Sunni Groups Research Articles

Muslim Political Dynamics Post-Tahkim: A Case Study of the Shiffin War

The Shiffin War, a battle that took place between the Ali bin Abi Talib group and the Mu'awiyah, was a war whose negative impact was felt by Muslims. In fact, in the view of historians, it has resulted in divisions among large groups of Muslims. Although it ended with him which was intended as an attempt to arbitrate between Muslims who were in conflict, it turned out that the effort just stared at the dissatisfaction between them, so three religious-political groups emerged that are still suspected to exist today as a continuation of the phenomenon of division at that time. The rise of Shi'a, Khawarij, and Sunni groups is understood by historians as the impact of the war. Because the awareness of ukhuwah among Muslims has not yet flourished, the division is still felt and there are no significant enough signs to subside, let alone leading to the awakening of ukhuwah consciousness which is marked by the desire to build a dialogue that is built with awareness to bridge the rift that occurs among Muslims, especially from their leaders. Especially for interest groups who see that the tension between Muslims will give them political benefits. In fact, with the right spirit of ukhuwwah, the problem of division between Muslims can be solved.

Peran Biro Kesra Sekretariat Daerah Provinsi Jawa Timur dalam Pemberian Bantuan Sosial Jaminan Hidup Tahap Akhir Bagi Eks. Korban Konflik Sosial Sampang Tahun 2023

The social conflict between the Syiah and Sunni groups in Sampang Regency, East Java due to differences in understanding has caused social risks for the Shia Group in the form of discrimination which led to rejection, requiring them to leave their homes and take refuge in the Jemundo Flat in Sidoarjo Regency. As stated in the East Java Governor Regulation No. 44 of 2021 which also discusses social assistance, the East Java Provincial Welfare Bureau participated in handling social risks due to the conflict that occurred by providing social assistance in the form of life insurance in cash for the victims. However, there are discrepancies in its implementation, namely related to the period of providing social assistance that exceeds the grace period for conflict. This study aims to determine the role of the Kesra Bureau in providing social assistance in the form of a final stage of life insurance at the end of October 2023 for Ex-Sampang Social Conflict Victims in 2023. This research is descriptive qualitative using the Miles and Huberman analysis method. Primary data used was obtained through observation, documentation and interviews as well as secondary data through related journals and websites. The research locus is located at the Bureau of Welfare of the Regional Secretariat of East Java Province. The results showed that the Welfare Bureau had carried out the provision of social assistance in the form of life insurance in the final stage on October 30, 2023 at the Jemundo Flat, Sidoarjo Regency. This indicates that the Welfare Bureau with the help of relevant stakeholders has carried out its role in providing late-stage social assistance according to the criteria for providing social assistance as in Governor Regulation No. 44 of 2021 Article 30, namely meeting the requirements of beneficiaries, selective, temporary and not continuous, except in certain circumstances it can be sustainable, and adjusted to the intended use.

CONCEPTUAL PARADIGM OF MUHAMMAD HUSAIN THABATHABA'I’S SYAFA’AT (Tafsir al-Mizan Study on al-Baqarah Verse)

This research focused on the views and interpretations of Muhammad Husain Thabahaba'i regarding Syafa'at in his commentary, al-Mizan Fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. Discussion of Syafa'at has debating between Sunni and Shi'a groups. One of the debates conveyed in the form of interpretation of the Qur'an or interpretation of the Qur'an. The interpretation of verses regarding Syafa'at was influenced by ideological interests, such as Sunni and Shi'a interests. That is, the Sunni group has a style of interpretation that is different from the Shia group regarding Syafa'at, the giver of Syafa'at, and the form of Syafa'at in the Qur'an. This research departs from anxiety related to differences of opinion regarding Syafa'at from the two groups. In interpreting the verse regarding Syafa'at, the Shi'a group cites some of the narrations of the Shi'a scholars who have an ideology that is contradictory to other Islamic streams, in this case, such as the Sunni sect. This research looked for term on the work of Tafsir al-Mizan Fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. This study used a thematic approach (Maudhu'i) with a descriptive-analytical method. This study found two major conclusions. First, Tabataba'i understood Syafa'at in the sense of obtaining benefits and keeping harm away. Thabathabai divided Syafa'at into two contexts, namely Syafa'at in worldly life, namely an advantage or harm caused by natural causes, such as hunger and thirst, heat or cold, and others and Syafa'at in life in the hereafter, namely the cause of the last thing that will be given by God, such as help, reward, and others. As for the Thabataba'i Syafa'at giving group, they divided it into two types, namely Syafa'at givers in the life of the world and Syafa'at givers in the hereafter. Second, in interpreting QS. al-Baqarah: 48, 123, and 254, Tabataba'i understood it as a rejection of giving Syafa'at absolutely to Jews. Meanwhile, in interpreting QS. al-Baqarah: 255. Tabataba'i was understood that the giver of Syafa'at is absolutely given by Allah SWT and by groups who get permission or are pleased by Allah, such as the Prophet Muhammad SAW and the Shia Imams.

