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Lebanese Shia- Sunni relations and the rise and persistence of the Shaykh al Aseer phenomenon
Abstract
The 2003 US invasion of Iraq and the subsequent sectarian turmoil and violence in Iraq have unleashed a sectarian discourse, as to Shia and Sunnis, that emphasizes difference and conflict. As to Lebanon, a number of factors, key among them being the assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri, have aggravated sectarian tensions and led to the rise of sectarian tensions and polarized rhetorical discourse. A man who has spoken frequently, openly, and controversially about Sunni-Shia tensions and issues is the Sunni Lebanese Imam of the Masjid Bilal Bin Rabah in Abra, Sidon, Lebanon, Shaykh Ahmad Al Assir. Who is Al Assir and what is his political program? What are his grievances? Why did almost a million viewers visit his two YouTube channels- Ahmad Assir and masjidbiulalbinrabah? Those trying to understand the phenomenon have limited published resources available. Since al Assir is a recent phenomenon, there is no scholarly work on him. There are a few news reports that do not provide an in- depth study of the phenomenon. Thanks to the Internet and YouTube the sermons and lectures of Al Assir are available and accessible. Unfortunately, the videos do not have English subtitles. In my paper I translate one key lecture on Shia-Sunni relations and analyze it to determine whether it fits the dominant Salafist discourse on the Shia or the Al Aseer is different enough to be classified as a “phenomenon.” To put the al Aseer grievances in a larger Lebanese context, an interview with a former Sunni Lebanese official is conducted regarding the state of Lebanese Sunnis and their grievances.
Discipline
Political Science
Geographic Area
Lebanon
Sub Area
Current Events