Iraq is ruled by a 65%70% shia majority after the united states toppled sunni leader, saddam hussein. For shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuriesold schism between shia and sunni muslims. 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. There have been several attacks on shia mosques in several parts of the world. The split between the two major branches of islam sunni and shia had its genesis in the homicide of muhammad. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. Parallels the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. But its also an economic battle between iran and saudi arabia over who will control the strait of hormuz. They are also known as followers of ahlalbayt or people of the household of the prophet.
Jan 06, 2016 the schism that led muslims to split into two main denominations, sunni and shia, dates from the 7th century it is almost as old as the religion itself. This downfall of saddam shifted the balance of power in the middle east. Mar 18, 2020 the conflict between sunnis and shiites is often portrayed as strictly about religion. What is cause of the separation of the shiite minority. Healing of the shiasunni split politicscurrent events. Pdf the war in iraq has produced a tremendous change in the middle east and in. Thats a passage in the persian gulf through which 20% of the worlds oil passes. The sunni shia split and conflict early events from islamic history. The split between sunni and shia was not a theological split. In iraq, not a day goes by when rival shiasunni groups take the lives of hundreds of innocent people. Part of the strain certainly goes back to the violence and betrayal associated with the seventh century split. Most muslims hold, however, that he never specifically chose a successor to his leadership. Separate one page or a whole set for easy conversion into independent pdf files.
Back in 2007, npr reported on the shiitesunni split that was. Feb 12, 2007 the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. Husseins ordeal would quickly become the passion story at the core of shia islam, and history would be transformed into sacred history. This belief came from their consideration of alis position and station in relation to the pr.
May 07, 2017 why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east policy and why it shouldnt. More importantly, this brought about a schism in islam that split it into two. Any discussion featuring the middle east and any analysis of politics in the region inevitably touches on the sectarian state of islam and the long standing conflict between sunni and shia believers. What is the sunnishiite split and what caused it answers. These attacks are the latest chapter in the story of the centuries. Islams sunni shia split zwemer center for muslim studies. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the history of the sunni and shia split. They differ in terms of who should hold the political leadership of the islamic community and what the religious dimension of that leadership should be. Being played out through proxy wars saudi arabia sunni is bombing the houthi rebels in yemen shia who are being supported by iran. The term shia or shiite derives from a shortening of shiat ali or partisans of ali.
Pdf radicalization of the sunnishia divide researchgate. The sunni believe muhammad was poisoned by the jewess zaynab. After the formation of islam by the prophet mohammed, the new religion expanded rapidly, and, after mohammeds death, was led by the four caliphs. What caused islam to split into sunni and shia branches.
I am muslim and i do not label myself shia or sunni. On the other side was ali bin abu talib, who was both the cousin and soninlaw of the prophet. 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. The origins of the sunnishia split in islam by hussein abdulwaheed amin, editor of introduction the shia shahadah declaration of faith states. Hazleton succeeds in bringing out the truly epic character of the shiasunni split, telling the story with great empathy. The successor of the messenger of allah and his first caliph. The friends and followers of ali believed that after the death of the prophet the caliphate and religious authority marjaiyati ilmi belonged to ali. Bbc news middle east long path to iraqs sectarian split.
Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east. Sunnishia divide and the rise of the shia at the state level are, in reality, equivalent to the. Thats precisely what the endless harping on the sunnishia split suggests, however. In terms of the worlds total muslim population, sunnis and shias disagree over what percentage each group owns, with sunnis accounting for 8090% of the total and shias 1020%. The schism that led muslims to split into two main denominations, sunni and shia, dates from the 7th century it is almost as old as the religion itself.
The islamic community is divided into two major branches, sunnis and shias or shiites. At its heart is the centuriesold sectarian shiasunni divide. Nov 20, 2015 the split between sunni and shia was not a theological split. Even as muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would take control of the new islamic nation had begun, beginning a succession crisis marked by power grabs, assassination. 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. Jun 30, 2014 part of the strain certainly goes back to the violence and betrayal associated with the seventh century split. The shia are concentrated in iran, southern iraq and southern lebanon. The succession to muhammad is the central issue that split the muslim community into several divisions in the first century of islamic history, the most prominent among these sects being the shia and sunni branches of islam. Although the origins of the sunnishia split were violent, over the centuries shia and sunnis lived peacefully together for long periods of time.
Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the history of the sunnis and shias like never before, in no time at all. Although the origins of the sunni shia split were violent, over the centuries shia and sunnis lived peacefully together for long periods of time. One side, the shiites, believed that direct descendants of the prophet should take up the mantle of the caliph the leader of the worlds faithful. As with any division that lasts over a thousand years, the sunnishia split led to each denomination developing its own unique cultures, doctrines and schools of thought. Sunnishia split the mideasts new great divide the star. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head of the community. There is no god but allah, muhammad is the messenger of allah, ali is the friend of allah. 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. The division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. In this gripping narrative history, lesley hazleton tells the tragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam, a rift that. History ali is the central figure at the origin of the shia sunni split which occurred in the decades immediately following the death of the prophet in 632.
Shia sunni discussion new pdf documents are added on daily basis. The commonlyknown term is shortened from the historical shiatali, or the party of ali. But what id like to suggest here, first, is that your question is not quite right. The conflict between sunnis and shiites is often portrayed as strictly about religion.
