Shia Islam in Iraq

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Shia Islam in Iraq (Arabic: الشيعة في العراق) has a history going back to the times of Ali ibn Abi Talib who moved the capital of the Rashidun Caliphate from Medina to Kufa, two decades after the death of Muhammad. The Iraqi Shias are an ethnoreligious group of Iraq that constitute the majority of the population. Their historical stronghold has been Lower Mesopotamia, historically known as Babylonia. In constrast to Iraqi Sunnis who are a minority that predominately live within in the West Iraq region, which overlaps with the historical region of Upper Mesopotamia. Iraqi Shias vary between religious, moderately religious and secular. Since Iraq is a predominantly tribal society, one's sectarian affiliation is often dependent on one's tribe regardless of personal religious convictions or lack thereof. The term 'Iraqi Shia' a socio-political and religious identifier, which also works as an ethnic identity. Since 2005, due to Muhasasah, an informally adopted political system of sect-based...

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