New York: Saint Martin's Press, 1999. Manzoor Nomani, a senior Indian cleric with close ties to Saudi Arabia published a book entitled Iranian Revolution: Imam Khomeini and Shiism. On the other hand, members of the Saudis' own Shia minority have complained of being treated as potential fifth columnists for Iran. [163], The Saudi conflict of Shia and Sunni extends beyond the borders of the kingdom because of international Saudi "Petro-Islam" influence. Many distinctions can be made between Sunnis and Shias through observation alone: When prostrating during ritual prayer called Salah in Arabic. In the late 1920s, the Ikhwan (Ibn Saud's fighting force of converted Wahhabi Bedouin Muslims) were particularly hostile to the Shia and demanded that Abd al Aziz forcibly convert them. In fact, since the time of the leadership of Shaykh Mufid and Shaykh Tusi, Iraq had a central academic position for Shi'ism. A relative of mine (born Shia) started listening to Mufti Menk and my relative no longer celebrates the birthdays of Ahlul Bayt AS nor does he mourn the shahadat days. [29], Shias are about 5-to-10 percent of the entire Muslim world. Saudi Arabia backed Iraq in the 19801988 war with Iran and sponsored militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan whothough primarily targeting the Soviet Union, which had invaded Afghanistan in 1979also fought to suppress Shia movements. [202], The small Persian Gulf island state of Bahrain has a Shia majority but is ruled by Sunni Al Khalifa family as a constitutional monarchy, with Sunni dominating the ruling class and military and disproportionately represented in the business and landownership. [217], An example of an early ShiaSunni fitna shootout occurred in Kurram, one of the tribal agencies of the Northwest Pakistan, where the Pushtun population was split between Sunnis and Shia. Unfortunately for Ismail, most of his subjects were Sunni. She made a TikTok withOmaya Zeinin March 2022. The findings of this research prove that the division between Sunni and Shia is not primarily based on religion, as many believe, rather, the division is a result of politics over time. [141] As in other parts of the Muslim world, other issues may play a part in the conflict, since most Sunnis in Iran are also ethnic minorities. 923.4K Followers. Saudi officials had no comment about Ahmadinejad's statements, but the Saudi official government news agency did say: The two leaders affirmed that the greatest danger presently threatening the Islamic nation is the attempt to fuel the fire of strife between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, and that efforts must concentrate on countering these attempts and closing ranks.[258]. [225], Shia Muslims protest that they have been persecuted by the Nigerian government. [93], Some Western analysts assert that the US is practicing divide and rule strategy through the escalation of Sunni-Shia conflict. As well as this they found that it was not worth spending on other people. [80], In addition to Iran, Iraq has emerged as a major Shia government when the Twelvers achieved political dominance in 2005 under American occupation. Where do you live? Ali Bhutto was Shia, Zia ul-Haq a Sunni. Whereas Sunnis dominate the Muslim world, from West Africa to. Also potentially, there are as many Shias in India as there are in Iraq.[31][32][33]. There are over 2.5 million Muslims in the UK and the mosque has a central role in Islam. This new strictness was spread not only among Saudis in the kingdom but thousands of students and Saudi funded schools and international Islamist volunteers who came to training camps in Peshawar Pakistan in the 1980s to learn to fight jihad in Afghanistan and went home in the 1990s to fight jihad. According to a report by the Human Rights Watch: Shia Muslims, who constitute about eight percent of the Saudi population, faced discrimination in employment as well as limitations on religious practices. Jasmine admitted that not having a wedding meant letting go of a big part of their lives. Nizaris used this fortress until the Mongols finally seized and destroyed it in 1256. Fundamentalist Sunni clerics have popularized slurs against Shia such as "Safawis" (from the Safavid empire, thus implying their being an Iranian agents), or even worse rafidha (rejecters of the faith), and majus (Zoroastrian or crypto Persian). This spreading influence has caused concern to the Sunni rulers of Arab countries