SUNNI vs. SHIITE

WHAT CAUSED THE SPLIT?

• Muhammad, Islam’s founder, died in 632 A.D.

-did not name a successor

• Muslims couldn’t agree

how to choose new Caliph-Muhammad’s bloodline only?

-or, Muhammad’s closest

advisors / friends too?

SUNNI & SHIITE• Shiites

-those who supported

Muhammad’s blood

relatives only

• Sunnis-those who supported

any top Muslim leader

THE SPLIT• Sunni & Shiites met

on the battlefield

-Sunnis won

• Shiites still refused

to accept Sunni Caliphs

-appointed own leaders

(Imams)

AFTER THE SPLIT• Sunnis controlled

the Caliphate & most

Muslim countries

-became dominate sect

-90% of world’s Muslims

are Sunni

• Sunnis spread prejudice

& oppressed Shiites

-treated them as 2nd class citizens

IRAQ• Britain & France

created Iraq (1918) -Shiite (60%), Sunni (20%)

-but, put Sunnis in charge

-Shiites faced discrimination

• Saddam Hussein took

power (1979 – 2003) -increased Shiite oppression

-murdered Shiites (300,000+)

POST-SADDAM HUSSEIN

• USA enforced open

elections for Iraq’s

new gov’t. (2005)

• Shiites took control of Iraq

- “payback” time

-have excluded Sunnis from

all positions of power

-some Sunnis murdered

SUNNI RESPONSE IN IRAQ• Demand more

power in gov’t.

• Sunni terrorism groups

began bombing campaigns -bombed Shiites’ most

holy mosque

-in return, Shiite militias

have kidnapped, tortured,

& murdered Sunnis

IRAQ TODAY

• Sunni & Shiite extremist

(terrorist) groups carry

out attacks

• On Verge of Civil War -Sunni & Shia are fighting

for control of Iraq’s gov’t.

(power!)

TERRORIST GROUPS

• Sunni -Al – Qaeda

-Fatah

-Hamas

• Shiite -Hezbollah