Tension Between Sunnis And Shias

The split in Islam; Sunnis and Shias

One of the most confusing and longest split in modern religion is the divide amongst the Islamic faith between the Sunni’s and Shias. The split originated after the death of Prophet Muhammad the founder of Islam, soon after his death disputes arise in attempted to figure out who should be next to lead the Muslim community. Despite the two groups lasting sense of division and Islamic tension, they still manage to co-exist and share certain practices, Sunnis rule most Islamic countries, Islamic tension worsens bringing rise to militant groups and the tension between the two groups is affecting society.

The last prophet Muhammad believed by many followers of the Islamic faith is linked to the rise of Islam.

Since Muhammad did not have a son, there was no one to automatically inherit Muhammad’s authority. Debate over who should be the leader of the Islamic faith caused separation amongst Muhammad’s followers. Some followers believed that succession should derive from Muhammad’s bloodline (Shias) while the other group argue that the individual who quality most for the position should be selected as the successor (Sunnis). The Sunnis won the argument, with more than 80% of Islam’s followers believing that succession should be determined based on

The tension between the majority of Sunnis and Shias is what’s keeping ISIS strong and that is why they aimed to keep exploiting the relationship between the two groups. The only way to over throw or weaken ISIS is for the Sunnis and Shias to come together as one and fight ISIS instead of fearing them.

From time to time Shias the minority group, have been brutally attacked. In 1514 an ottoman ordered over 40,000 Shias to be massacred. Around the 15th and 19th century some Indian emperors have executed several Shias Scholars and destroyed their sacred sites. In modern time, outsiders have exploited the division of the groups by using Sunnis to suppress Shias. The two groups fear each other, therefore as one group feels more threaten, the other reacts harder in response.

Despite the tension, many Sunnis and Shias refuse to allow their differences to divide, nor bring hostility between them. According to Halpern “despite the conflict, every Friday over the past few weeks Shiites and Sunnis in Iraqi cities have come together in major squares throughout the country….they have gathered united, as one voice, in protest over the current divisive situation. The slogans they are shouting and the placards they are raising call out “Sectarianism is dead” and “Stop Stealing from us in the Name of