How Pakistan's National Identity has been infringed upon via religious conflicts between sunni and shia muslims

Essay by sportinga92vetteUniversity, Bachelor'sA-, December 2003

download word file, 2 pages 4.1

Downloaded 46 times

Pakistan's National Identity

Founded for religious purposes in 1946, Pakistan is a relatively new country that has grown very quickly. Pakistan's national identity has been undermined by the separatist religious factions of the Shi'iah and Sunni Muslim clans and enhanced by the use of madrasas, schools that teach and support Sunni Islam. Jinna, who was the father of Pakistan , wanted a state in which all religions were tolerated and to accommodate people who wanted to live independently because their faith was different from that of the national majority . Although Pakistan was a separate homeland for Muslims, according to the Lahore resolution, and supposedly a country in which all religions were to be tolerated, then why the intra-religious conflict between Sunni and Shi'iah Muslims which egregiously embarrasses the founding of Pakistan?

The majority of the Muslim population is Sunni, while the Shi'iah is the minority. The difference between these two sects of Islam is that the Shi'iah believe that the Kalafat should be a descendant of the prophet, Muhammad, while the Sunni believe that this is not in fact the case and that the Kalafat should be the one that is best suited for the duty, not necessarily a familial descendant.

Pakistan was founded on the grounds that the Muslim faith was the minority, so does this in fact mean that a new separate country should be established for Shi'iah's because they are the minority? This sectarian policy undermines Pakistan's national identity and because of their differences the Sunni and Shi'iah have become entrenched in a power struggle which completely violates the reason for Pakistan's foundation.

Madrasas have played a key role in the struggle between Sunni and Shi'iah Muslims. Because of the constant struggle between the two sects, the government funded Sunni madrasas and...