Shi'ites and Sunnis - background

Son-in-Law vs. Father-in-Law

When the Prophet Muhammad died in 632, there was a dispute over who would succeed him to become the caliph, or leader, of the young Muslim community. Shi'ites believe Muhammad had clearly designated Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, as his successor. But a group of Muslim elders gathered and selected Muhammad's father-in-law, Abu Bakr, instead. For a time, Ali stayed out of the public eye, but a small community of Shi'a (Arabic for "followers") soon surrounded him and deferred to him as their imam, or "guide."

According to Shi'ite belief, God chooses the imam to serve as an infallible guide for the community of the faithful. Every imam must descend directly from the Prophet, through Ali and his wife Fatima. Because Shi'ites emphasize the imam's God-given role, they have often rejected other sources of religious authority, such as community consensus, that are important within majority Sunni Islam.

Imam vs. Caliph

The caliph had the allegiance of most Muslims, but the imam was still a threat. Ali actually became caliph in 656, but not for long--in 661 he was killed by a dissident Muslim. Most of the imams who followed tried to keep a low profile, but many died violently.

In 874, the twelfth imam, known as the Mahdi ("divinely guided one"), simply disappeared. Most Shi'ites today, called "Twelvers," believe that the twelfth imam was the last one and that he is not dead but hidden, and will return at the end of time to reign over a period of justice and right religion. Other Shi'ite sects recognize fewer legitimate imams, or more, and say different things about who can assume the role. But all have looked to the imams, and not to caliphs or to the consensus of the Muslim community, for authority.

Shi'ite vs. Sunni

Shi'ite and Sunni Islam did not split over doctrinal differences, and even today they agree on the fundamentals of doctrine and practice. Both groups respect the Prophet, the Qur'an, and the oneness of God. Both also hold to the Five Pillars of Islam: shahada, the profession of faith; salat, the daily prayers; zakat, the alms tax; sawm, the Ramadan fast; and hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

But Shi'ites are distinctive in aspects of worship that grow out of their unique history--for instance, commemorating the martyrdom of Husayn, the third imam. A pilgrimage to Husayn's tomb in Karbala, Iraq, is believed to cleanse sins. Pilgrims join a procession circling the tomb, some beating their chests and gashing their scalps with swords to commemorate the martyr's suffering.

Also, Shi'ite society invests enormous importance in grand ayatollahs, who through their teaching have gathered followers who look to them for guidance. Shi'ites pay a special religious income tax, called the khums, to their chosen grand ayatollah, and this money funds schools and other community services. The first imam, Ali, is still venerated as the ideal Shi'ite teacher--morally uncompromising and pure in both word and deed.

Mark Diller
knowledgenews.net