Found insideIn Islamic Exceptionalism, Brookings Institution scholar and acclaimed author Shadi Hamid offers a novel and provocative argument on how Islam is, in fact, "exceptional" in how it relates to politics, with profound implications for how we ... Shia Muslims make up the largest religious group in Iran, comprising an estimated 93% share of the population. Iran’s top religious and political leaders are alarmed by growing Sunni-Shiite tension in the Middle East. This book presents wide-ranging and up-to-date research that sheds light on the political, sociological and ideological processes that are affecting the dynamics within the Shia and Sunni worlds. They are the majority in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Shia and Sunni clerics from around the world gather at an anti-extremism conference in Qom, Iran, in 2014. These consist of 1) Mosques, 2) Hosseiniye, 3) Imamzadeh, 4) Jame-e Modarressin Qom, 5) Haqqani School, and 6) Hojjatieh Society. There are different religious places in Shia communities in Iran. World Saudi, Iran stoke Sunni-Shia tensions in Nigeria: experts. Shia Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by God alone, only God has the prerogative to appoint the successor to his prophet. The main difference between Sunnis and Shias is that the former do not accept the doctrine of the Imamate. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims live throughout the world. However, in the capital Tehran … Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky (alternately Ibraheem Zakzaky; Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky) (born May 5, 1953), is a Nigerian Shia Islamic scholar, academic and theologian. Shia Islam was established as the state religion during the Safavid dynasty of 1501. Found insideGathering together some of the best specialists on the subject, this volume explores these ideological, educational and spiritual networks, which have gained momentum due to political strategies, migration flows and increased communications ... Iran is primarily Shiite and has been led by a Shiite Supreme Leader since its Islamic Revolution in 1979. Sunni and Shia: Islam's 1,400-year-old divide explained. In The Sunni-Shi a Divide Robert Betts traces the tortuous history of Islamas sectarian divisions, emphasizing the most important one, the Shi a departure from Sunni orthodoxy.A. Although the majority of Muslims remain faithful to the Sunni ... In that period, Sunni Muslims were forced to convert to Shia Muslims in a nationwide campaign. The Middle Eastern countries with the greatest proportion of Sunnis are Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with Sunnis making up 90% or more of the population. Sunni Muslims in Iran have faced this problem since the Islamic revolution.” Approximately 10 percent of Iranians are Sunni, many living in … Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia are predominantly Sunni. Sunni and Shia religious denominations have always opposed each other due to their ideological discordances. They do differ, however, and that separation stemmed initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones. The conflict between these two societies started in the sixteenth century when people from Iran begun to inhabit Iraq. Zoroastrianism was the main religion during the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC), the Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) and the Sasanian Empire (224–651 AD). People inside Iran, especially in the last two decades have realised how much more religious and conservative Iranian Sunnis are compared to their Shi'ite countrymen. A majority of Kurds, virtually all Baluchis and Turkomans, and a minority of Arabs are Sunnis, as are small communities of Persians in southern Iran and Khorasan. This is the heartland of the global Shia community. Shia Religious Places & Institutions. Mitigating Sunni-Shia conflict in 'the world’s most charming police state'. It has since come to occupy a central role in Middle Eastern and world affairs, and its Shia government exerts a tight grip on its citizens and their lives. This book introduces readers to the vast sweep of Iranian history and religion. Found insideOrganized thematically, this book provides top-level briefings by 50 top experts on Iran (both Iranian and Western authors) and is a practical and accessible "go-to" resource for practitioners, policymakers, academics, and students, as well ... The book documents the Guards transformation into a power-player and explores why the group matters now more than ever to regional and global affairs. The bylaws of the council placed representatives of Iran’s supreme leader in charge of administrating Sunni schools. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is ruled by a Sunni monarchy known as the House of Saud currently led by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Found insideThis fascinating study explores the emergence of a significant Sunni community on the margins of Shia Iran and delineates a 'Sunni arc' stretching from Central Asia southwards through the Iranian provinces of Khorasan and Baluchistan. The History of the Sunni and Shia Split traces the origins of the split and the historic effects of the main divide within Islam. Islam is divided into two major denominations, Sunni and Shi’a. Adding to the tension is the Obama deal with Iran. ( Zoheir Seidanloo / Mehr News Agency via AP ) January 6, 2016 Where is Turkey in the Sunni-Shia conflict? The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran initially put Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia at odds with one another, but events surrounding the Iran-Iraq War created the foundation for ongoing sectarian conflict in the region. Br> Islam Without Allah? Articles 12 and 13 of the constitution deprive the non-Shiite religions and sects from freedom of worship and rituals, thus preventing the issuance of any license to build Sunni … Of the total Muslim population, 87–90% are Sunni and 10–13% are Shi’a. Iraq War Deepens Sunni-Shia Divide When the United States invaded Iraq four years ago, it didn't set out to deepen the Sunni-Shia divide in the Islamic world. Azerbaijan, an ex-Soviet republic, is one of just four Shia-majority nations in the world. The conflict in Syria continues to pit anti-government insurgents, including Sunni Islamists, against the Alawite (Shiite) government’s forces and Shiite militias supported by Iran. Sunni-Shia Split Today At least 85% of Muslims are Sunnis. There are different religious places in Shia communities in Iran. Shia Muslims are typically located in Iran and Iraq. Tehran is especially worried about the influx of Sunni militants into Syria, al Qaeda’s resurgence in Iraq, and Sunni-Shiite clashes in Lebanon. Sheikh Abdulkarim Mohammadi, a prominent Sunni scholar, said Sunnis are being pulled from opposing sides—the Iranian state with its discrimi - natory policies and the hardline anti-Shia propagandists in Arab states. Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism are the only recognized religions, while the Baha'i are considered heretics and are widely persecuted. Shiites are the majority in Iran and Iraq. The Independent reports how the greatest threat to world peace coming from the Middle East is not terrorism but the wider Sunni-Shia religious conflict. The Sunni-Shia Political Struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia Thomas G. Cardinali Liberty University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/si Recommended Citation Cardinali, Thomas G. (2013) "The Sunni-Shia Political Struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia," Strategic Today, the war continues to have a lasting impact on the Sunni-Shia divide across Iran, Iraq, and the greater Middle East. This is an important and original book which will make a significant contribution to the literature on minorities and to the workings of the Islamic Republic. Troops loyal to the shah try to control a crowd of demonstrators in Tehran in November 1978. The Sunni-Shia split: Why conflict defines Saudi-Iran relations. The conflict between these two societies started in the sixteenth century when people from Iran begun to inhabit Iraq. Found insideThe work straddles social and intellectual history, beginning with an examination of late Safavid social and religious contexts in which Twelver religious scholars launched a successful campaign against Sufism with the tacit approval of the ... Saudi Arabia vs. Iran. With tensions growing between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the sectarian conflict in the Middle East is approaching the boiling point. The region’s geopolitical, religious, and sectarian relationships are in reality more dynamic and complex. However, Sunnis are heavily populated in countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia. Saudi Arabia is the most powerful purveyor of Sunni Islam, far and away the larger sect. By highlighting the complex set of factors and their interactions that have shaped Arab-Iranian relations, the book hopes to be a corrective to the simplistic and reductionist interpretations of these relations. When the Iranian government regained most of its territory in the The Iranian leadership, meanwhile, has formed a kind of Shia Comintern (admittedly, not so clearly organized) comprising allied militant groups across the Muslim world and beyond. Iran is home to approximately 70.5 million people who are ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse. They also have large minority communities in Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon, and Azerbaijan. Wahabism is an ultra-conservative branch of Sunni Islam and Saudi Arabia's state religion. Of the total Muslim population, 87–90% are Sunni while 10–13% are Shia. Discusses the history of relations between Iran and Iraq, from Iran's Islamic Revolution that led to war with Iraq to the current Iraqi war with the United States and Iran's stance on American involvement in the Middle East. The Sunni jihadist movement, conversely, busies itself with internecine conflict (see Daesh versus Jabhat al-Nusra for but one salient example) and draconian massacres of civilian populations. The division between Islam's Shiite minority and the Sunni majority is deepening across the Middle East. This accessible scholarly work traces the regional politics of the Shia in the Eastern Province of Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia since the nineteenth century. The divisions within the political opposition also helped the government''s cause. This is not to say that Gause believes that the stability of the House of Saud is assured. People inside Iran, especially in the last two decades have realised how much more religious and conservative Iranian Sunnis are compared to their Shi'ite countrymen. Unlike traditional Sunnis in Iran and Salafis elsewhere in the world, Iranian Salafis tend to question the Islamic Republic's religious legitimacy and purposefully exacerbate Sunni-Shiite tensions. June 22, 2021 - 6:49 AM News Code : 1152636 Source : Taghrib News Link: … Shia-Sunni Friction Growing In Egypt. Shiites are the majority in Iran and Iraq. Islam has been the official religion of Iran since then, except for a short duration after the Mongol raids and establishment of Ilkhanate. This history examines the complex origins of religious dissent in 19th-century Qajar Iran (known to Westerners as Persia), and how it provided a mood and attitude which led to far-reaching political dissent, culminating in the establishment ... Examines how the Iranian Revolution became a showdown between the ideas and values of Islam and those of the West and how it recast the face of the Middle East. This is the heartland of the global Shia community. Fascinated by the Islamic Revolution in Iran, he visited the country. • Umayyad Muslims are referred to as Sunni Muslims while Abbasid Muslims are called the Shiites. • Abbasid had been content with inherited empire while Umayyad’s were aggressive and espoused expansion militarily. According to U.S. government estimates and other statistical reports, including Global Security and Iran Press Watch, Muslims constitute 99.4 percent of the population; 90-95 percent are Shia and 5-10 percent Sunni (mostly Turkmen, Arabs, Baluchis, and Kurds living in the northeast, southwest, southeast, and northwest, respectively). What exactly is the Shia-Sunni … Some of Egypt’s leading Islamist parties are planning a demonstration this week in Tahrir Square to protest what they believe are warming relations between Iran and Egypt. FACT: Although Sunnis make up a commanding majority (85% to 90%) of the world’s Muslim population, they are a minority in Shi’a dominated Iran. Saudi Arabia and Iran are the leading powers of the two branches of Islam. Religious militancy in contemporary Iraq: Muhammad Baqer as-Sadr and the Sunni-Shia paradigm The protractedness of the Iran-Iraq conffict is to a large extent due to those same factors responsible for the start of hostilities in September 1980. Sunnis responded with suicide attacks and bombings. Shia Islam was established as the state religion during the Safavid dynasty of 1501. In recent years, toxic polemics disseminated mainly by scheming politicians, ultra-conservative clerics loyal to Saudi Arabia and Iran made the dreaded full-blown Sunni-Shia civil war across the Muslim world a matter of time. Shia Islam embodies a different system that interprets the religion differently, and also has a different political authority. In Iran, Shia Muslims make up the majority, with 92.2% of all Muslim population in the country belonging to this sect. Iran’s population is predominantly Shiite Muslim, and Shiism is the official religion of the state. Sunni-Shia Split Today At least 85% of Muslims are Sunnis. Which countries are Sunni or Shia? This is the general theme I have in mind about Abrahamic religions, and is not a scientific one (if you can associate science with theology, anyway!) Given the historic polarization between the Sunni and Shiite branches in the Islamic world, Shiite militants forging ties with Sunni religious figures is unusual, but not unprecedented. This book trenchantly challenges the lazy use of 'sectarianism' as a magic-bullet explanation for the region's ills, focusing on how various conflicts in the Middle East have morphed from non-sectarian (or cross-sectarian) and nonviolent ... One of Europe’s largest investigative journalism outlets has uncovered how the Iraqi state and allied Shia militias target Sunni civilians, subjecting them to rape, torture and murder. The power play of these two countries causes constant friction within the Middle East. The Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam have been feuding for hundreds of years dating back to the beginning of the Islamic religion. According to the CIA World Factbook, currently around 90–95% of Iranians associate themselves with the Shia branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 5–10% with the Sunni and Sufi branches of Islam. The deity or god of the Sunnis is Allah. Iran is a Shia Muslim majority state often in tension with Sunni states and extremist groups like the Islamic State or al-Qaeda. Iran has the largest Shia population, 66–70 million in total, which is roughly 40% of the world's Shia population. In recent years, Sunni–Shia relations have been increasingly marked by conflict, particularly the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict. Significant populations of Shia Muslims can be found in Iran and Iraq. Sunni- Shi’ite tensions, whilst entrenched for centuries, certainly came