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. The split between the two major branches of islam sunni and shia had its genesis in the homicide of muhammad. Thus, we do not know how, and to what extent, interreligious dialogue and peacemaking occur across the shiasunni divide. The sunni shia split and conflict early events from islamic. Sunnishia split learn with flashcards, games, and more for free.
This demographic dominance has not, however, been translated into economic and political power. For the latter, select the pages you wish to extract. 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. Click split pdf, wait for the process to finish and download. Feb 12, 2007 the shia are concentrated in iran, southern iraq and southern lebanon. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. A page turner that reads like an incredible cross between a suspense thriller. Sunni and shia differences have their origin in a dispute about who should lead after the death of the prophet muhammad. The sunni shia split and conflict early events from islamic history.
One current member of saudi arabias council of senior religious. After the prophets death in 632 ce, different views emerged about who should succeed him as. The sample essay on sunni and shiite split deals with a framework of researchbased facts, approaches and arguments concerning this theme. Sunnishia split essay example topics and well written. Back in 2007, npr reported on the shiitesunni split that was contributing to conflicts in many parts of the muslim world, including iraq. In september 1996 more than 200 people were killed when a gun battle between teenage shia and sunni escalated into a communal war that lasted five days. The split occurred soon after the death of the prophet muhammad, nearly 1,400 years ago.
They believed that the successors to muhammad must be chosen by the muslim community. The sunni believe muhammad was poisoned by the jewess zaynab. 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. Whatever the truth was behind these organizations, these accusations were fully used to divide the grow ing shiite opposition. To the muslim times editorial team this book is a case against sectarianism and islamism and a case for human rights and modern ways of governance and women rights. Over the last decade at least, the socalled sunnishia divide has been a defining characteristic of the middle east for pundits and other nonexpert observers of. 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. But its also an economic battle between iran and saudi arabia over who will control the strait of hormuz. His followers disagreed over issues of succession and authority. 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. The sunnishia split is complicated by the nationalistic schism among middle east countries. The sunnishia split occurred when the islamic prophet muhammad died in the year of 632. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head of the community.
The hajj pilgrimage in mecca, when both shia and sunni muslims come together to pray. On facial similarity the sunni shiite split in islam is comparable to the protestantcatholic split in christianity to the extent that there was one religion and after a theological disagreement, there were two religions. Mar 18, 2020 the sunnishia split is complicated by the nationalistic schism among middle east countries. Although the origins of the sunnishia split were violent, over the centuries shia and sunnis lived peacefully together for long periods of time.
Yet, many people have hazy notions of what the divide is. On facial similarity the sunnishiite split in islam is comparable to the protestantcatholic split in christianity to the extent that there was one religion and after a theological disagreement, there were two religions. Is the sunnishia split in islam comparable in any way to. The conflict between sunnis and shiites is often portrayed as strictly about religion. 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. Lingering shiite resentment and sunni fears associated with this shift have helped transform local and individual political or economic disputes into broader sectarian confrontations in. 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. Shias claim that before muhammads death in 632, he appointed ali, his blood relative, to lead the community.
The report also relates sunni and shiite religious beliefs to discussions of terrorism and sectarian violence that may be of interest during the 111th. 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. Sunnishia split the mideasts new great divide the star. Instead, sunni arabs have traditionally formed iraqs elite. The book is divided into two parts, the first covering the history of the sunni shii split from the death of the prophet mohammad in 632 up to the modern era. The sunnishia divide into the 21st century in addition to karbala, the npr podcast throughline identified three key milestones that would sharpen sunni shia divisions by the end of the 20th century. Its repercussions have rippled through history, with periods of peace and periods of war. May 07, 2017 over the last decade at least, the socalled sunni shia divide has been a defining characteristic of the middle east for pundits and other nonexpert observers of the region. Sunnishia distribution map write one generalization about the information the map is providing. The history of the sunni and shia split quotes showing 14 of 4 cemetery of albaqi in medina, they utterly destroyed the tombs of the imams hasan, ali ibn husayn, muhammed ibn ali, and jafar, as well as the tomb of fatima, the daughter of muhammad.
Split in sunnis who backed up the umayyad and the shia who backed up with ali. The division between shia and sunni dates back to the death of the prophet muhammad, and the question of who was to take over the leadership of the muslim nation. The history of the sunni and shia split quotes by jesse. Included in this product is a lesson plan that allows you to differ. This week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. The difference between sunni and shia religious orders of islam are non to the mammoth proportions as most western literature assume.
