Why Sunni-Shia conflict is worsening

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By Geneive Abdo

Funerals for Hezbollah fighters killed in Syria while fighting against the Syrian rebels. Over 150 Hezbollah fighters  have reportedly been killed while fighting in support of the Syrian regime of president Bashar al Assad
Funerals for Hezbollah fighters killed in Syria while fighting against the mostly Sunni Syrian rebels. Over 150 Hezbollah fighters have reportedly been killed while fighting in support of the Syrian regime of president Bashar al Assad

When the influential cleric Yusuf al Qaradawi recently called on fellow Sunni Muslims to join the rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, he effectively called for the Sunni-Shia conflict in the Middle East to escalate in some countries and start anew in others.

Qaradawi said he was not demonizing all Shia Muslims — but that is precisely the effect of his inflammatory words. He denounced al-Assad’s Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam, as “more infidel than Christians and Jews.” signaling a broader demonization of all Shia. He also said the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah (whose name means “the party of God”) is really “the party of the devil.”

“How could 100 million Shia (worldwide) defeat 1.7 billion (Sunnis)?” Qaradawi asked, speaking May 31 in Doha, Qatar, about the two largest Muslim sects. “Only because they (Sunni) are weak,” he said, attempting to inspire the Sunnis to go to Syria to fight against al-Assad and prove their strength.

“I call on Muslims everywhere to help their brothers be victorious,” Qaradawi said in his sermon. “Everyone who has the ability and has training to kill … is required to go” to Syria. “We cannot ask our brothers to be killed while we watch.”

Such provocative statements are classic Qaradawi, whoin 2008 warned of the “Shiitization” of the Middle East. But as a clever operative, he knows this time his statements could escalate the conflict in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

Qaradawi’s rhetoric could also embolden the Sunni majority in Saudi Arabia and the Shia majority in Bahrain, where the Sunni royal family is fighting a Shia-led uprising. In addition, his statements could add legitimacy to the alarm in Egypt, where Sunnis fear a possible, though improbable, infiltration of Shia Islam from Iran.

shia sunni mapQaradawi, who is a controversial figure in the West but has millions of Sunni followers, timed his remarks on the heels of a speech a week earlier by Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader. Nasrallah acknowledged what had been an open secret — that Hezbollah fighters are in Syria battling the Sunni opposition and supporting the al-Assad regime.

Like Qaradawi, Nasrallah said his condemnation of the Sunnis did not apply to all — just those fighting al-Assad — but he too aimed to escalate the sectarian animosity that has already begun to grip the Muslim world.

What is striking about the statements by Nasrallah and Qaradawi, and their timing, is that the other open secret — a deepening sectarian conflict spreading throughout the region — has now been publicly acknowledged.

In the past, both men attempted to talk in fake pleasantries about the other sect. Nasrallah claimed Hezbollah was fighting the “resistance” (the war against Israel) for all Muslims, and Qaradawi spoke of closing the divide between Shia and Sunni. On May 31, Qaradawi reiterated this message in his Doha speech and explained why he has had a change of heart.

“I kept calling for years (for efforts) to bridge the gap between sects, and traveled to Iran during the era of former President Mohammad Khatami (but) these fanatics (in Iran) and hard-liners want to disempower the Sunnis. They deceived me and deceived many others like me by saying that they, too, want to bridge the differences,” Qaradawi said.

It is entirely possible that escalation of the sectarian conflict will lead to a profound remapping of some Arab states. This is already a likely possibility in Syria. If a negotiated settlement is not reached between al-Assad’s government and the opposition, al-Assad and his minority Alawites could partition the country by forming their own enclave, apart from the Sunni majority.

In Iraq, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al Maliki is trying to sustain and consolidate Shia dominance by excluding the Sunni from important institutions and labeling them terrorists. More broadly, the country is witnessing a return of Shia-Sunni clashes at the societal level — some of the largest since 2006. Even before the Syrian civil war began, sectarian conflict was a major outcome of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

In the tug of war between the Shia and Sunni, Nasrallah’s power is likely to diminish while that of Qaradawi is likely to rise. Once a leader who had support among the Sunni for defeating Israel in a battle in 2006, Nasrallah, in fighting for Assad, has transformed himself and his movement into a strictly Shia paramilitary force engaged in a war with an uncertain outcome.

