Shiite, Sunni? Elsewhere it doesn't matter
I'm often reminded how - even back home, in Europe - many roads lead to Baghdad.
Over the weekend, I visited my daughter - a converted Muslim - and her husband, a second generation French-Tunisian, in their new apartment just outside Paris. We had a delightful lunch and spent a long time looking at - and, at times, laughing over - photos of their recent wedding (especially Dad's speech, in French).
Both Juliette and Nader are practicing Muslims, but not fundamentalist in any way. Both are Western professionals who are appalled by the violence with which Islam - their religion - has become associated.
In the course of our table talk, I pointed to a young woman wearing a hijab - the Muslim veil - in one of the wedding reception photos and asked who it was. She was the wife of one of Nader's cousins, I was told.
"Is she Shiite or Sunni?" I asked, thinking - erroneously, it turned out - that the more conservative-looking Muslims at the reception would be Shiite. Both Nader and Juliette looked at me with blank stares. Then they looked at each other. Then back to me. "I really don't know," offered Nader, somewhat embarrassed, or confused, by the question.
"You don't know?" I replied, in disbelief and, no doubt, conditioned by my extensive time in Iraq. "How can you NOT know?"
''Because it's not something we ever talk about," answered Nader. "Shiite, or Sunni, it just doesn't matter.''
Covering an aberration, not the norm
It took a good amount of time for that answer to sink in. I think it still is, days later. And, as it does, I'm realizing to what extent we journalists are conditioned by the stories we cover, especially when it involves people who kill other people for sectarian reasons.
Iraqis are dying, by the dozens, on a daily basis, because of their name, or the way they wear a veil, or the mosque they pray at, or the products they buy, or the company they keep. In Baghdad, we are so conditioned to the life-and-death importance of religious sects that the NORMAL Muslim world - where people just don't ask and don't care - almost makes no sense.
But what we cover is so often the aberration, not the norm. Just as - years ago - I realized that, in Northern Ireland, it was an aberration to ask whether someone went to church or chapel on a Sunday morning, or, in Bosnia, whether you were a Serb, a Croat or a Muslim.
And, when I return for my next assignment in Iraq, the ugliness of that sectarian violence will now be even uglier, measured against the innocent, blank stares of my own family.
Jim Maceda, an NBC News Correspondent, lives in London when he is not on assignment.
Tears and fury in the court
EMAIL THIS
advertisement
Slide Show
- Life beyond the violence
Suicide attacks and murders due to sectarian conflict continue around Iraq. See how residents live their lives amid the attacks.
Read the Nightly News blog
Let us all be the ambassodors of peace and harmony.
Anjum James Paul, Pakistan (Sent Sep 26, 2006 12:00:06 PM)
I was born in Iran. I am a Muslim. As far as I remember, Muslim was Muslim. We never would ask, "Are you shiih or Sunni"? this is all so new to Muslim people. I am so sick and tired of all these.... Aren't we all, fall under category of "people"? Please raise your hand if your particular Religion/Nationality/Color/etc... likes to loose your child, get sick, or get killed.
Get with it, this is another &*$^%$ politically created, aims to disconnect "souls" to justify for their salaries in Capital.
Benny, San Diego, CA (Sent Sep 26, 2006 4:16:05 PM)
The Media can be good or deadly for a lot of people that do not understand politics or the differences in religon. Just as there are different christian religions, like Catholics, Baptist, Prods,and so on. In the Muslim religion you have the Shia, and the Sunni. However, all religions started with Judisum. You should not refer to someone by their religion nor by their race, color but by their name. We are all of G-D's children, and we all want peace and a good life. However, when some people try and spread hatred, which is so contagious it leads to wars and more hatred, and spreads like a wildfire out of control. We need to be diplomatic, and then shall we all live together in peace. Yes, every religion believes in the Ten (10) Commandments, and yes it came from Moses whom was Jewish. But he was a man, and he lived by G-D's laws, and not by mans hatred. All of my predictions have come true, and I can see a WWIII if we don't stop this hatred and learn to live together the best we can. For if this keeps up we will not have America as we once knew it, nor will your money be worth anything. For the Power Hungry ones, it is you that need to be careful, for you, your power will not help nor protect you. I could tell everyone more, however in all religions, it is not wise to know what is coming, for you will not live as you do now.
SG (Sent Sep 26, 2006 6:37:25 PM)
To John McClean: You are the first to have proposed "a solution". I think your solution is the answer. Keep posting and preach your message over and over again. Get your word out! Some of us Americans need your message to get to the higher ups.
......also thank you for serving our country!
Susie (Sent Sep 26, 2006 8:34:34 PM)
I agree with Heath and I'm from Goshen! Where are the Muslim's coming together and taking a stand against these extemists who are giving Muslim's a bad name?! Protest! Do Something!
