement each other in an atmosphere of dialogue and mutual understanding and cover the cognitive and social gaps in society.
Ayatollah Fayyaz’s legacy carries the clear message that knowledge, morality, moderation, and service to the people are the best ways to strengthen religious coexistence. Today, Afghanistan needs such a perspective more than ever; a perspective in which Shia and Sunni are not rivals, but two wings of one nation, two companions on the path to the development of the country, and two partners in maintaining the dignity and peace of society. The realization of this vision, however, is conditional on religious scholars, intellectual elites, and social activists demonstrating a practical model of this coexistence in their words and behavior, as that esteemed authority did.
If mutual respect, dialogue, justice, and Islamic ethics are the focus of social relations, differences, rather than being a factor of division, will become an opportunity for greater understanding and broader cooperation. This is the lesson that can be learned from the life and character of pious scholars like Ayatollah Fayyaz; a lesson that promises a future full of empathy, brotherhood, and progress for Afghanistan. May God’s mercy be upon that wise jurist whose unifying legacy is a beacon of light in our turbulent times.
avapress.net/vdcb00bffrhbs9p.4eur.html
Top hits
