Islam: Sunnis and Shiites

Abstract

The majority of the world's Muslim population follows the Sunni branch of Islam, and approximately 10-15% of all Muslims follow the Shiite (Shi'ite, Shi'a, Shia) branch. Shiite populations constitute a majority in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Azerbaijan. There are also significant Shiite populations in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen. Sunnis and Shiites share most basic religious tenets. However, their differences sometimes have been the basis for religious intolerance, political infighting, and sectarian violence. This report includes a historical background of the Sunni-Shiite split and discusses the differences in religious beliefs and practices between and within each Islamic sect as well as their similarities. The report also relates Sunni and Shiite religious beliefs to discussions of terrorism and sectarian violence that may be of interest during the 111th Congress. Also see CRS Report RS21695, The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya, by Christopher M. Blanchard.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 28, 2009
Accession Number
ADA494842

Entities

People

  • Christopher M. Blanchard

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan
  • Africa
  • Arabia
  • Central Asia
  • Communities
  • Congress
  • East Africa
  • Law
  • Leadership
  • Middle East
  • Pakistan
  • Religion
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sectarian Violence
  • South Asia
  • Terrorism
  • Violence

Readers

  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.