Are religious wars in the Middle East today comparable with the 16th and 17th century’s European religious conflicts? Asks Alberto Melloni from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Has violence among Muslims simply been covered by the political system of the Empire and is now asking for its own place in the scene of history? Or is there, on the contrary, a new violence in this area between Sunni and Shia, Alawites and Wahhabis?