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. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. Dec 20, 20 a history of the shia and sunni muslim conflict the bbcs jeremy bowen looks at the differences between shia and sunni muslims and explains why sectarian conflict has erupted again in the 21st. Apr 05, 2015 the sunnis won out, but a split was born, and that rift was cemented when alis son was later killed by the ruling sunni s troops an event which the shiites commemorate every year. Shiasunni divide is well on its way to displacing the broader conflict between muslims and the west. Sunni, shia conflict rooted in dispute over prophets successor. But its also an economic battle between iran and saudi arabia over who will control the strait of hormuz. A brief history of the shiitesunni conflict geopolitical. The roots of the sunni shia divide can be traced all the way back to the seventh century, soon after the death of the prophet muhammad in a. Today there is up to 260 sects in islam that are in two main categories of shia and sunni. The origin of the sunni shia conflict in early islamic history was a difference of opinion on how leaders of the muslim community. They do differ, however, and that separation stemmed initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones. Conflict in iraq follows centuries of shiitesunni mistrust.
A significant difference between the sunni and shia branches of islam are their individual relationships to power. Jun 07, 20 behind the growing tension in the muslim world is the enmity between members of the sunni and shia sects, writes geneive abdo. The shia sunni sectarian violence in the middle east is the outward expression of a wider geopolitical struggle driven by theological as well as political reasons identity conflict and. Shia sunni conflict in yemen involves the shia insurgency in northern yemen. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. What was the conflict between the sunnis and shiites answers. The sunnis won out, but a split was born, and that rift was cemented when alis son was later killed by the ruling sunni s troops an event which the. Mohammed bin salman apoffice of the iranian supreme leadergettymark wilson why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east policy and why it shouldnt is. Members of the two sects have coexisted for centuries and. The conflict within islam arose after prophet muhammad died in a. Pdf the sunnishia conflict in iraq domenic marbaniang. For shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuriesold schism between shia and sunni muslims.
Sunnishia tensions % of all muslims who say sunnishia tensions are a very or moderately big problem in their country question modified in iran to ask how prevalent tensions are. Jan 05, 2016 the story, as told, usually goes something like this. Zora hesova alongside the fierce resistance against the occupation, another surprise of the iraq venture of great consequence that requires explanation and assessment is the. A history of the shia and sunni muslim conflict bbc news. Iraq war deepens sunni shia divide when the united states invaded iraq four years ago, it didnt set out to deepen the sunni shia divide in the islamic world. The conflict between sunnis and shiites is often portrayed as strictly about religion. Sep 24, 2017 the sunni shia split and conflict early events from islamic history. Sunni and shia muslims share the most fundamental islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the two main subgroups in islam. The conflict between shias and sunni 959 words 4 pages. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Sunni, see the pew research centers reports the global religious landscape december 2012 and mapping the global muslim population october 2009. The prophet muhammad s had a daughter called fatima alzahra the radiant who died a very short time after the demise of the prophet s. Who is historically accurate in the sunnishia conflict. The sunni shia split is rooted in the question of who should succeed the prophet muhammad in leading muslims after his death in 632.
Why conflict defines saudiiran relations relations between saudi arabia and iran took a turn for the worse last week after the execution of the shia cleric nimr alnimr at. Shia sunni conflicts are raging in syria, iraq, lebanon and pakistan and the divide is growing deeper across the muslim world. And you might recall that saddam hussein was a sunni ruling over a majority of shia. Mar 18, 2020 the conflict between sunnis and shiites is often portrayed as strictly about religion. Conflict between sunnis, shias abounds in middle east. 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.
Sunni and shia identity conflicts in the age of web 2. What is the conflict between shia and sunnis answers. The conflict between sunnis and shiites goes back nearly 1,400 years and today, it is tearing iraq apart. The shiite sunni conflict is the most deadly and unsolvable conflict in the middle east and it is between muslims. Islam, christianity and buddhism are religious cultural powers, deep, defining the ends and means of human lives.
Sunni and shia governments constantly worry about their grip on power, especially in the wake of protest movements in places like tunisia and egypt. 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. This timeline highlights sunnishia tensions in recent. Parallels the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. This short paper serves to relate various themes inclusive to cultural conflict in modern day iraq between sunni and shiite factions as well as the emerging threat of isis islamic state of iraq and syria. How conflicts within islam will shape the future by vali nasr, w.
That is why you will hear about the sunni shiite conflicts in iraq or in syria. This week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. She was a very important person in islamic history. As a result, whenever conflict has broken out, each religious group comes together to defend its peoples interests. Sunnis, shiites locked in an endless conflict dw 05.
It is, for example, the basis for the great hostility between saudi arabia and iran. Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east. Shiasunni conflict in yemen involves the shia insurgency in northern yemen. Modern sunnishia conflicts and their neglected tropical diseases. Jul 15, 2014 teaching notes for cfrs infoguide on the sunni shia divide. 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.
Modern sunnishia tensions council on foreign relations. Shia and sunni have mostly same beliefs and both believe in fundamental beliefs of islam. Conflict between sunnis, shias abounds in middle east hardline clerics and politicians on both sides of the sectarian divide are stoking violence and distrust but among the public, views are. This timeline highlights sunni shia tensions in recent. Iran supports bashar alassad even though he is an alawite and a member of the shia minority sect. Ali mokdad indeed find that the factors of war, mass human displacement, and political instability have blocked improvements in health for the region, with resultant reductions in life expectancies in egypt, yemen, libya, and syria, as well as a rise in mental health and druguse disorders.
Two of pakistans three major sunni subsects, the ahlehadis, and to a lesser extent, the barelvis, may have antipathy toward the shia, but. This historical schism continues to permeate the daily lives of. Shiite or shia comes from shiat ali, meaning followers of ali, while sunni means those who adhere to the sunna, or sayings of the prophet. Pdf the war in iraq has produced a tremendous change in the middle east and in the muslim world at large. The divide between sunnis and shia is the largest and oldest in the history of islam. Irans islamic revolution, which brought shias to power in 1979, and the sunni backlash have fueled a competition for regional dominance. This conflict has led some observers to see the entire region through the prism of the ageold sunnishia struggle. The division between shiites and sunnis has served to justify many. Sunni shia split and conflict islamic history events. 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. 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 blood shadings between shia and sunni in the history of islamic interfaith differences have affected future generations, since the death of prophet muhammad in a. However, dividing the middle east along sectarian lines is not an accurate way to assess the loyalties or predict the.
Sunni, shia conflict rooted in dispute over prophets. The arab uprisings and the rebirth of the shiasunni divide. When the prophet died, the followers of muhammad couldnt agree on the issue of who should become the first caliph after muhammad. The conflict between sunni and shi a h has not occurred only in the middle east countrie s, but it has also widely spread around the world, including indonesia as a home to. Jun 14, 2014 conflict in iraq follows centuries of shiite sunni mistrust.
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