To the question: How are Shiites different from Sunnis and why is there no peace between them? given by the author Baby the best answer is Who are Sunnis?
Sunnism is the dominant branch of Islam. Sunnis - in the literal sense of the word - are Muslims who are guided by the "sunna" - a set of rules and principles based on the example of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, his actions, statements in the form in which they were transmitted by the prophet's companions. Sunnism is the dominant branch of Islam. "Sunnah" explains the holy book of Muslims - the Koran - and complements it. Therefore, traditional followers of Islam consider following the Sunnah to be the main content of the life of every true Muslim. Moreover, we are often talking about the literal perception of the instructions of the holy book, without any modifications.
In some movements of Islam this takes extreme forms. For example, under the Taliban in Afghanistan, special attention was paid even to the nature of clothing and the size of the beard of men; every detail of everyday life was regulated in accordance with the requirements of the “sunna”.
Who are Shiites?
Shia religious processions are characterized by drama. Unlike the Sunnis, the Shiites can interpret the prophet's injunctions. True, only those who have a special right to this.
Shiites represent the second branch of Islam in terms of importance and number of supporters. The word itself translated means “followers” or “Ali’s party.” This is what supporters of the transfer of power in the Arab Caliphate called themselves after the death of the Prophet Muhammad to one of his relatives, Ali bin Abi Talib. They believed that Ali had a sacred right to be caliph as the closest relative and disciple of the prophet.
The split occurred almost immediately after the death of Muhammad. The struggle for power in the caliphate eventually led to the assassination of Ali in 661. His sons Hasan and Hussein were also killed, and the death of Hussein in 680 near the city of Karbala (modern Iraq) is still perceived by Shiites as a tragedy of historical proportions.
Nowadays, on the so-called day of Ashura (according to the Muslim calendar - on the 10th day of the month of Maharram), in many countries Shiites hold funeral processions, accompanied by a violent manifestation of emotions, when the participants of the procession strike themselves with chains and sabers.
How do Sunnis differ from Shiites?
There are more Sunnis than Shiites, but during the Hajj all differences are forgotten. After the death of Ali and his sons, the Shiites began to fight for the return of power in the caliphate to the descendants of Ali - the imams. The Shiites, who believed that the supreme power was of a divine nature, rejected the very possibility of electing imams. In their opinion, imams are intermediaries between people and Allah. For Sunnis, such an understanding is alien, since they adhere to the concept of direct worship of Allah, without intermediaries. An imam, from their point of view, is an ordinary religious figure who has earned the authority of his flock by knowledge of Islam in general and the “Sunnah” in particular.
Such great importance given by Shiites to the role of Ali and the imams calls into question the place of the Prophet Muhammad himself. Sunnis believe that the Shiites allowed themselves to introduce “illegal” innovations into Islam and in this sense they oppose themselves to the Shiites.
Who are more numerous in the world - Sunnis or Shiites?
The dominant force in the 1.2 billion "ummah" - the world's Muslim population - is Sunni. Shiites represent no more than 10% of the total number of Muslims. At the same time, followers of this branch of Islam make up the absolute majority of the population of Iran, more than half of the population of Iraq, and a significant part of the Muslims of Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Yemen and Bahrain. Despite their relative small numbers, Shiites represent a serious political force, especially in the Middle East. Analysts say there are real conditions of sectarian division within the Islamic world - despite calls for Muslim brotherhood - as Shiites feel they have been unfairly treated by history.
Who are the Wahhabis?
Wahhabism is a teaching that appeared in Islam relatively recently. This teaching within the framework of Sunnism was created in the middle of the 18th century by the religious figure of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab.
The basis of Wahhabism is the idea of monotheism. Proponents of this doctrine
Answer from Prmarka-insurance.rf[expert]
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the question arose of who should be considered his heir... and to whom to transfer spiritual power over Muslims...
