Why do Sunnis Shiites and Kurds hate each other?

Answer 1

There is an incorrect assumption in the wording of the question, so be careful. Not all Sunni and Shi'a are fighting. The vast majority of Iraqis are tolerant people who have been living side-by-side for thousands of years. Intermarriage between sects is very common, especially in urban areas.

There are many factions within both the Shi'a and Sunni camps, so one must not lump them all together.

Currently there is violent fighting for control of Iraq. The Shi'a are the majority or larger sect and have gained an advantage in their present form of government ( officials elected by popular vote).

Although there has been competition for thousands of years it was the United States intervention and support of Sadaam Hussein that began the modern Iraqi Sunni-Shi'a political/power competition with control being given to Sadaam's Sunni side.

One of the historical reasons for fighting between Sunni and Shia, and Tableegh and Shia for that matter, is that one side believes the other opposes the very core of Islam, and yet claim still claim to be Islamic. Some believe they are contradictory to Islam in almost every aspect and as such, cannot be accepted as Islam. The "battle" began when sides tried to force this belief onto the Islamic community.

Prior to the U.S. occupation the larger cities in Iraq were generally well integrated and marriages between sects common. Baghdad was especially harmonious with respect to religion.

Answer 2

Sunnis and Shiites disagree on who the true successors of the Prophet Muhammad are. The Sunni believe they were the first four caliphs, and the Shiites believe that they are Muhammad's blood relatives. Also, they believe that Hazrat Ali (the forth caliph) was supposed to be the fist however, Hazrat Abubakr, Hazrat Umar Farooq and Hazrat Uthman cheated. Some Shias flagellate themselves to show the pain that Hazrat Ali was subjected to, while Sunnis believe this is bad as the Shiites killed Hazrat Ali them self.

The basic beliefs in the five pillars of Islam are the same in both the sects.

Interestingly enough, Hazrat Ali RAu, had been an active advisor of Hazrat Abu Bakr RAU, Hazrat Umar RAU, and Hazrat Usman RAU. The real Uncle of the Prophet (SAW) Hazrat Abbas had been also the assistant of the firs three ightful Caliphs. There was no problem at that time.
Shia and Sunni are not fighting. but Wahhabi Muslims are fighting both shia and sunni.

shia and sunni have mainly conflict on Imamat (leadership).

shia say Imamat is one of 5 pillars of Islam and only God can select leader for people. but sunni say Imamat is not part of Islam and leader can be selected by people by any method like shura (for example for Abubakr) or by will of previous leader for example for Omar) or by people (for example for Ali).

the conflict of shia and sunni has been always amplified by world Imperialism to prevent Islam from spreading in world.

Shia believes in Allah, prophet and all fundamentals of Islam.

Shia pray 5 times a day but usually do the 2, 3 and 4, 5 pray together and so may seem they do only 3 pray a day. there is some differences in details of pray like genuflect (for shia should be on a stone or part of earth and for sunni on carpet or floor ).

shia believe after death of prophet God selected the successive for prophet who is the political leader of Muslim community and people can not and does not the right to selected it.

shia refers to many verse of Quran like: "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority" (Quran 2:30) or "O David! We did indeed make thee a vicegerent on earth" (Quran 38:26) also other verses.

Shia believes such verses means only God can select an Islamic political leader (Caliph) and there is no mention in Quran people have the right to select leader. and shura is not allowed to be used for selecting leader and prophet himself always selected leaders of wars and other leaders by command of God.

In Shia Islam Caliphs after prophet are 12 infallible Imams who have inherited divine knowledge of prophet.

Shia Muslims do not consider selection of Abubakr as Caliph by people valid because God did not select him. They believe God ordered prophet to declare people that Ali is selected as successor of prophet and prophet did this mission many times during his prophet-hood and mainly in Ghadir event after last Hajj of his life at a 3-4 hour speech in front of 120,000 Muslims at Ghadir in hot desert after 2 days stop of long caravan for gathering and 3 days after speech for congratulations and homage of Muslims to Ali.

Islam at that time had high power in world and Some companions had high interest in leadership position after prophet. Muslims knew that it is the final Hajj of prophet (predicted by prophet) and were going along with prophet to hear what prophet says at end of his life.