Deconstructing the Fable of Inclusive National Identity in Pakistan Account of Dwindling Kalasha Indigenous Identity in Chitral Authors

Ideological and Cultural identities are commonly observed as a few of the integral facets of human societal identity variables, but in Pakistan, ideological alterations are oftentimes equated as binary to the commonly shared notion of Islamic identity. The animistic ideological identity of the Kalasha community in Chitral holds a global prominence and recognition that dates back to centuries, but in recent decades their indigenous identity and norms have been under a consistent spell of exclusivist identity projection, leaving their distinctive identity norms and animistic cultural values at the peril of hovering extinction. The study initially builds on the ongoing religiously influenced national identity formation in Pakistan aiming further to highlight the systematic causes of the Kalasha community's endangered indigenous identity decline, using the lens of Identity Subordination theory’. The paper aims to unveil how exclusive identity formation through incentivized stratagems is being perpetuated against the community by the dominant religious Sunni (Clerical) group. The paper finally proposes the need for the adoption and implementation of inclusive attitudes and actions, along with much-needed measures both at the grassroots and state level for combatting the ethno-terrorism carried out against the Kalasha identity and indigenous culture.

Muhammad Husain Tabataba'i and Tafsir Al-Mizan:

This research is focused on the views and interpretations of Muhammad Husain Thabahaba'i regarding intercession in his commentary, al-Mizan Fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. Discussion of intercession is a debate between Sunni and Shia groups. One of these debates is conveyed in the form of interpretation of the Koran or interpretation of the Koran. Interpretation of verses regarding intercession is influenced by ideological interests, such as Sunni and Shia interests. This means that the Sunni group has a different interpretation from the Shia group regarding intercession, the intercessor, the form of intercession in the Qur'an. This research is a library (Library Research) with the research object focused on Tafsir al-Mizan Fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. This study uses a thematic approach (Maudlu'i), the analytical method used is descriptive-analytical. This study found two major conclusions. First, Tabataba'i understands syafa'at in the sense of obtaining benefits and to keep harm away. As for the group of intercessors, Tabataba'i divides them into two: (a) intercessors in the life of the world and (b) intercessors in the hereafter. Second, in interpreting QS. al-Baqarah: 48, 123, and 254, Tabataba'i understands it as a rejection of giving absolute intercession to the Jews. Meanwhile, in interpreting QS. al-Baqarah: 255. Tabataba'i understands that intercessors are absolutely given by Allah SWT and by groups who get permission or are pleased from Allah, such as the Prophet Muhammad SAW and the Shia Imams.

Exploring the Role of Hate Speech in Anti-Religious Discourse in Pakistan

Introduction: Religious extremism poses a significant threat to global communication, with sectarian divisions in Pakistan intensifying during the Muharram holiday. This surge in sectarian hate speech on social media, especially between Shia and Sunni groups, highlightsthe need for understanding its demographic influences. Methodology: This study employs the Uses and Gratification theory to explore the relationship between user demographics and the dissemination of hate speech on social media. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was distributed to 200 Facebook users to assess the impact of gender, education level, and socioeconomic status on hate speech directed at particular groups. Results/Findings: The findings indicate that sectarian hate speech is disseminated by individuals from various sects, with a significant correlation between religious affiliation and the spread of hate speech. Higher educational attainment and socioeconomic status were found to influence the likelihood of sharing hostile content, with financially stable and well-educated individuals sharing less. Future Direction: Future research should focus on the role of online discussions in mitigating hate speech and fostering respectful communication. Promoting education, financial stability, and constructive dialogue can contribute to a more positive online environment

