Sunni Islam in Iraq

Sunni Islam in Iraq (Arabic: الإسلام السني في العراق) is the second-largest sect of Islam in Iraq after Shia Islam. The majority of Iraqi Sunni Muslims are Arabs with the second largest being Kurds. Iraqi Sunni Muslims mainly inhabit the western and northern half of Iraq. Sunni Arabs primarily inhabit the Sunni Triangle, Upper Mesopotamia and the desert areas, such as Al-Anbar Governorate in the Arabian Desert and Syrian Desert. The Sunni Kurds inhabit the mountainous Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Iraqi Sunnis

سنة العراق
Umm al-Tabul Mosque in Baghdad, an architecturally and culturally significant landmark reflecting the diverse influences on Sunni Islam in Iraq.
Total population
35–42% of the population
Languages
Mesopotamian Arabic, Kurdish, Turkmen
Religion
Sunni Islam (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Salafi)

In 2003, the United States-based Institute of Peace estimated that around 95% of the total population of Iraq were Muslim, of which Sunnis made up around 40%.^[1] A CIA World Factbook report from 2015 estimates that 29–34% of the population of Iraq is Sunni Muslim.^[2] According to a 2011 survey by Pew Research, 42% of Iraqi Muslims are Sunni.^[3] There were about 9 million Sunni Arabs, 4 million Sunni Kurds and approximately 1.5 million Sunni Turkmens in Iraq (approximately 39%), according to a report published in 2015.^[4]

Iraqi Sunni Arabs

Iraqi Sunni Arabs

العرب السنة العراقيين
The 1963 Iraqi flag, adopted as part of the revolution that established Sunni hegemony over Iraq, has been reappropriated as an ethnoreligious flag for Iraqi Sunni Arabs.[5][6][7][8]
Sunni Arab tribal chiefs representing the Sahwa after meeting with Iraqi security at Joint Security Station Loyalty, eastern Baghdad, May 16, 2009.
Total population
Around 9 million; 24% (2015 estimate)[9]
Languages
Mesopotamian Arabic
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Syrians, Jordanians, Saudis, Assyrians

"Arabs of Al-Jazira" redirects here. For the Arab population of the Syrian region, see Jazira Region § Demographics.

Iraqi Sunni Arabs (Arabic: العرب السنة العراقيين), historically referred to as the Arabs of Al-Jazira (Arabic: عرب الجزيرة),^[10][11] are an Iraqi Arab ethnoreligious group. 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, Banu Tamim and Mutayr.^[12] In the modern era, Iraqi Sunni Arabs are often mistaken by outsiders as simply Iraqi Arabs who follow Sunni Islam rather than Shia but constitute a distinct Arab people with a unique history and origin tied to the region they inhabit.^[13]

History

16th-century Ottoman miniature depicting Abu Hanifa, a scholar of Iraqi Sunni Arab descent, born in Kufa and founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni jurisprudence. His legal tradition remains one of the most widely followed within Sunni Islam worldwide.

Iraqi Sunni Arabs largely originated as a mixture of Arab Muslims who settled in Iraq after the Islamic conquest of Iran, as well as natives who were Arabized.^{[citation needed]} In the early Islamic period, Iraq was a key center of the Abbasid Caliphate, with the city of Baghdad serving as its capital from the 8th to the 13th century. Sunni Arabs played a significant role in the administration (including the ruling Abbasid dynasty) and cultural life of the caliphate, and many important figures of Islamic scholarship and literature emerged from Iraq during this time and during the Islamic Golden Age. Before the creation of nation states, Iraqi Sunni Arabs identified with the wider neighboring Sunni Arab populations. After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, King Faisal I was installed as ruler of Iraq. Iraqi Sunni Arab identity consolidated after the independence of Iraq, where Iraqi Sunni Arabs inhabited the provinces of Al-Anbar, Salah al-Din, Nineveh, Kirkuk, Diyala, and parts of Baghdad.^[14][15]

