[Sunni Shiia Conflict]

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Many thanks to my family, friends, colleagues and my instructor as without their support and guidance, this project would not have been completed.

DECLARATION

I declare that this project shows my own work developed by a thorough analysis of the secondary research and primary research study. Moreover, this study has not been published before.

ABSTRACT

The study deals with understanding the origin social, political and the economic nature of the Sunni-Shiia divide. This divide has had a historical connation which has observed rivalry and hostility from both the grouse for each other on the political and social level. It is important to understand how this conflict ahs shaped up the socio political arena of the Middle East and how it has impacted the international world. The research has used secondary research method in the form of collecting the relevant online articles, books and other publications. This study is significant for the political, religious and the social groups since over the years the Sunni- Shiia relations have been categorized as being both conflicting and cooperating depending on the situation and the intensity of the relationship between the two groups.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT2

DECLARATION3

ABSTRACT4

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION6

Background: Ancient Origins of the Split6

Research Purpose7

Significance of the Study7

Aim of the Study8

Execution of the Study and Research Design8

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria8

CHAPTER 2: CONFLICT WITHIN THE PAST DECADE10

Other Sects and Sub Sects11

Twelvers11

Ismaili12

Zaydism12

Kharijites13

CHAPTER 3: RISE TO THE INTER POLITICAL CIRCLE OF THE ARAB COUNTRIES14

CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS OF THE CASE STUDIES15

Case Study 1: Fall of Saddam Hussein and Shiia Power15

Case Study 2: Lebanon and the Hizbullah/ Iranian Issue16

Case 3: Syrian Issue17

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION18

BIBLIOGRAPHY20

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background: Ancient Origins of the Split

The Shiite Muslims owe their name to the expression Ali (faction of Ali), often abbreviated simply as Shia. Muslims were divided into Sunni and Shiia following the murder perpetrated by the Umayyad forces against Husain, son of Ali Abi Talib, which took place in 680 at Karbala, in Iraq, which has become the second holy place for the shiias after Kaaba.

Shiites differ from the Sunnis on the question of leadership (Imamate) of the Islamic community (Umma), since they consider it only entitled to the rule of the family of the Prophet Muhammad (Ahl al-Bayt), while for any Sunni religious person, faithful medium capacity is not necessarily a descendant of the Prophet, although preferably belonging to his tribe, the Quraysh can lead to a full-fledged Islamic government.

Over time, the Shiites by Sunnis also differed on some legal institutions. Some Shiia scholars would think that by the Qur'an collected at the time of Caliph 'Uthman b' Affan expunged certain passages and a whole sura (the Surat al-wilaya, or "chapter of the Lieutenant") attesting the appointment of Ali to succeed Muhammad and favoured by Muhammad. This statement is utterly rejected by the current Shiites insist instead that in Shi'ism nobody would can imagine the incompleteness of the sacred text of Islam.

In the Shiite world, after the death of Imam Ja'far (all are direct descendants of Imam Ali, the grandson and son of ...