Islam in Iraq

See also: Shia Islam in Iraq and Sunni Islam in Iraq

Islam in Iraq has a rich and complicated history dating back almost 1,400 years, since the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (c. 570 – 8 June 632 CE).^[1] As one of the first places in the world to accept Islam, Iraq is a mostly Muslim nation, with about 98% of the people identifying as Muslim.^[2] There are the two main branches of Islam in Iraq: Shia Islam, which is practiced by about 50-60% of Muslims and Sunni Islam, which is practiced by about 35-45%.^[3][4]

Iraq holds a prominent place in Islamic history and has been a hub of Islamic thought and government. Baghdad was once the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and a center of Islamic scholarship.^[5] The famous Sunni thinker Abu Hanifa taught in Kufa, and Ibn Hanbal taught in Baghdad.^[6] The tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia Imam and the fourth caliph, is in Najaf, a major pilgrimage site.^[7] Karbala was the site of the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, which had a significant impact on Shia beliefs and practices.^[8] The Kadhimiya neighborhood in Baghdad contains the shrines of the seventh and ninth Shia Imams Musa al-Kazim and Muhammad al-Jawad,^[9] while the Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra is the site of the tombs of the tenth and eleventh Shia Imams Ali al-Hadi and Hasan al-Askari.^[10]

Throughout history, Iraq has also been the site of many fitnas, or religious splits, that have changed the way sects interact with each other.^[11][12] This makes it an important place to study Islamic history and the relationships between different sects.^[13]

History

Religious cities

Iraq is home to many religious cities important for both Shia and Sunni Muslims.^[14] Baghdad was a hub of Islamic learning and scholarship for centuries and served as the capital of the Abbasids.^[15] Baghdad also is home to two prominent Shia Imams in what is known as Kadhimiya, Iraq. The city of Karbala has substantial prominence in Shia Islam as a result of the Battle of Karbala, fought on 10 October 680. Similarly, Najaf is renowned as the site of the tomb of Alī ibn Abī Tālib (also known as "Imām Alī"), whom the Shia consider to be the righteous caliph and first imām. The city is now a great center of pilgrimage from throughout the Shi'a Islamic world and it is estimated that only Mecca and Medina receive more Muslim pilgrims. The city of Kufa was home to the famed scholar Abu Hanifah, whose school of thought is followed by many Sunni Muslims internationally. Kufa was also the capital of the Rashidun Caliphate during the time of Ali. Likewise, Samarra is also home to the al-Askari Mosque, containing the mausoleums of the Ali al-Hadi and Hasan al-Askari, the tenth and eleventh Shia Imams respectively, as well as the maqam (or "point") of Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is the twelfth and final Imam of the Shia Madhhab. This has made it an important pilgrimage centre for Ja'farī Shia Muslims. In addition, some female relatives of Muhammad are buried in Samarra, making the city one of the most significant sites of worship for Shia Muslims and a venerated location for Sunni Muslims. Iraq was also the place of many the fitnas (schisms) that occurred in the beginning.

Demographics

The data on the religious affiliation of Iraq's population is uncertain. 95–99% of the population are Muslims.^[16][17] In 2020, the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) estimated that 97% of Iraqis followed Islam, with 61% being Shia and 35% Sunni. ^[18] An older estimate by the CIA World Factbook reported that 36–39% of Iraqis were Sunni Muslims and 61-64% were Shia Muslims.^[16][19] According to a 2011 survey by Pew Research, 51% of the Muslims identified as Shia and 42% as Sunni.^[17] David Smock of the United States Institute of Peace stated in 2003 that Shiites constituted about 55-60% of the Muslim population and Sunnis represented 35-40%.^[20]

Iraqi Sunni Arabs mainly inhabit the provinces of Al-Anbar, Salah al-Din, Nineveh, Kirkuk, Diyala, and parts of Baghdad. Iraqi Sunni Arabs are split into multiple tribes, including Dulaim, Al-Bu Nasir, Al-Bu Nimr, Al-Ubaid, Otaibah, Shammar and Mutayr.^[21]

Islam in law

Islam is the official religion of Iraq and the source of its legislation.

In 1968 the Ministry of the Interior had a prohibition on miniskirts, stating that sharia was one reason why.^[22]

Gallery

• 
  Al-Khulafa Mosque, Baghdad
• 
  Imam Husayn Shrine, Karbala
• 
  Shia commemorating Muharam in the holy city of Karbala
• 
  Imam Ali Shrine, Najaf
• 
  The spiral minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra

See also

• Iraq portal
• Islam portal

• Demographics of Iraq
• Religion in Iraq
• List of mosques in Baghdad
• Iraqi Sunni Arabs
• Iraqi Shia Arabs