The criminal rulers of the US and the illegitimate Zionist regime are the sworn enemies of unity among Muslims
Aug. 30, 2026
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, issued a message on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the Messenger of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Islamic Unity Week on August 30, 2026.
The following is the full text of his message:
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
"Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and those who are with him are firm against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves" (Holy Quran 48:29).
I extend my congratulations to the noble nation of Iran and the great Islamic Ummah on the occasion of the auspicious birth anniversary of the Great Luminary, the Noblest of Creation, the Radiant Lamp, God’s Chosen One, the City of Knowledge, the Mercy to the Worlds, the Honorable Messenger of Islam (pbuh), and the auspicious birth anniversary of his pure and virtuous child, the definitive Proof of God, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (pbuh).
From the moment the sun of the Last Prophet’s existence rose in Holy Mecca, the horizon of human salvation, which is contingent upon perfecting servitude and obedience to the Exalted and Almighty, gained a renewed brilliance. The souls of the prophets, the angels of God, and the holy ones were immersed in joy, while the devils among humans and jinn bit their fingers in rage, regret, and sorrow. This was because the greatest of God's creation throughout all the countless realms of existence had stepped on the earth, soon to be vested with the mantle of prophethood and the seal of the prophets. Holding the magnificent Quran and tasked with the mission of the comprehensive guidance of humanity, he was to direct the movement of humanity’s great caravan toward servitude to God and spiritual perfection in the journey to Him.
The life of the Prophet and the lives of his infallible successors are all lessons for guidance and servitude; lessons in spiritual understanding and love; lessons in faith and jihad; lessons in living and both individual and social ethics; lessons in trustworthiness and honesty; lessons in honor and dignity; lessons in knowledge and action; lessons in mercy and decisiveness; lessons in justice and equity; and lessons in unity and brotherhood. The better these lessons are learned and acted upon, the more attainable the peaks of prosperity and bliss become for all of humankind. We believe that the immaculate soul of the Prophet of Mercy, as well as the pure souls of his immaculate successors and the immaculate Proofs of God (peace and blessings be upon him and all of them) are always watching, guiding, and compassionate with regard to the situation of the Muslims and the Islamic society. Whenever a mistake is committed by the children of this kind and noble father, his soul is grieved. And whenever Muslims act in accord with his lessons and instructions, his blessed heart rejoices.
Now, after passing through difficult, turbulent times and having traversed numerous ups and downs from the early dawn of Islam to the present time, Islam and its followers have reached a fateful, decisive juncture. Today, Muslims can play a highly effective, fateful role. Today is a time when the prospect of the ultimate triumph of truth over falsehood, and of Islam over disbelief, has come much closer to becoming a reality than any other time.
The first prerequisite [to reaching this critical objective] is the unity of the Muslims. The Muslims’ unity in the face of the world’s disbelief is a Quranic strategy and a basic teaching of the pure Islam of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This isn’t a superficial or transient matter. By unity, what is meant is that at the level of the general public in Islamic societies, commonalities must serve as the core and foundation for everyone. Naturally, efforts must be made that are backed by logical reasoning and that observe all the requirements of brotherhood and camaraderie, exactly as understood from the teachings of the Quran, to transform points of difference into a common ground in an atmosphere of complete peace and harmony.
What is certain is that all Muslims in the various Islamic societies must keep the Quranic principle "firm against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves" at the center of their thought, speech, and action when facing disbelief in the world. It is with this approach that Islamic unity and solidarity are achieved. Whenever either of these two aspects of this heavenly message is separated from the actions of the Muslims, they will likewise be removed from the position of honor that they had rightfully attained in the Medina of Islam. And this is an inviolable rule.