with Shia minorities, such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. [152], Following the 2005 elections, much of the leadership of Iran has been described as more "staunchly committed to core Shia values" and lacking Ayatollah Khomeini's commitment to ShiaSunni unity. Some of the worst sectarian strife ever has occurred after the start of the Iraq War, steadily building up to the present. Many Sunnis hotly dispute their minority status, including ex-Iraqi Ambassador Faruq Ziada,[citation needed] and many believe Shia majority is "a myth spread by America". Revolutionary Guards have stationed several brigades in Balouchi cities, and have allegedly tracked down and assassinated Sunni leaders both inside Iran and in neighboring Pakistan. The main difference between Sunnis and Shias lies in their interpretation of the rightful succession of leadership after the death of the prophet Muhammad. Hassan-i Sabbah conquered fortresses and captured Alamut in 1090. [213], Anti-Shia groups in Pakistan include the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, offshoots of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI). Sunnis focus on following the Prophet's example whereas Shi'a focus on the lineage of Muhammad's family through a series of Imams. colleen bready married She has attended theUniversity of Toronto. "[223], In Nigeriathe most populous country in Africauntil recently almost all Muslims were Sunni. On her account, she can be seen sporting clothing, makeup and accessories from companies like Hijabi Mama, The Date Palm and Culture. The divide. [18], An example of SunniShia cooperation was the Khilafat Movement which swept South Asia following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the seat of the Caliphate, in World War I. Shia scholars "came to the caliphate's defence" by attending the 1931 Caliphate Conference in Jerusalem, although they were theologically opposed to the idea that non-imams could be caliphs or successors to Muhammad, and that the caliphate was "the flagship institution" of Sunni, not Shia, authority. -- Imam Reza (A.S.) Network", "Shias of Kashmir Socio Political Dilemmas", An introduction to Shi'i Islam: the history and doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism, Information on sectarian violence against Sunni Muslims, Syrian fight now 'overtly sectarian,' U.N. says, As Syria fights, sectarian wave rises in region, "Saudi king meets with Iranian president", "The Pentagon plan to 'divide and rule' the Muslim world", March 14, 2008 The Independent/UK "The Cult of the Suicide Bomber" by Robert Fisk, "Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera", "Iraqi funeral procession bombed; at least 26 killed", "Ansar al-Islam is listed as a terrorist group by the US State Dept", Sectarian violence kills 36 during climax of Shia holy festival, "Iraq 101: Aftermath Long-Term Thinking", "Iraq's death squads: On the brink of civil war", "US: Iraq failing to tackle death squads", Iraq militias' wave of death, Sectarian killings now surpass terrorist bombings, Interview with Molavi Ali Akbar Mollahzadeh, Rafsanjani & Al-Qaradawi call upon nation to unite & reject fighting, 2007-02-15, "UN Commission on Human Rights - Visit by the Special Rapporteur to Iran (Feb 96)", Shia equality or Shia supremacy? [210] Whereas Iran has been funding Shia militant groups such as Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan, resulting in tit-for-tat attacks on each other. [232] Around one million are Shias, who are concentrated around Jakarta. [97], Marc Lynch in his book The New Arab Wars: Uprisings and Anarchy in the Middle East, argues that as old regimes or political forces sought to control "the revolutionary upsurge" of the Arab Spring, sectarianism became a key weapon to undermine unity among the anti-regime masses. Although he accompanied Muhammad for only four years, he managed to record ten times as many hadiths as Abu Bakr and Ali each. The commonly-known term is shortened from the historical Shia't-Ali , or "the Party of Ali." This group is also known as Shiites or followers of Ahl al-Bayt or "People of the Household" (of the Prophet). [156], Syria is approximately three quarters Sunni,[157] but its government is predominantly Alawite, a Shia sect that makes up less than 13% of the population. [150] The United Nations[151] and several countries worldwide have condemned the bombings. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Since the 1970s, and especially since the Iranian Revolution . How much of the conflict was sparked by Sunni versus Shia divisions and how much by Islamism versus secular-Arab-nationalism, is in question, but according to scholar Vali Nasr the failure of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic Republic of Iran to support the Muslim Brotherhood against the Baathists "earned [Khomeini] the Brotherhood's lasting contempt." Further exacerbating the situation was the dislike between Shia leader Imam Khomeini and General Zia ul-Haq. According to scholar Vali Nasr, Saudi textbooks "characterize Shiism as a form of heresy worse than Christianity and Judaism. In Lebanon, Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia militia and political movement is the "strongest political actor" in the country. A psychology graduate in my former life now enjoying being a stay-at-home mum. Christians were pitted "against Muslims in Egypt, Jordanians against Palestinians in Jordan, and, above all, Sunnis against Shiites wherever possible.[97], ShiaSunni discord in Iraq starts with disagreement over the relative population of the two groups. [55], The Shia believe that their community continued to live for the most part in hiding and followed their religious life secretly without external manifestations. While Shias and Sunnis differ on the nature of the Mahdi, many members of both groups[34] believe that the Mahdi will appear at the end of the world to bring about a perfect and just Islamic society. [128] An al-Qaeda-affiliated website posted a call for "a full-scale war on Shiites all over Iraq, whenever and wherever they are found. [24][25] About 10% of Turkey's population belong to the Alevi sect. Some see a precursor of Pakistani ShiaSunni strife in the April 1979 execution of deposed President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on questionable charges by Islamic fundamentalist General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. With the passage of time, Iranians' readiness to practise Shi'ism grew day by day. [113], The British, having put down a Shia rebellion against their rule in the 1920s, "confirmed their reliance on a corps of Sunni ex-officers of the collapsed Ottoman empire". They can be found in more than 40 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and. We decided to take measures to confront such plots. The Arab Shia: The Forgotten Muslims, by Graham E. Fuller and Rend Rahim Francke. Their woman are more independent and can make decisions too. In addition to the account of Nasir Khusraw who visited Jerusalem in the year 1045 AD and reported: "The population of Jerusalem is about 20,000, the populace being mostly Shi'a Muslims". What do they believe? Jasmine went to Dawouds family restaurant with Dawouds sister and she caught Dawouds eye. Some of the Ismailis whose power had been broken by the Mongols, went underground and appeared later within Sufi orders or as new branches of already existing orders. Thus a political split became a far more personal one, marked by blood feud, and a cause for further divergence. Mutah is not the same as Misyar marriage or 'Arfi marriage, which has no date of expiration and is permitted by some Sunnis. With the eruption of the Syrian Civil War, tensions increased between the Shia-affiliated Alawites and Sunnis of Tripoli, erupting twice into deadly violencein June 2011, and the second time in February 2012. Monument commemorating the Battle of Chaldiran, which was fought between the Sunni Ottoman Empire and the Shia Safavid dynasty. Unsavoury allies", "The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos", "Naharnet Lebanon's leading news destination", "Talking Politics Dr. Mohammed Sayed Tantawi Sheikh Al-Azhar", "Opinions and Fatwas of Muslim Scholar About proximity", Don't Fear the Shiites: The Idea of a Teheran-Controlled "Shiite Crescent" over the Greater Middle East is at Odds with Reality, Here Are Some of the Day-To-Day Differences Between Sunnis and Shiites, Opposing the Imam: The Legacy of the Nawasib in Islamic Literature, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ShiaSunni_relations&oldid=1142774190, Sheikh Abd al-Majid Salim, in a letter that was sent to Ayatollah Borujerdi by Sheikh Abd al-Majid Salim, was written: "The first thing that becomes obligatory to scholars, Shia or Sunni, is removing dissension from the minds of Muslims.". fajr on its own Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha'), thus praying five times a day but with a very small break in between the prayer, instead of five prayers with some gap between them as required by Sunni schools of law. First, through the Asharis[clarification needed] at the end of the 7th and during the 8th century. There are Roots of Religion (Usl al-Dn) and Branches of Religion (Furu al Din). Even so, by the thirteenth to fourtheenth century, Sunni and Shiite practices remained highly intertwined and figures today commonly associated with Shia Islam, such as Ali and Jafar al-Sadiq, played an almost universal role for Muslim believers to understand the unseen (Al-Ghaib).[51]. But six months after that they were closed down, bank accounts suspended and had their leaders arrested by the government on charges that they were backed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. A series of short films in which Kaisan and Naeem (both 12 year's old) and 11-year-old Sara explain the traditions and beliefs of their Muslim faith. In contrast, mainstream Sunnis believe the Mahdi will be named Muhammad, be a descendant of Muhammad, and will revive the faith, and forms an important component of Sunni eschatology, his appearance being considered the last of the minor signs of the Day of Judgment before its major signs. The groups demand the expulsion of all Shias from Pakistan and have killed hundreds of Pakistani Shias between 1996 and 1999. How do you pray? [235], Malaysia claims to be a tolerant Islamic state, however since 2010 it has banned the preaching of Shia Islam, with a "particular ferocity"[236] and warns against Shiism with its, "evil and blasphemous beliefs". [38] Umar, Uthman, Abu Bakr, Aisha, Muawiya, being the names of figures recognized by Sunnis but not Shias, are commonly used as names for Sunnis but are very rare, if not virtually absent, for Shias.[50]. Intercommunal violence resurfaced in 193536 and again in 1939 when many thousands of Sunni and Shias defied the ban on public demonstrations and took to the streets. Mass demonstrations have been held in favor of full-fledged democracy in March and June 2005, against an alleged insult to Ayatollah Khamenei in July 2005.[205]. Part of 18 things about ISIS you need to know One of the single most important factors in ISIS's resurgence is the conflict between Iraq's largest two Arab religious groups: Shias and Sunnis. [190][191] The Syrian Civil War has brought on an increase in anti-Shia rhetoric,[192] and what Human Rights Watch states is "anti-Shia hate speech by Salafis". jasmine and dawoud shia or sunni. After which from the 12th-13th centuries, the Zaidis of Daylaman, Gilan and Tabaristan then acknowledge the Zaidi Imams of Yemen or rival Zaidi Imams within Iran.[62]. But . In 1996 a leading Sunni, Abdulmalek Mollahzadeh, was gunned down by hitmen, allegedly hired by Tehran, as he was leaving his house in Karachi. "[204] Bahrain has many disaffected unemployed youths and many have protested Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's efforts to create a parliament as merely a "cooptation of the effendis", i.e. They are not radicals. They displayed mutual warmth with hugs and smiles for cameras and Nevertheless, apart from this domination there existed, firstly, throughout these nine centuries, Shia inclinations among many Sunnis of this land and, secondly, Twelver and Zaidi Shiism had prevalence in some parts of Iran. In time, these immigrants adopted the Arabic language and Arab identity, but their origin has been used to "unfairly cast them as lackeys of Iran". However, Sunnis are heavily populated in countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia. [237], In late 2006 or early 2007, in what journalist Seymour Hersh called The Redirection, the United States changed its policy in the Muslim world, shifting its support from the Shia to the Sunni, with the goal of "containing" Iran and as a by-product bolstering Sunni extremist groups. The kings of the Kara Koyunlu dynasty ruled in Tabriz with a domain extending to Fars and Kerman. In retaliation, troops killed more than 300 Shiites in the city of Zaria. [99] Dr. Christopher Davidson argues that the current crisis in Yemen is being egged on by the US, and could be part of a wider covert strategy to spur fragmentation in Iran allies and allow Israel to be surrounded by weak states.
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