Shia believes Ghadir event is the most important event of Islam and is mentioned in Koran in many verses like "Today" (اليوم) in verse 5:3 of Quran is the day of Ghadir. Or Verse 5:67: "(O Messenger! proclaim the (message) which hath been sent to thee from thy Lord. If thou didst not, thou wouldst not have fulfilled and proclaimed His mission. And Allah will defend thee from men (who mean mischief). For Allah guide not those who reject Faith)" is revealed at Ghadir day and is about declaring political and spiritual leadership of Ali S.A. after prophet.

Both Sunni and Shia Muslims accept happening of Ghadir event But different interpret. Some Sunni writers tried to reject the event of Ghadir as declare of leadership of Ali S.A. and said at Ghadir prophet only wanted to say Ali S.A. is my friend and no one should bother him.

Ali S.A. had 3 different missions to Yemen by prophet during 10 years and in 2 of them some companions of prophet had some conflicts with Ali S.A. and prophet said some sayings about Ali S.A. to solve conflicts and some sunni writers have mixed stories of missions of Ali S.A. to Yemen with story of Ghadir to prove Ghadir event is not about Leadership of Ali and is not important.

Shia scholars believe some Sunni writers who were related to Kings have changed and deviated historical evidences about political leadership of Ali S.A. in old historical books and republished them to destroy evidences of leadership of Ali from old Sunni books.

The famous Shia book Al-Ghadir (الغدير) by Allameh Amini is a collection of evidences and proofs for Ghadir Events written all from sunni historical books by referring to 100,000 Sunni books and full reading of 10,000 sunni books. Allameh Amini is a famous Shia scholar and spent 40 years of his life in traveling to access original old Sunni books in libraries in different countries to write this 20 volume book only from Sunni books and not using any Shia book. Some Sunni scholars tried to reply this book but then said if we want to reply this book we should first destroy all sunni books.

Shia doctrine have root in Battle Karbala.

When tragedy of Karbala happened most of Iranians understood there is two different interpret of Islam that both can not be true. so most of Iranians became shia and followers of "Ahl al-Bayt" and forgive their lives for them like what they did in Iranian Revolution and Iran-Iraq War.

Shia Muslims have at least 120,000 Hadith (saying) from The Fourteen Infallibles that is the base of Shia Islam along with Quran.

Shia believes according to " Hadith of the two weighty things" The Fourteen Infallible are the only valid interpreters of Quran and sayings of them are from God because they are Representative of God in earth and they have inherited divine knowledge of prophet.

Shia believes 12th of them (Imam Mahdi S.A.) is alive and because people have killed all 11 Imams before him, he is in occultation like Jesus S.A. and will rise with Jesus S.A. when people become ready and want to accept his leadership. All 11 Imams have been killed and during their life they all have been in prison or under hard control of government to not have any political activity.

They never had enough serious followers to can get political power. Among them only the sixth Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq was relatively free (for transition of power between Umayyads and Abbasids) to have only scientific activities and so only he is known in west because he established university and had students from all over the world. Westerns know him as a polymath: an astronomer, alchemist, Imam, Islamic scholar, Islamic theologian, writer, philosopher, physician, physicist and scientist. He was also the teacher of the famous chemist, Jābir ibn Hayyān (Geber), and of Abū Ḥanīfa, the founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. He never wanted be a famous man and only shared his knowledge with seekers of knowledge. Some researchers consider his teachings the root cause of renaissance.

Sunni Muslims also accept Mahdi and his worldwide leadership as Caliph of God in earth at end of world. There is a famous Hadith from prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that Mahdi at occultation is like sun behind cloud, he is hidden from people but people receive his benefits.

Shia Muslims say some faithful believers have connection with Mahdi and use his knowledge and at least 1000 persons have had connection and talk with Mahdi during his occultation but Any one having relation with Mahdi S.A. should keep it secret and does not declare it in public until death.

Shia Islam is the A branch of Muslims that believe in Imamat as one of five pillars of Islam. Imamat means that based on Quran only God has the right to select the leader and no human even prophet SAWW has such a right. Imam (political leader) has divine knowledge of prophet SAWW from God and is the only human that can lead all humans to all be in welfare and can meet God. according to shia prophet declared 12 Imams for leadership of humans after his death but for some political reasons they never could lead humans and all of them were killed or poisoned for political reasons. according to shia 12th Imam is currently alive and by will of God has a long life and guides and protects real believers all over the world but he is in occultation untill people of world really want him as their leader and do not kill him like his 11 fathers who were Imams of their own times after prophet. according to shia granted from God, Imam has the power of controlling all the universe (miracle) and can perform any miracle and has knowledge of everything ( but still there are things that only God knows). but he use this power only when is needed to protect real believers and surviev of real Islam for truth seekers.

