History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c84.s5.t1.11

v5.c84.s5.t1.11

In the cities of Kashmir, the sectarian bitterness between the Shias and the Sunnis often led to fierce rioting and even civil war, and the strong arm of the governor (when he did not happen to be the partisan of either sect) could only maintain an armed truce among the local population. The Shias, who were a minority, naturally congregated in wards of their own in the cities. But the two sects could not help coming together in the course of business travel or litigation. Any conflict of material interests between them was quickly turned into a theological quarrel. The disputants abused each other's religion; the Shia was accused of having reviled the first three Khalifs, the Sunni qazi condemned him to death for blasphemy, and the orthodox Aurangzib confirmed the sentence on the heretic.