Speaking to both houses of the Canadian parliament He said differences between the Shia and Sunni communities have been exacerbated by external factors To help bring an end to sectarian strife in the Muslim worlds, the Aga Khan said “it is important for (the West) to communicate with both Sunni and Shia voices.”
“To be oblivious to this reality would be like ignoring over many centuries that there were differences between Catholics and Protestants. Or trying to resolve the civil war in Ireland without engaging both Christian communities.”
Highlighting the span of the crisis, he said: “What would have been the consequences if the Protestant-Catholic struggling in Ireland had spread across the Christian world as is happening today between Shia and Sunni Muslims in more than nine countries.”
