The ethnic and religious groups of syria part of the reason why the conflict in syria is so complicated is because of the huge diversity of ethnic and religious groups living there. It is a land that has been inhabited for more than 7,000 years. The group focused on creating an islamic state and implementing sharia lawa strict religious code based on. Apr 25, 2017 syria has had a christian community since the earliest days of the religion. Recognized religious groups and clergy including all governmentrecognized muslim.
Article pdf available in contemporary islam 93 june 2014 with 52 reads how we measure reads. This is in line with thomas paines call in the age of reason for a revolution in religion based on our innate godgiven reason and deism. Islam and the islamic states magazine, dabiq volume 12 issue 1 tim jacoby skip to main content accessibility help we use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Islam and the islamic states magazine, dabiq volume 12 issue 1 tim jacoby. Syrians introduction, location, language, folklore. The great mosque of aleppo consists of preislamic, seljuk, and mamluk architectural styles. The ethnic and religious groups of syria syrian civil war. The fertile land of syria lies at the crossroads of great trade routes between the east and west. When government forces resisted the will of the people, and instead used. The sunni arabs in syria are the biggest supporters of the rebel forces, and in recent years have. Christians in syria make up about 10% of the population.
The book portrays a holistic analysis of condensed historical events from 1920 to 2012 the book will be of interest to both academics and a more general readership. Syrias civil war has displaced half the population of 22. Syria religion, religious leaders, and violence in the conflict. Kelidar, religion and state in syria, asian affairs vol. Jehovahs witnesses are banned, however, and any activities by the group must be conducted without attracting the governments attention. Religion plays a minor but significant role in the ongoing conflict in syria. April, 17, 2011syrian protesters shouts slogans calling for president bashar assad to. Thomas pierret has done the world a service with religion and state in syria. The capital cities of eleven of the fourteen governorates have sunni majority populations, except for the cities of latakia, tartus, and suwayda. The largest religious group in syria is sunnih muslims, who make up about 60% of the population, failed verification of whom arabicspeaking sunnis form the majority, followed by the kurds, turkmensturkomans, circassians, and palestinians.
Government policies and the judicial system contributed to the generally free practice of religion. Sana dispatches april 2014 foreign jihadism in syria. Religion in syria refers to the range of religions practiced by the citizens of syria. While some countries in the middle east tout themselves as a state for one religion the jewish state, syria prides itself on being a state for. Even in the secular states, such as syria, large fractions of the society practice religion and islam is integral part of the state constitution 1973 1 and political culture. They are pushing this country into a religious war that they will certainly. The constitution provides for freedom of faith and religious practice, provided that the religious rites do not disturb the public order.
The euphrates, syrias most important river, crosses the country in the east. The book will be of interest to both academics and a more general readership. The countrys largest christian denomination is the eastern orthodox church of antioch known as the greek orthodox patriarchate of antioch and all the east, closely followed by the melkite catholic church, one of the eastern catholic churches, which has a common root with the eastern orthodox church of antioch, and then by an oriental. The asian mystery illustrated in the history, religion, and. Foreign involvement in syria during the course of the civil war can be described as a complex network of alliances and rivalries, ones which have very little to do with religion. Top positions in assads army are held by alawite officers, while most of the rebels from. Syria permits the use of religious language in public spaces, including the placement of banners bearing religious slogans at the site of prominent public landmarks during religious holidays. In 2014, isis took over large areas of iraq and syria. The old constitution of syria was started on march 1971. Sunni islam is by far the largest religious group in syria, making up 74% of the population. A united nations report released in late 2012 said that the conflict was becoming overtly sectarian in some parts of the country, with syria s various religious communities finding themselves on the opposite sides of the fight between the government of president bashar alassad and syria s fractured opposition.
