The author of the article, Zayn al- ‘Ābidīn al-Rikābī, believes that the Sunnī- Shī‘ah sectarian conflict in Iraq is playing into the hands of the United States, which, he says, is now trying to divide the Middle East along ethnic lines. Explaining the significant doctrinal disagreement between Sunnī and Shī‘ah over their respect for the sahābah and ahl al-bayt, al-Rikābī said that a true Muslim should have great reverence for both.