This principle is one of the fundamental tenets and core messages of the Islamic Revolution. Unity Week was celebrated for the first time in Esfand 1356 AHS (February - March 1978) during the time of the uprising against the tyrannical Pahlavi regime, when our illustrious, martyred Leader (may God elevate his noble station) proposed this concept while he was in exile in Iranshahr. This suggestion was welcomed by both the Shia and Sunnis. Because of the foresight of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini (may God sanctify his noble soul), "Unity Week" was officially established shortly after the victory of the Islamic Revolution. By the grace of Almighty God, this issue of unity throughout the entire Muslim nation has a successful model in the Iranian people, and the machinations of enemies have had little effect in undermining it.
However, ill-wishers are always lurking to target this great blessing. What makes them hopeful is highlighting differences. Although ideological and religious differences are a major part of what the enemies of Islam are seeking – and on which they heavily rely – they won’t stop there. They strive to turn every kind of racial, cultural, social, economic, political, and geographical difference into a pretext for sowing division among the Muslims in Iran and in every other Islamic country.
Their goal is to see the fragmentation of the Islamic Ummah and the erosion of its strength, as they wait for an opportune moment to impose their dominance over it. The command of the Holy Quran in such matters may be seen in the noble verse, "And do not dispute, or you will lose heart and lose your power" (8:46). Therefore, anyone in any position who does an action that leads to a division among the Muslims and creates strife within the Islamic community – whether this is done knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally – has advanced the agenda of the enemies of Islam.
And in this day and age, how could anyone attribute such an act to just ignorance or negligence, when the evil taghuts [tyrants] of the world – at the forefront of whom stands the criminal US – have stripped the deceptive, flimsy masks from the hideous face of their colonial objectives and arrogant, domineering plots? They have removed their deceptive, velvet gloves and exposed their blood-stained claws to the entire world.
It’s now time for Muslims to think and examine events with a more careful scrutiny. If the Muslims had been a single, united hand, which is clenching its fist with firm resolve, would the Palestinian nation have been left so defenseless in this way and subjected to the oppression and crimes of the occupiers? And if the nations and governments, which are on the shores of the Persian Gulf, had firmly established their unity under the banner of Islam, would corrupt, unprincipled scoundrels have dared to covet their lands and wealth from thousands of kilometers away?
My repeated, emphatic recommendation to the rulers of Islamic countries, particularly those in the West Asian region and along the Persian Gulf, is that you must know who your true enemy is, understand their plots, and confront them.
The solution to the Islamic Ummah’s problems lies in maintaining unity, friendship, and cooperation in the pursuit of goodness and virtue. The criminal rulers of the US and the illegitimate Zionist regime are the sworn enemies of this unity and friendship. They aren’t just the enemies of the Islamic Republic, the Iranian nation, and the vast front of Islamic Resistance. Rather, they hold an enmity toward the entire Islamic Ummah, including the nations in West Asia and North Africa. In this regard, not even the rulers of these countries – many of whom are considered to be their allies – are exempt, and the blatant disrespect and derogatory remarks of the leaders of Global Arrogance directed toward certain leaders of Islamic countries are still fresh in your memory and ours.
The important lesson of unity and avoiding discord is the first lesson of the school of Islam on the discussion of how to deal with friends and foes. But the second lesson is to defend one another against disbelief. And the third lesson includes various forms of cooperation and synergy in the diverse material and spiritual spheres of Muslims’ lives – in terms of wealth, security, science, and progress. The ultimate outcome of this will be the attainment of the New Islamic Civilization.
Therefore, the Muslims’ unity is the main cornerstone for achieving an exalted, triumphant Islamic civilization. This conceptual, intellectual package – in which our aspiration for the Islamic world resides – has materialized in our dear Iran to an acceptable degree. Once again, this humble servant’s recommendation to the entire nation is that you mustn’t allow any division whatsoever to emerge between you.
In conclusion, I hope that through the intercession of the Holy Messenger and his pure Progeny (pbut), the shield of God's compassionate, blessed grace will be cast over Islamic societies. And, under the aegis of acting in accord with the divine commands, may Islamic societies scale the heights to progress and honor day by day even more than before.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei
Shahrivar 8, 1405
Rabi al-Awwal 17, 1448
[Aug. 30, 2026]