Qaradawi, however, is riding a wave of Sunni triumphalism in the region and his sectarian rhetoric is likely to bolster the Sunni ascendancy, no matter what happens in Syria.

Both men’s words leave little hope for reconciliation between Shia and Sunni, and instead serve as an open invitation for increased sectarian warfare — now more likely than ever to be the most significant outcome of the recent Arab uprisings.

*Geneive Abdo, a fellow at the Stimson Center and a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, is the author of “The New Sectarianism: The Arab Uprisings and the Rebirth of the Shi’a-Sunni Divide.”

First published by CNN

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60 responses to “Why Sunni-Shia conflict is worsening”

  1. dateam Avatar

    I totally disagree with this author….The game of shia sunni has always been and will always be played this way….these 2 sects will never learn not to be played with….we had the iran iraq war that went for 8 years to stir this up and now we have the syrian conflict…was this conflict not a fight for democracy? Why has it been turned into this? How do they summise that this has become sectarian? The hzb has just recently entered this conflict…why can one side enter it and another not? These 2 sects sects need to realise that unless they wake up to themselves we are looking at another 8 years at least of conflict.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yes. I think you’re looking at longer than that …. especially if you’re looking for a democracy.
      Democracy flies in the face of the religion, and the moderation of thought into a modern concept of government does not sit well with most of the hardliners, no matter which sect. Mix in the political moves to determine who’s going to be Supremely Supreme (the Pope of Muslims? 😉 , and you can imagine the angst between the sects … but they generally will ‘push the book’ first.
      A millennia, perhaps?
      Unless ‘the people’ decide they have had enough and simply ignore the ‘tops’, it goes on.

      1. dateam Avatar

        Syria was never about religion…it was about freedom and expression…now they have turned it into this….look at turkey their demonstrating because they think erdogan is a fundamentalist….I dont buy into the msm and the fundamentalist clerics of the gcc that claim hzb has made it sectarian….they made it sectarian long before the hzb got involved….I mean think about it..If qusar was a christian,druze or jewish village and it was bordering the same way would those sects of not helped? The only difference is that hzb can help militarily…have a look people are started to come back to their homes…i saw an interview with a lady that said her house was gone but they will pitch a tent until they can rebuild it…..And lets not be naive to think that christians and druze did not do what they could to protect their own as well.Further have you noticed how our army has been freed up now to act in the north? The takfiris route in and out of lebanon has been blocked now.

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Yah dateam .. that part is good … citizens in the underground parking in Tripoli are waiting for the silence they have not had in years … the past 3 weeks have been hell for sure. If the LAF pulls it off it will be the best thing that ever happened to the long-ignored city. Generally, ‘the people’ don’t want that ‘fundamentalist’ crap from ANY religion any more. They want to live. But it needs a common will to do that. Some have been trying to lead ‘peace-parades’, but there are still too many who FEAR to be in THOSE as well … and they can thank the fundamentalists for that too. The weekly ‘Sermons’ still go on.

        2. vasile grasu Avatar
          vasile grasu

          the war in Syria was also about the failing of the regime to secure a decent live and meals for the exploding population of that country..They had draught,ok,but the main problem was the economical incapacity of the regime..

  2. dateam Avatar

    I totally disagree with this author….The game of shia sunni has always been and will always be played this way….these 2 sects will never learn not to be played with….we had the iran iraq war that went for 8 years to stir this up and now we have the syrian conflict…was this conflict not a fight for democracy? Why has it been turned into this? How do they summise that this has become sectarian? The hzb has just recently entered this conflict…why can one side enter it and another not? These 2 sects sects need to realise that unless they wake up to themselves we are looking at another 8 years at least of conflict.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yes. I think you’re looking at longer than that …. especially if you’re looking for a democracy.
      Democracy flies in the face of the religion, and the moderation of thought into a modern concept of government does not sit well with most of the hardliners, no matter which sect. Mix in the political moves to determine who’s going to be Supremely Supreme (the Pope of Muslims? 😉 , and you can imagine the angst between the sects … but they generally will ‘push the book’ first.
      A millennia, perhaps?

