The Troubles in Medina

Clashes last week in the holy city of Medina that led to 38 arrests have been attributed to youth gangs by the Saudi press, but as Brian Whitaker notes, the fact that one report noted the youths wore black, and the fact the clashes occurred on ‘Ashura, give away the sectarian nature of the troubles. Sunni-Shi‘i clashes are a sensitive subject in Saudi Arabia, and most often occur in the Eastern Province where most Saudi Shi‘a live, but Medina, with its close links to the Prophet's family, is also important: Whitaker notes the importance of he Al-Baqi Cemetery, but doesn't mention that four of the 12 Imams are buried there. (Numbers two and four through six.) Only Iraq has more Imam burials.