Human has freedom and beleiving in Shia Islam or Sunni Islam is a personal choice and according to Quran no compulsion should be in religion. every human is free claim one is better but it needs reasoning and evidence based on Quran and Hadith and authentic history. when prophet Muhammad SAWW died and Ali a.s was at funeral of prophet SAWW quickly a leader was elected while prophet SAWW was not still buried. and it was start of division between supporters of Ali a.s. and supporter of elected ruler.

They just got divided on the way the successor of the prophet (after his death) should be. some of top Arab tribe bosses at Saqifeh elected Abou Bakr to be the first Caliph after prophet Muhammad (PBUH) death and other Muslims were forced and even killed (for example سعد ابن عباده Saad Ib Ebadeh) to accept this ruler. Some like Ali a.s., Salman, Abuzar, Miqdad, Bilal,... disagreed this election. they believed that the successor should be Ali a.s. because God selected him as leader and not because he is relative of prophet SAWW. However, after the election of AbouBakr, they did not fight for power and Ali a.s helped the elected Caliph for survive of real Islam and to big enemies like Roman and Persian empires can not destroy Islam using civil war of Muslims. and always declared his disagreement with this election bu did not made civil war for power. The same scenario was repeated after election of Umar as the second Caliph by will of Abubakr and Othman as the third Caliph by election in a 6 persons meeting. when Muslims killed Uthman for his corruptions Ali a.s. was then elected as the fourth Caliph by majority of Muslims while he was not interested in power.

However, Sunnis and Shiites are two Islamic schools that differ in major (pillars of Islam) and minor issues. The world Imperialists know Islam is truth and if people know this they will lost power. so they try to make wars between Muslim groups to gain control on Muslim countries and on their resources. for example they bomb a shia mosque and tell in media that sunni did it and so on. The two main groups are Sunnis and Shiites. Both groups agree upon basic Islam pillars(unless Imamat (Islamic rules for political leadership)) and believe in same and only version of Quran and follow the sunnah of same prophet (PBUH), pray to same direction (facing Kaba in Makkah or Mecca in Saudi Arabia, go to same places on pilgrimage (or Hajj), and adhere to same Islam morals and ritual worships. Thier main differ is in Imamat.shia beleives based on Quran and Islam the only one who has the right to elect the leader is God and Muslims do not have such a right in Islam.

Answer 3

Answer 1

Shia and Sunni are not fighting. but Wahhabi Muslims are fighting both shia and sunni.

Answer 2

In Iraq, the religious differences between Sunnis and Shiites (both variants of Islam in the same way that Orthodox and Catholic are variants of Christianity) are not terribly important for the purposes of understanding the current conflict. The religions function as ethnic groups. Therefore saying somebody is Shiite in Iraq is similar to how people view being Irish-American or Japanese-American in the United States. It marks you socially and it determines who your friends are, who you marry, what jobs you take, who you love, who you despise, etc. As a result, whenever conflict has broken out, each religious group comes together to defend its people's interests. This results in political and social hatred of the other religion in addition to any theological issues that are secondary.

The Shiites have been the majority population in Lower Mesopotamia for nearly 700 years but have never been in power prior to the US invasion. To keep power over them, the Sunnis repressed and tortured Shiites. The promise of democracy means that the Shiites would have power for the first time in Iraq's history and many Sunnis are scared of Shiite retribution, leading them to fight the Shiites to keep them repressed. Sunni and Shiite militants fight for the attempt to have greater control of the government after America removed Saddam and each group sought to advocate its views to the suppression of the other. As the Shiites are more numerous in Iraq, they seem to have the upper hand in determining policy.

Answer 4

Answer 1

This is not true. this is Propaganda. please study about Wahhabism.

