Islam, People and Power: The Shia
The debate within Shi鈥檌sm about the role of Islam in government. Presenter Safa al-Ahmad travels to Iraq to talk to leading Shia politicians and theologians.
Within Shi鈥檌sm there is a high level disagreement about the role of Islam in government. Shia-dominated Iran is an Islamic republic, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior Islamic cleric. But the Iranian model of government - a theocratic state - is not supported by Shi鈥檌sm鈥檚 most senior Islamic cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani who is based in the Iraqi city of Najaf.
鈥淜hamenei is the head of Iranian army. Sistani is not the head of Iraqi army,鈥� explains Iraqi politician Walid al-Hilli. But, as presenter Safa al-Ahmad discovers on a visit to Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Sistani has significant influence on the way Iraq is governed.
(Photo: A V-sign for victory is flashed in front of a portrait of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Credit: Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 02:06GMT91热爆 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 03:06GMT91热爆 World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 04:06GMT91热爆 World Service East Asia
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 05:06GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia & South Asia only
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 07:06GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 09:06GMT91热爆 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 15:06GMT91热爆 World Service except East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 20:06GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, Online, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 21:06GMT91热爆 World Service East Asia & South Asia only
- Thu 8 Dec 2016 21:32GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sat 10 Dec 2016 03:32GMT91热爆 World Service East Asia, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 11 Dec 2016 09:06GMT91热爆 World Service Online, Australasia & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Wed 3 May 2017 02:32GMT91热爆 World Service Online, East Asia, Europe and the Middle East, UK DAB/Freeview & West and Central Africa only
- Wed 3 May 2017 03:32GMT91热爆 World Service South Asia
- Wed 3 May 2017 04:32GMT91热爆 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Wed 3 May 2017 06:32GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia
- Wed 3 May 2017 12:32GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Wed 3 May 2017 21:06GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Sun 7 May 2017 08:06GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
The Documentary Podcast
Hear more documentaries from the 91热爆 World Service
Podcast
-
![]()
The Compass
With ideas too big for a single episode, The Compass presents mini-series about society
