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Shiites
Shi'ite
Shi'ite Follower of Shi'a, the second-largest branch of
Islam. Shi'ites believe that the true successor of
Muhammad was
Ali, whose claim to be
caliph was not recognized by
Sunni Muslims. It rejects the
Sunna (the collection of teachings outside the
Koran) and relies instead on the pronouncements of a succession of holy men called
Imams. The
Safavid dynasty in Iran was the first to adopt Shi'a as a state religion. One of the principal causes of the Iranian Revolution was Shah
Pahlavi's attempt to reduce clerical influence on government. Ayatollah
Khomeini's Shi'ite theocracy stressed the role of Islamic activism in liberation struggles. The largest Shi'ite group is the Twelve-Imam Shi'ites; the other major group is the
Ismailis.
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Shiite candidate bloc raises fears in Iraq.
Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 12/11/2004; ; 700+ words
; ...formation of the Shiite bloc, which was...by the nation's Shiites, who are thought...situation. "Sunni-Shiite differences have...one hopes that the Shiites will choose to give...for a mainstream Shiite mosque. "They were...large a number of Shiites as possible. The...
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Shiite Muslims Worship at Holy Shrine
News Wire article from: AP Online; 4/23/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...Iraq's majority Shiite community. Despite...internal differences the Shiites, who represent 60...hopes to work with Shiites to form a new government...without resorting to a Shiite theocracy like Iran...London-based Iraqi Shiite activist, said outsiders who expect Iraqi Shiites to ...
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Shiite's Death Complicates Race for Power
News Wire article from: AP Online; 8/29/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...world's 120 million Shiite Muslims as the third...Medina in Saudi Arabia. Shiites, who make up 60 percent...on Saddam's forces, Shiite leaders were also being targeted in Iraq. Younger Shiites, many from Baghdad...the more traditional Shiite Muslims in the city and...
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With Shiites rising across the region, Saudi Arabia's grow impatient.(WORLD)
Newspaper article from: The Christian Science Monitor; 4/27/2009; ; 700+ words
; ...time of ascendant Shiite power in the Arab world. In Iraq, Shiites have replaced centuries...government invited exiled Shiite dissidents home...brought improvements. Shiites now publicly celebrate...permission to build Shiite mosques. Shiites get business licenses...
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Shiite Pilgrims Worship at Karbala
News Wire article from: AP Online; 4/22/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...repressed Iraq's Shiite majority. Shiites have been setting...well as centers of Shiite rebellion in Najaf...erupted among the Shiites since Saddam's fall...Sunni and minority Shiite branches. The Shiites favored the prophet...
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 "Deseret News (Salt Lake City)")
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Shiite leaders demand al-Sadr withdraw
Newspaper article from: Deseret News (Salt Lake City); 5/5/2004; ; 700+ words
; ...On Tuesday, the Shiite leaders, including...future, and that of Shiites in particular, to...widely revered among Shiites, where Sadr appears...main thrust of the Shiite leaders' stand was...the urgency felt by Shiite leaders after a month...disturbing to many Shiites is the fact ...
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A Shiite resurgence could send shock waves through the Arab world
Newspaper article from: International Herald Tribune; 3/27/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...which have restive Shiite minorities, the Shiites' emergence in...associated with the Shiite schism in Islam...proximity, Iraq' s Shiites have often been...Iranian fellow-Shiites, who are Persians...of an emergent Shiite role in Arab politics...
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Shiite divisions raise specter of civil strife in Iraq
News Wire article from: AP Worldstream; 4/18/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...since the failed Shiite and Kurdish revolts in 1991. Shiites, the majority...between different Shiite factions. In addition, Shiites have a history...supreme seat of Shiite learning, the...the country's Shiites. Its directives...
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Shiite Demands Pose Challenge to U.S.; White House Has Little Sway With Anti-West Factions
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 4/16/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...thousands of Iraqi Shiites protested the talks, saying that key Shiite groups and their leaders...to stop this." Iraqi Shiite factions, some affiliated...brutally suppressed Iraqi Shiites for so many years...thousands more -- few Shiite civic or religious leaders...
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Shiite Muslim leaders say they'll approve Iraqi interim constitution
Newspaper article from: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 3/8/2004; ; 700+ words
; ...transitional assembly. The five Shiite dissenters also wanted the...interim constitution. The Shiites fear that the authority of the president, presumably a Shiite, would be diluted by the two...and a Kurd. Instead, the Shiites wanted a five-member co...
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Shiites
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Shiites [Arab., shiat Ali...largest branch of Islam, Shiites currently account for...of all Muslims. Shiite Islam originated as...Muslim lunar year. The Shiite focus on the person...succession. The early Shiites, a recognized, if...
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Shiite
Book article from: The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English
Shi·ite / ˈ sh ēˌīt / (also Shi'ite ) • n. an adherent of the Shia branch of Islam. • adj. of or relating to Shia. DERIVATIVES: Shi·ism / ˈ sh ēˌizəm / (also Shi'ism ) n.
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imam
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
...vicegerent of God. The Shiites , with their numerous...for the term. Zaydi Shiites recognize as Imam any...struggle. Twelve-Imam Shiite dogma restricts the Imams...Husayn. Twelve-Imam Shiite doctrine presents the...figure. For Ismaili Shiites, the succession of the...
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Ali
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of World Biography
...for politics. Even moderate Shiites, however, claim that he was...his descendants. This is the Shiite or Shia (that is, "the party...subdivisions. For the more moderate Shiites Ali is an inspired or charismatic...place of pilgrimage. Although Shiite Moslems claim that Mohammed...
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Moktada al- Sadr
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
...Sadr , 1973?-, Iraqi Shiite cleric. The son of Grand...poorer and younger Iraqi Shiites, particularly in the...section of Baghdad, a Shiite enclave named for his...Alliance, a coalition of Shiite religious parties. In...Sunnis, and on other Shiites, to observe a cease...
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