Shia and Sunni are the two largest branches of Islam, with the overwhelming majority of Muslims being Sunni. The main difference between the two is that Shia Muslims believe that the first caliph, or leader of the Muslim community after the death of the prophet Muhammad, should have been his cousin and son-in-law Ali, while Sunni Muslims believe that it should have been his close companion Abu Bakr. This disagreement stems from a larger issue of succession after Muhammad's death and how leadership should be determined within the Muslim community.
Shia Muslims make up about 10-15% of the global Muslim population, and are primarily concentrated in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. They have a long and complex history, and have often faced persecution and discrimination from Sunni-majority governments. Shia Muslims have their own distinct legal and theological traditions, and place a strong emphasis on the role of imams, or leaders, in interpreting Islamic doctrine. They also place a strong emphasis on martyrdom and suffering, and have a rich tradition of religious festivals and rituals.
Sunni Muslims, on the other hand, make up the majority of the global Muslim population and can be found in virtually every country with a significant Muslim population. They follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and the first four caliphs, or "rightly guided" leaders, and place a strong emphasis on the importance of the Prophet's companions and the consensus of the Muslim community in matters of faith and practice. Sunni Muslims have a more decentralized leadership structure compared to Shia Muslims, and do not have the same strict hierarchy of religious authority.
Despite these differences, both Shia and Sunni Muslims follow the same basic beliefs and practices, such as the Five Pillars of Islam and the Qur'an as their holy scripture. They also both believe in the oneness of God and the prophet hood of Muhammad. In recent years, there have been efforts to bridge the divide between the two branches of Islam, as many Muslims recognize that sectarian tensions only serve to weaken the global Muslim community.
Sunni vs. Shia Flashcards
Imaams are considered divinely guided. There has never been a clash between the Shia and Sunni on the scale of the Thirty Years War, which saw Christian sects fight each other in 17th-century Europe with great loss of life. Practitioners belong to different tariqa, or orders, that are described as "sober" — restrained in religious practice — or "drunk," open to achieving religious ecstasy. Calculating their population is difficult because unless they form a large minority group in their country, they are often counted as Sunni. Whereas the Sunni people believe that rightfully the responsibility of leadership should have fallen upon the first four caliphs one by one and they were- Abu Bakr, Omar, Osman, and then finally Ali. Shia Muslims mourn and self-Scourge themselves in the remembrance of the martyrdom of Hussain Ibn Ali and his family at the Battle of Karbala on 10 th of Muharram.
Difference Between Shia and Sunni
Twitter LinkedIn icon The word "in". The Sunni, however gave the same importance to all Islamic literature. Only two Eid days. Different Hadiths Hadiths are collections of reports regarding Muhammad's teachings and life, as remembered by a variety of narrators and written later by others. Sunni Islam is separated into four main schools of jurisprudence, namely, Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali.
What Is the Sunni
Sunni Muslims find this unacceptable because Abu Bakr, in Sunni tradition, is one of the best Muslims. Ali was assassinated in 661 A. He also holds a major in Physics. Witnesses are needed, however, if there is a divorce during the Shia nikah. They also believe in a devil, angels, and demons.
Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims
For example, differences are more noticeable in Iraq than they are in Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan, two countries where Muslims are less likely to identify as either Sunni or Shia, but rather simply as Muslim. Extreme Sunni fundamentalists claim that Shias are heretics and call for their murder. Shia Muslims celebrate the anniversary of the death ofHusayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and son of Ali. Iran is the heart of Shia Islam. They believe it is alright to have multiple leaders in different Muslim countries. Unlike Ali, none of the men were blood relatives of Muhammad.
Differences Between Sunni And Shia Muslims
In the eyes of many Sunni, this is blasphemous and equivalent to worshipping other deities. Both groups of Muslim people, meaning Shia and They also think that politically the authority not only should fall upon Ali but also after his departure the string should get pass on to his descendants, the Imams. While Shia Muslims may combine some prayers and pray only three times a day, Sunnis rarely combine prayers. Muslims are further divided into two major sects or divisions. By contrast, Sunni nikah does not require any verses to be recited. However, followers of Shia believe that only God reserves the right to pick a representative who will safeguard Islam and therefore, the Quran and sharia appoints its leader. Shia is the 2 nd largest division of Islam with 15 to 10% of overall Muslim Population.
What is the difference between Sunni and Shia Islam?
Shia believes Prophet Muhammad wanted Ali Ibn Abi Talib, his son-in-law, and cousin to be his successor. The Sunni scholars say it is not necessary. They cover almost 1. Ibn Al-Athir, his history Al-Kamil, v3, p98. Abu Bakr was among the closest companions of Prophet Muhammad and was also Father in Law of Prophet Muhammad. He became the first Caliph of the Muslim community, as he was the closest Sunni Muslims believe that the first four Caliphs of the Islamic Union were the rightful choice and after their demise, the descendants of them ruled one after another in the Muslim community.