While there was hardly any overlap between sunni, shia, and kurdish constituencies in 2014, the three were internally fragmented, with the shia vote dominated by three lists, and the sunni vote split mostly among four lists, in. That the us is working to fuel such tensions is almost an article of faith for muslims on both sides. The proiranian, shia dominated government of nouri almaliki and the sunni parties in iraq as well as the violent conflict in the sunni governed mainly shia populated kingdom of bahrain are the most recent examples. Rather, there are sources for the interpretation of law, and these sources are similar among shiites and sunnis. This essay examines the effects of the saudiiran rivalry on sunni shia relations in pakistan. Mar 18, 2020 the sunni shia conflict is a power struggle for dominance in the middle east. If we assume this to be a shia sunni conflict and apply the same concept. After the death of prophet muhammad sallalahu alaihi wassalam, muslims came under the rule of a caliphate system and stayed united under the initial four caliphs for a period of about 30 years. Shiasunni divide is well on its way to displacing the broader conflict between muslims and the west. Parallels the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the. This timeline highlights sunnishia tensions in recent. In recent years, sunnishia relations have been increasingly marked by conflict, particularly the iransaudi arabia proxy conflict.
It manages to dramatize the history of the shia sunni conflict without making overt statements and yet manages to capture multiple sides of the story. The measure was created by averaging four questions in the survey instrument, which i. The divisions date back to the years immediately after the prophet mohammeds death. The origins of the sunnishia split in islam by hussein abdulwaheed amin, editor of introduction the shia shahadah declaration of faith states. The consensus in both sunni and shia circles appears to be that attempts to emphasise sunni shia rivalries are intended to deflect attention from both the us occupation of iraq and continuing israeli aggression. An analysis of polls conducted in 20112012 finds high levels of concern about sectarian tensions in several countries where sunnis and shias live side by side. The fatah and its events can be examined and explained when evaluating it with the. Apr 23, 2019 sunni and shia muslims share the most fundamental islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the two main subgroups in islam. This timeline highlights sunni shia tensions in recent. And some scholars have argued that the sunni puritanical sect known as wahhbism was in response to shia iran. The conflict between sunnis and shiites goes back nearly 1,400 years and today, it is tearing iraq apart. Its something that you may want to read to get a better understanding of the middle east and its politics.
They do differ, however, and that separation stemmed initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones. The tensions in yemen, the iraniraq war in 19801988, and the organization of militants in afghanistan to fight the soviet union are all the result of sunni shia tensions. There are no codified laws in either sunni or shiite islam. Nov 07, 20 this week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. Perplexing and deadly international intercultural conflict 17 mimic the pilgrimage of the polytheistic religions that once traveled there. Sunni and shia muslims share the most fundamental islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the two main subgroups in islam.
The divide between sunnis and shia is the largest and oldest in the history of islam. The political scientist and middle east and islamic specialist vali nasr has written extensively about the current wars and conflicts in the middle east, attributing many, if not most, of these activities to recent escalations in ancient shia sunni disputes. Split in sunnis who backed up the umayyad and the shia who backed up with ali. Shia sunni conflicts are raging in syria, iraq, lebanon and pakistan and the divide is growing deeper across the muslim world. Sunni life is guided by four schools of legal thought, each of which strives to develop. Shiism and sectarian conflict in pakistan is the fourth monograph published under the framework of the ctcs shi. Sunni and shia identity conflicts in the age of web 2. This conflict has led some observers to see the entire region through the prism of the ageold sunni shia struggle. My dependent variable seeks to capture the degree to which sunni subjects support violence toward shia muslims, and vice versa. Prepared by emily hawley, research associate after the death of the prophet mohammad in 632 ce, the muslim community diverged over how to select the next leader of the islamic community they had formed on the arabian peninsula.
The sunni shia split is rooted in the question of who should succeed the prophet muhammad in. What would it take to end conflict between shias and. Pakistan, the growing potential for shia sunni violence, and the implications of. Husayn with a small party was killed at karbala in 680. Sectarian violence persists to this day from pakistan to yemen and is a major element of friction throughout the middle east and south asia. There is nothing remotely comparable to this schism in any other religion in the modern world. The pressures from modern global geopolitics exacerbate the shia sunni differences making unity a distant dream. The shiite sunni conflict is the most deadly and unsolvable conflict in the middle east and it is between muslims. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website.
The broader shia and sunni groups are further divided into many groups and denominations, ranging from moderates to extremes. The shi ite sunni conflict is the most deadly and unsolvable conflict in the middle east and it is between muslims. May 23, 2017 shia sunni conflicts are raging in syria, iraq, lebanon and pakistan and the divide is growing deeper across the muslim world. This historical schism continues to permeate the daily lives of. Both shia and sunni dissidents in yemen have similar complaints about the governmentcooperation with the american government and an alleged failure to following sharia law but its the shia who have allegedly been singled out for government crackdown. Sunni islam is the largest denomination, although in some countries it is a minority. The shiasunni schism is about politics, not about islam. The arab uprisings and the rebirth of the shia sunni divide geneive abdo analysis paper number 29, april 20. According to vali nasr, the shia constitute between fifteen and twentyfive percent of the population. They have long resented the political and economic power of the minority shia sect, which includes president assad. Modern sunnishia conflicts and their neglected tropical.