      1. dateam Avatar

        Syria was never about religion…it was about freedom and expression…now they have turned it into this….look at turkey their demonstrating because they think erdogan is a fundamentalist….I dont buy into the msm and the fundamentalist clerics of the gcc that claim hzb has made it sectarian….they made it sectarian long before the hzb got involved….I mean think about it..If qusar was a christian,druze or jewish village and it was bordering the same way would those sects of not helped? The only difference is that hzb can help militarily…have a look people are started to come back to their homes…i saw an interview with a lady that said her house was gone but they will pitch a tent until they can rebuild it…..And lets not be naive to think that christians and druze did not do what they could to protect their own as well.Further have you noticed how our army has been freed up now to act in the north? The takfiris route in and out of lebanon has been blocked now.

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Yah dateam .. that part is good … citizens in the underground parking in Tripoli are waiting for the silence they have not had in years … the past 3 weeks have been hell for sure. If the LAF pulls it off it will be the best thing that ever happened to the long-ignored city. Generally, ‘the people’ don’t want that ‘fundamentalist’ crap from ANY religion any more. They want to live. But it needs a common will to do that. Some have been trying to lead ‘peace-parades’, but there are still too many who FEAR to be in THOSE as well … and they can thank the fundamentalists for that too. The weekly ‘Sermons’ still go on.

        2. vasile grasu Avatar
          vasile grasu

          the war in Syria was also about the failing of the regime to secure a decent live and meals for the exploding population of that country..They had draught,ok,but the main problem was the economical incapacity of the regime..

  3. the problem the middle east has, is that the GCC is allied with NATO and zionism, ‘the alliance of filth’.

    the problem sunni Muslims have is believing the “mufti’s” under the payroll of the GCC, telling them the enemies of Islam are shias! while praising their own munafiqeen rulers of the GCC.

    the “true Muslims” who have control of the GCC and Egypt have now done everything they can to first cut off Palestine from any kind of meaningful assistance and have proceeded to destroy any Arab country with significant military capabilities.

    the GCC keeps “lowering” the offer for “peace” with zionism with the most recent abandoning the Palestinian refugees!

    the ‘wall’ constructed around the ‘west bank’ is not only a prison cell but will soon be the official ‘borders’ of the fake Palestinian state that the GCC will sign with “israel”.

    keep pushing your sectarian agenda, the losers are the people of the middle east, sunni and shia who will ALL find themselves living in a “new middle east” created by NATO and their masters, zionism.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I take it you never liked Jews …. definitely not the Zionist ones, it seems. And now you don’t like what everyone calls ‘the west’. And you don’t like the sect named Sunni – because maybe it’s not so sunny – but you can’t like the Shiite ones because they just beat heads in.
      You must be one of the Christian Palestinians. Disenfranchised by simply ALL of them.
      Sorry 4 U. But let me tell you about a wonderful elixir that can help – not Arak. 😉

      1. *Yawn*
        no wonder the middle east is in chaos… only rants, never facts.

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Fact. Glenfiddich is #1.
          (why did he think that was a ‘rant’ ?? … hmmm)

          1. …and a drunk too. makes sense.

          2. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            The only way to get past the illogic of the ‘religious’. And that’s a fact too.

  4. Wissam Kolailat Avatar
    Wissam Kolailat

    he asked how can 100 million shia beat 1.7 billion sunnis .. that idiot …well how can 6 million isrealis do the same .. its called sticking together you muslim idiot …no wonder muslims are moving backwards in this world …

    1. vasile grasu Avatar
      vasile grasu

      the numbers are of some importance,yes,but I bet if shia stick together,they will survive the storm..