One group led by his relatives stated that the prophet has heirs by blood... power should be inherited. Another group said... the prophet had disciples and supporters, power should be transferred to the most educated and devout of them, and not at all by inheritance... In general, these groups squabbled, each began to interpret the Koran in its own way... disagreements intensified... are still fighting
Answer from Vania[guru]
practically the same thing, only their books are different
Answer from Dmitry Drelyush[newbie]
Hello
Answer from Natalia[active]
Hello! Sunnis - in the literal sense of the word - are Muslims who are guided by the "sunna" - a set of rules and foundations based on the example of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, his actions, and STATEMENTS AS TRANSMITTED BY THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET. Sunnism is the dominant branch of Islam. Shiites are the second branch of Islam in terms of importance and number of supporters; they have a special devotion to their faith, their fanatical readiness for self-sacrifice. There are more Sunnis than Shiites, but during the Hajj all differences are forgotten. The Shiites, who believed that the supreme power was of a divine nature, rejected the very possibility of electing imams. In their opinion, imams are intermediaries between people and Allah. For Sunnis, such an understanding is alien, since they adhere to the concept of DIRECT WORSHIP to Allah, without intermediaries. The peculiarity of this brand of Islam is that the Shiites have a clergy. Scientists and theologians become political leaders.
Compared to Shiites, Sunnis appear to be more moderate. But there is an exception - the Wahhabis. The official ideology of Saudi Arabia is spreading in many regions of the Muslim world, including Chechnya and Dagestan. The notorious Al-Qaeda is also a Wahhabi organization; they are to blame for the fact that more and more people see the Muslim religion as a threat and the very word “Islam” has already become associated with terror for many.
Despite the extreme views, the Wahhabis preached brotherhood and unity of the Muslim world, condemned luxury, sought social harmony and adherence to moral principles. I think the difference is clear, and this is why the two currents cannot exist together...
Answer from Sideman[guru]
Different directions of Islam that contradict each other.
Answer from Ўry[guru]
Stupid question - power did not share all the troubles on earth from the division of power (freedom of distribution of looted wealth)
Answer from Dastan[guru]
the discord occurred for a stupid reason, and they differ mainly in their approach to the believer, for example, the Sunnis are soft, and the Shiites are more conservative and tough. At the same time, they do not recognize the Prophet Muhammad, preferring his son-in-law and relative Ali.
Answer from Malinka[guru]
sheiti poklonyayutsa tolko Allahu i vo vremya namaza stavyat pered soboy kamen i molyatsa na nego a suniti molyatsa i poklanyayutsa i Allahu i prophet Muhammedu to est Magametu
Answer from LudoMilka[guru]
God knows!
Answer from Sharaf[expert]
Shiites and Sunnis should look at the ways in which they are similar rather than look for differences, especially since they differ in secondary matters of religion. But in basic beliefs there is no difference between them.
Let it be known to everyone that Shiites are Muslims who believe in the Unity of Allah and the Prophetic mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). At the same time, there is also no doubt that we reject a number of teachings and dogmas of the Shiites as heresy, but this does not turn them into non-Muslims.”
So, Sunnis and Shiites are absolutely similar in the following points:
1. They believe in Allah Almighty, in the Day of Judgment, in the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), in the Seal of the Prophets, who was sent by Allah to all people and jinn in order to complete the messages of Allah that were sent down before him. They believe that everything that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came with relates to the belief in all the Holy Scriptures and in all the prophets of Allah (peace be upon them). These are the pillars of faith in which both Sunnis and Shiites believe.
2. They believe that the Holy Quran is the Book of Allah that guides people to the right path. Allah Almighty says: “Verily We have revealed the Quran, and verily We protect it” (Quran 15:9).
3. Both Sunnis and Shiites are unanimous that Muslims must follow the five pillars of Islam, that is, testify that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His Prophet and Messenger; perform prayers; give zakat; fast during the month of Ramadan and make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Answer from Vyacheslav K[master]
faith and cannot divide the territory in any way
Answer from Yovetlana Gorovaya-Gracheva[guru]
The point here is not the difference, but something else. One might as well ask, how do people of different nationalities and religions differ? Nothing specific, all people are human beings, made according to the same principle, and wars, as there used to be between people, are still going on.
Answer from M[expert]
They have different cultures!! and they are enemies with each other!
Answer from Antrakt[guru]
Archives are relevant in Russia on the eve of elections
Ask again!!
