In a tradition from the most Noble Prophet (S) it is reported he said...

In a tradition from the most Noble Prophet (S) it is reported he said: قال رسول الله (صلَّى الله عليه و آله) من عَملَ على غير علم كان ما يفسد أكثر مما يصلح The harmful effects of a person who acts without knowledge are greater than his beneficial ones.11 Knowledge and understanding are qualities which are divine in principle, for God is al-‘Alim and al-Hakim. As such quantity is not of primary importance.

This means that even if a handful of believers in the One struggle to achieve a unity based on knowledge and understanding, it is of great consequence. What’s more, the traditions tell us that their very coming together aids in achieving the necessary understanding. It is said in a tradition: ملاقاة الاخوان نُشرة و تلقيح للعقل و إن كان نزراً قليلاً Meeting with brothers brings about expansion and life [lit.

impregnation] for the intellect - even if they be a small insignificant number.12 This then seems to be the traditional logic and methodology of unity; to start on a human scale, based on quality not quantity, and to build up from there. There are many references to both the perfection of the intellects in the latter days and wit the coming of the Mahdi (‘a), the quality and strength of the believers in this age, and to the existence of such small groups of the faithful.

In the recent history of the Muslims, Imam Khumayni wrote in his last will and testament of the formation of “cells of the party of God” throughout the world. The first unit after the “meetings of brothers” is the local community, the jama’ah. The Noble Prophet (S) said: أيها الناس! عليكم بالجماعة و إياكم و الفرقة O’ people! Enjoined for you is the community and forewarned [and detrimental] to you is disunion [and separatedness].13 Beyond this level of “community” are higher levels.

Now all of these levels are alluded to in the Law by institutions such as the congregational prayers - which begin with just two Muslims, the Friday prayers, the enjoining of good and the forbidding of evil ( amr bi al-ma’ruf wa nahi ‘an al-munkar ) in society, jihad, and finally and most prominent in its symbolism, the Hajj. So this is the methodology and these are the steps to achieve higher and higher forms of unity.

A glimpse of where this can lead to is achieved by combining these levels with the inner or esoteric understanding of unity. In our time the greatest exponent of such a breadth and depth of understanding was Imam Khumayni.