Answer 2

It is worth noting before explaining the conflict in Iraq that the terms "Sunni" and "Shiite" should actually be "Sunni Arab" and "Shiite Arab". Whereas Sunni and Shiite are different sects of Islam, but Kurds are an ethnic group. Kurds are predominantly Sunni Muslims (although there are minorities of Shiite Kurds, especially in Iran, and non-Muslim Kurds as well) and are contrasted in Iraq with the dominant Arab ethnic population.

It is also worth noting that there is no overrarching animosity between all Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs, and Kurds, but specific political disagreements within particular countries, especially Iraq, but also in Iran and Syria. The three-way political fighting between these groups only started when the borders of Iraq were artificially drawn in 1919 to give the British access to petroleum reserves in Basra (in the Shiite-Arab-dominated south) and Mosul (in the Kurd-dominated north). Initially, there were some Kurdish independence movements in the 1920s in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, but all were brutally supressed by the national governments of those countries. As Iraq began to have a more Pro-Arab and Secularist agenda and alignment before and after World War II, the Kurds suffered more and the Shiite Arab situation did not improve from historical repression of Shiite Islam in Iraq since the 700s C.E.. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Iraqi government committed numerous atrocities against the Kurds (especially), but also against Shiite Arabs, and other religious minorities, including the Anfal Campaign (which is considered a genocide against the Kurds) as well as the Dujail Massacre against Shiite Arabs (which was the primary charge for which Saddam Hussein was hanged in 2006). This violence led to the Kurdish and Shiite Arab uprisings in late 1991, following Iraq's defeat in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Again, the government brutally supressed these uprisings.

With the US invasion and the Iraq War, the governing structure of Iraq was put into flux and the different groups (Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds) are now vying for political power. As concerns the current interaction between Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shiite Arabs in Iraq, their fundamental differences are religiosity (how religious they are), tribalism, factionalism, militarism, and historic enmities. The conflict between these groups in modern Iraq is for the most part political, economic, and social (as opposed to religious) even though religious dialogue is often used to excite combatants.

Answer 5

Answer 1

Shia and Sunni are not fighting. but Wahhabi Muslims are fighting both shia and sunni.

Answer 2

The Sunnis and Shiites have been religious rivals since the mid-600s C.E. since the First Islamic Civil War or Fitna al-Kubra. Historically, in Iraq, the Sunnis had control after the Shiites lost the First Islamic Civil War and the Shiites were repressed almost consistently for 1300 years. Kurds were largely absent from this since Kurdistan was separately administrated from the Arab-populated areas, assuming that it was even in the same empire.

In terms of the three-way political fighting between Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs, and Kurds, this only started when the borders of Iraq were artificially drawn in 1919 to give the British access to petroleum reserves in Basra (in the Shiite-Arab-dominated south) and Mosul (in the Kurd-dominated north). Initially, there were some Kurdish independence movements in the 1920s in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, but all were brutally supressed by the national governments of those countries. As Iraq began to have a more Pro-Arab and Secularist agenda and alignment before and after World War II, the Kurds suffered more and the Shiite Arab situation did not improve from historical intemperance. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Iraqi government committed numerous atrocities against the Kurds (especially), but also against Shiite Arabs, and other religious minorities, including the Anfal Campaign (which is considered a genocide against the Kurds) as well as the Dujail Massacre against Shiite Arabs (which was the primary charge for which Saddam Hussein was hanged in 2006). This violence led to the Kurdish and Shiite Arab uprisings in late 1991, following Iraq's defeat in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Again, the government brutally supressed these uprisings.

With the US invasion and the Iraq War, the governing structure of Iraq was put into flux and the different groups (Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds) are now vying for political power. As concerns the current interaction between Sunni Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shiite Arabs in Iraq, their fundamental differences are religiosity (how religious they are), tribalism, factionalism, militarism, and historic enmities. The conflict between these groups in modern Iraq is for the most part political, economic, and social (as opposed to religious) even though religious dialogue is often used to excite combatants.

Answer 6

Answer 1

Shia and Sunni are not fighting. but Wahhabi Muslims are fighting both shia and sunni.

Answer 2

The Sunnis and Shiites have been religious rivals since the mid-600s C.E. since the First Islamic Civil War or Fitna al-Kubra. Historically, in Iraq, the Sunnis had control after the Shiites lost the First Islamic Civil War and the Shiites were repressed almost consistently for 1300 years.