Answer from Bombastic[guru]
practically the same as Protestants from Catholics
Answer from Dmitry O.[guru]
Shiites are orthodox Muslims based on the Koran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Sunnis also revere the so-called “Sunnah”, the later interpretation of the Koran, the words and deeds of Muhammad, and other instructions that do not have a direct connection with the thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad.
Answer from User deleted[master]
sewn covered)
Answer from Yoavzikhanov Ramil[master]
Sunnis, along with the Koran, recognize the sunnah - a sacred tradition consisting of hadiths. When deciding on the issue of supreme Muslim power, it relies on the consent of the entire community, in contrast to Shiism, which recognizes only the Alids - the descendants of Caliph Ali, his wife, the daughter of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him!).
The disagreements between the currents are almost the same as in Christianity (Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox)
Answer from Uliy k.[guru]
different worldviews regarding the practice of Islam
Islam is divided into two major movements - Sunnism and Shiism. At the moment, Sunnis make up about 85-87% of Muslims, and the number of Shiites does not exceed 10%. AiF.ru talks about how Islam split into these two directions and how they differ.
When and why did the followers of Islam split into Sunnis and Shiites?
Muslims split into Sunnis and Shiites for political reasons. In the second half of the 7th century after the end of the reign Khalifa Ali in the Arab Caliphate, disputes arose about who would take his place. The fact is that Ali was the son-in-law Prophet Muhammad, and some Muslims believed that power should pass to his descendants. This part began to be called “Shiites,” which translated from Arabic means “the power of Ali.” While other followers of Islam questioned the exclusive privilege of this kind and suggested that the majority of the Muslim community choose another candidate from the descendants of Muhammad, explaining their position with excerpts from the Sunnah - the second source of Islamic law after the Koran, which is why they began to be called “Sunnis”.
What are the differences in the interpretation of Islam between Sunnis and Shiites?
- Sunnis recognize exclusively the prophet Muhammad, while Shiites equally revere both Muhammad and his cousin Ali.
- Sunnis and Shiites choose the highest authority differently. Among the Sunnis, it belongs to elected or appointed clerics, and among the Shiites, the representative of the highest authority must be exclusively from the clan of Ali.
- Imam. For Sunnis, this is the cleric who runs the mosque. For Shiites, this is the spiritual leader and descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
- Sunnis study the entire text of the sunnah, and Shiites only study the part that tells about Muhammad and members of his family.
- Shiites believe that one day the messiah will come in the person of the “hidden imam”.
Can Sunnis and Shiites perform namaz and hajj together?
Followers of different sects of Islam can perform namaz (reading prayers five times a day) together: this is actively practiced in some mosques. In addition, Sunnis and Shiites can perform a joint hajj - a pilgrimage to Mecca (the holy city of Muslims in western Saudi Arabia).
Which countries have large Shia communities?
Most followers of Shiism live in Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Yemen.
Ali ibn Abu Talib - an outstanding political and public figure; cousin, son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad; the first imam in the Shiite teachings.
The Arab Caliphate is an Islamic state that arose as a result of Muslim conquests in the 7th-9th centuries. It was located on the territory of modern Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, southern Transcaucasia, Central Asia, northern Africa and southern Europe.
*** Prophet Muhammad (Muhammad, Magomed, Mohammed) is a preacher of monotheism and prophet of Islam, the central figure in the religion after Allah.
**** The Koran is the holy book of Muslims.
Why was there a division between Sunnis and Shiites? May 26th, 2015
It is painful to read the news, where it has been reported again and again that militants of the “Islamic State” (IS) are seizing and destroying ancient cultural and historical monuments that have survived thousands of years. Remember the old story about destruction. Then, one of the most significant was the destruction of monuments ancient Mosul. And recently they captured the Syrian city of Palmyra, which contains unique ancient ruins. But this is the most beautiful! And the religious wars are to blame.
The division of Muslims into Shiites and Sunnis dates back to the early history of Islam. Immediately after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century, a dispute arose over who should lead the Muslim community in the Arab Caliphate. Some believers advocated for elected caliphs, while others advocated for the rights of Muhammad's beloved son-in-law Ali ibn Abu Talib.
