Splits in Islam

Islam, like other religions, is not a unified religion. In the Middle East there are Sunni and Shiite Muslims. They have a shared belief that Mohammad is the messenger and prophet of Allah (God), but there is disagreement over who should have succeeded him as Caliph or leader of Muslims. Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Mohammad was recognised as Caliph in Iraq and Persia (now Iran) whilst the Muslim rulers in Syria chose a different leader. Those who followed Ali, that is those in Iran and southern Iraq, became known as Shia or Shiite Muslims; those who followed Syria’s lead (the vast majority) became known as Sunni Muslims.

You will see how this divide becomes an integral part of the events that unfolded in the Gulf from the 1950s onwards. Saddam Hussein was born a Sunni Muslim in Iraq, a country in which Shiite Muslims formed the overwhelming majority, some 60% (and as Kurds also constituted 20% of the population it meant that the ruling Sunni’s themselves only constituted 20%).

And in 1957 Saddam’s uncle inspired him to join the Baath Party most of whom were Sunni Muslims. Almost all key government posts, as well as those in the armed forces, were held by Sunnis. When he became Iraq’s leader, Saddam had to deal with the Shiites (as well as the Kurds) who would never be reconciled to his Sunni regime and so had to be suppressed.

The significance of the split between Sunnis and Shiites becomes clear when we look at the causes of the bitter Iran-Iraq war that lasted from 1980 to 1988 as, without Saddam Hussein in power in Iraq, a Sunni in a country in which the majority are Shiites, and a Shiite Islamic Revolution in Iran, it is very unlikely that we would have a war to explain. And it is also important to note that most of the Arab states, but notably the Sunni rulers, supported Iraq. They were concerned that, should Iran win, the ‘Khomeini revolution’ would spread. An Iraqi regime loyal to Khomeini would be established, and the Shiite minorities in their own countries would be encouraged to rise up against them.

What is more, during the war, Ayatollah Khomeini, who regarded Saddam’s regime with contempt, had called on Shiite Iraqis to rise up, overthrow him and introduce a second Islamic republic. In 1979-80 there were anti-Baath riots in Shiite areas of Iraq. Shiite militants even began to assassinate leading Baath politicians and officials. Saddam turned on the majority Shiite population and between 1980 and 1981 some 200,000 Shiites, many of whom were successful businessmen but whose loyalty was questioned simply because they were Shiite, were deported to Iran, their businesses duly handed over to trusted government supporters. And with the war with Iran over, and with Shiite revolts breaking out in a number of cities, Saddam responded with even greater ruthlessness. The Republican Guard stormed the rebel strongholds carrying out arrests and summary executions. Women and children were shot on sight, others were roped to the front of tanks as human shields.

Then, during the First Gulf War, George H.W. Bush, the American president, called on the Shiites in the south (as well as the Kurds in the north) to rise up against Saddam. They did, but lacked arms and received no support from the Americans. Up to 50,000 Shiites were killed in the south as Saddam exacted revenge.

So, we can see that the split in Islam between Shias and Shiites had profound effects on the events that unfolded and on the populations of the Gulf states.