The Arab Shi’a: The Forgotten Muslims

301 Pages·2001·10.97 MB·English

by  Graham E. Fuller

The Arab Shi'a
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The Arab Shi'a
The Forgotten Muslims
Graham E. Fuller
and
Rend Rahim Francke
St. Martin's Press
NewYork
THEARABSHI'A
Copyright©GrahamE. Fuller, 1999.Allrightsreserved. PrintedintheUnited
StatesofAmerica. Nopartofthisbookmaybeusedorreproducedinanymanner
whatsoeverwithoutwrittenpermissionexceptinthecaseofbriefquotations
embodiedincriticalarticlesorreviews. Forinformation, addressSt. Martin's Press,
175 FifthAvenue,NewYork,N.Y. 10010.
ISBN 0-312-23956-4
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Fuller, GrahamE., 1937-
TheArabShi'a:theforgotten Muslims/ byGrahamE. Fullerand
RendRahimFrancke.
p. em.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN 0-312-23956-4
1. Shi'ah-Arabcountries. 2. MiddleEast-Politicsand
government-1976- I. Francke, RendRahim, 1949-. II. Title.
BPI92.7.A65F65 1999
297.8'21'09174927----dc21 99-24292
CIP
DesignbyLetraLibre, Inc.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Transferredtodigitalprinting2007
Written underagrantfrom the
UnitedStates Institute ofPeace
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Contents
Acknowledgments
IX
Introduction 1
Chapter One: The Shi'a Identity 9
ChapterTwo: TheArab Shi'ain the Sunni State 33
ChapterThree: Shi'ite Demands and Strategies 53
Chapter Four: The Iranian Connection 71
Chapter Five: TheShi'aofIraq 87
Chapter Six: The Shi'aofBahrain 119
ChapterSeven: The Shi'aofKuwait 155
Chapter Eight: The Shi'aofSaudiArabia 179
ChapterNine: The Shi'aofLebanon 203
ChapterTen: The Shi'aandTheWest 239
Chapter Eleven: Conclusions 251
Appendix 261
Notes 267
SelectedBibliography 279
Index 283
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Acknowledgements
T
his book is based on nearly two hundred interviews conducted in
Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, and the United
States.WespoketoArab Shi'a, Sunnis, andChristians; government
officials, parliamentarians, scholars, activists, businessmen, clerics, lawyers,
and other professionals; and to western diplomats, scholars, and other stu
dentsoftheMiddleEast.Wearegratefultoallforgenerouslygivingustheir
time, knowledge, and experience.
Manyindividuals inside and outside the region placed themselves at risk
in talking to us about asubjectstill perceived as dangerous and threatening
in theArabworld. We areespeciallyindebtedto the generosityandcourage
of these people and only regret that they must remain anonymous. We
wouldalso like to thankpersonalfriends in the region, in theUnitedStates,
and in the United Kingdomwho privatelyassisted this projectbyproviding
support, contacts, andvaluable insights.
ParliamentariansandseniorpersonalitiesinLebanonwerekindenoughto
speak to us extensively and candidly. Mr. Nabih Birri, SpeakerofLebanon's
Parliament, and Sayed Hussein Fadhlallah were most generous with their
time and insights, as were Mr. Mohammad Baydhoun, MI?, Mrs. Nayla
Moawadh, MB Mohammad Fneish, MP and Mr. Mohammad al-Sammak,
advisor to former Prime Minister Hariri. Mr. Jamil Mroue, publisherofthe
DailyStarnewspaper, gave us indispensable assistance in Lebanon. Wewere
privileged to speakto members ofthe Shura Council in Bahrain and to the
AmbassadorsofBahraininWashingtonandLondon, Dr.MuhammadAbdul
Ghaffar and Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak al-Khailifa, respectively. Pro
fessors at the faculties ofPolitical Science and Sociologyat the Universityof
KuwaitprovidedawealthofanalysisanddatanotonlyonKuwaitbutforthe
region as awhole. Parliamentarians in Kuwaitwere also kind enough to talk