Shiite Tide

Shiite Tide, in Arabic المد الشيعي, is the term used to describe the growing number of Shiite Muslims in countries where Sunni Muslims form the huge majority.

The Phenomenon of conversion to Shiism

Also known in Arabic as the phenomenon of enlightenment ,ظاهرة الإستبصار ,which is used by Twelver Shiites to describe those who convert to Twelver Shiism. As an example on the usage of the term in a publicly televised ceremony, Sheikh Yasser al-Habib 's office in London broadcasted the ceremony of the declaration of conversion to Shiism by Mounir al-Khair from Morocco and Khalid Shimri from Kuwait. Usually, those who convert to Twelver Shiism are offered special accommodation within Twelver Shiite institutions. The center for belief studies, a twelver Shiite research institution accorded to every notable person that converted to Shiism (such as lawyers and journalists) dedicated and well maintained pages within the institution website.

Notable people marking the Shiite Tide

  • Damerdash Aquali, former advisor to president Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
  • Dr. Mohamed Tijani Samawi. Tunisian writer and sociologist.
  • Idriss Husseini: Moroccan Journalist..
  • Hassan Shahata: Egyptian cleric and former moral advisor to the Egyptian army's engeneering unit in 1973.
  • Romera Montestat: Spanish scholar.

Criticism

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi

Yusuf al-Qaradawi has denounced the phenomenon of conversion to Shiism within mostly Sunni countries and considered the matter as dangerous. He also described the Shiite scholars to be practicing evangelism.

Abdelbari Zemzmi

Moroccan cleric and member of the house of representatives has warned against the danger of this phenomenon of conversion to Shiism in his country; he has urged those concerned to take necessary steps to stop it before it is too late..

Counter Criticism

Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah

Pars News agency has reported that Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah said regarding the concerns expressed by Yusuf al-Qaradawi : "I am surprised by those statements, and first I never heard such statements from al-Qaradawi against evangelism that seeks to take Muslims out of their religion and tie them to an other religion. We have not heard from him -al-Qaradawi- any speech on this infringement or on the infringement of the etheist and the secular movement in the Islamic reality.

Sheikh Alladine Abul Azaem

Sheikh Abul Azaem member of the supreme council of the Sufi Tariqa has criticized the statements of al-Qaradawi and qualifies them as a direct cause to sectarianism and separation among Muslim communities. He said that those statements serve as a pretext for foreigners to intervene in Muslim societies in the name of defending minority rights.

Shiite Tide and Arab states

Morocco

On March 6, 2009, the Kingdom of Morocco has decided to break its diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. A statement from Morocco's foreign ministry accused the Iranian embassy of "intolerable interference in the internal affairs of the kingdom", and of engaging in activities which threatened the religious unity of the country. in reference to the accusation of spreading Shiism that Iran denies.. Fox News also reported that The Moroccan press has repeatedly accused the Iranian Embassy of proselytism in recent years. The Iranian ambassador denied the charges.. Al Arabiya news channel reported that the main reason for this diplomatic tension is the Shiite Tide.

References

ar:المد الشيعي