International University of Islamic Denominations

All Islamic denominations are based on unified principles and their differences are only in some practical laws and rulings. Therefore, by studying them, one can have a better understanding of the ways of promoting synergy and reconciliation among the Islamic schools of thought. The International University of Islamic Denominations was established with this aim and as one of the centers affiliated with the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, and throughout its years of activity, it has always worked toward maintaining the old tradition of dialogue among Shiite and Sunni scholars.

About the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought

This forum was established in 1990 to promote reconciliation among different Islamic schools of thought and create proximity between their views. One of the main functions of this forum is organizing dialogues between the schools of Islamic jurisprudence by keeping in view that all Islamic denominations have common and unifying characteristics such as belief in monotheism, prophethood, and resurrection and following the teachings of the Holy Qur’an.

This forum holds an international meeting every year from the 12th to the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal (of the Hijri lunar calendar) with the participation of scholars and personalities from different Islamic countries to provide the possibility of face-to-face exchange of views between them. The 12th and 17th of Rabi al-Awwal are considered the birthday of the Prophet of Islam in the Sunni and Shiite traditions and this interval has been named “Islamic Unity Week”.

History and Departments of the International University of Islamic Denominations

The establishment of this university, the main goal of which was establishing an educational center to teach jurisprudence and practical laws of Islamic denominations in a comparative manner, dates back to the year 1991. The main campus of this university is located in Tehran and it has branches in the cities of Zahedan, Sanandaj, Bandar Abbas, and Gonbad-e Kavus.

The Gonbad-e Kavus and Bandar Abbas units of this university were established in 2009 and 2012 respectively. The Bandar Abbas unit imparts education and training in Imamiya and Shafi’i jurisprudential laws, Islamic mysticism, and philosophy at the undergraduate level, and comparative jurisprudence and Islamic personal law at the postgraduate level.

The Sanandaj unit was founded in 2010 and has been admitting students since 2011. This unit imparts education in the fields of Shafi’i and Imamiya jurisprudential laws and Qur’anic and hadith sciences at the undergraduate level and Islamic history at the postgraduate level. The Zahedan unit, which was founded in 2011 conducts courses on Imamiya law and Hanafi jurisprudential laws at the undergraduate level.

Due to the importance of the University of Islamic Denominations, the Iranian President or his representative as well as the ministers of education, higher education, and culture are also members of its board of trustees.

Faculties

This university has three faculties of “Jurisprudential Laws of Islamic Denominations”, “Qur’anic and Hadith Sciences”, and “Islamic Philosophy, Theology, and Mysticism”, and admits students from all Islamic denominations, and imparts all the courses in the form of comparative studies, which has caused students from other Islamic countries seek admission in this university.

The university publishes two quarterly research journals on comparative jurisprudence in Persian and Arabic languages. It also publishes a promotional quarterly entitled “Forugh-e Vahdat” (lit. the shining unity), which focuses on proximity studies. The other publication of this university is a specialized quarterly on media and community studies.

International Activities of the University of Islamic Denominations

The objectives of the University of Islamic Denominations necessitate its interaction with other scientific centers active in the field of religious education. Therefore, by being a member of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, the Federation of Universities of Iran and the Arab World, and the Federation of Seminary Universities, it engages in conducting joint courses. Conducting different courses for scholars from different countries and accepting non-Iranian students through the cultural and diplomatic representatives of the Islamic Republic is one of the international activities of the University of Islamic Denominations in alignment with its goals.

Presently, students from countries like Burkina Faso, Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Italy, Pakistan, Egypt, and Iraq are pursuing their higher education at this university and the Office of Scientific and International Cooperation of the university promotes interaction between Iranian and foreign students and research scholars.