Five Myths of Sectarianism within Islam in the Contemporary Middle East

By Payam Mohseni and Mohammad Sagha* Since the turn of the century and the increased global focus on the Middle East and Muslim world, many scholars have been quick to recognize the wide gap of knowledge and understanding of Islam in the West, including in the United States. While some progress has been made in better understanding the religion, when it comes to cultural and social diversities within Islam, we see the major ongoing recurrence of problematic generalizations and misunderstandings regarding the two major sects of Islam (Sunnism and Shi’ism) as well as sectarianism in the Muslim world. These problematic narratives pervade mainstream analysis on the Middle East and posit, for instance, a rigid and eternal “Shi’a-Sunni” divide that subsequently is behind conflict in the region. This elementary understanding—that there exists different sects and denominations within Islam– thus can and does feed into false and simplistic narratives of ancient sectarian violence within the Islamic world.