Sectarian identities in Iraq were deeply tied to regional and tribal affiliation, with Sunnis and Shias historically^[when?] inhabiting segregated regions —with a degree of overlap and coexistence— each with their own historical narrative.^[16][17] The regions inhabited by Iraqi Sunni Arabs were the historic regions of Al-Jazira and Upper Mesopotamia while the Shia stronghold has historically been southern Iraq, known as Babylonia or Sawad (the latter of which is also called Lower Mesopotamia), which, while remaining strongly Arab, has had more Persianate influence compared to Sunni areas (most recently contributed by the rule of the Safavid dynasty). Sunni identity in Al-Jazira also reflects Arabian tribal traditions, following the Arab conquest of Mesopotamia and newer Ottoman-era connections to Levantine, Eastern European and Balkan cultures, contributing to a cultural background with different influences to that of the Shia-majority regions of the south.^{[18][19][20][21][22]}

Culture

Sunni Arabs north of Tikrit commonly wear the red and white keffiyeh (šamāġ aḥmar), reflecting broader Levantine Arab traditions. In contrast, Arabs from regions south of Tikrit tend to wear the black and white keffiyeh (kūfiyya sōda w bēḍa), which is more commonly associated with Shia identity.

Sunni Iraqi Arab culture, particularly in cities such as Tikrit, Fallujah, Samarra, and Mosul, is characterized by a combination of tribal traditions and conservative Sunni Islamic practices. Common clothing includes the white dishdasha and red-and-white keffiyeh with a black agal, shared with other Arab groups. Regional food traditions vary, Mosul is known for Ottoman-influenced dishes such as baked sambusak with spiced lamb, dolma prepared with pomegranate molasses, and ćevapi (known locally as kebab hindi), a grilled minced meat dish of Balkan origin uncommon in other parts of Iraq. In Samarra, cuisine reflects Bedouin and tribal influences, including pacha with stuffed intestines and tripe, fried sambusak with heavier spices, and dishes like tashreeb (Bread Stew) and timman bil-tamatim (Spiced Tomato Rice) served during communal gatherings.

Diwaniyas in Sunni regions function as formal male-only spaces used for hospitality, dispute resolution, and tribal or religious consultation. Unlike the Shia majlis, Sunni diwaniyas tend to avoid sectarian symbolism and focus on tribal hierarchy and Sunni jurisprudence. Traditional games such as Tavli (backgammon), dominoes, and carrom are commonly played. Music is generally conservative, with limited instrumental use, though Iraqi maqam remains culturally significant. Religious life centers on mosque-based worship, Friday prayers, Ramadan, and Eid, contributing to a distinct Sunni Arab identity in central and northern Iraq.

Politics

Ba'athist-era stamp depitcting Iraq as part of the broader Arab world. This corelation with Sunni Islam being the dominant religion in the Arab world and Sunni Arabs being in power was heavily taken advantage of in Ba'athist-era politics.

Sunni Arabs were the backbone of Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist Iraq regime.^[23] Under the Ba'athist regime, Sunni Arabs were portrayed in propaganda as the closest to the rest of the Arab world, fostering unity between Iraq and the rest of the Arab world. This benefited the Sunni minority as Iraqi identity was pushed to be closely tied to Arab socialist and Pan-Arabist ideologies, heavily influenced by Nasserist views originating in revolutionary Egypt.^[24] The pre-2003 Iraqi state reflected Sunni norms and culture, positioning Sunni Iraqis as the standard of national identity and enforced during Shia revolts against the state, such as the 1991 Iraqi uprisings. This has led to certain Ba'athist symbols such as the former flag of the Iraqi Republic under Ba'athism being reinterpreted as a distinctly Sunni symbol following it's replacement in 2008.^[25] During the Iran–Iraq War, Ba'athist narratives portrayed Sunni-led Iraq as the last line of Arab and Sunni defense against Shia Iran, reinforcing a sense of historical mission and communal pride.^[26] Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Sunni Arabs became targeted by Shia militias. Due to continued repression by the Shia-led government, Sunni Islamist and Ba'athist armed groups such as the Naqshabandi Army took up arms against the government during the 2012–2013 Iraqi protests. This led to the 2013 Anbar campaign and beginning of the War in Iraq against the Islamic State which lasted until December 2017. This was followed by Sunni Arab calls for their own autonomous region in Iraq.^[27]