Ideological Rapprochement of the Islamic Revolution and the Muslim Brotherhood

The creation of the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt in 1928, and the success of the Shiite Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, led by the Khomeini movement, are important events in the twentieth century for the Muslim world and the Middle East. The role of these two movements is clear and important in all the historical events that have taken place in the Middle East over the past 60 years. The two movements have converged in some ideology since the 1950s, despite the existence of a Sunni-Shiite conflict 1,300 years ago. In this article, we will try to answer the question of why there are strong relations between the Sunni movement and the Shiite movement by telling about the historical events between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Khomeini revolution in Iran, using an analytical approach to the events that took place in the Middle East that united these two movements, such as the Khomeini Revolution of 1979 The Iranian-Iraqi War of 1980-1988, the Palestinian crisis and the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. We will also clarify the relationship between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Turkish-Qatari-Iranian triangle. The article explains the long-standing relations between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Iranian revolution, and focuses on the continuation of these relations to the present, which has influenced the situation in the Arab region, especially in the Arab Republic of Egypt. This article proves the relationship between this group and Iran, even though Iran is a Shiite state and the Brotherhood is a Sunni group. The emphasis was placed on the fact that these relations had a great negative role on the events in Egypt after the Egyptian revolution of 2011, as well as on the form of relations in the Persian Gulf region with the union of Iran, Turkey and the State of Qatar.

Effects of Family and Social Group Reactions to Intermarriage Decisions in Turkey

The present study aims to understand the phenomenon of intermarriage between Alevi and Sunni groups in Turkey through reactions of the family, relatives, and social environment toward such marriage decisions, along with the effects of these reactions on the marriage and the effects of intermarriage on spouses’ relations with third parties. To this end, in-depth interviews conducted with 43 Alevi-Sunni intermarried spouses were subjected to content analysis. This analysis showed that the reactions of parents, relatives, and friends were generally positive, in line with previous research on intermarriages. Apart from focusing on the challenges faced by intermarried spouses, the study adopted a positive framework regarding intermarriage by considering the processes and coping strategies ensuring success in such relationships. Focusing on these relational processes is thought to encourage further studies on managing intercultural differences and similarities in intermarriage.

Iran in the Wake of Mahsa Amini’s Death

Demonstrations and violence in Iran have continued for the last three months. After Mahsa Amini’s death, the protests against the compulsory headscarf rule soon turned into demonstrations in which Sunni groups, especially the Kurds and the Balochs, came to the fore. This situation has led to a high number of deaths. The demonstrations in the capital Tehran, mostly supported by the middle-upper class, did not receive great support despite the discomfort of the broad masses. Instead, they turned into protests by university students, generally led by elite segments such as artists and athletes. When the Persian media and opposition activists abroad came to the fore, the reformist segment in the country was largely silent. Different political groups turned the events into a power-sharing ground for post-Khamenei politics. However, the fact that the events have entered their third month and the state has not yet resorted to its traditional iron-fist method raises questions. In the same period, the tension in Iran’s relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Republic of Azerbaijan reveals the transitivity and interaction between domestic and foreign policies.

Review: Women, Islam, and the Abbasid Identity, by Nadia Maria El Cheikh

Review: <i>Women, Islam, and the Abbasid Identity</i>, by Nadia Maria El Cheikh

Sunni and Shia Muslim and Christian encounters in northern Nigeria

AbstractThis article analyses how the circulation of ideas and hybrid rituals between Shia Muslims and Christians reveals a much more intentional political process whereby minority religious groups consciously create shared experiences and a sense of commonality in the face of political marginalization in northern Nigeria. One example is the Shia invention of Jesus’s Mawlid (Jesus’s birthday), which they perform in a different way from the conventional Christmas but that is attended by some Christians. Also, some Christians participate in the annual celebration of Mawlid al-Nabiy (the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday), organized by Shias. Despite the adherents of the two religions participating in mixed religious practices, they continue to see themselves separately as Muslims and Christians. Reactions to these hybrid rituals impact relationships among the mainline Sunni groups. Sufis (Tijanis and Qadiris), who were previously united in the face of the anti-Sufi reform movement (Izala), now diverge over how to respond to Shia Islam. While they disagree with Shias intellectually, not everyone supports the attacks against Shias by Salafi activists. These dynamics add to the understanding that the concept of ‘tolerance’ is not sophisticated enough to capture all forms of religious coexistence in Nigeria.

Majority religious politics: The struggle for religious rights of minorities in Sampang, Madura

The strength of the discrimination against the Shiites in several places, especially in East Java, cannot be separated from the legitimacy given to the Tajul Muluk-led Shia heretical sect by the East Java MUI. One of the factors causing this discrimination is the difference in the perception of interests and the unequal quality of authority. In the case of Shia discrimination, certain positions in society delegate power and authority to other positions. This condition resulted in inequality in the status of Shiites as citizens’ rights and social subordination of the dominant group to other groups. This research was library research, where the researcher used data collection techniques with critical discourse analysis. In this study, the researcher interpreted the finding through literature, books, documents, and various digital and print reports related to Shia discrimination. In this study, the researcher found that the theological justification of the Sunni group is often used to discriminate against Shia. However, the basis of this problem is a conflict of political interest, where some groups are afraid of being dominated by others groups. Therefore, the researcher offered intrafaith dialogue to promote humanity by letting go of various political interests, as offered by Abu Nimer.