The sunni shia divide is also a primary catalyst of the conflict in syria, where sunnis make up 60 percent of the population. However, dividing the middle east along sectarian lines is not an accurate way to assess the loyalties or predict the. Jan, 2016 the shiasunni schism is about politics, not about islam. Sunni, shia conflict rooted in dispute over prophets. A history of the shiite sunni split the division of islam into sunni and shiite branches goes far back in muslim history to the aftermath of the death of the prophet muhammad. What causes extremist attitudes among sunni and shia youth.
The middle east today is more vulnerable to instability and extremism than at any time since irans islamic. But the two branches of islam have not always been openly hostile, and in many parts of. The essay shows that this rivalry, which has sectarian undertones and is partly responsible for the continuing syrian civil war, has not only complicated pakistans relations with riyadh and tehran but has exacerbated sunni shia tensions domestically. Beginning in 2012, saudi arabia and other sunni nations sent money and weapons to the rebels. Modern sunnishia tensions council on foreign relations. Jul 31, 2019 though the two main sects within islam, sunni and shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of islam, a bitter split between the two goes back some 14 centuries. Pdf the sunnishia conflict in iraq domenic marbaniang. The sunni shia conflict is a power struggle for dominance in the middle east. Many sunnis and shias worry about religious conflict pew.
Sep 29, 2006 the conflict between sunnis and shiites goes back nearly 1,400 years and today, it is tearing iraq apart. Shift in iraq americas aims in iraq changed as the sectarian conflict between shia and sunni deepened. Sunni, shia conflict rooted in dispute over prophets successor. After mohammeds death there is a conflict over who should lead the religion of islam sunni muslims supported abu bakr as the first caliph of the muslim faith the first group of shia were a small group who opposed bakr and wanted a man named ali to take control. History is a great teacher and this book is very well written history indeed. This conflict has led some observers to see the entire region through the prism of the ageold sunnishia struggle. A history of the shiitesunni split the division of islam into sunni and shiite branches goes far back in muslim history to the aftermath of the death of the prophet muhammad. Members of the two sects have coexisted for centuries and share many fundamental beliefs and practices. Now bringing stability to iraq is the goal, while preventing.
Qatilehussain kon they sunni ya shia internet archive. Sunni muslims are the largest denomination of the islam religion. The majority of the worlds muslim population follows the sunni branch of islam, and approximately 1015% of all muslims follow the shiite shiite, shia, shia branch. It is, for example, the basis for the great hostility between saudi arabia and iran. Conflict in iraq follows centuries of shiitesunni mistrust. There is no god but allah, muhammad is the messenger of allah, ali is the friend of allah. The division among muslims is rooted from differences in political beliefs. Islam, christianity and buddhism are religious cultural powers, deep, defining the ends and means of human lives. Shiite populations constitute a majority in iran, iraq, bahrain, and azerbaijan. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. They comprise about 85% of muslims, while shia muslims are the second largest denomination at over 10% of muslims. Irans islamic revolution, which brought shias to power in 1979, and the sunni backlash have fueled a competition for regional dominance.
This week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. The successor of the messenger of allah and his first caliph. In terms of religious belief and practice there are more similarities than differences between sunni and shia muslims and the idea that sunnis and shias have been in perpetual conflict is historically inaccurate. Professor nasr has pointed out that the shia sunni conflict is at once a struggle for the soul of islama great war of competing theologies and conceptions of sacred historyand a manifestation of the kind of tribal wars of ethnicities and identities. The sunni shiite conflict by adam fay slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Comparison of sunni and shia islam there are two main sects in islam. The saudiiran factor in pakistans sunnishia conflict. For shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuriesold schism between shia and sunni muslims. Sunni shia split and conflict islamic history events. Its a tale of power, intrigue, rivalry, jealousy, politics, faith and human emotions told in a wonderfully novelistic style. After the prophet is a remarkable telling of the story of islamparticularly the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam. Though the two main sects within islam, sunni and shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of islam, a bitter split between the two goes back some 14 centuries. Jan 04, 2016 shia are also guided by the wisdom of muhammads descendants through his soninlaw and cousin, ali.
The schism western politicians dont understand and wont discuss western politicians rarely acknowledge the schism between shia and sunni islam. The sunnis makeup the 80% of muslims, while the remaining percentage is that of shias. I as a sunni has always admired the sacrifices of ahl. Shiite hadith differ from sunni hadith, mainly in that they include the sayings of the shiite imams who are considered to have been divinely inspired. I would like to clear one at the start of my response that shiite was a reformist movement in islam which later became a sect due to number of differences in religious practices and beliefs. The two denominations share many of the same fundamental beliefs and practices. Shia sunni conflict in yemen involves the shia insurgency in northern yemen. Sunnis have their historical roots in the majority group who followed abu bakr, an effective leader, as muhammads successor, instead of his cousin and soninlaw ali.
1078 148 281 1157 987 1555 722 1232 1032 1336 652 872 1535 1228 966 240 318 825 596 13 844 492 1038 1563 956 285 601 1162 1286 871 184 657 948 1051 456 51 618 241 507 858 789 256 504 264 313