Extra-Ethnic Role and Function of Shia Religious Authority in Contemporary Iraq

Iraq as an important country that influences the political and security environment of the Middle East was occupied in 2003, which in turn impacted the country and region's political space in various respects. However, apart from the international consequences of Iraq's occupation, the alien presence left numerous repercussions on the Iraqi people, because on the one hand, Saddam Hussein's iron government with all of its security-military apparatus collapsed, and on the other it should be kept in mind that the exacerbated anarchy and insecurity in Iraq was one of the immediate consequences of the occupation presence in the country. Under such circumstances, the role and importance of the reference institutions for the resolution of Iraq's problems was felt more than ever; institutions which seemed to manifest in the religious authority. In fact, Iraq's critical conditions and people's distrust in political groups and parties caused that the Shia religious authority in Iraq to take extra-ethnic role and function, able to play an essential part in Iraq's political developments. Considering these facts, this research seeks to demonstrate the extra-regional role and function of Iraq's Shia religious authority, examining three critical periods in Iraq's contemporary history.