Islamic Bloodfeud: ISIS Attacks Iran
06-08-2017
The Islamic State's attack on Iran's Parliament Wednesday highlights the Sunni-Shia bloodfeud that goes back to the death of Muhammad in 632.
The police chief of Tehran says that five suspects have been detained following the deadly dual attacks in Tehran that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 40.
It's the latest in the ongoing hot and cold war between Shia Iran and Hezbollah, and Sunni ISIS and Saudi Arabia.
Worldwide, Sunnis make up about 85 percent of the world's Muslims and control Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.
Shias are a relatively small minority of Muslims, concentrated in Iran and Iraq.
After Muhammed's death, the Sunni-backed Abu Bakr was chosen to be the first caliph or ruler of the Islamic nation.
Shias believed the rightful heir was Mohammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali bin Abu Talib.
Ali would become the fourth caliph after two previous caliphs were murdered.
He too was killed in 661 after war broke out.
His son Hussein carried on the war but was killed on the battlefield and his head given to the Sunni caliph in Damascus.
It is Hussein's death as a martyr that holds great spiritual significance for Shiites, who commemorate it to this day.
These two schools of Islam remain bitterly divided.
