!!Sunni-Shia

• What is the primary sectarian conflict discussed in the study material?

  The Sunni-Shia divide
• How is the Sunni-Shia divide affecting countries like Iraq and Syria?

  It is threatening to fracture these countries due to entrenched sectarian conflict.
• Which two regional rivals are exploiting the tensions between Sunnis and Shias?

  Saudi Arabia and Iran
• What historical event is contributing to the resurgence of conflicts in the Middle East?

  The ancient religious divide between Sunnis and Shias.
• What percentage of the world's Muslims are Sunni?

  Approximately 85 percent
• What is the significance of the killing of Husayn for Shia identity?

  It is rooted in victimhood and a long history of marginalization.
• Who was elected as the first caliph after Mohammed's death?

  Abu Bakr
• What does the term "Shia" derive from?

  It comes from "shi’atu Ali," meaning "partisans of Ali."
• How did the Umayyad dynasty affect Shia beliefs?

  Shias rejected the authority of the Umayyad rulers.
• What event in 680 is significant for Shia Muslims?

  The killing of Husayn and his companions in Karbala.
• What is the term used for the Shia belief in the twelfth Imam's return?

  Occultation
• What is the role of ayatollahs in Shia Islam?

  They are experienced scholars with wide interpretative authority.
• Which dynasty established Shia Islam as the state religion in Persia?

  The Safavid dynasty
• What was the impact of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979?

  It allowed Shia cleric Ayatollah Khomeini to implement his vision for an Islamic government.
• How did Saudi Arabia respond to the transformation of Iran into a Shia power?

  It accelerated the propagation of Wahhabism.
• What is the main difference in authority between Sunnis and Shias?

  Shias have a hierarchical structure with ayatollahs, while Sunnis rely on the Quran and traditions.
• What are the four schools of Sunni jurisprudence?

  Hanafi, Shafii, Maliki, and Hanbali
• What has historically sparked violence between Sunnis and Shias?

  Clerics or political leaders directing sectarian attacks.
• How do Sunni and Shia militant groups differ in their definitions of jihad?

  They use anti-imperialist, anti-Zionist, and anti-American frameworks rather than sectarian terms.
• What are the main tenets of Islam that both Sunnis and Shias agree upon?

  • Belief in one God
  • Mohammed as his messenger
  • Daily prayers
  • Giving to the poor
  • Fasting during Ramadan
  • Pilgrimage to Mecca
• What are the key differences between Sunni and Shia interpretations of Islamic law?

  • Authority: Shias follow ayatollahs; Sunnis follow the Quran and traditions.
  • Jurisprudence: Shia Islam has a more hierarchical structure.
  • Legal schools: Sunnis have four main schools of jurisprudence.
• What historical events have shaped the Sunni-Shia divide?

  1. Succession debate after Mohammed's death
  2. Assassination of Ali and Husayn
  3. Establishment of the Safavid dynasty
  4. Iranian Islamic Revolution
• What is the term associated with clerical rulers in Tehran?

  Ayatollah
• What does the title "ayatollah" signify?

  It is a title for a distinguished religious leader known as a marja.
• Who is Iran's supreme leader?

  Ali Khamenei
• How are maraji elevated in Shia Islam?

  They are elevated through the religious schools in Qom, Najaf, and Karbala.
• Where can Shias choose their maraji from?

  From holy cities in Iraq and Iran.
• How do Shias and Sunnis differ in their sources of authority?

  Shias emulate a marja for religious affairs, while Sunnis base authority on the Quran and traditions of Mohammed.
• What are the four schools of Sunni jurisprudence?

  Hanafi, Shafii, Maliki, and Hanbali.
• What movements did the Hanbali school spawn?

  The Wahhabi and Salafi movements in Saudi Arabia.
• What is the broad umbrella term for non-Shia Islam?

  Sunnism
• How has violence between Islam's sects historically been characterized?

  It has been rare, often directed by clerics or political leaders.
• Which two prominent terrorist groups are mentioned?

  Sunni al-Qaeda and Shia Hezbollah.
• How do al-Qaeda and Hezbollah define their movements?

  They favor anti-imperialist, anti-Zionist, and anti-American frameworks.
• What is a key difference between Hezbollah and al-Qaeda?

  Hezbollah has a political wing and participates in elections, while al-Qaeda does not.
• What shift occurred in the focus of attacks by extremist groups?

  They shifted from the West and Israel to attacking other Muslims.
• What role did conflict and chaos play in sectarian identity in Iraq?


  They contributed to a reversion to basic sectarian identity.
• Who employed Sunni rhetoric to resist Shia power in Iraq?

  Remnants of Hussein’s Ba’athist regime and militants who became the Islamic State.
• What did Abu Musab al-Zarqawi aim to achieve with anti-Shia fatwas?

  He aimed to spark a civil war and force the Shia majority to capitulate.
• Who is Iraq’s foremost Shia religious authority?

  Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.