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Perception of Alawi of non Muslim-does it contribute to Islamist motivation against fighting the regime?

Reader comment on item: Islam and Syria

Submitted by Shishir (United Arab Emirates), May 26, 2013 at 03:14

Dr Pipes,

In your excellent essay about the Alawis, you highlighted aspects of their belief systems and customs thereby making a strong case for their religion as a heresy of Islam.

So, are Al Qaeda affiliated groups fueled by desire to oust a regime which they consider apostates?

Is it a coincidence that they are supported by another totalitarian regime-Iran whose claim to be Muslims may be a tad tenuous? Iranians perhaps more than any other Muslim people revel in their pre Islamic heritage and observe Nowruz (Zoroastrian New Year) more fastidiously than the Islamic equivalent.

Is this the common bond that ties an Arab nationalist Syria and to anti Arab Iran?

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Daniel Pipes replies:

Roughly speaking, yes. Al-Qaeda has a horror of all Shi'ites and Alawis more than most. Tehran feels a sympathy for this Shi'ite-derived religion.

Reader comments (3) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Perception of Alawi of non Muslim-does it contribute to Islamist motivation against fighting the regime? [112 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
ShishirMay 26, 2013 03:14206333
1quiescence or absence [53 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
David W. LincolnMay 24, 2013 11:14206297
1My Thoughts on the Syrian Civil War [227 words]Lujack SkylarkMay 23, 2013 20:55206263

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