Anti-Shi'ism facts for kids
Anti-Shi'ism (pronounced: Anti, She, ism) is when people have strong negative feelings or show unfair treatment towards Shia Muslims. Shia Muslims are a group of people who follow the religion of Islam. They make up about 10 to 20 out of every 100 Muslims around the world.
Contents
Understanding Anti-Shi'ism
How Shia and Sunni Muslims Became Different
Long ago, after the Prophet Muhammad passed away, Muslims had to choose a new leader. This leader was called a caliph. Shia Muslims believed the new leader should be someone from the Prophet Muhammad's own family. Sunni Muslims thought the leader should be chosen based on their skills. They believed the best person to lead the community should be picked. This difference in how they chose leaders led to the two main groups: Shia and Sunni.
Living Together Peacefully
For many hundreds of years, Shia and Sunni Muslims have often lived side-by-side. They have shared communities and even married each other. This shows that the two groups can live together without problems.
Why Conflicts Happen Now
In recent times, some new problems have caused fighting between Shia and Sunni groups. These problems are often linked to politics and big changes in how countries are run. When governments become weaker or change suddenly, it can sometimes lead to more conflict. This conflict is not just about religion. It is often about power and control. Anti-Shi'ism violence is a part of these bigger problems. It happens when people use the differences between groups to cause trouble.
