Shiaphobia

Shiaphobia or Anti-Shi'ism (Arabic: شِيْعَةُ فُوبِيَا) is hatred of Shia Muslims or prejudice against them.[1][2]

Shia Muslims make up somewhere between 15-20% of Muslims worldwide.[3] Shortly after Muhammad's death, Sunni Islam and Shia Islam split because they disagreed on what type of person that could become a caliph: a top Muslim leader. Shias believe the leader should be related to the Prophet Muhammad.[4] Sunnis, however, believe the leader should be chosen for his ability to lead the community.[4]

Journalists have noted that Shia and Sunni people lived together peacefully for centuries and even intermarried,[5] but political upheaval has sparked new conflict between the two groups.[6] Vali Nasr, an Iranian-American author and professor, has suggested that modern anti-Shi'ism violence is just a part of the overall conflict in the region, particularly due to the collapse of authoritarian rule in the region.[7]

Shiaphobia Media

References

  1. Anti-Shi'ismShia Rights Watch. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  2. Kedourie, Elie. Anti-Shi'ism in Iraq under the Monarchy. Middle Eastern Studies 24 (2) (April 1988). p. 249–253. doi:10.1080/00263208808700740.
  3. Muslimpopulation.pdf. Pew Research Center.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mike Schuster. The Origins Of The Shiite-Sunni Split (12 February 2007)NPR. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  5. Peter Beaumont. Conflict in the Middle East is about more than just religion. The Guardian (8 June 2013). Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  6. Alyssa Fetini. Understanding the Sunni-Shi'ite Divide (16 September 2009)Time Inc.. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  7. Nasr, Vali 2006. The Shia revival: how conflicts within Islam will shape the future. W.W. Norton, pp. 52-53. ISBN 978-0-393-06211-3