Iraq–Baghdad

1. When and how did Islam enter Iraq?

Islam was founded in the early 7th century by Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsula and rapidly expanded to surrounding regions, and Iraq was one of its major points of transmission. After the death of Muhammad in 630, his successors, the caliphs, launched military expeditions beyond the Arabian Peninsula, and in 637, at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, which took place near Kufa and the area of present-day Baghdad, the Muslim army achieved victory over the Persian Empire and came to rule the Iraqi region. Thereafter, Islam spread rapidly throughout Persia and the Arab regions, including Iraq, and Iraq grew into an important cultural and political center of the Islamic world.

After Islam entered Iraq, under the influence of the Arab-Islamic Empire, Islamic culture, law, and educational systems were established in the Iraqi region, and Arabic began to be used as the main language. Iraq also became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate centered in Baghdad and flourished as a center of Islamic scholarship and philosophy. During this period, Islam became deeply rooted in the daily life and faith of the people of Iraq and had a profound influence on the history and culture of the region.

2. Were there religious groups or powers that resisted when Islam was introduced? If Christianity existed before Islam, why did Christianity decline?

Because the spread of Islam transformed the existing religious and cultural systems, when Islam entered Iraq, especially in the early period, there was strong resistance in some regions and among certain forces. In the Iraqi region, Persians who had been under the influence of the Sasanian Empire strongly opposed the introduction of Islam, because they had strong loyalty to the military dominance of the Persian Empire and to the religious tradition of Zoroastrianism. The Sasanian Empire attempted to block the Muslim invasion, but after being defeated at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, it was unable to prevent the expansion of Islam.

Christianity was also an important religion in the Iraqi region, but it gradually declined during the process of Islamization. Before Iraq became Islamized, from the 4th to the 7th centuries, the Church of the East (mainly the Syriac Church) and the Armenian Church were active in this region, and Christianity had become the faith of many Iraqis. However, as Islam expanded, Christianity came under political and social pressure and gradually lost influence under Islamic rule. Christians were initially recognized as dhimmis (protected peoples under Islam) and were granted a certain degree of autonomy and freedom of religion, but over time, due to taxation, military service demands, and social changes, many converted to Islam or adapted to Islamic culture. In addition, as the center of Islamic power shifted to Baghdad, the weakening of Christian ecclesiastical influence accelerated.

The “collapse” of Christianity in Iraq was the result of the political and military victory of Islam, and with the establishment of the Islamic Empire, Christianity gradually declined. Nevertheless, in some regions of Iraq, Christian communities have continued to exist as minorities and have left their presence up to the present day.

3. What position did Islam take after the World Wars?

After the Second World War, Islam took various positions amid significant political and social changes. During the process of independence from British protection, as well as through several military coups and political transformations, Islam played an important role within these developments.

Tension between secular regimes and Islam

In the late 1940s, Iraq was growing as an independent state. However, the political structure of that period combined military authority and monarchy, and Islam was seeking opportunities to exercise religious influence. At that time, Iraq was heavily influenced by foreign powers, particularly Britain, and since it was a society composed of various ethnic and religious groups, the position of Islam was diverse. Some Islamic leaders considered the secular government to be incompatible with Islamic values and sought to integrate Islam more actively into politics. “Islamic movements” that emphasized the political rights of Islam and conservative Islamic groups attempted to exert significant political influence in Iraq.

On the other hand, the Iraqi monarchy at the time had a strong secular tendency, and the royal family and military authorities sought to recognize Islam only within a limited scope and to reduce its influence in politics. As a result, Islam often came into tension with the secular government, and especially after the monarchy collapsed in the 1958 military coup and a republic with secular tendencies emerged, the political role of religion was further reduced.

The 1960s–1970s: Islam and nationalism

In 1968, when the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party seized power, Iraq transformed into a secular republic with socialist characteristics. The Iraqi Ba'ath Party strongly emphasized nationalism and secularism and further restricted the political influence of Islam. Nevertheless, Islamic movements remained active in certain regions, and conflicts between Shi'a and Sunni communities continued to be significant social issues. In the 1970s, Islam began to emphasize religious identity and to voice opposition to the secular policies of the state. In particular, Shi'a religious leaders adopted critical positions toward government policies and called for religious reform.

The 1980s–1990s: The political rise of Islam

In the 1980s, Iraq was under the war with Iran and the repressive rule of the Hussein regime, and Islam once again emerged as an important political issue. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, revolutionary Islamic ideas spread from Iran, and Islamic forces within Iraq were greatly influenced; in particular, Shi'a religious leaders were significantly influenced by Iran’s revolutionary Islamic thought.

The government of Saddam Hussein implemented strong repressive policies against Islamic forces, and Shi'a leaders and Islamic movements were subjected to government suppression. After the Gulf War in 1991, Shi'a anti-government movements intensified, which became an occasion that once again highlighted the role of Islam in Iraqi society.