  5. Wissam Kolailat Avatar
    Wissam Kolailat

    he asked how can 100 million shia beat 1.7 billion sunnis .. that idiot …well how can 6 million isrealis do the same .. its called sticking together you muslim idiot …no wonder muslims are moving backwards in this world …i use my own name to post … i dont hide

    1. vasile grasu Avatar
      vasile grasu

      the numbers are of some importance,yes,but I bet if shia stick together,they will survive the storm..

  6. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Why is the sunni-shia conflict worsening ? Simple: because this is the fate of this umma: self-destruction. Whenever given a bit of freedom / democracy: Killing becomes the name of the game, because they were taught by their prophet to eliminate the other (in the name of God) who opposes them or believes in something different. A people whose intention is to eliminate others will eventually eliminate itself: What goes around comes around. Islam’s mission in this world is to eliminate all other beliefs, but also eliminate the different sects within Islam. Only the devil causes killing, wars, kidnapping, confusion, hate, discrimination, ignorance, fear, and consequently poverty, sickness, misery and death. Anything holy from GOD causes instant peace, serenity, healthy mind and body, assurance, tranquility and eventually knowledge, wealth and abundance. You muslims do not see that ???? Are you still blind ? Mohammad was not and cannot be a prophet from GOD. He forced himself on a bunch of ignorants in the desert and formed an army and imposed his “supposed” religion on other tribes and countries, period nothing more. Until muslims wake up and realize that this man was anything but holy, the killing, the wars and instability will continue among muslim societies. Just look how islam’s prophet lived: His behaviour is the biggest proof that he cannot be from GOD. And let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear and those who can read understand.

    1. vasile grasu Avatar
      vasile grasu

      i bet here the budhist are the masters..peace within,peace outside..

      1. with religion or without religion, people will kill each others.That is human nature.

        1. You are correct Zabada, but also religion just like winning the lottery amplifies peoples behavior and reveals what they are prone to do, some it is a humbelilng experience due to constantly falling short and being disappointed in themselves , others get superiority euphoric self righteousness and condecending toward all others they dont consider followers.

        2. But with religion, we have more excuses to kill each other.

    2. We Muslims are fools. However, this does not remove the fact that the biggest initiators of genocide and illegal wars are Zionist Jews and whites.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        But does that mean you must do what they wish?? For an irritation, you prefer war??

  7. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Why is the sunni-shia conflict worsening ? Simple: because this is the fate of this umma: self-destruction. Whenever given a bit of freedom / democracy: Killing becomes the name of the game, because they were taught by their prophet to eliminate the other (in the name of God) who opposes them or believes in something different. A people whose intention is to eliminate others will eventually eliminate itself: What goes around comes around. Islam’s mission in this world is to eliminate all other beliefs, but also eliminate the different sects within Islam. Only the devil causes killing, wars, kidnapping, confusion, hate, discrimination, ignorance, fear, and consequently poverty, sickness, misery and death. Anything holy from GOD causes instant peace, serenity, healthy mind and body, assurance, tranquility and eventually knowledge, wealth and abundance. You muslims do not see that ???? Are you still blind ? Mohammad was not and cannot be a prophet from GOD. He forced himself on a bunch of ignorants in the desert and formed an army and imposed his “supposed” religion on other tribes and countries, period nothing more. Until muslims wake up and realize that this man was anything but holy, the killing, the wars and instability will continue among muslim societies. Just look how islam’s prophet lived: His behaviour is the biggest proof that he cannot be from GOD. And let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear and those who can read understand.

    1. vasile grasu Avatar
      vasile grasu

      i bet here the budhist are the masters..peace within,peace outside..

      1. with religion or without religion, people will kill each others.That is human nature.

        1. You are correct Zabada, but also religion just like winning the lottery amplifies peoples behavior and reveals what they are prone to do, some it is a humbelilng experience due to constantly falling short and being disappointed in themselves , others get superiority euphoric self righteousness and condecending toward all others they dont consider followers.

