Abdel Aziz al-Hakim was the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, one of the country's most powerful Shia political groups.

He died at the end of August after a battle with lung cancer and many believe his death will create a new phase for Shia Muslim politics in Iraq.

The leadership of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq has passed to al-Hakim's son, Ammar.

The new leader is still young in political terms and he faces tough challenges as a general election looms.

There are differences between two of Iraq's largest Shia parties - al-Hakim's group and the Dawa party of Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister.

Efforts to rebuild the Shia parliamentary bloc have collapsed and al-Maliki's party has been excluded from the coalition.

Many realise that such divisions jeopardise unity both within Iraq and within the Shia community.

Inside Iraq this week looks at the situation of Iraqi Shia parties after Abdul Aziz al-Hakim's death.

Jassim Azzawi speaks to Kassim Daoud and Adnan Pachachi, both members of the Iraqi parliament, and Saleh al-Mutlaq, the leader of the National Dialogue Front.