Amanda, Goshen, OH (Sent Sep 28, 2006 3:06:37 PM)
hi ,am an iraqi muslim who lives in iraq but used to live abroad coz of political reasons we never heared of any dividing for muslims even among iraqis who live abroad not after we came back to baghdad in 2004 we only started to hear of it the last year whhen the sects issue started to raise up i want ot clear an idea about the (war, conflict ,etc)call it what ever you like but the fact that people get killed for thier religous backround is unexeptable on both sides(sunii and shitti) because it is not how our religion teach us (killing a soul is forbiden )
iraqis used to live in harmony along history dispite thier diffrences (iraq is a mixture of 7000 religions and ethnic groups)
it was 100% a political issue ; the normal person was not involved in it, the shitti leaders reacted after getting rid of saddam that only them were depresed by saddam and the sunni were not but they were too every one in iraq was despite his religion or ethnic backrounds exept for a few ofcourse who were close to the regime and no one denay that they were sunnis and the conflect as it is now started after the war ended and we got rid of saddam because every one wants the biggest piece of the pie but now after the domesting of the militias in iraq and the random killing just on the sects facts, people in the street got involved in that strugle and every family trys now to protect itself so sunii people started to move out of the cities that has shitti majority and vice verca and this made the problim even bigger , which made the conflict more obvice and more serious and now it is 70% political only and if the iraqi leaders dont either to be a religious figure or a political one( because religion and politics should never be mixed together) it will turn ugly and the us goverment has to push things into the right way. and if the us goverment dont stop the (neighbours ) from involving in our life to try either to make out of iraq an islamist country our to split it into small pecies to serve thier own porposes
things well truely end as a civil war that will cause iraq more damage and disastear and it will cause the extremist(as if they need any ) to have more reasons to try to get to iraq and this will cause the whole area to sinck ito a mess that will not end in 20 years like the lebanese it will never end
what would we say to our children if, in the future, they asked why the world didnt stop this mess that made iraq lose it's children to a war that they got tricked into
hawazen, erbil ,iraq (Sent Oct 5, 2006 11:48:03 PM)
Chad, Brent and Dan,
Chad - ONLY the extremists who claim to be “muslims” think they have alienated Islam. There are more than 1.6 billion muslims in this world. Islam has always been an extremely pious, righteous, and peaceful religion since billion of years. Its not the religion (Islam) that has alienated itself, it’s the perception of people who do not understand it and are misrepresenting/misunderstanding/misjudging it. Those who kill innocent people cannot be called muslims. But the American media and the bush administration has become extremely racist against all muslims. I would disagree with your statement that “Bush has stated on many occasions that Islam is a peaceful religion”. He just said it one or twice right after 9/11. Maybe you all can’t see what I am seeing in America. This is like the Crusade of Bush and his evangelist supporters with his, with his slogans of "Islamofascism" and the "global war on terror" - when "terrorism" has
become a synonym for Muslims. He has created other hatred words like “Islamists” (two words combined into one – extremists and Islam). In addition, there are other politicians who are openly uttering hatred words against muslims. They are just sick.
Dan – like I’ve said before, Islam does not alienate itself. Why is the media giving a voice to the extremists?? Why is it that what they are saying is considered right? Like EG says “The media will provide coverage as long as the news attracts eyeballs to advertisers”. Yes the moderate muslims need to step up and say “enough is enough”. Its just that
Brent --- I can only speak for myself. I have no control over what other muslims think – because like I said before, there are more than one billion Muslims in this world. I do not support those who commit suicide and kill innocent people. In Islam, it’s a big sin to commit suicide. In order to understand why people commit suicide, you need to look at the problems that they are facing. They feel oppressed and helpless. I can clearly see that in the situation of Israel and Palestine. I have personally watched this documentary on the conflict between the two sides – and the Palestinians are treated worse than animals – the Israeli soldiers beat them for no reason. They have no weapons to fight. The only weapons they have to fight back are stones. Its like they are jailed in their own country. There are hundreds of check-points for them to go from one point to another. The pregnant women and children are not allowed the pass these checkpoints for hours and hours – its just extremely inhumane.
This documentary also explains how the American media is unfair when it comes to the “Israel and Palestine” issue. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696
To learn more about the true peaceful Islam: www.Al-Islam.org
Mariam, Fremont, CA (Sent Oct 10, 2006 1:55:33 AM)
I am a 26 year old from a sunni family my fiance is shia,when we went to the shia masque to get married the imam didnt wanted to perform our marriage because i am sunni,the imam told me i have to convert to shea thanks to my fiance that he didnt care about what i was but the imam looked at me with so much hate becaz a shea man chose to marry me...but now we are married and we are happy together..islam is one religion..this type of imam creates problems..
saima elhosseiny,fortworth,tx (Sent Oct 16, 2006 12:16:21 PM)
Mariam; when I look at what is going on in the middle east I see that the Palestinians are represented by a government that supports terrorists who, over many years, have been setting off bombs in Israel, killing a lot of innocent men, women and children. I cannot blame the Israelis for spending some time at checkpoints, trying to protect thier citizens from terrorists.
Brent Edmonton (Sent Oct 21, 2006 12:13:59 AM)
Thanks for being so biased & racist Sir. I really appreciate your kindness
Mariam (Sent Nov 23, 2006 4:26:46 PM)
shiite are worng, sunni are right thats it.
omar (Sent Dec 2, 2006 4:46:18 PM)
What a mix of bias and sincerity! Obviously we all have our own opinions but omar, even if you are right.....what does that solve???
Mariam and Brent: I see how you have opposing views about the Arab-israeli conflict especially since one believes the palistenians are living as prisoners and the other just thinks of it as some extra time at the checkpoints! If anyone wants to find out what true Jews and Palestinians (both Christians and Muslims, who have lived side by side since their existence) know and think about the lives they lead....check out this video presented by the Media Education Foundation: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696
enieyen (Sent Jan 14, 2007 10:26:25 PM)
SEND A COMMENT
PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to this post, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.