Muslim Marriages in Accra, Ghana: A Perspective on Minority/Majority Relations, Gender, and Social Mobility

Muslims in Ghana form a significant minority of nearly eighteen percent of the total population of over twenty-five million people. Out of this number exists a small minority of Shi’i Muslims among the dominant Sunni group. This article considers marriage practices between the minority Shi’i and majority Sunni groups with relevance to gender and social mobility. Relying on field data gathered between 2014 and 2020 through interviews, informal conversations as well as the usage of an informant, the article demonstrates how the minority situates itself in relation to the majority group with respect to marriage as a social practice. The article argues that the minority negotiates its space within the context of the majority with respect to continuing and sustaining some traditions while placing some other practices into a contextual perspective. Furthermore, the article contends that mobility takes place in the lives of both men and women; however, Muslim men have some advantage over Muslim women.

Sectarian Identity and Mobilization Amongst the Druze: How Do Sectarian Minorities Respond to Religious Terrorism?

ABSTRACT Taking its point of departure in the sectarian dynamics in the Middle East, namely the Sunni–Shiʿa schism that is taking the largest share in the current debates, this article studies sectarian identity and religious terrorism against the Druze minority during Syria’s sect-coded civil war. It argues that while religion can act as a mobilizational tool and marker of group solidarity amongst Druze as well as amongst Sunni and Shiʿa, the Druze did not instrumentalize sectarian identity to implement their geopolitical agenda. Rather, for far too long the Druze used sectarian identity as a defense mechanism to unite against violent motifs and actions by the sectarian “other.” The latter, for our purposes, happens to be Sunni jihadist groups such as Daesh (The Islamic State or ISIS) and Jabhat al-Nusra (JAN). Further, Druze is not a tabshiri sect. Put it another way, it is a sectarian minority that prevents conversions. Therefore, for the Druze, sectarian identity had always been a marker of group solidarity only. This article brings to the fore the response of sectarian minorities to religious terrorism following the Arab Uprisings era, and stresses that sectarian mobilization has parallel means but not always similar ends.

Barriers of Intercultural Communication in the Sunni-Shi'a Conflict in Madura

Until now, the Sunni-Shia conflict in Sampang, Madura has not been fully resolved. Therefore, with a communication science approach, this study will analyze the problems and barriers to intercultural communication that occurs between Sunni and Shia groups, causing eternal conflict. This research was conducted in two places, namely in Karanggayam Village, Omben District, Blu'uran Village, Karang Penang District, Madura, and in Rusunawa Puspa Agro, Sidoarjo. The research method used is the phenomenology of Edmun Husserl. The selection of the phenomenological method was based on the need for research data, namely exploring the experience of intercultural communication of each informant involved in the conflict. The results of the study stated that the barriers to intercultural communication that occur are due to the struggle for social status between Sunni and Shia religious leaders, the low culture of the Madurese community in communicating in the form of firmness in communication, the view of the life of the surrounding community based on syncretism, differences in standards of good or bad values ​​between groups, and perceptions negative relations between groups in the form of prejudice, stereotypes, and ethnocentrism that lead to insincerity in communication. Barriers to Intercultural Communication in the Sunni-Shia conflict in Madura.

Postcolonial Conflictual Nationalism causing Gender Violence in Pakistan and Srilanka analyzed through Fatima Bhutto and Nayomi Munaweera’s Select Fictions

Nationalism, although a celebrated ideology, is observed as suffocating and detrimental to feminist individuality in certain regions of post liberated Pakistan and Sri Lanka wherein aggravated sectarian and ethnic conflicts have led to gender-based violence which has demolished feminine sexual purity forever. Since independence, both nations have undergone national crises as Sri Lankan citizens lived in trepidation for almost a decade because of the Sinhala-Tamil dispute whereas minority Shias and other deviant sects of Pakistan live in a constant threat of violence from radicalized and orthodox religious nationalist groups. The self-proclaimed nationalist Sunni and Sinhala groups peculiarly target women who apart from their role as reproducers and nurturers, participated equally in the anti-colonial liberation struggle only to be rewarded with ethnic and sectarian violence conflated with gender violence. The research article aims to present a literary exploration of Shia and Tamil women’s grievances and resistance through Fatima Bhutoo &amp; Nayomi Munaweera’s select fictional works and highlights the postcolonial political privileging of masculinity through nationalist ideologies and strategies which, despite structuring a brave new world of equality, attempts to silence women forever. At this point, the fundamental flaw of nationalism i.e. creating rife based on inequalities of ethnicity, race, culture, religion, and gender divisions within a nation becomes evident which not only conspires to push women back from their struggle for equal gender rights but also deprives them of social acceptance forever.

