Measured in terms of historical longevity, it beats the catholicprotestant schism by a factor of three and the palestinian conflict by. The notion about a sectarian or sectarianized middle east, where a divide between shia and sunni muslims or shia and sunni islam constitutes a major cleavage in politics, has become a hot topic in recent years debate about the nature of a socalled new middle east. Sunni and shia islam whats the origin of the split. 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 the sunni shiite split. The historical split occurred 1400 years ago, following the death of muhammad in medina, in modern day saudi arabia.
A battle for control soon followed, resulting in the death of one of muhammads grandsons and the transfer of power to the umayyad family and the sunni supporters. The middle east as net exporter of religion, fred m. There are a few embedded videos to make things more interesting and the final activity can be a. The conflict between sunnis and shiites is often portrayed as. 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. Why does their relationship remained strained after all these years. Aug 19, 2009 the division between sunnis and shia is the largest and oldest in the history of islam. Dec 16, 2017 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. In recent years in iraq, saddam hussein led a sunni government that actually oppressed the shia majority. View document details for more information this pdf document was made available from. Britain has an estimated muslim population of about 2. Sufis the centuriesold strife sporadically erupts into new bloodshed throughout the middle east. They became known as the shiaali, or supporters of ali. The epic story of the shiasunni split 2009 lesley hazelton prologue.
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. Modern sunnishia tensions 1979 2017 irans islamic revolution, which brought shias to power in 1979, and the sunni backlash have fueled a competition for regional dominance. Is the sunnishia split in islam comparable in any way to the. However, dividing the middle east along sectarian lines is not an accurate way to assess the loyalties or predict the actions of various regional actors. 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 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. For shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuriesold schism between shia and sunni muslims. The sunni divide foreign policy research institute. Sunni meet the the split between sunni and shi ite muslims is one of the most important schisms in modern religion. The book can be downloaded in pdf format from here. Jun 30, 2014 there are also significant shia populations in syria and yemen. Students are required to analyze five documents about sunni and shia muslims in order to discover why islam split into sunni and shia. Understanding the divisions within islam charles river editors on.
After the death of the prophet, abu bakr became the leader of the umma the caliph. In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition. As sectarian tensions convulse syria and iraq, the council on foreign relations has released a new interactive guide examining the roots and. Feb 12, 2007 the origins of the shiite sunni split. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. Students will then use what they learned after completing the document analysis to write a brief constructed response. Separate one page or a whole set for easy conversion into independent pdf files. What are some causes and effects of the shiasunni split. In iraq, sunni shiite relations have been complicated by the dramatic shift in power dynamics that accompanied the removal of the sunni dominated saddam hussein regime, which ended centuries of sunni. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam by lesley hazleton. Although shia muslims only constitute between 10% and % of the global muslim population, they.
Shias between 68% and 80% live in just four countries. 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. The true path as practised by prophet muhammed saw and his purified family as category. The differences between sunni and shia islam are political in origin, and remain so to this day. After the prophet lesley hazleton pdf the epic story of the shia. Split in sunnis who backed up the umayyad and the shia who backed up with ali. 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. It has not just endured but gathered emotive force to become an everwidening spiral in which past and present, faith and politics. The split between sunni and shiite muslims is one of the most important schisms in modern religion yet in the west, at least, its one of the least understood.
Sep 16, 2014 the history of the sunni and shia split. Exposing the lies about fasting on the day of ashura. Read after the prophet pdf the epic story of the shiasunni split in islam by lesley hazleton anchor in this gripping narrative history. The successor of the messenger of allah and his first caliph. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head. And it was fundamentally that political division that began the sunni shia split. The two major powers in the middle east are saudi arabia, an arab population ruled by a sunni majority, and iran, a persian population ruled by a shia majority. Told in vivid and intimate detail in the earliest islamic histories, it is known to all sunnis throughout the middle east and all but engraved on the heart of every shia. Using the information learned through the document analysis you will complete a constructed response that answers the question below. Struggles between sunni and shia forces have fed a syrian civil war that threatens to transform the map of the middle east, spurred violence that is fracturing iraq, and widened fissures in a number of tense gulf countries. Sunnis and shiites share most basic religious tenets. Sunnishia distribution map write one generalization about the information the map is providing. Put the document number in parenthesis after using a direct quote from a document doc 1 ex 2.
The division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. For example, in 2006 israel went to war with hezbollah in lebanon and in 20082009 with hamas in gaza. Latest release 9a0172 braindump pdf with pdf and vce engine. Shias contend muhammads young wife aisha committed the murder, while sunnis believe a jewish woman was ultimately responsible. The centuriesold strife sporadically erupts into new bloodshed throughout the middle east today, particularly, in wartorn iraq, where the power vacuum left by the fall of. For more detailed information about the historical context of the shia sunni split, and modernday interpretations and repercussions, please visit the links below.
The split occurred soon after the death of the prophet muhammad, nearly 1,400 years ago. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. This article describes and explains the differences between sunni and shiite muslims and discusses the implications for the united states and social studies education. However, the ideas he expressed were representative of the rank and file.
However, their differences sometimes have been the basis for religious intolerance. A resource for high school educators lesson plan 2. Download as an editable word document and as a pdf. When fatimah a shia muslim stops to help abubakr a sunni muslim recover from his asthma attack, they get talking. Order code rs21745 february 23, 2004 crs report for congress. The origins of the sunnishia split in islam by hussein abdulwaheed amin, editor of introduction the shia shahadah declaration of faith states. The sunni shia split has divided islam for centuries, and now the whole situation in syria has become a proxy war for the sunni and shia muslims. The division between shia and sunni dates back to the death of the prophet muhammad, and the question of who was to.