As Iraq began to have a more Pro-Arab and Secularist agenda and alignment before and after World War II, the Shiite Arab situation did not improve from historical intemperance. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Iraqi government committed numerous atrocities against the Shiite Arabs, Kurds, and other religious minorities, including the Anfal Campaign (which is considered a genocide against the Kurds) as well as the Dujail Massacre against Shiite Arabs (which was the primary charge for which Saddam Hussein was hanged in 2006). This violence led to the Kurdish and Shiite Arab uprisings in late 1991, following Iraq's defeat in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. The government brutally supressed these uprisings.

With the US invasion and the Iraq War, the governing structure of Iraq was put into flux and the different groups (Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds) are now vying for political power. As concerns the current interaction between Sunni Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shiite Arabs in Iraq, their fundamental differences are religiosity (how religious they are), tribalism, factionalism, militarism, and historic enmities. The conflict between these groups in modern Iraq is for the most part political, economic, and social (as opposed to religious) even though religious dialogue is often used to excite combatants.

Answer 7

The Sunnis and Shiites have been religious rivals since the mid-600s C.E. since the First Islamic Civil War or Fitna al-Kubra. Historically, in Iraq, the Sunnis had control after the Shiites lost the First Islamic Civil War and the Shiites were repressed almost consistently for 1300 years. Kurds were largely absent from this since Kurdistan was separately administrated from the Arab-populated areas, assuming that it was even in the same empire.

In terms of the three-way political fighting between Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs, and Kurds, this only started when the borders of Iraq were artificially drawn in 1919 to give the British access to petroleum reserves in Basra (in the Shiite-Arab-dominated south) and Mosul (in the Kurd-dominated north). Initially, there were some Kurdish independence movements in the 1920s in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, but all were brutally supressed by the national governments of those countries. As Iraq began to have a more Pro-Arab and Secularist agenda and alignment before and after World War II, the Kurds suffered more and the Shiite Arab situation did not improve from historical intemperance. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Iraqi government committed numerous atrocities against the Kurds (especially), but also against Shiite Arabs, and other religious minorities, including the Anfal Campaign (which is considered a genocide against the Kurds) as well as the Dujail Massacre against Shiite Arabs (which was the primary charge for which Saddam Hussein was hanged in 2006). This violence led to the Kurdish and Shiite Arab uprisings in late 1991, following Iraq's defeat in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Again, the government brutally supressed these uprisings.

With the US invasion and the Iraq War, the governing structure of Iraq was put into flux and the different groups (Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds) are now vying for political power. As concerns the current interaction between Sunni Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shiite Arabs in Iraq, their fundamental differences are religiosity (how religious they are), tribalism, factionalism, militarism, and historic enmities. The conflict between these groups in modern Iraq is for the most part political, economic, and social (as opposed to religious) even though religious dialogue is often used to excite combatants.

Answer 8

Answer 1

It's actually Shiites fighting Sunnis.

Shia's (Grouply Names: Shiites) were a sect of Muslims that diverted from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and denied 2/4 of the Khalifas or Leaders after Muhammad (SAW)

There has always been a clash between shiites and sunnis, since Shiites even existed! They both consider each other non-muslims in cases, and it seems like they are just fighting because they are different and can't accept that.

Important to remember is that, Islam didn't preach this fighting to take place. Anyone who kills an innocent person is: Kicked out of God's Mercy, Shown God's Wrath, Cursed, and doomed forever in Hell, according to Qur'an, Surah Nisa.

Sunnis are actually correct, and Shiites are incorrect. If you do some authentic research, it is that Shiites diverted from the correct teachings.

Answer 2

If you read Answer 1, it is incredibly obvious why a number Sunnis are fighting Shiites; they see their doctrines as incorrect and, therefore, require suppression. Of course, a number of Shiites feel the same way and, as a result, you have conflict which does not require outside interference.

