On the sidelines of the International Conference on the “Rights of Nations and Legitimate Freedoms in the Intellectual System of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,” held on Sunday, 30 November 2025 at the Guardian Council Research Institute in Tehran, Prof. Julkipli M. Wadi, Dean of the Institute of Islamic Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman – one of Southeast Asia’s most respected Islamic scholars – gave an exclusive interview to Tasnim News Agency.
Prof. Wadi described the conference as “extremely urgent and timely,” stressing that the thoughts of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei (Leaders of the Islamic Revolution) on human dignity, social justice, and self-determination have become more relevant today than ever before amid unprecedented global human-rights violations.
He strongly rejected Western claims that Islam or Iran are incompatible with freedom, citing the 1,400-year-old Constitution of Medina and Iran’s living Jewish and Christian communities as proof of Islam’s historic pluralism.
Most strikingly, he argued that the ongoing genocide in Gaza has demolished the old “clash of civilizations” myth, exposed the barbarity of high-tech violence never seen in Muslim history and paradoxically triggered a historic backlash: the more bombs fall on Palestine, the stronger Muslim communities and progressive Islamic political leadership are rising inside the United States and Europe itself, creating what he called “a new Dar al-Islam” in the heart of the West and turning America into the real battlefront against Israeli policies.
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The following is the full text of the interview:
Tasnim: Mr. Wadi, thank you for taking the time. The ongoing conference in Tehran is focused on human rights and freedom from the perspective of the Iranian leader. How do you assess the necessity of holding such a conference, as well as the views of the Iranian leader himself on this issue?
Prof. Julkipli Wadi: Well, it’s a very urgent conference given the situation the world is in. There are widespread human rights violations in many countries and regions. I think this phase of history is quite unparalleled compared to many segments of history. Therefore, it requires a serious inquiry into why the world has come to this point and a strong insistence on raising the voices of people regarding human rights and freedoms across regions and religions.
So the conference is very timely, particularly in re-examining Imam Khomeini’s thought and the way he articulated freedom and human rights during his time. In fact, his thoughts on humanity, freedom, and social justice are as vivid and as urgently needed in our time as they were then. The conference is therefore very appropriate in gathering a group of scholars and human-rights advocates from around the world to engage in this reflection and inquiry.
We hope that a more viable framework will be able to emerge from this conference, one that can be articulated even more profoundly in other countries, so that advocacy for human rights, the proliferation of the rights of freedom, and self-determination among people can proliferate—not only in Iran but around the world.
Tasnim: Some people, especially in Western states, claim that Islam or countries like Iran are not on good terms with freedom or human rights. They say that what exists in Muslim countries today is similar to what existed during the religious governments of the European Middle Ages. What is your take on that assumption?
Prof. Wadi: That is far from the truth. Islam has strongly advocated human rights. If you recall the Constitution of Medina (the Sahifa of Medina), drafted by the Prophet himself, it recognizes various groups—the Muslims as one unit, but also Jews, Christians, and other religious communities and their traditions. This happened more than 1,400 years ago, long before the Charter of the United Nations was ever conceived.
So it is not accurate to make sweeping statements that Islam is anti-human rights. Yes, the Muslim world reflected that of the medieval period, but even when we compare it to current times, there is no instance in the Muslim world—past or recent—of real-time violence on this grand scale with high-tech weaponry being used against innocent civilians, women, and children. We have not seen that in Muslim history to the extent we are witnessing today elsewhere.
Moreover, many Muslim countries, including Iran, still host synagogues, churches, and other places of worship. Iran, for instance, has a Jewish community with representation in parliament, and synagogues operate freely, and it has communities of Jews and Christians with their churches and so on and so forth.
This shows the extent of cultural pluralism and religious tolerance in the Muslim world, including recognition of the fundamental human rights of peoples with different traditions and belief systems.
Tasnim: From your perspective, what is the biggest challenge or threat facing the Muslim community today, and what is the best solution to address it? What does the Muslim community need to do in this regard?