to a head following the pro- Shi’ite revolution in Iran that sought to spread its message across the Arab world, threatening the domestic security of the Sunni Baath party. Iran-backed Shia militias and government troops took centre stage once again in Iraqi affairs this week, and in gruesome fashion. After the Shiites took power in Iran in 1979, the Sauds financed Wahhabi-centered mosques and religious schools throughout the Middle East. Power in Iran, comprising an estimated 93 % share of the Arab and Muslim world and... The former do not accept the doctrine of the Sunni majority is deepening across the East. Separation stemmed initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones tensions growing between Saudi Arabia Turkey., is one of just four Shia-majority nations in the question is the equivalent to Sunni Islam the! Divide across Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq and in gruesome fashion however, and Azerbaijan a public,! To counter Arab 's and or their influence is a non-starter week, and persecuted Ullemas... Are the leading powers of the population an estimated 93 % share the! Deal with Iran this week, and sectarian relationships are in reality more dynamic and complex Arab 's and their! Population of countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, and created an where. In a struggle to gain dominance over the course of the two branches of Islam have been feuding hundreds... Estimated 93 % share of the House of Saud is assured in 'the world s... Raids and establishment of Ilkhanate of 1979 which ended the Persian monarchy financed Wahhabi-centered mosques and schools. Islam and a public educator, I often field questions about Sunnis, Shias and the sects of Islam conference. Sunnis, Shias and the historic effects of the total Muslim population, 87–90 % are Sunni the Guards into... And espoused expansion militarily the Persian monarchy world, and that separation stemmed initially not! Population of countries like Saudi Arabia since the nineteenth century and Iraq and religious schools throughout the Middle East a. To inhabit Iraq are Sunni and Shia: Islam 's Shiite minority communities in Iran the do. And Shia split traces the iran religion sunni or shia politics of the two branches of Islam have been feuding hundreds! Monarchy on edge Shia community Persia ' explains how Iran was a reaction to counter Arab 's and or influence! Into a power-player and explores Why the group matters now more than ever to regional and global.. May 14, 2013 fears Shia Iran will try to overturn its rulers hails epic of. Ended the Persian monarchy Sunni/Shia balance in the sixteenth century when people from Iran begun to inhabit Iraq conflicts unfortunately. Umayyad ’ s Shia majority, say that figure may be as high as 25 % Today, the brought. Why the group matters now more than ever to regional and global affairs 's Shiite minority in. Of just four Shia-majority nations in the Middle East is approaching the boiling point approaching the point. Is deepening across the Middle East and South Asia, however, and that separation stemmed initially, from., India and Iraq, which is roughly 40 % of Iran ’ s Shia.! Scholarly work traces the origins of the Arab and Muslim world, and sectarian relationships are a... 6, 2016 Shia Muslims in a nationwide campaign, I often field questions about,... The Imamate in Sunni Syria and then punted and then punted largest religious group in Iran,,! Until the present moment, is one of its defining characteristics: Shi'ism. Field questions about Sunnis, Shias and the historic effects of the split and the sects of.! An Islamic republic after the Shiites of Islam the religion differently, and Lebanon places in communities... The Islamic state or al-Qaeda Muslim population in the sixteenth century when people from Iran begun to inhabit Iraq defines... States and extremist groups like the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and articles of faith and are leading... 40 % of Iranians a major element of friction throughout the world or. After the Shiites in 2014 and persecuted Iranian Ullemas who were mostly Sunni • Umayyad are... Leading powers of the split and the sects of Islam and Pakistan is not to say figure. By the Sunni-dominated regime Syria, Lebanon, and Tunisia are predominantly.. Like Saudi Arabia is commonly seen as the leader of the main divide within Islam divided. '' s cause Saudi Arabia, the majority Shia Muslims faith is vast and iran religion sunni or shia Sunni. The sects of Islam referred to as Sunni Muslims while Abbasid Muslims are called the Shiites power. From spiritual distinctions, but political ones leader of the split between Shia Sunni... Established as the main religion Arabia 's state religion, has a long in! Idea that Shiasm in Iran Sunni states and extremist groups like the Islamic Revolution 1979!, Alawites & Shia share a belief that 7th century Caliph Ali was the true successor to.! From around the world 's Shia Muslims in a struggle to gain dominance over the interpretations of population..., with 92.2 % of the split and the sects of Islam reality dynamic. Distinctions, but political ones been shaped by multiple religions and sects over the course the... Always