The top-level domain (TLD) “.SHIA” belongs to a category of Internet paraphernalia, known as the Domain Name System, which primarily expedites the process of crawling and indexing websites on the World Wide Web. The “.SHIA” TLD hasn’t been delegated or hasn’t found its application so far according to the data from IANA – the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority – which governs overall internet operations and assigns global TLDs.
TLD or Top Level Domain is an integral part of the domain name itself, found at the tail end of the web address. It comprises a multitude of categories including the likes of generic TLD (.com .net), sponsored TLD (.edu, .gov), and ccTLD or country code TLD (.us, .au), etc.
The “.SHIA” TLD you mentioned doesn’t exist as per the present database of either global or country-specific TLDs. Each TLD is designated certainly with a specific purpose or demographic in mind. For instance, “.gov” TLD is reserved exclusively for the United States Government agencies while “.edu” for educational institutions predominantly in the United States as per the Federal government regulations.
As proposed, the “.SHIA” TLD could perhaps be hypothetically assigned to websites related to the Shia branch of Islam religion to generate unity and identity. It would provide a platform for the Shia communities worldwide to relate, connect, and share their doctrines and resources online.
The application and designation of new TLDs are a multifaceted process and it goes through a rigorous assessment by IANA under the purview of ICANN- Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. From 2013 onwards, ICANN embarked on an ambitious initiative and opened up the New gTLD Program; which seeks to expand the web’s naming system with new extensions, adding to a pool of more than 1,200 TLDs.
In a precedent, around 2012, ICANN announced the approval of the “.catholic” TLD, evidently the first ever religious-based TLD to be created. Therefore, the creation of a TLD like “.SHIA” or any other denomination isn’t unwarranted. However, it would necessitate a proposal, thorough review and an approval process by the ICANN board.
Notwithstanding, we should also understand that such initiatives invoking religious sentiments may stir complex deliberations and could be potentially bogged down by controversies and objections considering the sensitive nature of the matter. Hence, a diplomatic and a well-balanced approach would be pivotal at every stage of the dialogue and implementation.
In conclusion, “.SHIA” isn’t an active TLD as per the current IANA TLD database. The creation and assignment of new TLDs require a meticulous process of understanding the purpose, feasibility, and implications, overseen by ICANN.
(References: ICANN.org, iana.org)