    2. We Muslims are fools. However, this does not remove the fact that the biggest initiators of genocide and illegal wars are Zionist Jews and whites.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        But does that mean you must do what they wish?? For an irritation, you prefer war??

  8. vasile grasu Avatar
    vasile grasu

    The sunni extremists are using religion as a political weapon ! they know that the internal ennemy is more dangerous than the external!And the shia are “the internal ennemy”.. one can mobilize the masses easy when one says that” islam is endangered” by shia kufr..they (salafis)are incapable to accept a divers islam!The sign that they are politically ripe were the acceptance of the minority!!Not as a danger,but as a facette of the juwel!I am not convinse that shias think otherwise,I bet rather in the same terms,but taking account they are fewer.. Qaradawi is speaking nonsense: shia counts between 15-20% of the islamic world! 220 milions, with 1100 millions sunni! and they are almost equal in numbers with the sunnis in the heart of the islamic world!

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I heard last time it was 10%. But there you go … no written history. :-)))

      1. Shia muslims are at least 350 milion in all over the world. 70 milion in Iran 22 milion in Iraq 10 milion In Afganistan 40 milion in Pakistan 45 milion in Kashmir Jamu and Inida, Bangladish 10 milion in Indonesia and malaysia 15 milion in yemen and Saudi Arabia 20 milion in Turkey 10 milion in Syria and Lebanon. 5 milion in Egept and Libya 25 milion in Other african countries 10 milion in Azerbaijan 10 milion in Ghafghaz and Daghestan Russia 10 milion in Tajikistan Uzbekistan and Turkministan 10 milion in China ( specially in west of China Khotan … ) 30 milion are also in Eurpe 10 milion are in America and Austraila oceans

  9. vasile grasu Avatar
    vasile grasu

    The sunni extremists are using religion as a political weapon ! they know that the internal ennemy is more dangerous than the external!And the shia are “the internal ennemy”.. one can mobilize the masses easy when one says that” islam is endangered” by shia kufr..they (salafis)are incapable to accept a divers islam!The sign that they are politically ripe were the acceptance of the minority!!Not as a danger,but as a facette of the juwel!I am not convinse that shias think otherwise,I bet rather in the same terms,but taking account they are fewer.. Qaradawi is speaking nonsense: shia counts between 15-20% of the islamic world! 220 milions, with 1100 millions sunni! and they are almost equal in numbers with the sunnis in the heart of the islamic world!

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I heard last time it was 10%. But there you go … no written history. :-)))

      1. Shia muslims are at least 350 milion in all over the world. 70 milion in Iran 22 milion in Iraq 10 milion In Afganistan 40 milion in Pakistan 45 milion in Kashmir Jamu and Inida, Bangladish 10 milion in Indonesia and malaysia 15 milion in yemen and Saudi Arabia 20 milion in Turkey 10 milion in Syria and Lebanon. 5 milion in Egept and Libya 25 milion in Other african countries 10 milion in Azerbaijan 10 milion in Ghafghaz and Daghestan Russia 10 milion in Tajikistan Uzbekistan and Turkministan 10 milion in China ( specially in west of China Khotan … ) 30 milion are also in Eurpe 10 milion are in America and Austraila oceans

  10. I am a Sunni Muslim and am totally on the side of Shia Muslims. We Muslims must have lost our minds to join the divisions our enemies have set up for us. The differences between Shia and Sunni Muslims are totally irrelevant because we have a common enemy. We Sunni Muslims should love Shia Muslims who are battling against Zionism/America/NATO. Long live Iran and down with the treacherous ‘white women’ following oil-sheikhs of Saudi Arabia.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Oh .. now it’s the women again. Tsk. Are they not equal too?? Even if being your cows??
      You lost your minds around 1400 when Shiites decided that there should be ‘No Logic’ … Forever … and you began fighting for what was left of it.
      By now, it’s buried under the sand and concrete dust … your thoughts on women show it.

