They would later be called simply Shia Muslims. Others are called Sunni Muslims, from the word meaning “tradition.” Thus, the distinction between the groups hinges on their interpretation of ...

Britain has an estimated Muslim population of about 2.8 million. Of these some 5% are Shia, the rest are Sunni. The historical split occurred 1400 years ago, following the death of Muhammad in ...

The Middle East is in the midst of ever-increasing tension, as conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia is spiraling to involve more countries in the region. Saudi Arabia severed all diplomatic ties ...

This is the Sunni viewpoint. A minority believed that Ali, the Prophet’s son-in-law should lead the community. These Muslims came to be known as Shi’a, which means ‘Party of Ali’ ...

The story of a divisive Islamic ruler from ancient times, produced by a broadcaster in the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has ...

Syria is the only Middle Eastern country that has a majority Sunni population but is ruled by a Shiite minority. The Assads, who took power in 1970, are Alawites, a subsect of Shia Islam that ...

Deadly violence in Syria has once again spotlighted the Alawites, a secretive religious minority tied to Bashar al-Assad.

Edited by Liam Stack Sunni rebels swarm a Shia mosque near the town of Jisr al-Shughur in this video posted online Wednesday, climbing its roof and chanting religious slogans even as its lower ...

Some patterns are evident—a resurgent Iran, heightened Shiite-Sunni ethno-religious tensions ... Fellow Vali Nasr writes in his new book, The Shia Revival, that war in Iraq will not make ...