South of Iraq and Geo-Cultural Developments of the Islamic World: Shiite Rimland

Iraq has a special and strategic status in the Islamic World. It has the distinction of an ancient civilization, remarkable history, and religious institutions such as Najaf Seminary, Imams' Holy Shrines and alike that are considered as geo-cultural components. The socio-cultural ambience of the south has arisen from Shiite culture playing a significant role in the Islamic history and withstanding deviations such as Salafi and Da'esh cultures. In this relation, religious cities and rituals and Shiite regional unions have had an effective function. Shiite brotherhood and companionship in the region and its manifestations in Arbaeen March has added to the importance of studying southern Iraq's events and issues when dealing with the Islamic world geo-cultural puzzle. Surveying the causes of convergence and the strong bond among the region's Shias and especially the one between Iraqi and Iranian Shias and their impact on the cultural developments and the future occurrences in that area make a good part of the present article.