Conflict Dynamics in Post-2003 Iraq: A Security Dilemma Perspective

A decade and a half since the U.S. invasion, Iraq remains affected by complicated and increasingly changing uncertainties. Intrastate division and lack of social stability are expressed in ethnic and sectarian hostilities. In view of different reasons, 16 years after establishing the new Iraq, this paper asks: why has Iraq been marked by instability, transformation, and inability to maintain stability and peace? This paper explains the ethno-sectarian interactions in Iraq with the help of the theory of security dilemma and explores the derailment of Iraq's transformation process and the beginning of a new period of confrontation from a security dilemma viewpoint. The findings suggest that the security dilemma and ethno-sectarian conflict are further intensified by Kurdish, Shiite, and Sunni groups attempting to assess the threats posed not only by enemy militias but also by the presence of all groups in close proximity.

Karakteristik dan Metodologi Tafsir Al-Mizan Al-Thabathaba’i

Tafsir is a science that is very important for Muslims to learn when they want to know the meaning of the contents of the Koran verses. The product that is produced when interpreting the Koran is called the tafsir book. As for the person who interprets the Koran, it is called Mufassir. One of the Shi'i descent mufassirs named Muhammad Husain Thabathaba'i, or known as Thabathaba'i is the book Tafsir Al-Mizan Fi Tafsir Al-Qur'an or abbreviated as Tafsir Al-Mizan. He compiled this interpretation based on the request of his students at the University when he taught to collect the materials he had introduced into a book of commentaries. This interpretation uses the tahlili method with the bil ra'yi interpretation approach and is characterized by theology or philosophy. It can be said that this interpretation tends to be fanatical towards the Shi'a group even though Tabataba'i himself compared it with the Sunni group. This interpretation is also known by using the Quran's method, namely interpreting a verse of the Koran with another verse of the Koran. He believes that verses are related to one another. This interpretation is worthy of being used as a reference for readers compared to other commentary books.

Konflik Sunni-Syi’ah di Indonesia Kontemporer: Polarisasi, Diskriminasi dan Kekerasan Agama

Abstract: This study examines the conflict between Sunni groups and Syi'ah groups in post-New Order Indonesia. Many studies have revealed the problem of religious sectarianism conflict between the two. Some argue that conflict is triggered by differences in religious identity and theology. Others see economic and political aspects as the main factors triggering religious conflict and violence. Starting from the case of the Sunni-Syi'ah conflict in Jambesari Village (Bondowoso), this study finds an interesting finding that the conflict occurred due to sharpening religious polarization and contestation. At the same time, the infiltration of intolerant religious elites from outside the village also contributed to sharpening polarization, escalating tensions, and even triggering mass acts of violence that were suspected to have originated from Sunni groups over the Syi'ah minority group. Alienation, discrimination, dissolution of recitation, vandalism, and burning of houses belonging to Syi’ah elites are forms of violence both physically and psychologically due to the occurrence of this religious conflict.

JUHŪD AL-ASYĀ’IRAH AL-MUĀSRĪN FĪ AL-TAQRĪB BAYN AL-AFKĀR AL-SUNNIYYAH: AL-SYAIKH HASAN AL-SYĀFI’Ī NAMŪŻAJAN

The article aims to describe Hasan al-Shafi’i’s view of uniting Sunnis theologically as an applied model. Through historical-philosophical analysis, this article found that Hasan al-Shafi’i viewed the need to unite Sunni viewpoints in the contemporary era. With his background in communication with the Islamic world and the West, Hasan al-Shafi’i confirmed the importance of understanding I’tidāl from al-Asy’ari theology. This theology rests on the spirit of harmony and tolerance, assuming that diversity is fairness and that plural life is the foundation of life that must be maintained. This view implies the restoration of theological relations between Sunni groups. Such a converged approach can serve as a model that is methodologically expected to enhance rapprochement on and off the Sunni spectrum