Doha - The dramatic rise in tension between Shia and Sunni Muslims in the Middle East and its effect on Islam's image will be spotlighted at the next Doha Debates to be held at Qatar Foundation Headquarters on April 29 at 7.30pm.
The motion, 'This House believes the Sunni-Shia conflict is damaging Islam's reputation as a religion of peace', is designed to look beyond the fierce, daily rhetoric and examine the real nature of the divide.
Doha Debates Chairman Tim Sebastian says the issue has acquired global significance. "The bitterness of the Sunni-Shia conflict has alarmed many people throughout the world. How far has this undermined trust in Muslim countries and is the terrible violence rooted in politics or religion?"
Speaking for the motion will be Professor Juan Cole, author of 'Informed Comment', one of the most influential blogs on the Middle East. He is the Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Michigan.
He will be joined by Ali Shukri, a retired Jordanian general who was a military and intelligence adviser to the late King Hussein for more than 20 years.
Opposing the motion is Imam Sayid Hassan Al Qazwini, who leads North America's largest mosque - Detroit's Islamic Centre of America. It is the oldest Shia mosque in the US. He was born in Karbala, Iraq, to a family of scholars and religious leaders.
Also against the motion is Dr Hisham Hellyer, associate fellow at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations at the University of Warwick. He is a research consultant and policy analyst who has worked with the UK government's Home Office on tackling extremism and radicalisation.
© The Peninsula 2008
