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As the ‘Islamic State’ (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, continues its rampage across parts of Iraq, the risk of that country’s patchwork of ethnic and religious communities unravelling quickly is high.
It is difficult to say whether the extremist Islamist militia — which proclaimed the establishment of a ‘caliphate’ in June — has the firepower, manpower and tactical and strategic expertise to march on Baghdad, especially with the Americans now targeting it through air strikes. But what is obvious is that IS has the ability to cause untold havoc across Iraq, while at the same time spreading instability across the region unless it is permanently put out of business.
The IS poses two major threats to Iraq in its atavistic zeal to forge a ‘pure’ Islamic order: the militants can exploit existing intra- and inter-religious fissures to the point where whatever happens in Iraq will have debilitating global ramifications; they also have the ability to obliterate small ethno-religious communities that have existed in Iraq largely under the radar for centuries.
There are numerous ethno-religious communities in Iraq that were barely known to outsiders before IS launched its all-out assault.
Iraq is an incredibly diverse country, much like its neighbours Iran, Syria and Turkey. Unlike the Gulf states, where nearly the entire population is Arab and the only major confessional division is the Shia-Sunni divide (apart from Oman, which has an Ibadi majority), Iraq is a mosaic of religions, sects, sub-sects and ethnicities.
But why does Iraq matter? Firstly, because it is home to some of the most revered Islamic heritage sites in the world. If the extremists succeed in their goal of harming any of these sites, the ramifications within Iraq as well as internationally will be incredibly grim, specifically where Shia-Sunni relations are concerned.
Among the revered Islamic sites in Iraq is Najaf, where the mausoleum of Hazrat Ali is located. Equally revered is the city of Karbala, the resting place of Imam Hussain. An IS spokesman has said his organisation intends to target both cities.
Also of significance is Kazmain located in Baghdad, which contains the mausoleum of Imam Musa al-Kazim and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawwad, while Samarra hosts the shrine of Imam Ali an-Naqi and Imam Hasan al-Askari. It should be remembered that it was the bombings in 2006 and 2007 targeting the Samarra shrine that plunged Iraq into a bloodbath of horrific proportions that has left long-lasting communal scars.
Other Islamic holy places include the mausoleum of Imam Abu Hanifa in Baghdad and the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Qadir al-Jeelani, also in the capital. As the iconoclastic IS has already destroyed numerous shrines and tombs associated with revered personalities across Syria and Iraq, it will not be beyond the militants to target any of these mausoleums.
Beyond Iraq’s Muslim sanctities, IS also has the country’s beleaguered Christian minority in its sights. The recent takeover of Iraq’s largest Christian town sent members of the community fleeing to safer areas, while reports from the region indicate churches were desecrated and manuscripts burnt.
Ever since the US-led invasion in 2003 the Christians of Iraq have been fleeing the country in droves. Their population has dropped from a figure of 1.4 million in 1987 to a few hundred thousand today. However, the IS extremists seem bent on eliminating whatever is left of Iraq’s Christian population.
Beyond the ‘mainstream’ religions in Iraq (Islam, Christianity) there are numerous ethno-religious communities that were barely known to outsiders before IS launched its blitzkrieg. Many of these adhere to syncretic, esoteric belief systems that blend elements of mainstream faiths with folk religion. With the militants on the march, these communities are facing existential threats.
Among the communities making news are the Yazidis. Also found in Syria and Turkey, the Yazidis are a mostly Kurdish insular community numbering a few hundred thousand people. They adhere to secretive, mystical beliefs, with Malak Tawus, a supernatural being, at the centre of their creed. Some scholars link their name to the Umayyad ruler Yazid, though there is no consensus amongst academics. The fact that Shaikh Adi, an 11th/12th century figure revered by Yazidis, was of Umayyad heritage may have contributed to this theory. Yazidis combine elements of Islam, Christianity and older Iranian religions and believe in transmigration of the soul.
The Mandaens number under 100,000 people and can also be found in Iran. They revere John the Baptist (known as the Prophet Yahya in Islamic tradition) and are linked to the Sabians mentioned in the Quran. For religious services, the community uses a dialect of Aramaic while baptism — specifically in rivers — is a central tenet of the Mandaen faith. It is a dualistic belief system, in which the World of Light is locked in constant struggle with the World of Darkness.
A third minority group in Iraq are the Shabak, who number no more than a few hundred thousand people. Some scholars consider them Kurdish, while others say they have Turkmen origins. Some researchers have said the group has a similar belief system to the Bektashi and Alevi communities of Turkey combined with elements of Sufism.
Another distinct minority community of Iraq are followers of Yarsanism, also known as Ahl-i-Haq and Kaka’i. Numbering around one million, they are also found in Iran and Turkey, with mostly Kurdish adherents. A 14th/15th individual named Sultan Sahak is the religion’s central figure while the faith has some strongly heterodox tenets (compared with traditional Islamic thought) such as God taking human form and reincarnation.
If the Islamic State has its way, the religious and cultural heritage of Islam in Iraq will be razed to the ground, while Christians and smaller non-Muslim religious groups will be driven from the land they have inhabited for centuries. Along with the geopolitical risks involved, this is an additional reason why the world community — particularly Iraq’s neighbours — must help Baghdad halt the extremist militia in its tracks.
The writer is a member of staff.
Published in Dawn, Aug 11th, 2014
