Mohamed Ousman
There are no scholarly institutions of major Sunni Muslim scholars worldwide who have publicly and explicitly expressed support for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s concept of Walayat al-Faqih.
There are also no institutions of major Shi‘i Muslim scholars worldwide who have publicly and explicitly expressed opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran. There are, however, traditional Shi‘i ulama who have not endorsed the concept of Walayat al-Faqih.
The focus of this series is on the inconsistency among Sunni scholars who appear more attracted to the kufr system of liberal secular democracy than they are to the Islamic system of Walayat al-Faqih. There are also Shi‘i scholars who fall in the same category.
Types of Support
Support for the Islamic system in Iran exists among Sunni Muslims. It exists, however, in a narrow and more specific pattern. Some Sunni scholars support “Islamic unity”, cooperation with Iran, or condemnation of western-Israeli policy.
Other Sunni scholars at conferences in Iran issue joint statements about resistance, Palestine, or Muslim unity.
Very few if any, mainstream, globally recognized Sunni scholars publicly endorse the concept of Walayat al-Faqih in clear theodological terms.
Most Sunni scholars outside Iran fall into category (1) or (2), not (3) with documented cases of Sunni scholars expressing unity-oriented support, not full political endorsement.
Hundreds of Sunni scholars inside Iran within both the institutional and regional context (Sistan-Baluchestan) have issued statements supporting the Imam/Leader, Imam Khamane’i, and also opposing external threats.
For example, a statement by 600 Sunni scholars in Iran expressed support for Imam Khamene’i and unity. These are Iran-based Sunni clerics.
Further, a large group of 1,300-plus Sunni scholars and intellectuals in Islamic Iran issued a regional statement calling for unity against zionist Israel and western powers. Again, this is political alignment on foreign policy issues, not endorsement of Islamic Iran’s governance model.
Outside the Islamic Republic, Sunni endorsements of Iran as a unity supporter or anti-zionist pillar have been made by Lebanese scholar Sheikh Ahmed al-Zain, Zakir Naik, Taqi Usmani, Tariq Jamil, Zabihullah Mujahid, Sajjad Nomani, Salman Nadwi, etc.
Others such as Adnan Ibrahimi, Daniel Haqiqatjou, etc. emphasize Sunni orthodoxy and cautious engagement with sectarian politics.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Zain has praised Iran as a “standard-bearer of Islamic unity” for its annual unity conferences hosted in Iran.
It is noteworthy that the above mentioned figures publicly emphasize Muslim unity, avoidance of sectarian conflict and general praise for Islamic Iran on Palestine.
Scholars like Maulana Tariq Jamil, the Hanafi jurist Mufti Taqi Usmani, Taliban-linked Sunni figures such as Zabihullah Mujahid (Taliban spokesperson), Institutions linked to the Nadwa tradition (e.g., Nadwatul Ulama) generally support Muslim unity and praise Islamic Iran’s stance on Palestine.
They have not formally endorsed the Islamic Republic’s system.
Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go before such praise and acknowledgement of Islamic Iran’s unity efforts and pro-Palestine stance can extend to endorsement of Islamic Iran’s ideology.
No verified statements exist showing explicit endorsement of Wilayat al-Faqih as a political model, endorsement of Islamic Iran’s constitutional governance and, most critically, political allegiance to Iran.
The statement of 600 Sunni scholars from Sistan-Baluchestan supporting Imam/Leader Khamene’i, condemning threats against him and framing the revolutionary leadership of the Islamic Republic as protecting Islam and Muslims constitutes a limited political endorsement of the Islamic Republic.
The 1,300-plus Sunni scholars in Iran’s joint statement declared “resistance against hostile powers as an Islamic duty” and called for support for the “Islamic front” aligned with Islamic Iran’s position.
This constitutes a strong ideological alignment with Islamic Iran’s regional policy by Iran-based scholars, not external Sunni authorities.
In a rare cross-sectarian endorsement of Islamic Iran’s leadership, approximately 100 Muslim scholars (multi-country coalition) declared “unwavering support for Iran and Imam Khamenei” and described threats against him as hostility toward the Ummah.
This explicit political support for the Islamic Iran’s leadership includes mixed Sunni/Shia signatories; not exclusively Sunni scholarly establishment. Such “Islamic unity” and cooperation statements are not political endorsements. This characterizes the large majority of Sunni scholarly interaction with Islamic Iran.
In summary, there are, 1. Sunni scholars globally supporting Muslim unity; 2. Sunni scholars in Iran supporting national stability or leadership; and, 3. Sunni scholars globally praising Iran’s anti-Israel-pro-Palestine stance and Islamic unity conference declarations.
There is still no global Sunni scholarly consensus supporting Islamic Iran’s political system and no formal endorsement of the Islamic Republic’s governance model by majority Sunni authorities.
The reality is a spectrum of 1. Iran-based Sunni clerics, often politically aligned; 2. international Sunni scholars with mostly unity rhetoric only and, 3. extremely rare full ideological endorsement of Islamic Iran from outside its institutional context.
As the Islamic revolution enters its 40th year, we examine its achievements and challenges
Is it a coincidence that a day after Iran joined SCO, riots erupted over the unfortunate death of a young woman in hospital (not the police ...
Iranians will go the polls again in a week’s time to vote in the second round of presidential election. The two front-runners, neither of ...