During the sectarian conflict in Iraq, sectarian militias not only killed due to sect, but also due to family names, accents, physical appearances, and origins which could have implied their sectarian affiliation.^[28] In Iraq, by the 21st century, Sunni Arab converts to Shia Islam continued to be considered Sunni, while Shia Arab converts to Sunni Islam also continued to be considered Shia. The terms became identifiers for the two distinct Arab subgroups and began to transcend sectarian values.^[29][30][31] Ethnic Arab Christians in Iraq, distinct from Assyrians, were culturally identical with Sunni Arabs and well integrated together, thus often being included in the Sunni designation.^[32]

Nouri al-Maliki's Shia-led government repressed Sunnis, stressing the Sunni Arab tribes' favourable disposition towards the Islamic State, although they did not share the Salafist beliefs. A number of Sunnis have now taken up arms against the Islamic State to stop its attempts at establishing hegemony.^[33] In a survey in 2015, only 13 percent of Iraqi Sunni Arabs believed that their central government in Baghdad was heading in the right direction.^[34]

Today, Iraqi Sunni Arabs are represented in politics primarily by the Iraqi Islamic Party and other groups associated with the Iraqi Accord Front, as well as the National Dialogue Front, the National Movement for Development and Reform, the Nasserist Socialist Vanguard Party, and the Uniters for Reform Coalition (Muttahidoon). While these parties have provided platforms for Sunni political engagement, their integration into the broader national framework remains slow and uneven. Persistent political marginalization, internal fragmentation, and ongoing instability continue to limit their overall influence in Iraqi politics.^[35]

According to a report published in 2015, there were about 9 million Sunni Arabs in Iraq.^[9]

Kadim Al Sahir, nicknamed the “The Caesar,” was born in Mosul to a Sunni father from Samarra and a Shia mother from Najaf, and is recognized worldwide for blending classical Arabic poetry with modern music.

Notable people

Notable Iraqi Sunni Arabs, or people of Iraqi Sunni Arab descent include:

• Zaha Hadid, architect born in Baghdad, known for contemporary architecture. She was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize.^[36]
• Kadim Al Sahir, Singer, composer, and songwriter from Mosul, recognized for his contributions to Arabic music.
• Ahmed Albasheer, television presenter and satirist, known for hosting The Albasheer Show, a political satire program.
• Omar Borkan Al Gala, model and actor, born in Baghdad and raised in the Gulf region, active in fashion and media.
• Ilham al-Madfai, musician and singer, known for blending Western guitar with traditional Iraqi music.
• Mithal al-Alusi, Sunni Arab politician and activist known for advocating democratic reforms.

Non-Arab groups

Kurds

95% of Iraqi Kurds are Sunni Muslims, while the remaining 5% are Shia Muslims.^{[37][better source needed]} As a result of the spread of Islam, Sunni Islam (Shafi’i) became the dominant religion of the Kurdish people. There exists the Feyli Kurds who follow Shia Islam, namely Twelver Shiism. Islam is thought to be a religion of governance as well as spirituality, Kurds make sure to keep both their spiritual identity and national identity strong.^[38][39] Their practices and beliefs are very similar to those of Sunni Arabs.^[40]

Turkmens

Primarily Iraqi Turkmen are Sunni Muslims^{[citation needed]}, most Iraqi Turkmen are politically secular^[41] yet remain practicing, having internalized the secularist interpretation of state–religion affairs practiced in the Republic of Turkey.^[42] The religious and tribal factors and tensions inherent in Iraq’s political culture do not significantly affect the Iraqi Turkmen.

Shiaphobia

Main article: Shiaphobia

In June 2014, Pew Research Center published a report citing a survey conducted in late 2011, according to which 14% of Iraqi Sunnis said that Shias are not Muslims — by contrast, only 1% of Iraqi Shias said that Sunnis are not Muslims.^[3]

See also

• Demographics of Iraq