In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

This compilation of rulings by contemporary Shi‘i scholars was first published in Farsi and Arabic as a response to the growing concern over takfir, or proclamations of excommunication of Muslims by other Muslims. These Shi‘i scholars, who are at the upper echelon of Shi‘i leadership and comprise the majority of the current and late twentieth-century maraji‘, concur on the necessity of emphasising the concept of Muslim unity, regardless of sect, in Shi‘i thought, and of promoting the importance of thoughtful social interactions between Muslims of varying sects in order to further a sense of genuine compassion and unity.

This is all the more important in this day and age with the growing spectre of sectarian violence, particularly in regions ravaged by war. First published in 2015, it remains a current snapshot of the latest views of top Shi‘i scholars.

We would like to extend our gratitude to Sheikh Ahmed Haneef for translating this work and Dr Amina Inloes for editing it.

The Islamic Centre of England London, UK