Shi'a Muslims in The Arab World

Shi'a Muslims In The Arab World

Islam is historically divided into two major sects: Sunni and Shī‘a Islam each having their own sub-sects. Large number of Shī‘a Arab Muslims live in some Arab countries including Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE and Qatar. Shī‘a Muslims are a numerical majority in Iraq and Bahrain and make up a plurality in Lebanon. Smaller Shī‘a groups are present in Egypt and Jordan. Despite the heavy presence of Shī‘a Muslims in some Arab countries, particularly amongst the population of the Persian Gulf Arab countries, they have been treated poorly throughout history. Additionally in recent times, Shī‘a Muslims alongside with Kurds have faced genocide by the pan-Arabist regime of Saddam Hussein. For both historical and political reasons, the Shī‘a have fared rather poorly in much of the Arab world, and the topic of Shi‘ism and Shī‘a groups are among the most sensitive issues for the Sunni elite. This article discusses both the history of Shī‘a Islam in the Arab world from the dawn of Islam and their current situation in the Arabic speaking world.