Prof. Wadi: It’s a long shot to achieve full unity and solidarity in the Muslim world. There have been many endeavors—by countries, organizations, and movements—but a monolithic, uniform unity is neither realistic nor necessarily desirable.
I think what we should aim for is a creative unity: we may not be uniform in our visions and orientations, but we can still recognize our deep similarities while respecting our differences. This aligns with the Qur’anic injunction “that you may know one another” (li-ta‘ārafū). That is to say, despite our diverse orientations, we are still one creation under one Creator and under a single unity, recognizing our faith traditions.
So yes, it’s a gradual process, but we are slowly moving toward that creative unity. Even other faith traditions have come to realize that Islam is open to all and that multiculturalism is the way forward because we all belong to the same humanity. So I think it's just proper since we are facing all these challenges that we crave a kind of monolithic unity. Time, inshā’Allāh, is on the side of the Muslim world. Let’s remain optimistic. In time, inshallah, we will be able to even forge a bigger unity and solidarity amongst ourselves.
Tasnim: Many are saying that what has happened in Gaza—specifically the genocide—has been an eye-opener, not just for the Muslim world but for non-Muslims as well. We’re now hearing criticism of the Israeli regime even within the United States, including among Trump supporters. Do you think this signifies the beginning of a new trend in challenging the old clichés about Muslims and the double standards that have long existed in the Western world toward Islam and Muslims?
Prof. Wadi: We emphasize what has been happening in Gaza, particularly the suffering and struggles of Palestinians in Gaza, particularly the women and children. Our hearts and prayers are with them. While we may not be able to provide physical rescue or support due to the intensity and extent of domination and oppression in that part of the world, we also observe the worsening hegemony. This situation creates more contradictions, not only in Israel but also among its main supporters, such as the United States.
The events in Gaza have proven that the so-called “clash of civilizations” is not coming from Islam, contrary to what was claimed in the past. Islam does not engage in this kind of systematic violence and barbarity. Therefore, even a reexamination of what was once considered the clash between the West and the Muslim world is now being reversed by acts of violence and genocide in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.
We have also seen the reverse consequence in the rise of peace advocates and human rights groups that we’ve never seen before, as well as the rise of progressive leaders in America. We once thought that to confront Israel, we had to be on the ground in Israel itself. But the real battlefront is in the United States itself.
Now, we are seeing the rise of new leaders in America and Europe. Many of these countries and cities are now run by Muslim mayors, who come from different parts of the Muslim world. These leaders were once immigrants who suffered oppression in their own countries. It is ironic that they are now finding their way into leadership roles in Europe and the United States.
This shows that the cost of humanity has also risen in terms of building an Islamic alternative. Showing that the barbarity and genocide we have seen in Gaza have created consequences, including the rise of progressive and Islamic political options. These movements aim to raise the notions of Ummah Wasat (the Middle Nation) in a way that is acceptable not only to the Muslim community but also to other faith traditions.
So, we are not seeing a clash of civilizations; I call it a new algebraic relation. That is to say, the more bombs we drop in the Middle East—particularly in Palestine, in Gaza—the more Muslim communities are built and emerging in Europe and the United States. In a sense, thanks to those bombs, they are growing in many parts of the Muslim world. We are witnessing a new Dar al-Islam in America and Europe.
Let’s be creative and dynamic in the way we look at things so that, as Muslims, we won’t feel so discouraged. On the other side of the world, there is a new hope, a new beginning, and a new vision of a Muslim community. Because, to some extent, the traditional Muslim world has failed to bring forth a new meaning and consciousness of Islam.
It is fair to say that the creative unity I mentioned earlier is emerging and moving forward—gradually but progressively. This is how I try to develop positivity and optimism for our future.
Tasnim: Professor Wadi, thank you so much for your time and for this conversation. It was a great pleasure.
Prof. Wadi: Thank you. Thank you very much.