why are the shiite and sunni fighting?

Answer 1

They aren't.

There are three factions committing the violence in Iraq:
1) Bathist loyalists - nonsecular, but trying to get an amnesty deal.
2) Al Quaeda Sunni fundamentalists - fighting to punish the Iraqi people for apostasy (voting in elections).
3) Iranian-backed Shia fundamentalists.

These groups of people only account for about 5-10% of Iraq's population.

The media (as usual) is giving you a distorted impression because exaggerated depictions suit their political agenda and produce better ratings.

Answer 2

It's a fight over religion. The Shias are the Catholics and the Sunnis are the Protestants of the Muslim world. Don't forget that Islam was only founded in the 7th century so their religion is hundreds of years behind that of the Christians.
Hundreds of years ago the Christians were torturing and fighting each other over their religion, now it is not considered important by most people so they don't bother anymore.

Answer 3

Because both have numerous complex issues which they need to resolve but it's almost impossible to do so. Both parties won't give sacrifices for the sake of peace. It's mostly the fault of the dominant Sunnis, especially since most terrorists are Sunnis and most of the Islamic governments are Sunni which makes it hard for them to be stopped.

Answer 4

Let me use a Harry Potter analogy. The Shiites are the pure bloods. Unless you're a direct blood descendant of the prophet, you have no standing in religious matters as far as they're concerned. The Sunnis believe it's not blood, but brains that count. Any serious religious scholar is worth listening to. I may be guilty of gross oversimplification here, but that's a good "Readers' Digest Condensed Version" of the conflict.

Answer 5

Something to do with an assasination in the 7th century, I think.

Well, and in Iraq, anyway, the years of sunni oppression of shiites under Sadam, and the encouragement (and possibly funding & equipment) provided Iraqi shiites by Iran might have something to do with it.

Answer 6

Asked a Muslim acquaintance same question..
Been going on a long, long time & stems ftom the belief by one group that Mohammed is the last true prophet of Allah & the other believes that his brother in-law is the prophet..
Not unlike the conflict between Protestants & Catholics, but taken to much bloodier extremes.

Answer 7

Each of the groups wants to end up replacing Saddam as the local tyrant.

It's a power struggle between the different 'mullahs".
Neither one is concerned with the welfare of the Iraqui people, what they want is "personal power" for the boss Mullah.

Mugtada al-Sadr wants to be the new Saddam.

Take it from there..

Answer 8

They simple hate one another's guts.
The Shi's think the Sunni's are almost as bad as unbelievers.

Answer 9

Because they have different beliefs in Islam. And they each side claimed they are right and the other is wrong. Just like Catholics and Protestants

Answer 10

Each sect claims to have the one and only true tradition of the Prophet all to themselves. The battle between the two has continued for almost a thousand years , each claiming to have the only true interpretation of the words of the Prophet. The two sects began to vie for control of Islam shortly after his death and have been at each others throats to a greater or lesser degree ever since.