Shiites and Sunnis

Analytical Essay # 116195

Religion and Theology > Islam

Shiites and Sunnis

An analysis of the conflict between the Shiite and Sunni sects of Islam.

1,146 words () | 3 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains the differences in religious beliefs between the Shiites and Sunnis and discusses how, in Iraq, Shiites were oppressed during the reign of Saddam Hussein. The paper relates that Iran and the Taliban practiced conflicting forms of Islam while many also blame the presence of American troops for the violent conflict between the two sects. The paper shows how what may have started out as a more religious conflict between the Shiites and the Sunnis is now more of a political conflict and an identity problem, which is the source of much tension in countries like Iran and Iraq.

From the Paper:

"The majority of the world's Muslim's are Sunnis making up roughly 85 percent; the rest of the Muslim's are called Shiites - making up approximately15 percent of Muslims. The numbers and percentages are the easiest factor to understand about the Sunnis and Shiites; the rest of their story is more complex. Some of the questions that people often wonder are: which group lives where, what and why are there differences between them, and why does it create a conflict? "The five pillars of Islam - daily prayer; fasting during Ramadan; alms giving; the pilgrimage to Mecca; and belief in one, unitary god - are at the core of both faiths" (Murphy 2007). The difference between the two could be compared to that of Catholics and Protestants; they both have the same basic beliefs, for example: they all believe in their holy text - the Koran - just as Catholics and Protestants both believe in and follow the Bible, and they believe that the prophet Mohammed will be resurrected at the end of the world and he will make final judgment."

Sample of Sources Used:

Gray, Helen T. "What divides Sunnis, Shiites?" The Seattle Times. 2007, March 3. Retrieved on December 15, 2008 from, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003598639_sunnishiite03.html
Murphy, Dan. "Islam's Sunni-Shiite split". The Christian Science Monitor. 2007, January 17. Retrieved on December 15, 2008 from, http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0117/p25s01-wome.html (Quotes from Petzen inside of this article).
Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem. Challenges to Religions and Islam. Sarup & Sons. 2007.