Its a complex topic, but ill try my best to give you a quick overview of it. The middle east as net exporter of religion print page. There were nine explosions in all, 30 minutes of car bombs, suicide bombs, grenades, and mortar fire. Shia and sunni are two streams within islam that historically always have political tensions, led to the ideological conflict between shia and sunni. Shia sunni discussion new pdf documents are added on daily basis. 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. The split between the two major branches of islam sunni and shi a had its genesis in the homicide of muhammad. 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. 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. Sunni islam and shiism only assumed their current forms in the ninth century, after the collection of the prophets sayings hadith and the end of the line of shia imams. The split between the sunni and shi a traditions of islam intensified, and sufi practices became more widespread. Modern sunnishia tensions council on foreign relations.
Can i get the book after the prophet in pdf format. Shia islam, shia sunni dialogue, shia sunni dialogue pdf documents. Jul 16, 2014 new cfr infoguide explores islams sunnishia divide. What is the real first cause of the sunni and shia splitting. This article compares the similarities and differences between the two. There are also significant shiite populations in afghanistan, kuwait, lebanon, pakistan, saudi arabia, syria, and yemen. Links to primary source documents for islamic history from ancient to modern times. Part of the strain certainly goes back to the violence and betrayal associated with the seventh century split. New cfr infoguide explores islams sunnishia divide. Online media is used in the propaganda of hate the shia and sunni to divide islam carried out by individuals or group.
But what id like to suggest here, first, is that your question is not quite right. View shiite and sunni split research papers on academia. Salafism, sectarianism and the resilience of dargah culture sectarianism has in the last decade become an important lens for explaining the politics of the middle east, in particular when it comes to relations between sunni and shia. The epic story of the shia sunni split in islam by lesley hazelton is one of the. Nov 09, 2010 the majority of the worlds muslim population follows the sunni branch of islam, and approximately 10%15% of all muslims follow the shiite shiite, shia, shia branch. The sunni believe muhammad was poisoned by the jewess zaynab. Gps standard ss7gs8 the student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in southwest asia middle east. What is the difference between sunni and shiite muslims public education department 3 the oriental institute of the university of chicago. 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. List the 3 reasons why there became a division in the muslim community. The historical split occurred 1400 years ago, following. This is a longer lesson on islam, it serves as an introductory outlining the history and cultural setting before moving on to look at sunni and shia islam. Credits nominated in the learning category of the bafta childrens awards 2017. 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.
The split between the two main sects within islam goes back some 1,400 years. 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. Of the total muslim population, 10% are shia muslims and 8790% are sunni muslims. This week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. The divide of the islamic faith into sunni and shia sects, is a serious. Sunnis and shiites febe armanios analyst in middle east religions and cultures foreign affairs, defense, and trade division summary the majority of the worlds muslim popula tion follows the sunni branch of islam, and approximately 1015% of all muslims follow the shiite shiite, shia, shia. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam hazleton, lesley. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals saudi arabia and iran, could reshape the future middle east. Though the two main sects within islam, sunni and shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of islam, a bitter split. Explain the origin of the division between sunni and shia muslims. These divisions in the muslim community remain even today, though. The difference between sunni and shia sects of islam are not to the gigantic proportions as most western literature assume. The worlds longest running feud is not over kashmir or palestine or chechnya, nor is it the catholicprotestant schism. Associate professor of history at creighton university in omaha, nebraska.
An ancient religious divide is helping fuel a resurgence of conflicts in the middle east and muslim countries. What are the differences between shia and sunni muslims. Shiite populations constitute a majority in iran, iraq, bahrain, and azerbaijan. In modern times, the split has fostered battles for power and resources. Jump down to document6 the arts child policy civil justice education energy and environment health and health care international affairs national security population and aging public safety science. The sunni shia split 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 6.
Sunni and shia practice assignment matthew levine geography and world cultures s4060678 date. The split between the two major branches of islam sunni and shia stems from the homicide of muhammad. An example of an early shia sunni fitna shootout occurred in kurram, one of the tribal agencies of the northwest pakistan, where the pushtun population was split between sunnis and shia. Weve also documented the targeting and persecution of the shia majority population ruled by a sunni minority royal family in bahrain, represented by the harassment. What students need to know by john calvert april 2010 vol.
Sunni and shia laws of inheritance are different in their foundational structure as well as detailed implications, though the both are inspired from the quranic verses of inheritance. Look at each document and complete the analysis questions below. Nov 02, 2011 the split essentially occurred due to disputes over who was the rightful successor to the prophet. This essay is excerpted from his book divisions within islam, part of a 10volume. Order code rs21745 february 23, 2004 crs report for.
With the shia, a further incentive for cohesion is their status as a minority. The differences between shia and sunni muslims business insider. Using your online textbook, page 271 answer the following questions. 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. Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east. The report also relates sunni and shiite religious beliefs to discussions of terrorism and sectarian violence that may be of interest during the 111th. Mar 18, 2020 the two major powers in the middle east are saudi arabia, an arab population ruled by a sunni majority, and iran, a persian population ruled by a shia majority. Remarks of sarah leah whitson, executive director, human. One of the most crucial differences between shia and sunni muslims is the importance that the shiites give to ali, whom the sunni do not recognize as being the prophets rightful successor.
There is no god but allah, muhammad is the messenger of allah, ali is the friend of allah. 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. Prophet muhammad died in the evening of june 8, 632 a. Cite text evidence from the documents to support your answer. Apr 10, 2019 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 addition to smaller lists across the spectrum. 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. Parallels the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam epdf. It is true that there are minor variations in the way they take their respective religious heads and attribute meaning to the history of the family of muhammads, however, cultural and political differences hold the most divisive power over the religious forces.
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