This is how Islam was first divided. This is what happened next...
There was also a direct testament of the prophet, according to which Ali was to become his successor, but, as often happens, the authority of Muhammad, unshakable during life, did not play a decisive role after death. Supporters of his will believed that the ummah (community) should be led by imams “appointed by God” - Ali and his descendants from Fatima, and believed that the power of Ali and his heirs was from God. Ali's supporters began to be called Shiites, which literally means “supporters, adherents.”
Their opponents objected that neither the Koran nor the second most important Sunnah (a set of rules and principles supplementing the Koran, based on examples from the life of Muhammad, his actions, statements as conveyed by his companions) says nothing about imams and about the divine rights to power of the Ali clan. The prophet himself did not say anything about this. The Shiites responded that the prophet's instructions were subject to interpretation - but only by those who had a special right to do so. Opponents considered such views to be heresy and said that the Sunnah should be taken in the form in which the companions of the prophet compiled it, without any changes or interpretations. This direction of adherents of strict adherence to the Sunnah is called “Sunnism”.
For Sunnis, the Shiite understanding of the function of the imam as a mediator between God and man is a heresy, since they adhere to the concept of direct worship of Allah, without intermediaries. An imam is, from their point of view, an ordinary religious figure who has earned authority through his theological knowledge, the head of a mosque, and their institution of clergy is devoid of a mystical aura. Sunnis revere the first four "Rightly Guided Caliphs" and do not recognize the Ali dynasty. Shiites recognize only Ali. Shiites revere the sayings of imams along with the Koran and Sunnah.
Differences persist in Sunni and Shiite interpretations of Sharia (Islamic law). For example, Shiites do not adhere to the Sunni rule of considering a divorce valid from the moment it is declared by the husband. In turn, Sunnis do not accept the Shiite practice of temporary marriage.
In the modern world, Sunnis make up the majority of Muslims, Shiites - just over ten percent. Shiites are common in Iran, Azerbaijan, parts of Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Arab countries (with the exception of North Africa). The main Shiite state and the spiritual center of this direction of Islam is Iran.
Conflicts between Shiites and Sunnis still occur, but nowadays they are more often of a political nature. With rare exceptions (Iran, Azerbaijan, Syria), in countries inhabited by Shiites, all political and economic power belongs to Sunnis. The Shiites feel offended, their discontent is taken advantage of by radical Islamic groups, Iran and Western countries, which have long mastered the science of pitting Muslims against each other and supporting radical Islam for the sake of the “victory of democracy.” Shiites have vigorously fought for power in Lebanon and last year rebelled in Bahrain to protest the Sunni minority's usurpation of political power and oil revenues.
In Iraq, after the armed intervention of the United States, the Shiites came to power, a civil war began in the country between them and the former owners - the Sunnis, and the secular regime gave way to obscurantism. In Syria, the situation is the opposite - power there belongs to the Alawites, one of the directions of Shiism. Under the pretext of fighting the dominance of the Shiites in the late 70s, the terrorist group “Muslim Brotherhood” launched a war against the ruling regime; in 1982, the rebels captured the city of Hama. The rebellion was crushed and thousands of people died. Now the war has resumed - but only now, as in Libya, the bandits are called rebels, they are openly supported by all progressive Western humanity, led by the United States.
In the former USSR, Shiites live mainly in Azerbaijan. In Russia they are represented by the same Azerbaijanis, as well as a small number of Tats and Lezgins in Dagestan.
There are no serious conflicts in the post-Soviet space yet. Most Muslims have a very vague idea of the difference between Shiites and Sunnis, and Azerbaijanis living in Russia, in the absence of Shiite mosques, often visit Sunni ones.
