Guno צְבִי
We fight, We win, Am Yisrael Chai
As Mamdani prepares to take office on Jan. 1, Shia Muslim New Yorkers say his election is already reshaping conversations about faith, identity and belonging.
“People I’ve spoken to or friends I’ve had have ostracized me or made me feel ‘other than’ because of it,” said Raza, 32, adding that her Shia identity has also limited marriage prospects within the community.
Despite theological differences, Shia and Sunni Muslims share core beliefs. In the U.S., Shia Muslims make up about 10% to 15% of the Muslim population and often face discrimination from within their own communities.
Raza said that feeling is not unique to her experience. Sectarianism has fueled violence in parts of the Muslim world, including her native Pakistan.
news.yahoo.com
A minority within a minority
Growing up, Maira Raza said she often hesitated to tell Sunni Muslim friends that she is Shia, fearing misconceptions or judgment.“People I’ve spoken to or friends I’ve had have ostracized me or made me feel ‘other than’ because of it,” said Raza, 32, adding that her Shia identity has also limited marriage prospects within the community.
Despite theological differences, Shia and Sunni Muslims share core beliefs. In the U.S., Shia Muslims make up about 10% to 15% of the Muslim population and often face discrimination from within their own communities.
Raza said that feeling is not unique to her experience. Sectarianism has fueled violence in parts of the Muslim world, including her native Pakistan.
Zohran Mamdani’s victory bridges long-standing divisions within the city's Muslim community
Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City’s next mayor has become something larger than a historic first for many Muslim New Yorkers — it marks a rare moment of visibility and unity across the city’s Muslim community, and a particularly meaningful one for Shia Muslims, who have often felt...
