Muslim Sunni and Shiites, differences, conflict and what it's all about.
One of the most controversial issues that attract non-Muslims' attention is the difference between Muslim Sunni and Shiite. First and foremost, both are Muslim groups who are following the same prophet Mohammed -peace and prayers upon him-, both are reciting the same holy scripture Quran and practicing the five Islamic pillars testimony, praying, fasting, obligatory charity or zakat, and pilgrimage or Hajj".
However, Shiites seem a bit divisive as they had included many other subgroups, sects, and sub-sects. They represent NO more than 15% of the whole Muslim community.
Shiites follow one leader of their own and they were practicing additional extra rituals -sometimes exaggerating liturgy- which seemed incompatible with the rest of the Muslim community practices.
One of the Shiite unfamiliar dogmas was extra revering Ali Ibn Al Khattab who was the fourMuslimlim leader after prophet Mohammed had passed away. Apparently, some Shiites' sects recognized their Muslim leader as a God, who couldn't be disobeyed, fooled or even opposed. After prophet Mohamed died-PBUH- his companions gathered to elect the upcoming leader, some suggested that his dearest friend Abu Bakr to be his ancestor, and some others recommended someone from his lineage to inherit the leadership who was most likely Ali Ibn Abi Talib, The election went fair, but they didn't consider having Ali in their election meeting which drove some denominations crazy as they considered the rest of the prophet's companions as traitors and a group of them agreed that none of them should follow any prophetic statements, teachings or instructions the companions ever stated. But, the whole Muslim community believed that the prophetic teachings, sayings, and actions should be copied and the best source to access this kind of information was through his companions; thus most of the prophet's companions' actions, statements and their copy of the Quran were approved and accredited by the majority of Muslims and were considered as a general guide and reference to all Muslims around the world, and Muslims called this guide as Sunna and here is how the word Sunnis was created. The word "Sunnis" represents people who follow and copy all the prophet's actions and respect his companions, his lineage, and kinships. Some of the Shiites disrespect Aa'isha- the prophet's most favorite and closest wife. Their stance against Aisha was because of her attitude against Ali- their favorite Imam and leader- at the days of the biggest Islamic turmoil.
When The third Muslim Caliphate-Othman Ibn Affan- was on the role of the Muslim state, some found it unfair that he kept on appointing his relatives in important roles and positions, so a fanatic group decided to kill him. This chaotic phase developed when the Mulsim folks in charge disagreed on further consequences to be applied in this case. Aisha the prophet's wife among others agreed upon punishing those murderers, while others including Ali the fourth Muslim leader to wait until things were settled. The two groups disagreed and some of the fanatics succeeded in spreading rumors between the two disagreeing groups. Then the conflict got escalated and they fought! Aisha was at the side was battling against Ali. Simply, Aa'isha was at the side who decided to fight back murders to discourage any further battles or revolutions against any Muslim leader, while Ali decided to have negotiations with murders instead of fighting against them so as not undermine the very fabric of Muslim community.
Things went further with some of Ali's supporters, they were almost worshipping him like a God, some of them went sectarian about Ali and his policies. His teachings and sayings to them became equal to the prophet's teachings. Those fanatics formed the Shiites and Shiites is an Arabic word meant people who made a group supporting a specific belief and they so stuck to it.
Ismailies, Ethna -Ashris are the two major groups of Shiites, and they are completely different from each other and different from Sabee's, Zaydis, Husseinis,..etc.
Muslim Sunnis have just four subgroups and they are NOT sects, they are different in jurisprudence, they usually disagree on how might someone practice the Islamic laws and rules and they are NOT conflicting or even battling.
Shiites are well known by their tendency to violence especially to their coreligionists Sunnis and their extra practices and feasts, and they always oppress Sunnis to take Hussein's revenge!
Hussein was the son of Ali and the Shiites promised him to support him in case if he ran for leadership against Muaweyya" the Muslim king after Ali"... Hussein trusted them and answered their call, but they let him down and they never kept their word. he was betrayed and murdered in a battle known as Karbala and all of his followers as well.
#muslim
#Sunni
#Shiite