In 2010, there was a conflict between the chairman of the presidium of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European part of Russia, the chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, Sunni Ravil Gainutdin, and the head of the Administration of Muslims of the Caucasus, Shiite Allahshukur Pashazade. The latter was accused of being a Shiite, and the majority of Muslims in Russia and the CIS are Sunnis, therefore, a Shiite should not rule the Sunnis. The Council of Muftis of Russia frightened Sunnis with “Shiite revenge” and accused Pashazade of working against Russia, supporting Chechen militants, having too close relations with the Russian Orthodox Church and oppressing Sunnis in Azerbaijan. In response, the Caucasus Muslim Board accused the Mufti Council of attempting to disrupt the Interreligious Summit in Baku and of inciting discord between Sunnis and Shiites.
Experts believe that the roots of the conflict lie in the founding congress of the CIS Muslim Advisory Council in Moscow in 2009, at which Allahshukur Pashazade was elected head of a new alliance of traditional Muslims. The initiative was highly praised by the Russian President, and the Council of Muftis, which demonstratively boycotted it, was a loser. Western intelligence agencies are also suspected of inciting the conflict.
The Muslim Ummah has been divided into many different currents and directions for 1,400 years. And this despite the fact that in the Holy Quran the Almighty tells us:
“Hold onto the rope of Allah and do not be separated” (3:103)
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) warned about the division of the Muslim community, saying that the ummah would be divided into 73 movements.
In the modern Muslim world, we can distinguish two of the largest and most influential directions of Islam that formed after the death of the Messenger of Allah (s.w.w.) - Sunnis and Shiites.
History of the schism
The death of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) raised the question of a possible successor to the Muslim ummah as the ruler of the Muslim state, as well as the spiritual leader of the believers. The majority of Muslims supported the candidacy of the closest companion of the Messenger of Allah (s.g.w.) - (r.a.), who was one of the first to accept Islam and was a companion of the Messenger of Allah (s.g.w.) throughout his prophetic mission. In addition, during the life of Muhammad (s.g.w.), Abu Bakr replaced him as an imam at collective prayers when he was not well.
However, a small part of the believers saw his son-in-law and cousin Ali ibn Abu Talib (ra) as the successor of the Final Prophet (s.a.w.). In their opinion, Ali, who grew up in the house of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and was his relative, has more rights to become their ruler than Abu Bakr.
Subsequently, that part of the believers who came out in support of Abu Bakr began to be called Sunnis, and those who supported Ali - Shiites. As you know, Abu Bakr was chosen as the successor of the Messenger of God (s.g.w.), who became the first righteous caliph in the history of Islam.
Features of Sunnism
Sunnis (full name - Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`a - “People of the Sunnah and Community Harmony”) are the largest and most influential movement in the Islamic world. The term comes from the Arabic "sunnah", which refers to the life of the Prophet Muhammad (s.g.w.), and means following the path of God's Messenger (s.g.w.). That is, the main sources of knowledge for Sunni Muslims are the Koran and the Sunnah.
Currently, Sunnis make up about 90% of Muslims and live in most countries of the world.
In Sunni Islam, there are many different theological and legal schools, the largest of which are 4 madhhabs: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali. In general, the Sunni madhhabs do not contradict each other, since the founders of these legal schools lived at approximately the same time and were students and teachers of each other, and therefore the Sunni madhhabs rather complement each other.
There are some minor disagreements between madhhabs on certain issues, which are related to the specifics of each legal school. In particular, these disagreements can be examined using the example of the permissibility of eating the meat of certain animals from the point of view of various Sunni legal schools. For example, eating horse meat, according to the Hanafi madhhab, belongs to the category of undesirable actions (makrooh), according to the Maliki madhhab - forbidden acts (haram), and according to the Shafi'i and Hanbali madhhabs, this meat is permitted (halal).
Features of Shiism
Shiism is an Islamic movement in which, together with their descendants, they are recognized as the only legitimate successors of the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (s.a.w.). The term “Shiite” itself comes from the Arabic word “shi`a” (translated as “followers”). This group of Muslims consider themselves followers of Imam Ali (r.a.) and his righteous descendants.
Now the number of Shiites is estimated at approximately 10% of all Muslims in the world. Shiite communities operate in most states, and in some of them they constitute an absolute majority. These countries include: Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain. In addition, quite large Shiite communities live in Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.
Within Shiism today there are many trends, the largest of which are: Jafarism, Ismailism, Alawism and Zaydism. Relations between their representatives cannot always be called close, since on some issues they take opposing positions. The main point of disagreement between Shiite movements is the issue of recognizing certain descendants of Ali ibn Abu Talib (ra) as immaculate imams. In particular, the Jafarites (Twelver Shiites) recognize 12 righteous imams, the last of which is Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi, according to Jafarite teaching, who went into “hiddenness” as a child. In the future, Imam Mahdi will have to fulfill the role of the Messiah. The Ismailis, in turn, recognize only seven imams, since this part of the Shiites recognizes the imamate of the first six imams, like the Jafarites, and they recognized the seventh imam as the eldest son of the sixth imam Jafar al-Sadiq - Imam Ismail, who died before his father. Ismailis believe that it was the seventh Imam Ismail who went into hiding and that it was he who would become the Messiah in the future. The situation is similar with the Zaydis, who recognize only five righteous imams, the final of which is Zeid ibn Ali.
Main differences between Sunnis and Shiites
1. The principle of power and continuity
Sunnis believe that Muslims who have the necessary level of knowledge and unquestioned authority in the Muslim environment have the right to be the ruler of the faithful and their spiritual mentor. In turn, from the point of view of the Shiites, only the direct descendants of Muhammad (s.g.w.) have such a right. In this regard, the legitimacy of the rise to power of the first three righteous caliphs - Abu Bakr (r.a.), Umar (r.a.) and Uthman (r.a.), recognized along with Ali (r.a.) is not recognized with them .), in the Sunni world. For Shiites, only the authority of immaculate imams, who, in their opinion, are sinless, is authoritative.
2. The special role of Imam Ali (r.a.)
Sunnis revere the Prophet Muhammad (s.g.w.) as the Messenger of the Almighty (s.g.w.), sent by the Lord as a mercy for the worlds. Shiites, along with Muhammad (s.g.w.), equally reverence Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (r.a.). When pronouncing the azan - the call to prayer - Shiites even pronounce his name, indicating that Ali is a ruler from the Almighty. In addition, some extreme Shiite movements even recognize this companion as an incarnation of a deity.
3. Approach to considering the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.)
Sunnis recognize the authenticity of those hadiths of the Prophet (s.a.w.) contained in 6 collections: Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Daud, Nasai, Ibn Majah. For Shiites, such an indisputable source is the hadiths from the so-called “Quadrateuch”. That is, those hadiths that were transmitted by representatives of the family of the Prophet (s.g.w.). For Sunnis, the criterion for the reliability of hadiths is the compliance of the chain of transmitters with the requirements of honesty and truthfulness.
In recent years, the Middle East has not left the headlines of news agencies around the world. The region is in a fever; the events taking place here largely determine the global geopolitical agenda. In this place, the interests of the largest players on the world stage are intertwined: the USA, Europe, Russia and China.
To better understand the processes taking place today in Iraq and Syria, it is necessary to look into the past. The contradictions that led to bloody chaos in the region are associated with the characteristics of Islam and the history of the Muslim world, which today is experiencing a real passionary explosion. Every day, events in Syria more and more clearly resemble a religious war, uncompromising and merciless. This has happened before in history: the European Reformation led to centuries of bloody conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.
And if immediately after the events of the “Arab Spring” the conflict in Syria resembled an ordinary armed uprising of the people against an authoritarian regime, today the warring parties can be clearly divided along religious lines: President Assad in Syria is supported by Alawites and Shiites, and the majority of his opponents are Sunnis ( both of these branches are recognized as illegal on the territory of the Russian Federation). The units of the Islamic State (ISIS), the main “horror story” of any Westerner, are also made up of Sunnis - and of the most radical kind.
Who are Sunnis and Shiites? What is the difference? And why is it now that the difference between Sunnis and Shiites has led to armed confrontation between these religious groups?
To find answers to these questions, we will have to travel back in time and go back thirteen centuries, to a period when Islam was a young religion in its infancy. However, before that, a little general information that will help you better understand the issue.
Currents of Islam
Islam is one of the world's largest religions, which is in second place (after Christianity) in terms of the number of followers. The total number of its adherents is 1.5 billion people living in 120 countries. In 28 countries, Islam has been declared the state religion.
