Shafaqna English– A member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts stated that one of the most remarkable periods in Shia–Sunni relations occurred during the era of Imam Sadiq (AS). He said: In the school of Imam Sadiq, not only Shias participated; students from Sunni traditions as well as the Zaydi school were also present.
Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Ahmad Moballeghi, in an interview with Shafaqna, discussed the characteristics of Imam Sadiq’s (AS) school and said: One of the features of the Ja‘fari school is its comprehensiveness. This means that a wide range of diverse sciences were taught there, including jurisprudence (fiqh), principles of jurisprudence (usul), Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir), theology and beliefs, ethical and cultural values, as well as empirical sciences such as chemistry and physics.
He described comparative and cross-sectarian approaches as another feature of Imam Sadiq’s (AS) school, adding: Participation in this school was not limited to Shias; students from Sunni and Zaydi backgrounds were also actively present.
Moballeghi identified openness and interaction as another characteristic of this school and said: The school of Imam Sadiq was by no means a closed system. It maintained connections with scholars from other Islamic schools and intellectual traditions. Thus, openness in communication and allowing scholarly exchange were among its defining features. Naturally, this openness stemmed from the absence of sectarian prejudice; had such prejudice existed, this level of interaction would never have been possible.
Teachings of Imam Sadiq’s (AS) school aimed at strengthening Shia–Sunni relations
He also highlighted attention to social conditions as another feature of this school, stating: This school never produced ideas that would harm society or the relationships within the Islamic world. Rather, its teachings aimed to strengthen the Muslim community and reinforce relations between Shias and Sunnis. Indeed, one of the most beautiful periods of Shia–Sunni relations emerged during this time.
Moballeghi added that the exchanges between students of Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq’s school and other schools are evidence of this claim. More importantly, he emphasized the teachings that ensured the Shia community would not become isolated from Sunnis or develop negative attitudes toward them and their practices.
He stressed that Imam Sadiq (AS) strongly recommended that Shias participate in Sunni congregational prayers, even standing in the front rows, and consider themselves part of the broader Muslim community. He advised against dividing worship into “Shia” and “Sunni” forms and even stated that the reward for participating in Sunni congregational prayer is greater—comparable to praying behind the Prophet (peace be upon him).
The senior seminary professor in Qom, explaining the philosophy behind this teaching, said: The purpose of congregational prayer is to unite the community and form a cohesive Muslim body. The participation of Shias in Sunni congregational prayers brings this purpose closer to realization and can play a greater role in strengthening the unity of the Prophet’s community. Linking participation in Sunni congregational prayer to praying behind the Prophet is, in fact, a way of reinforcing the message of the Prophet himself.
He continued: Imam Sadiq (AS) never allowed separate mosques to be built exclusively for Shias, because this would have been the first step toward division, separation, and the erection of barriers between Shias and Sunnis. He held Sunnis in very high regard socially. If Imam Sadiq (AS) was engaged in struggle, it was not against Sunnis but against the ruling authorities of his time. Many founders of Islamic schools of thought also had conflicts with governments and were even imprisoned. In other words, these religious leaders were not aligned with political power; rather, governments sometimes oppressed them.