<P> Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, which also has a larger Muslim population than any other country in the world, with approximately 202.9 million identified as Muslim (88.2% of the total population) as of 2009 . </P> <P> The majority adheres to the Sunni Muslim tradition mainly of the Shafi'i madhhab . Around one million are Shias, who are concentrated around Jakarta . In general, the Muslim community can be categorized in terms of two orientations: "modernists," who closely adhere to orthodox theology while embracing modern learning; and "traditionalists," who tend to follow the interpretations of local religious leaders (predominantly in Java) and religious teachers at Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). In Indonesia, in 2015, Sunni clerics denounced the Shia as "heretics", and the mayor of Bogor proposed banning the Shia Ashura holy day . The Shia community has also been subject to hate campaigns and intimidation, with fears of this escalating into violence . </P> <P> Malaysia claims to be a tolerant Islamic state, however since 2010 it has banned the preaching of Shia Islam, with a "particular ferocity" and warns against Shiism with its, "evil and blasphemous beliefs". </P> <P> In late 2006 or early 2007, in what journalist Seymour Hersh called The Redirection, the United States changed its policy in the Muslim world, shifting its support from the Shia to the Sunni, with the goal of "containing" Iran and as a by - product bolstering Sunni extremist groups . Richard Engel, who is an NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent, wrote an article in late 2011 alleging that the United States Government is pro-Sunni and anti-Shia . During the Iraq War, the United States feared that a Shiite - led, Iran - friendly Iraq could have major consequences for American national security . However, nothing can be done about this as Iraq's Shiite government were democratically elected . Shadi Bushra of Stanford University wrote that the United States' support of the Sunni monarchy during the Bahraini uprising is the latest in a long history of US support to keep the Shiites in check . The United States fears that Shiite rule in the Persian Gulf will lead to anti-US and anti-Western sentiment as well as Iranian influence in the Arab majority states . One analyst told CNN that the US strategy on putting pressure on Iran by arming its Sunni neighbors is not a new strategy for the United States . </P>

What is the difference between sunni and shia muslim