Naturally, such a massive religious teaching cannot be homogeneous. Islam includes many different movements, some of which are considered marginal even by Muslims themselves. The two largest sects of Islam are Sunnism and Shiism. There are other, less numerous movements of this religion: Sufism, Salafism, Ismailism, Jamaat Tabligh and others.
History and essence of the conflict
The split of Islam into Shiites and Sunnis occurred soon after the emergence of this religion, in the second half of the 7th century. Moreover, its reasons concerned not so much the tenets of faith as pure politics, and to be even more precise, a banal struggle for power led to the split.
After the death of Ali, the last of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, the struggle for his place began. Opinions about the future heir were divided. Some Muslims believed that only a direct descendant of the Prophet’s family could lead the caliphate, to whom all his spiritual qualities should pass.
Another part of the believers believed that any worthy and authoritative person chosen by the community could become a leader.
Caliph Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet, so a significant part of the believers believed that the future ruler should be chosen from his family. Moreover, Ali was born in the Kaaba, he was the first man and child to convert to Islam.
Believers who believed that Muslims should be ruled by people from the clan of Ali formed a religious movement of Islam called “Shiism”; accordingly, its followers began to be called Shiites. Translated from Arabic, this word means “adherents, followers (Ali).” Another part of the believers, who considered the exclusivity of this kind of doubtful, formed the Sunni movement. This name appeared because Sunnis confirmed their position with quotations from the Sunnah, the second most important source in Islam after the Koran.
By the way, Shiites consider the Koran, recognized by Sunnis, to be partially falsified. In their opinion, information about the need to appoint Ali as Muhammad's successor was removed from it.
This is the main and fundamental difference between Sunnis and Shiites. It became the cause of the first civil war that occurred in the Arab Caliphate.
However, it should be noted that the further history of relations between the two branches of Islam, although it was not too rosy, Muslims managed to avoid serious conflicts on religious grounds. There have always been more Sunnis, and a similar situation continues today. It was representatives of this branch of Islam that founded such powerful states in the past as the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, as well as the Ottoman Empire, which in its heyday was a real threat to Europe.
In the Middle Ages, Shiite Persia was constantly at odds with the Sunni Ottoman Empire, which largely prevented the latter from completely conquering Europe. Despite the fact that these conflicts were rather politically motivated, religious differences also played an important role in them.
The contradictions between Sunnis and Shiites reached a new level after the Islamic Revolution in Iran (1979), after which a theocratic regime came to power in the country. These events put an end to Iran's normal relations with the West and its neighboring states, where mostly Sunnis were in power. The new Iranian government began to pursue an active foreign policy, which was regarded by the countries of the region as the beginning of Shiite expansion. In 1980, a war began with Iraq, the vast majority of whose leadership was occupied by Sunnis.
Sunnis and Shiites reached a new level of confrontation after a series of revolutions (known as the “Arab Spring”) that swept across the region. The conflict in Syria has clearly divided the warring parties along religious lines: the Syrian Alawite president is protected by the Iranian Islamic Guard Corps and the Shiite Hezbollah from Lebanon, and is opposed by detachments of Sunni militants supported by various states in the region.
How else do Sunnis and Shiites differ?
Sunnis and Shiites have other differences, but they are less fundamental. So, for example, the shahada, which is a verbal expression of the first pillar of Islam (“I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah”), sounds somewhat different among the Shiites: at the end of this phrase they add “... and Ali - friend of Allah."
There are other differences between the Sunni and Shia branches of Islam:
- Sunnis exclusively revere the Prophet Muhammad, while Shiites, in addition, glorify his cousin Ali. Sunnis revere the entire text of the Sunnah (their second name is “people of the Sunnah”), while Shiites only respect the part that concerns the Prophet and his family members. Sunnis believe that strictly following the Sunnah is one of the main duties of a Muslim. In this regard, they can be called dogmatists: the Taliban in Afghanistan strictly regulate even the details of a person’s appearance and behavior.