Syria available for download and read online in other formats. Islam and the islamic states magazine, dabiq politics. Islam, the religion of the overwhelming majority of the population, originated in northern arabia when the prophet mohammed a. The large majority of christians in syria belong to one of the eastern groups of christianity, which include autonomous orthodox churches, eastern catholic churches in communion with rome and the independent assyrian church of the east. The asian mystery illustrated in the history, religion. This book, which is based on the authors extensive fieldwork in syrias mosques and schools and on interviews with local muslim scholars, is the first comprehensive study of the countrys little. The ethnic and religious groups of syria syrian civil. Encyclopedia of jewish and israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from antisemitism to zionism. The reason for the tension is primarily political rather than religious. Isbn 9781107026414 hardback isbn 9781107609907 paperback 1. The constitution of the syrian arab republic guarantees freedom of religion. Syria to what extent is the syrian civil war driven by. The islamic state of iraq and alsham smallcalibre ammunition in libya.
Relations with syria united states department of state. In addition, foreign powers in the region are carrying out what can be understood to be a proxy war in the beleaguered state, and a further quasiterroristic form of violence is being perpetrated by groups such as isis, having shattered the border shared by syria and iraq, and jabhat alnusra al qaedas branch in. The sunni ulama from coup to revolution cambridge middle east studies pierret, thomas on. As for the influence of religion on the syrian constitution, it is submitted that the fact that the syrian constitution expressly provides in article 31 that islam is the religion of the president of the republic, unlike most of other arab states constitutions which provide that islam is the state religion, does not contradict with the. The euphrates, syria s most important river, crosses the country in the east. Accordingly, the strong role of religion in the conflicts in the middle east should not be surprising but at the same time, it does not mean that religion is the. The us has labeled them a foreign terrorist organization, but has been critical in rebel o. Syria, april 2005 but with damascus as the seat of the islamic umayyad empire, which extended as far as spain and india between 661 and 750, most syrians became muslim, and arabic replaced aramaic. Pdf christians in syria and the civil war researchgate. Religion, state, and the jewish identity crisis in israel. The biggest ethnic religious group in syria are the sunni muslim arabs, making up around 70% of the countrys population.
Syria simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The sunni ulama from coup to revolution cambridge middle east studies. The biggest ethnicreligious group in syria are the sunni muslim arabs, making up around 70% of the countrys population. By placing this assertion in a broad historical context, the book reveals both the continuities between premodern and modern islamic political. Abdessamad belhaj, journal of church and state throws new light on the sunni establishment in syria.
Religion is perhaps the single most important marker of communal identity in the region. Syrians live in the syrian arab republic, more commonly known as syria. I highly recommend the book to students and scholars of political science and sociology of religion, especially those interested in modern islam. Mar 25, 20 while syria has been dominated since the 1960s by a determinedly secular regime, the uprising that began there in 2011 has raised many questions about the role of islam in the countrys politics. The book portrays a holistic analysis of condensed historical events from 1920 to 2012.
The book also explores the impact of geography, trade, and religion on the shaping of syria, as well as the influence of syrian culture on the classical. The authorities are accused of arresting democracy and human rights activists, censoring websites, detaining bloggers, and imposing travel bans. There is no official state religion, although the constitution states the religion of the president of the republic is islam. Jewish, and christian groups receive free utilities and are exempt from. A united nations report released in late 2012 said that the conflict was becoming overtly sectarian in some parts of the country, with syrias various religious communities finding themselves on the opposite sides of the fight between the government of president bashar alassad and syrias fractured opposition. Library of congress federal research division country profile. The most significant foreign actors at play are arguably the us, and russia, the latter of which has most prominently provided a diplomatic shield for the syrian. Numerous factions including free syrian army, southern front forces, army of islam, and kurdish forces. The united states established diplomatic relations with syria in 1944 following the u. There has been a state department working group on religion. The role of religion in postconflict syria council on.
More information about syria is available on the syria page and from other department of state publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. Review of thomas pierret, religion and state in syria. While syria has been dominated since the 1960s by a determinedly secular regime, the uprising that began there in 2011 has raised many questions about the role of islam in the countrys politics. Introduction as the war in syria began to intensify in late 2011, the exhortation to go to syria to fight or help was seen on.
