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What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite Islam?

What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite Islam?

Shiites believe the Prophet Mohammed should have been succeeded by his son-in-law, Imam Ali, and leadership of the Muslim world should pass through the prophet’s descendants. Sunnis don’t believe the leadership of the Muslim world should necessarily pass through hereditary succession.

What is the relationship between Shiism and Islam?

Shias regard Ali as the successor of Muhammad not only ruling over the community in justice, but also interpreting Islamic practices and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by God by divine decree (nass) to be the first Imam.

Can Sunni and Shia pray together?

Sunni Muslims pray five times a day, whereas Shia Muslims can combine prayers to pray three times a day. The practice of Muttah marriage, a tempo- rary marriage, is also permitted in Shia Islam but Sunnis considered it forbidden as they believe the Prophet abolished it.

What is Shi A in Islam?

Those who believe Ali should have been the Prophet’s successor are now known as Shi’a Muslims. It was only later that these terms came into use. Sunni means ‘one who follows the Sunnah’ (what the Prophet said, did, agreed to or condemned). Shi’a is a contraction of the phrase ‘Shiat Ali’, meaning ‘partisans of Ali’.

How do I become a Shia?

How do I convert to Shia? If you want to convert to Shia then just follow teachings of Quran, Prophet and his family. You should have a firm believe in the Caliphate of Ali after Prophet and hate the enemies of Ahlulbayt. Shia believe that Prophet’s progeny is also pure and the sunnah they teach is the righteous.

After the death of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims had a disagreement; Sunnis believed that Muhammad’s successor should be Abu Bakr and Omar, and the Shias believed that his successor should be Ali.

Is Shiite and Shia the same?

Shiʻa, Shia, Shiʻism/Shiʻite or Shiism/Shiite are the forms used in English, for adherents, mosques, and things associated with the religion.

Where do most Shiites live today?

Shia Muslims are a numerical majority in Iraq and Bahrain. Approximately half of the population in Yemen and half of the Muslims in Lebanon are Shia Muslims. There is also a very large population of Shia Muslims living in the Arab Persian Gulf countries especially in Saudi Arabia.

What are the differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims?

These differences stem from the extreme claims on both sides. Once this political difference took place, both Sunnis and Shias developed slight differences on larger theological issues. However, Sunni and Shia Muslims believe in the same Qur’an.

Where are the majority of Shiite Muslims located?

Shia constitute about 10 to 15 percent of all Muslims, and globally their population is estimated at less than 200 million. Whereas Sunnis dominate the Muslim world, from West Africa to Indonesia, the Shiites are centrally located, with a vast majority in Iran, predominance in Iraq and sizable populations in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

Who are the majority Sunni Muslims in the world?

The major portion of the Muslim community is called the Sunni Muslims. They cover almost 1.5 billion people in this world. That is nearly 90% of the whole Muslim population. The main Muslim countries are Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc. They contain 90% Sunni Muslims at least.

When did the divide between Sunni and Shiite Muslims start?

The divide is traced to 632 A.D., when the Islamic Prophet Muhammad died and a debate emerged about who should be his successor.

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