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Abstract
After the death of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the emergence of new ideas and multiplicity of intellectual-cultural trends have been a constant challenge in the Islamic world. To converge these intellectual-cultural trends, is one of the most fundamental religious principles of Islam. From the time of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), intellectual convergence was dealt with through a single goal and belief around the axis of Imamate. The reign of Imam Ali (PBUH), which lasted up to 40 AH, ushered in an era of sectarianism, intellectual currents, uprisings, and internal rebellions against the Islamic caliphate, which in turn were dividing the Islamic Ummah. Imam Ali's (PBUH) confrontation with politically divisive factions played an important role in creating and strengthening unity and convergence of thought among the Islamic Ummah. Using the descriptive-analytic and library research methods, this article tries to find the strategic components of intellectual convergence from Imam Ali's (PBUH) point of view. These strategic components were at work in situations such as confrontations with caliphs and divisive opinions, in order to achieve a pattern of methods aligned to Islamic intellectual convergence. Imam Ali's (PBUH) methods that will be analyzed here include: correcting the fundamentals of beliefs combined with respect, and solving internal disputes and enmities among Muslims. These methods also include easing the tensions between rivals, and participating in political and military affairs, having an exemplary character, as well as adherence to the Qur'an and Prophetic Sunnah, etc. The hypothesis of the article is that Imam Ali (PBUH) has tried to revive the convergence of a single Islamic Ummah by understanding the political and social conditions and raising the level of people's awareness based on fundamental Islamic ideas. Imam Ali (PBUH) considered the roots of intellectual divergence to be in the lack of correct understanding of the religion and tradition of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the desire for power. Imam's actions in the direction of the intellectual convergence of the Ummah have been in the form of proper measures and guidance of the caliphs and interacting with various intellectual ways, including removing ambiguities and doubts and avoiding any divergent actions against the unity of the ummah.
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