But there are significant shiite communities in saudi arabia and syria, afghanistan, pakistan and india as well. The commonlyknown term is shortened from the historical shia tali, or the party of ali. Every selected page of this pdf file will be converted in one separated. This video is part of the council on foreign relations infoguide presentation, the sunnishia divide. The ultimate breaking point came when soldiers of the first sunni dynasty massacred seventytwo warriors led by alis son, hussein, at karbala in iraq, forging the shiasunni split in blood.
Sep 24, 2017 the sunni shia split and conflict early events from islamic history admin the sunni shia split and conflict history 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. The worlds muslims fall into two major camps, sunni and shia, sometimes likened to christianitys catholics and protestants. What is cause of the separation of the shiite minority from. Way back in the early days of islam, immediately following the death of prophet muhammad, may allahs peace and blessings be upon him, this split opened up. The separation of the shia from mainstream islam was, initially, a political. The general western reader will come away from this book with a newfound respect for the depth and power of the early schism in islam and of what happened at karbala. What was the ultimate issue that caused the split between sunni and shia.
The division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is. Is the sunnishiite split like the catholicprotestant split. Sunnis are the majority sect in the muslim world, but shias today form as much as 60% of iraqs population, whereas sunnis make up 37%, split between ethnic arabs and kurds. Islam, in its ideal state, makes no separation between nations, only between.
Pdf this article is about the shiasunni split in the context of khyber. The divide of the islamic faith into sunni and shia sects, is a serious. This demographic dominance has not, however, been translated into economic and political power. In recent years in iraq, saddam hussein led a sunni government that actually oppressed the shia majority.
What cause islam to split into the sunni and shia branches 2010071. The shiasunni split takes its deadly toll even today. Time period 656 to 661 ce conflict type religious underlying causes resentments began to build over how the booty from the conquests should be divided among the tribal groups that made up the islamic community which came from sudden successes of muslim armies and the sudden rise of the arab empire. The split between the sunnis and shia can be traced back to the death of the prophet muhammad, and the dilemma of the successor of muhammad as the leader of the muslim nation. Sunni islam is the doctrine of power and achievement. Overnight, the shia went from being a politically oriented group to a separate religious sect that laid emphasis on devotion to the ahlul bayt and the imams. In this gripping narrative history, lesley hazleton tells the tragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam, a rift that dominates the news now more than ever. It is clearly forbidden in islam to divide yourself into sections.
Instead, sunni arabs have traditionally formed iraqs elite. For starters, the original chasm between the sunni and shiite began very shortly after the death of the prophet muhammad in. Christians have their protestants and catholics, jews their orthodox and reform. The current iraqi leader, nuri kamal almaliki is shia and there is great mistrust on the part of sunnis. Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east policy and why it shouldnt. The split occurred soon after the death of the prophet muhammad, nearly 1,400 years ago. In todays lesson, were going to explore this historyaltering split. The book does an excellent job of going into the history of both groups and exactly what led to the split. Which is true regarding the effect of islams split into sunni and shia branches on.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Look at each document and complete the analysis questions below. Shiites created the office of the imam leader or guide, who were infallible, one for each generation, the only source of religious instruction and guidance, and all in direct descendence of ali. Iran is a shia muslim majority state often in tension with sunni states and extremist groups like the islamic state or alqaeda. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. Split in sunnis who backed up the umayyad and the shia who backed up with ali. Islams 1,400yearold divide explained 14 pilgrimage to the saudi arabian city of mecca is one of many rituals that are shared by both sunni and shia muslims. This week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. Journalist lesley hazleton describes, in this book, the origins of the shia sunni split in islam a rift that began when the prophet muhammad died without sons and without naming a successor. Prophet muhammad died in the evening of june 8, 632 a. The muslim community was united while muhammad was the leader of this community.
Lesley hazleton is an awardwinning writer whose work focuses on the intersection of religion, history, and politics. The split between the two main branches of islam is nearly 1,400 years old, and started with a fight over who should lead the faithful after the prophet muhammads death in 632. The sunnishiite split is a doctrinal schism in islam that occurred due to political disagreements over succession after muhammads death. Even assuming there are hidden hands behind this anarchy, the carnage is historic in its magnitude and can only result in the death of a nation. After the prophet is not a novel, it is narrative history, that is, the story of things that happened and of things that people say happened, told in a highly compelling way. I have already composed some responses to questions around the issue of succession to the prophet muhammad s, and will share links at the end of this piece. Understanding the divisions within islam kindle edition by harasta, jesse, charles river editors. On one side was abu bakr, one of the prophet muhammads closest advisors. Sunnishia distribution map write one generalization about the information the map is providing. Please only answer the correct option, saves us both time. Oct 22, 2016 the friends and followers of ali believed that after the death of the prophet the caliphate and religious authority marjaiyati ilmi belonged to ali. Shia usoolaldeen which path should you follow did allah tell muslims follow the quran and sunnah or the quran and ahlulbayt the practise of shia islam from sunni books the shia perspective on historical events. What is the real first cause of the sunni and shia splitting. The shia reaffirmed their alliance with iran and syria.
The history of the sunni and shia split traces the origins of the split and the historic effects of the main divide within 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. The split between the two main sects within islam goes back some 1,400 years. Be able to relate the shi asunni split with issue in the contemporary middle east. Feb 12, 2007 the shia are concentrated in iran, southern iraq and southern lebanon. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head.
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