Syria Launches Unity of Islamic Discourse Charter to Enforce Sharia and End Centuries-Old Religious Disputes

Syria unity charter

Syria’s Ministry of Awqaf unveiled a "Charter for the Unity of Islamic Discourse" on the second day of its first conference, presenting the charter as a state-led attempt to harmonize religious messaging across different schools of thought.

Government statements quoted by Al-Jazeera say the charter seeks to "unify the positions of scholars and preachers across different schools on general religious issues, regulate religious work, and manage jurisprudential, intellectual and sectarian diversity so disagreements remain 'within the circle of mercy.'"

Awqaf Minister Mohammad Abu al-Khair Shukri is quoted as saying the charter "promotes a moderate, inclusive discourse that avoids hate speech and sectarian incitement," and the ministry plans to make mosques "centers of moral education emphasizing moderation, balance and authenticity."

President Ahmed al-Shar attended and "praised the charter as a step toward unity and balance, saying Syria cannot afford centuries‑old intellectual disputes and must focus on societal moral discipline."

The only other provided source (سانا) contains no substantive article text and appears to be a request for the article, so independent corroboration beyond Al-Jazeera is not available in the provided sources.

Syrian charter coverage

According to the Al-Jazeera account, the charter's stated goals are institutional.

It aims to regulate religious work, manage jurisprudential and sectarian diversity, and keep disagreements within a 'circle of mercy', framing the initiative as a drive for moderation and social cohesion.

The ministry is described as having pursued 'unity among scholars since the start of the upheaval' and frames the charter as an instrument to 'turn relations among Syrians from distancing to coordinated institutional work.'

The coverage frames these measures as administrative and educational rather than as a detailed legal reform package, and the available material contains no explicit text saying the charter will change Syria's legal code or formally 'enforce Sharia.'

The only other provided source offers no content to confirm or challenge these descriptions.

State media framing and gaps

The available coverage reflects a state-oriented, conciliatory tone.

Al-Jazeera quotes officials stressing moderation, avoidance of hate speech and the need to end 'centuries-old intellectual disputes'.

That language was used by President Ahmed al-Shar to justify focusing on 'societal moral discipline'.

That phrasing signals a government narrative of restoring social unity and discipline through religious guidance.

The source material does not include perspectives from independent religious scholars, opposition figures, civil-society actors, or international observers.

Because of that absence, broader reactions and possible concerns about centralizing religious discourse or about minority rights are not documented in the provided items.

Charter reporting caveats

The provided materials do not show the charter text itself, legislative or enforcement mechanisms, or reporting from non-state, international, or dissenting sources.

Those gaps mean the materials cannot clarify whether the charter amounts to an attempt to "enforce Sharia" or to what extent it would change practice.

The Al-Jazeera report quotes officials who present the charter as promoting moderation and unity, but it does not supply evidence of legal enforcement steps.

The other provided item in the dataset is missing its article text.

Because of these gaps, readers should treat claims about formal enforcement of Sharia law or about concrete changes to Syria's legal system as unverified by the available materials.