    2. Genius Junis, what would happen if Zionism/America/NATO are gone by tomorrow? would shia and sunni romance one another forever and ever? wake up and take some responsibility for the divisions and atrocities like the mosque bombing in tripoli last friday. I dont think I ever heard of a jew blowing up a synagogue, and by the way I looooove white women too,and brunettes, and blondes and red heads too.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        and after a ‘Junis’ , a scotch …
        YeUx is calling from a minaret … I’m having 2.

    3. master09 Avatar

      You don’t like white women with long legs and blonde hair at least they get paid for it.
      The Arab muslim women I have been with vertical way want to do the same as the whites but they have to do it in hiding playing behind the husband and boyfriend.

    4. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I’m wondering if we miss-read this one a little … maybe should have written:
      ‘Down with treacherous Oil-Sheiks who follow white women’.
      Is that what you meant to say?
      Not: ‘treacherous ‘white women following Sheiks.’ ??? Clarity is needed sometimes …

      Although, there’s still a shot at women there … somewhat … inference that the women allow it.

  11. I am a Sunni Muslim and am totally on the side of Shia Muslims. We Muslims must have lost our minds to join the divisions our enemies have set up for us. The differences between Shia and Sunni Muslims are totally irrelevant because we have a common enemy. We Sunni Muslims should love Shia Muslims who are battling against Zionism/America/NATO. Long live Iran and down with the treacherous ‘white women’ following oil-sheikhs of Saudi Arabia.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Oh .. now it’s the women again. Tsk. Are they not equal too?? Even if being your cows??
      You lost your minds around 1400 when Shiites decided that there should be ‘No Logic’ … Forever … and you began fighting for what was left of it.
      By now, it’s buried under the sand and concrete dust … your thoughts on women show it.

    2. Genius Junis, what would happen if Zionism/America/NATO are gone by tomorrow? would shia and sunni romance one another forever and ever? wake up and take some responsibility for the divisions and atrocities like the mosque bombing in tripoli last friday. I dont think I ever heard of a jew blowing up a synagogue, and by the way I looooove white women too,and brunettes, and blondes and red heads too.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        and after a ‘Junis’ , a scotch …

    3. master09 Avatar

      You don’t like white women with long legs and blonde hair at least they get paid for it.
      The Arab muslim women I have been with vertical way want to do the same as the whites but they have to do it in hiding playing behind the husband and boyfriend.

    4. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I’m wondering if we miss-read this one a little … maybe should have written:
      ‘Down with treacherous Oil-Sheiks who follow white women’.
      Is that what you meant to say?
      Not: ‘treacherous ‘white women following Sheiks.’ ??? Clarity is needed sometimes …

      Although, there’s still a shot at women there … somewhat … inference that the women allow it.

  12. This is great! Let em kill each other. It’s not like we really need their oil anymore. We’re just a proxy for Europe and they, as usual, are kicking back and watching. Let Europe, China, and Russia deal with the crazy religious zealots, we’ll buy our oil from Canada and Mexico and when this crazy, inept, leftist president is gone and we can drill again, we’ll get our oil from us.

  13. This is great! Let em kill each other. It’s not like we really need their oil anymore. We’re just a proxy for Europe and they, as usual, are kicking back and watching. Let Europe, China, and Russia deal with the crazy religious zealots, we’ll buy our oil from Canada and Mexico and when this crazy, inept, leftist president is gone and we can drill again, we’ll get our oil from us.

  14. Note to the NSA, if they’re listening, Blow it out your a##!

  15. Note to the NSA, if they’re listening, Blow it out your a##!

  16. C´mon that map says India is Sunni? They are not even muslims (majority)

    1. arzatna1 Avatar
      arzatna1

      I think the map is telling us where Sunnis and Shiites are and does not take into consideration the other non Muslim religions in the area.
      As you probably know India has as many Muslims as Pakistan ( about 180 million each ) which is more than Iran, Egypt and the Arab Gulf states combined , even though the Muslims in India are considered a minority

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