- If the largest Muslim holidays - Eid al-Adha and Kurban Bayram - are celebrated equally by both branches of Islam, then the tradition of celebrating the day of Ashura among Sunnis and Shiites has a significant difference. For Shiites, this day is a memorial day.
- Sunnis and Shiites have different attitudes towards such a norm of Islam as temporary marriage. The latter consider this a normal phenomenon and do not limit the number of such marriages. Sunnis consider such an institution illegal, since Muhammad himself abolished it.
- There are differences in the places of traditional pilgrimage: Sunnis visit Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, and Shiites visit Najaf or Karbala in Iraq.
- Sunnis are required to perform five namaz (prayers) a day, while Shiites can limit themselves to three.
However, the main thing in which these two directions of Islam differ is the method of electing power and the attitude towards it. Among Sunnis, an imam is simply a clergyman who presides over a mosque. The Shiites have a completely different attitude to this issue. The head of the Shiites, the imam, is a spiritual leader who governs not only matters of faith, but also politics. He seems to stand above government structures. Moreover, the imam must come from the family of the Prophet Muhammad.
A typical example of this form of governance is today's Iran. The head of Iran's Shiites, the Rahbar, is higher than the president or the head of the national parliament. It completely determines the policy of the state.
Sunnis do not at all believe in the infallibility of people, and Shiites believe that their imams are completely sinless.
Shiites believe in twelve righteous imams (descendants of Ali), the fate of the last of whom (his name was Muhammad al-Mahdi) is unknown. He simply disappeared without a trace at the end of the 9th century. Shiites believe that al-Mahdi will return to the people on the eve of the Last Judgment to restore order in the world.
Sunnis believe that after death a person’s soul can meet with God, while Shiites consider such a meeting impossible both in a person’s earthly life and after it. Communication with God can only be maintained through an imam.
It should also be noted that Shiites practice the principle of taqiyya, which means pious concealment of one's faith.
Number and places of residence of Sunnis and Shiites
How many Sunnis and Shiites are there in the world? The majority of Muslims living on the planet today belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. According to various estimates, they make up from 85 to 90% of the followers of this religion.
Most Shiites live in Iran, Iraq (more than half the population), Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Yemen and Lebanon. In Saudi Arabia, Shiism is practiced by approximately 10% of the population.
Sunnis are in the majority in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Afghanistan and the rest of Central Asia, Indonesia and the North African countries of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. In addition, the majority of Muslims in India and China belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. Russian Muslims are also Sunnis.
As a rule, there are no conflicts between adherents of these movements of Islam when living together in the same territory. Sunnis and Shiites often attend the same mosques, and this also does not cause conflicts.
The current situation in Iraq and Syria is rather an exception caused by political reasons. This conflict is associated with the confrontation between the Persians and Arabs, which has its roots in the dark depths of centuries.
Alawites
In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about the Alawite religious group, to which Russia’s current ally in the Middle East, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, belongs.
Alawites are a movement (sect) of Shiite Islam, with which it is united by the veneration of the Prophet’s cousin, Caliph Ali. Alawism originated in the 9th century in the Middle East. This religious movement absorbed the features of Ismailism and Gnostic Christianity, and the result was an “explosive mixture” of Islam, Christianity and various pre-Muslim beliefs that existed in these territories.
Today, Alawites make up 10-15% of the Syrian population, their total number is 2-2.5 million people.
Despite the fact that Alawism arose on the basis of Shiism, it is very different from it. Alawites celebrate some Christian holidays, such as Easter and Christmas, perform only two prayers a day, do not attend mosques, and may drink alcohol. Alawites revere Jesus Christ (Isa), the Christian apostles, the Gospel is read at their services, they do not recognize Sharia.
And if radical Sunnis from among the fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS) do not have a very good attitude towards Shiites, considering them “wrong” Muslims, then they generally call Alawites dangerous heretics who must be destroyed. The attitude towards Alawites is much worse than towards Christians or Jews; Sunnis believe that Alawites insult Islam by the mere fact of their existence.
Not much is known about the religious traditions of the Alawites, since this group actively uses the practice of taqiya, which allows believers to perform the rituals of other religions while maintaining their faith.
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