Sunni Repression of Shiites

Many of the historic Sunni Muslim Empires actively repressed and persecuted Shiite Muslims. The seminal event beginning this persecution was when Yazid I of the Umayyad Caliphate ordered the execution of Imam Hussein and a large remnant of the Ahl al-Bayt (Prophet Mohammed's family). At this point in time, the Shiites were a political faction supporting Ahl al-Bayt over the Umayyad Caliphs. The murder of Hussein began to transform the identity of the Shiites and plays a central role in their beliefs. The Umayyad Army followed through with this. Additionally the Umayyad government wanted to create a Sunni Arab aristocracy and therefore applied the jiyza tax not only to Jews and Christians, but to Mawali (non-Arab Muslims) and the Shiite Muslims, regardless of whether they were Arab or Mawali. Shiite Muslims were also banned from most government positions under the Umayyads. Finally, the Umayyads continued to seek out the Shiite Infallible Imams, torture them and murder them.

Shiite Muslims joined arms with the Sunni Abbassids in 750 CE who promised a better situation for the Shiite Muslims, but they were later deceived. The Abbassid Caliphs continued the Umayyad trend of torturing and murdering the Shiite Infallible Imams, but extended this as well to Shiite leadership (Mullahs and Faqihs). Shiite Mosques were destroyed and worshipers during Ashura processions were murdered. Shiite Muslims and their property were also periodically attacked as scapegoats for Abbassid military problems, such as the Byzantine offensive in 971 CE. The Abbassid Caliphs also provided financial support to those Faqihs (Islamic Jurists), especially from the Hanbali School, that would propagate anti-Shiite attitudes.

The Ottoman Empire saw the Shiites under its purview incorrectly as a fifth column for its rival in Persia, the Safavid Empire, which was a Shiite Islamic State. To prevent Shiite Muslims from becoming a critical mass in the country, the Ottomans massacred large numbers of Shiites, especially the Turkish Alevis, the Syrian Alawites, and many Lebanese Shiite Muslims (mostly Twelvers).

Currently, there is government-level repression of Shiite Islam in several countries, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In both of these countries, the Shiite population (66% and 15% respectively) are actively banned from government positions, have many sectors of the economy closed to them, and have minimal say even in their own protection. In Saudi Arabia, Wahhabis have issued fatwas against Shiite Muslims, written textbooks slandering their faith, actively banned Ashura and other Shiite festivals, and in some cases prevented the creation of Shiite burial grounds. In other countries, such as Indonesia and Pakistan, violent Radical Sunni-Affiliated Groups terrorize portions of the Shiite population and the government takes no action to protect the Shiite Muslims. Finally, there are a number of Muslim countries like Malaysia, where Shiite Muslims are on good-footing with Sunni Muslims but are prohibited from open proselytization.

Shiite repression of Sunnis

However, the Shiites have also persecuted Sunnis under their watch. The first major attack of Shiites against Sunni leadership was in the final days of the Fatimid Caliphate when Fatimid rulers created the Assassins who took down many notable Sunni leaders such as Grand Vizier Nizam ul-Mulk of Baghdad, Mohammed Ghori, the Atabegs Maudud and Zengi of Mosul. The Assassins even targeted Saladin the Ayyubite, but were unsuccessful.

The Persian Safavids fought several wars against neighboring Sunnis in Samarqand to the North and the Ottomans to the West. Ismail I (the first Safavid) adopted Twelver Shiite Islam and began to persecute the Sunnis in Iran. This reduced their community to a small minority in the Persian heartland. He destroyed numerous Sunni mosques and grave sites as well as mandating curses against the first three Rightly-Guided Caliphs. He also imprisoned and killed large populations of Sunnis for their beliefs and compelled conversion to Shiite Islam through violence. The Safavids also spread this form of Sunni oppression through conquest Azerbaijan and of southern Iraq and imposing conversion to Shiite Islam there as well.

There are also current examples of repression of Sunnis by Shiites. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Shiite repression of Sunnis has become dominant again in Iran. Sunni Iranian Cleric Abu Muntasir Al-Baloushi has said that the government of Iran (because of its repressive practices towards Sunnis) is a greater threat to Islam than even Israel. In Iraq, Shiites and Sunni militants fight for the attempt to have greater control of the government after America removed Saddam and each group sought to advocate its views to the suppression of the other. As the Shiites are more numerous in Iraq, they seem to have the upper hand in determining policy. In Syria,the current civil war is between a secular Shiite-led government and the majority Sunni population of Syria which has historically been denied the same accessibility to jobs, healthcare, and living-standards.

Answer 9

The Sunni and Shiites are not fighting. It is only the hardliners on both sides who do so. The Sunnis and the Shiites have the same basic beliefs.