Is there anyway that Shia Islam could have become the majority instead of Sunni Islam?
If so, how?
The Fatimids ... But they might not be your best bet since they were arguably one of the most tolerant nations around (at all), being quite meritocratic, and cared little about peoples religion, so they had high ranking administrators that were Jews, Coptic or Sunni just about as often as they were Shia
I am no expert (planning to study some Middle Eastern history next winter), but as far as I remember Egypt was some time ruled by a shia government. Could this be strengthened? If so, that would help, as Egypt is a big country.
Abbasid Shia Caliphate ? during rebellion against Umayyad, a lot of Abbasid supporter is Shia, if Abbasid caliphs also become Shiah, Five Centuries of Abbasid dominance might push Sunni to exist only in Spain.
The Fatimids ... But they might not be your best bet since they were arguably one of the most tolerant nations around (at all), being quite meritocratic, and cared little about peoples religion, so they had high ranking administrators that were Jews, Coptic or Sunni just about as often as they were Shia
Yes, I think it was the Fatimids I was thinking of. Maybe, as Happers says, if they for some reason became radicalized, that would be helpful in developing a Shia majority.
By the way, this made me think of the comments on this map over Shia areas. The comment section suggests that the number of Shia Muslims is grossly underestimated: http://gulf2000.columbia.edu/images/maps/ShiasReligionCore_lg.png
That's really interesting. Makes sense that Sunnis would try to make Shia look smaller then they really are but that large? Maybe it's true.
But even then they are in the minority. I'd be interested to see a history were Shia Islam is the way Sunni Islam. In which Shia is so incredibly larger that people actually see Sunni Islam as strange and not true Islam, how Shia Islam is seen by Sunni Muslims.
Is there anyway that Shia Islam could have become the majority instead of Sunni Islam?
If so, how?
Several options for ya.
1. Prevent Islam from becoming popular in Southeast Asia and India (Fun fact, Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation).
2. Wank Shia Persia, get them to conquer parts of Central Asia.
3. Get Christian states to reconquer land lost to Islam earlier on and focus on reconverting the populace.
4. Make Ibadi Islam more popular.
Overall, I think preventing the spread of Islam would be an easier way to make Shia Islam more popular than trying to get most Sunni Muslims in otl to somehow convert.
Okay so Abbasids become Shia, but in a majority Sunni Caliphate that will be unstable.
At the time of Abbasids, Sunni and Shia difference is not as hard as now, and there still other philosophical/theological variation with wide support (Mutazilites/Kharjites). most Muslims at that time wouldn't necessarily have Sunni or Shia self-consciousness, so Shia dynasty might be more acceptable.
It more like conservative/liberal difference inside catholic clergy, strain of thought among religious elite. With 500 years of opportunity for promotion of Shia as judge, teacher, and military commander, Shia would be very widespread inside Muslim heartland.
Note : Muslims would end up Very different than OTL Muslims, without Nizam al-mulk creating madrassah to standarize Sunni thought , and with Shia a lot more variant theology and judicial ruling, there might be hundred of variant Islamic strain that doesn't exist OTL.
and OTL Sunni - Shia is influenced heavily by Ottoman/Sunni and Iran/Safavid/Shia tension. with POD before this, Middle East would be extremely different.
Several options for ya.
1. Prevent Islam from becoming popular in Southeast Asia and India (Fun fact, Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation).
2. Wank Shia Persia, get them to conquer parts of Central Asia.
3. Get Christian states to reconquer land lost to Islam earlier on and focus on reconverting the populace.
4. Make Ibadi Islam more popular.
Overall, I think preventing the spread of Islam would be an easier way to make Shia Islam more popular than trying to get most Sunni Muslims in otl to somehow convert.