It has been recalled by Dr. Fatima Tabataba’ei, Imam’s daughter-in-law that he strongly stressed boosting of unity among Sunni and Shia Muslims.
According to Tabataba’ei, Imam did not mean by unity that the Sunnis turn into Shia or vice versa. But Imam maintained that there were too much similarities between these two main branches of Islam and those similarities should be highlighted and differences could either be neglected or gapped through discussions.
The main similarities which can keep tied the 1/6th of the world population of Muslims are having faith in one Good, same messenger and the holy scripture, and the devotion for Imam Ali (‘a) who is the doorway to the divine knowledge of honorable prophet.
(A memoir by Dr. Fatima Tabataba’ei)