Since the Second World War, Islam has changed within various political contexts. Initially, it sought to exercise political influence amid tension with secularism, and through continuous conflict with state power, it has made efforts to strengthen its political and religious position.

4. What is the most influential Islamic school in Iraq, who is its central figure, and what is the core of his teaching?

The most influential Islamic branch in Iraq is Shi'a Islam, which constitutes approximately 60–65% of the Iraqi population. Within Islam as a whole, Shi'a Islam is one of the two major branches along with Sunni Islam.

Shi'a Islam and central figures

In Iraq, among Shi'a Muslims, Twelver Shi'ism holds the greatest influence. Twelver Shi'ism is the branch that believes that the rightful successor to Muhammad must be Ali and his descendants. These descendants are called Imams, and the Imam is believed to be a special leader capable of interpreting the will of God.

The central figures are Ali and his descendants. Among them, Husayn ibn Ali is a highly important figure in Shi'a Islam, and his martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala in 680 symbolizes the religious teaching and political resistance of Shi'a Islam. In addition, Ja'far al-Sadiq laid important foundations for Shi'a scholarship and theology and played a significant role in the development of Islamic jurisprudence and theology.

Important modern Shi'a leaders

Among important contemporary Shi'a leaders is Ali al-Sistani. Al-Sistani has expressed important political positions amid the Iraq War and political instability and provides authoritative interpretations of Islamic doctrine and law. His teachings influence many Muslims within Iraq, and he adopts a position that supports a degree of separation between religion and direct political rule.

Muqtada al-Sadr is a Shi'a religious leader with a participatory political orientation who represents the political voice of many Shi'a citizens. He takes firm positions on Shi'a religious and social issues and focuses on social justice and reform for Shi'a Muslims.

Core teachings of Shi'a Islam

The core teachings of Shi'a Islam include the following principles:

• Sacred leadership of the Imam: It is believed that the leader of the Islamic community must be the Imam, the successor of Muhammad. The Imam is regarded not merely as a political leader but as a religious authority who interprets the will of God and teaches doctrine. Twelver Shi'a recognize twelve Imams, who are believed to fully understand God’s will and to transmit it to the Islamic community.

• The martyrdom of Husayn and justice: Husayn fought to uphold justice and truth and was martyred, and through him Shi'a Muslims learn the teachings of “resistance against injustice” and “realization of justice.” The Battle of Karbala has become an important religious and political symbol for Shi'a Islam.

• Islamic law (Shi'a jurisprudence): Shi'a follow Shi'a jurisprudence and interpret Islamic law differently from Sunni Islam. Because the Imams are believed to possess the ability to interpret the will of God, their teachings serve as important legal foundations.

• The importance of suffering and sacrifice: Because Shi'a believers have experienced historical suffering and persecution, they attach great importance to the meaning of sacrifice and hardship. The martyrdom of Husayn and the subsequent suffering are central elements of Shi'a faith and serve as lessons that justice and truth must be upheld even in hardship.

• Eschatology and salvation: It is believed that at the end of time, Mahdi will appear to establish justice and restore Islam. The Mahdi is regarded as the final Imam, the true leader of Islam, who will bring peace and justice to the world.

5. What influence does Islam have on Iraq, and what is its role in the Islamic world?

Within Iraq, Islam exerts deep influence across society, politics, and culture. Iraq has historically been one of the major centers of Shi'a Islam, where religious and political authority have developed in close connection. In particular, Baghdad has long functioned as a core city of Islamic civilization, while the Twelver Shi'a tradition has formed the foundations of religious scholarship, jurisprudence, and political thought mainly in Najaf and Karbala. Islam influences not only the daily lives of Iraqis but also politics, law, and education, and many Iraqis live by integrating religious values and obligations with social norms. Islam has also functioned as an important reference point in major political issues and conflict structures. In particular, tensions between Shi'a and Sunni communities demonstrate that religious identity is deeply involved in national politics. As a result, Iraqi society has formed a complex social structure in which religious, ethnic, and political identities are intertwined.

Iraq occupies an important position in the Islamic world, especially as a central base of Shi'a Islam, and it exercises considerable influence. Iraqi religious leaders hold authority in theological and political spheres, and for example, Ali al-Sistani has presented important positions on Islamic law and contemporary political issues.

Furthermore, through the Battle of Karbala in 680 and the martyrdom of Husayn, Iraq holds symbolic significance in Islamic history. This event has become a symbol of justice and resistance in Shi'a tradition and continues to exert significant influence on religious and political discourse throughout the Islamic world.

In this way, Iraq’s Islamic tradition plays an important role in its relations with other Islamic countries, and particularly in countries with Shi'a-majority populations, Iraq’s religious and political developments have substantial impact.