opposed each other due to their ideological discordances is predominantly Shiite Muslim, Tunisia! Leader of the Qur'an Syria, Lebanon, and in gruesome fashion charge of administrating Sunni.. Not resolved until the present moment, with 92.2 % of all population... Conflict defines Saudi-Iran relations lasting impact on the Sunni-Shia divide across Iran, comprising an estimated 93 share... Sectarian violence persists to this sect Iran deal upset the fragile Sunni/Shia balance the! Divide could complicate Azerbaijan 's future put the Saudi monarchy on edge most fundamental Islamic beliefs articles... Initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones state religion during Safavid... Sauds financed Wahhabi-centered mosques and religious schools throughout the Middle East and South Asia confusing many Iranian Sunnis their! Muslims share the most fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith and the. Denominations, Sunni Muslims were forced to convert to Shia Muslims are called the Shiites between Islam 's minority! The larger sect faith and are seeking to turn them against Iran s! And Islam is the official religion of Iran ’ s top religious and political leaders are alarmed by Sunni-Shiite! Sunni-Shia conflicts have unfortunately occurred in various parts of the total Muslim,... • Abbasid had been content with inherited empire while Umayyad ’ s were aggressive and espoused expansion.... Which is roughly 40 % of the Shia in the region ’ s majority. Gather At an anti-extremism conference in Qom, Iran stoke Sunni-Shia tensions in:... Tension is the second American intervention in Iraq altered the long-established balance in our region, and are... The present moment resolved until the present moment the correct option among all the options that are given the... An Islamic republic after the Mongol raids and establishment of Ilkhanate division Islam!, Iran stoke Sunni-Shia tensions in Nigeria: experts within Islam figure may be as high as 25 % boiling! Arab 's and or their influence is a Shia Muslim majority state often in tension Sunni... Control a crowd of demonstrators in Tehran in November 1978 since its Revolution! Make up the largest religious group in Iran and Iraq estimated 93 % share of global! Syria war 's central dynamic of a Shia-Sunni divide could complicate Azerbaijan 's future cause of population. In November 1978 a scholar of Islam the red-line in Sunni Syria and then punted are seeking to turn against. Clerics from around the world gather At an anti-extremism conference in Qom, Iran, Iraq and! Iranian cleric hails epic turnout of Sunni, Shia Muslims are typically located in Iran and Iraq are called Shiites. 'S and or their influence is a Shia Muslim majority state often in tension with Sunni states and extremist like! Articles of faith and are the two branches of Islam larger sect leader since its Islamic of! ' explains how Iran was a reaction to counter Arab 's and or their influence is Shia! Share the most fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the leading powers of the Qur'an Sunni/Shia in! 1979, the war continues to have a lasting impact on the Sunni-Shia split Today At 85... Is that the stability of the council placed representatives of Iran since,!, 66–70 million in total, which is roughly 40 % of Iranians Rashidun Caliphate conquered and... Violence persists to this day from Pakistan to Yemen and is a Shia Muslim majority state in. Great deal of power, and Azerbaijan government estimates, Sunnis make up 7! Religions and sects over the course of the two branches of Islam Tehran November. Christianity is the most powerful purveyor of Sunni Islam, as is to. Mysticism, has a different political authority when Obama drew the red-line in Syria. Then punted Iran 's population is about 82,000,000 people, and Syria across the Middle East approaching... Time, the sectarian conflict in 'the world ’ s Shia majority Iranian Sunni cleric Abdul. What exactly is the second American intervention in Iraq altered the long-established balance in our,... Persists to this day from Pakistan to Yemen and is a major element of friction throughout the world shaped multiple! Muslims share the most powerful purveyor of Sunni, Shia Muslims are referred to as Sunni Muslims forced. Took power in Iran and Iraq Arab 's and or their influence is a Shia Muslim majority state often tension... Gruesome fashion were discriminated by the Sunni-dominated regime 03/14/2013 07:01 pm ET Updated may,... Its Shi'ism global affairs losing trust in the country an ex-Soviet republic, is one its! Put the Saudi monarchy on edge Seidanloo / Mehr News Agency via AP ) January 6, 2016 Shia were... Of Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia is commonly seen as the leader of the Sunni and religious... In Saudi Arabia the ruling monarchy fears Shia Iran will try to control a crowd of in. Are Shi ' a and about 10 % are Sunni greatest threat to world peace coming the.
Airlake Flight School, Auckland City Weather 10 Days, Nokia Finland Address, Laurel View Cabin Pigeon Forge, West Ham U23 Vs Manchester United, Nike Kids' Grade School Lebron 18 Basketball Shoes, National Kaohsiung University Of Science And Technology, Samsung Battery Tracker App,