Why did shia and sunni split after the prophet mohammeds. Our website is a unique platform where students can share their papers in a matter of giving an example of the work to be done. But that appears to be giving way to a new period of spreading conflict in the middle east between shiites and sunnis. In iraq, not a day goes by when rival shiasunni groups take the lives of hundreds of innocent people. The epic story of the shiasunni split sonoma state university.
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. Feb 12, 2007 the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. But there are significant shiite communities in saudi arabia and syria, afghanistan, pakistan and india as well. The shia are concentrated in iran, southern iraq and southern lebanon. Research indicates that most american citizens know little about islam and, specifically, the major differences between sunni muslims and shiite muslims and why this matters to the united states.
The shiasunni split takes its deadly toll even today. Muslims in five countries with substantial numbers of both shias and sunnis afghanistan. Jun 30, 2014 the origins of shia anglicized shiite and sunni islam begins with the question of who should lead the muslim community. This knowledge is vital if americans are to make prudent decisions regarding support for specific foreign policy positions and decisions regarding islam and muslim countries. Although the origins of the sunni shia split were violent, over the centuries shia and sunnis lived peacefully together for long periods of time. 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. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head. For shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuriesold schism between shia and sunni muslims. 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. Healing of the shiasunni split politicscurrent events.
Shiasunni divide is well on its way to displacing the broader conflict between muslims and the west as the primary challenge facing the islamic societ. The book does an excellent job of going into the history of both groups and exactly what led to the split. This conflict has led some observers to see the entire. This part takes readers through the years of ottoman and safavid imperial rivalry to the sunni shia convergence during european colonial years chapter two is entitled. Sunni and shia muslims are struggling for power while religious intolerance rises violently in egypt. Sep 24, 2017 the sunni shia split and conflict early events from islamic history. In iraq and syria, shia powers fight off largely sunni opposition. A history of the shiitesunni split mike shuster i 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. Separate one page or a whole set for easy conversion into independent pdf files. The history of the sunni and shia split quotes by jesse harasta. 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. 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. This caused a dispute over the succession to muhammed which led to the battle of siffin. Arabs descend from the ottoman empire, which existed from the 15th through the 20th century.
Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional. Prince alwaleed bin talal center for muslimchristian understanding. The sunni arabs were considered to reap this is because the split is between two organized islam groups who differ in several elements of their ethnoreligious elements1. Shiasunni divide is well on its way to displacing the broader conflict between muslims and the west as the. If you find papers matching your topic, you may use them only as an example of work. In some countries, sectarian conflicts are more likely to occur between different. Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east. In light of the current fighting in iraq, which is along sectarian lines, npr is republishing the series. Why did shia and sunni split after the prophet mohammeds death and who is to be blamed for the split. The sunni shia split occurred when the islamic prophet muhammad died in the year of 632.
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. To see the essays introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion, read on. The term shia or shiite derives from a shortening of shiat ali or partisans of ali. This reading looks at the history of the split, as well as the characteristics of sunni and shiite denominations. 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. Sunnishia tensions are more about politics, power and privilege than theology. Although the two major islamic factions share many common core beliefs and practices, there are some significant religious and political differences dating back to the disagreement over the succession. Prophet muhammad died in the evening of june 8, 632 a. Bbc news middle east long path to iraqs sectarian split. Therefore, it is crucial that social studies educators teach not only the core beliefs, rituals, and history of islam but the differences between sunni and shiite muslims. Choose to extract every page into a pdf or select pages to extract.
Iran, on the other hand, descends from the 16th century persian empire. Based on overwhelming historical facts, the split of the muslim community into shia and sunni occurred immediately. 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. As a result, a strong argument can be made that the. There would be a resurrection, as there had been with the last great prophet, jesus.
What caused islam to split into sunni and shia branches. Sunni and shia islam whats the origin of the split. The islamic split between the sunni and shia have had profound effects on the politics of islam and the middle east. The origins of shia anglicized shiite and sunni islam begins with the question of who should lead the muslim community. The differences between sunni and shia islam are political in origin, and remain so to this day. Is the sunnishia split in islam comparable in any way to the. The history of the sunni and shia split traces the origins of the split and the historic effects of the main divide within islam. 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. The sunni divide foreign policy research institute. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals.