I had no idea the Shia and Sunni split initially stemmed from political differences

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/553031,CST-EDT-Muslim12.article

FACTS ABOUT MUSLIMS

* Shia and Sunni Muslims share the most fundamental Islamic beliefs, but there are minor differences in the way they practice.

* The Shia and Sunni split initially stemmed from political differences after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 A.D.

* Sunni Muslims believe that the prophet's successor should have been elected. This is what was done, and Muhammad's close friend and adviser, Abu Bakr, became Islam's first Caliph.

* Shia or Shiites strongly feel that the Muslim leader following Muhammad's death should have been chosen within the prophet's family. This group, called "Shia," Arabic for the "party," had wanted Muhammad's cousin/son-in-law Ali to be the first Caliph.

[MonkeyFunk]

1. Yup

I read this book recently, which gave a really nice history of the of Islam:

http://www.amazon.com/No-god-but-God-Evolution/dp/0812971892/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3527300-4280167?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189628638&sr=8-1

[BOSSHOG]

2. According to that brilliant conservative mind bill krystol

who like every other conservative pundit knows everything about everything, Sunni and Shia are best buddies and its just "pop Psychology" that they don't get along, perpetrated by liberals who hate America. bill by the way has never done anything for his country choosing not to serve in the military even though he apparently grew into an expert of everything military.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended for educational purposes.

Thanks for the thread NNNOLHI.

[harun]

4. There is way more difference between a Catholic and an Evangelical

Christian than there is between a Sunni and Shia Muslim.

The difference today is still primarily political. There are things Shia do in their practice that Sunni's do not agree with but we don't take the stance that they cannot do such a thing, just that we don't agree with it.

[JerseygirlCT]

6. I agree. And the differences DO continue to be political

In much of the Sunni-dominated Middle East, the Shia are not only in the minority, but the poor and the downtrodden. It's often been a dangerous situation, ready to flame up.

So you've got Shia-dominated Iran (not Arab, either) trying to be a power, lined up against the Sunni-dominated Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, with not only Sunnis but scary, very fundamentalist Sunnis. These are the people who brought the world Al Qaeda.

Iraq has a majority Shia population, but SH held that in check for years as a Sunni (sort of, when convenient).

I think it's largely political, and about political grudges that go back centuries now. Underclasses vs. Overlords, haves vs. have-nots. The usual story, really.

[harun]

9. You have it right, it is a lot about class as well

Take Sadr's militia, it is primarily the downtrodden and poor of Baghdad slums.

I think the U.S. being in Iraq is politically advantageous to Maliki and they will continue to use the occupation for political and geographic gains. With the U.S. gone from Iraq it will force the parties to reconcile and come up with real agreements. It isn't perfect but we are so far from being able to achieve normalcy there now that we just need to come up with the best we can do.

[JerseygirlCT]

14. Why do I suspect that our presence will continue until it's safe

enough for the US oil companies to move back in while they privatize the Iraqi oil industry?

[hedgehog]

5. I had the notion that one group reveres its past leaders so much the

other group accuses them of being idolaters.

[harun]

11. Sunnis view the Shia's not so much as idolaters but

polytheists. They will pray to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_ibn_Abi_Talib">Ali and have shrines where they pray to people (or saints). Sunni's don't do that, they only pray to God.

[napi21]

7. Yes, I read about their differences quite some time ago when

we first began talking aobut Shrub not understanding how strong the different cultures are in the ME. i think we can actually compare their strong emotions to our emotions about the radical RWers. They really believe we are wrong and evil, and we feel the same about them...and NEITHER SIDE will budge!

[Disturbed]

8. Pappists & Protestants have slaughtered each other for

centuries. Were their reasons to do so really stupid?

[napi21]

13. Yes they were! People with religious differences rarely are willing

to consider the opinions of their opposition. The different sects were much more violent many years ago, and it seems those in the ME are still functioning in those ways of the past. That of course is no surprise. They HATE the "modern Western Ideas" and truely believe those ideas and actions have destroyed the world. That's the main reason they don't want any of us in their land!

[cgrindley]

10. You used the wrong word there... religious disputes resulting in death

are always caused by "stupid" differences.

[Lucinda]

12. Yep...looooong term differences as mentioned above

and I've talked with people that have heard the facts, and still look at Muslims as a unified "they" against "us" - mind boggling.

Saddam wasnt killing his own people just for the fun of it...