Ayatollah Khomeini's perspective on sunnism

This study examines Khomeini's perspective on Sunnism based on his works, fatwas, and discourses. In this context, while addressing the fundamental issues reflecting Khomeini's approach to Sunnism, the historical development of these topics within the Shiite sect is first analyzed. This approach seeks to determine the extent to which Khomeini's views align with or diverge from the discourse of classical Shiite scholars. Inter-sectarian relations have been a significant area of debate throughout the history of the Islamic world. In particular, the Sunni-Shiite division stands out as a topic that must be addressed from theological, political, and practical perspectives. Within this framework, Khomeini's theological, political, and practical attitudes toward Sunnism constitute the central problem of this study. The research aims to answer questions such as how Khomeini positioned himself in relation to Sunnism and to what extent his discourse on Islamic unity was realistic. Accordingly, Khomeini's views on Sunnism have been examined and analyzed comprehensively and objectively. His external and internal messages have been scrutinized in detail, and the relationships between different discourses have been analyzed to determine his adopted stance. Although numerous studies focus on Khomeini's political aspects, there is a limited number of works that specifically examine his religious discourse, his thoughts on Sunnism, and, more specifically, his rhetoric on Islamic unity. This study aims to fill this gap by offering an analysis based on primary sources, directly utilizing Khomeini's own works. The research addresses Khomeini's views on Sunnism within the contexts of faith, worship, and politics. Matters in which Khomeini did not establish a direct or indirect relationship with Sunnism have been excluded from the study. In terms of faith, Khomeini's approach to Sunnism has been examined through key theological concepts such as faith and Islam, polytheism (shirk), bada', intercession (shafa'a), and dissimulation (taqiyya). Accordingly, the study analyzes the specific points at which he criticized Sunnis in terms of belief. Regarding worship, Khomeini's assessments of issues such as ablution (wudu'), prayer (salat), almsgiving (zakat), marriage (nikah), Sunni courts, and legal schools (madhahib) have been examined, revealing his perspective on Sunni practices. In the political context, topics such as the concept of imamate, the discourse on Islamic unity, and his view of the "other" have been analyzed. The study explores how Khomeini positioned Shiism in relation to Sunnism, how he conceptualized Sunni communities, and how he interpreted the discourse on Islamic unity. The research employs document analysis and discourse analysis methods. Khomeini's works, fatwas, and speeches have been analyzed through discourse analysis to uncover how theological and ideological elements shaped his rhetoric on Sunnism. The findings suggest that Khomeini perceived Sunnism as theologically problematic but pursued a balancing policy through his discourse on Islamic unity at the political level. It has been concluded that Khomeini's understanding of Islamic unity essentially presents a Shiite-centered leadership model, aiming for Sunni communities to conform to this model. Ultimately, the study determines that Khomeini's critiques of Sunnism were influenced not only by the fundamental concepts of traditional Shiite theology but also by the sectarian-based approaches of modern Iranian politics. This study is expected to contribute to the field by evaluating inter-sectarian relations from an academic perspective and analyzing the modern Shiite perspective on Sunnism.