Religion and state examines the commonplace notion held by both radical muslim ideologues and various western observers alike that in islam there is no separation between religion and politics. Jan 15, 2020 religion plays a minor but significant role in the ongoing conflict in syria. Clergy free, dogma free and ritual free deism helps people to appreciate, value and use their reason in all aspects of their lives. The rivalries and tensions between these peoples play an important role in the war and help explain what is going on. While there is no official state religion, the constitution requires that the president be muslim and stipulates that islamic jurisprudence is a principal source of legislation. Syria religion, religious leaders, and violence in the. The islamic state of iraq and alsham 1 map of syria showing strongholds of the islamic state of iraq and al sham isis as of december 20. Introduction to the middle east religion religion is perhaps the single most important marker of communal identity in the region. Religion and politics in iran council on foreign relations. As a result, the islamic state killed some leaders of the free army. Government, religion and war veterans today military. Islam and the islamic states magazine, dabiq politics and. Topics discussed include the roman armys use of syria as a buffer against its powerful eastern neighbors and the elaborate road system that rome developed to connect its farreaching empire. Historically, the region has been a mosaic of diverse faiths with a range of different sects within each of these religious communities.
Isis rule spread quickly throughout iraq and syria. Jul 30, 2019 the differences between alawites and sunnis in syria have sharpened dangerously since the beginning of the 2011 uprising against president bashar alassad, whose family is alawite. Conflict in syria and iraq is causing particular suffering for religious minorities in the countries diverse societies, leading some members of congress to call for increased action by the u. Sunni islam is most popular sect of islam in the world, and is being supported and spread mostly by saudi arabian efforts. Arbitrary detention, torture, and disappearances are widespread.
Alnusrah front is an alqaeda aligned extremist group. If you want to pursue the goals of american foreign policy like stability, democracy. The constitution also states that citizens are equal in rights and obligation with no discrimination among. Syrian state television also broadcasts recitations from the quran in the morning. An arrested syrian protester blamed the government for the escalation of the tensions. The asian mystery illustrated in the history, religion, and present state of the ansaireeh or nusairis of syria by lyde, samuel, 18251860. The difference between alawites and sunnis in syria.
Top positions in assads army are held by alawite officers, while most of the rebels from the free syrian army and other opposition groups. This book, which is based on the authors extensive fieldwork in syria s mosques and schools and on interviews with local muslim scholars, is the first comprehensive study of the countrys little. The us state department funded freedom house ranked syria not free in its annual freedom in the world survey. This report investigates how salafist groups conduct and manage the illegal trafficking of antiquities in southwest and northwest syria, with a particular focus on idleb governorate. Pdf the civil war that started in syria in 2011 began as a series of political. It provides details on the interactions among the actors involved diggers, traders, armed groups and smugglers and analyses the various kinds of interactions between religious beliefs and norms, on the one. Cambridge core middle east studies religion and state in syria by thomas pierret.
In addition, foreign powers in the region are carrying out what can be understood to be a proxy war in the beleaguered state, and a further quasiterroristic form of violence is being perpetrated by groups such as isis, having shattered the border shared by syria and iraq, and jabhat alnusra al qaedas branch in syria. The constitution declares the state shall respect all religions and shall ensure the freedom to perform religious rituals as long as these do not disturb the public order. An update ng usually after a proess of referral y friends of friends. The differences between alawites and sunnis in syria have sharpened dangerously since the beginning of the 2011 uprising against president bashar alassad, whose family is alawite. Jul 02, 20 the role of religion in postconflict syria. April, 17, 2011syrian protesters shouts slogans calling for president bashar assad to step down during a protest to express solidarity with syrian people in front of the syrian embassy in. Religion, state, and the jewish identity crisis in israel by yedidia z. Syrians flee camps and return to destroyed homes in idlib. It is also the site of many holy places in judaism, christianity, and islam. Religion in syria 2017 1,500 people took part in the survey. The role of religion in rebuilding the state of syria.
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