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| This article forms part of the series Islam |
| Vocabulary of Islam |
| Five Pillars |
| Profession of faith |
| Prayer · Alms · Fasting |
| Pilgrimage to Mecca |
| Jihad (See Sixth pillar of Islam) |
| People |
| Muhammad |
| Prophets of Islam |
| Caliph · Shia Imam |
| Companions of Muhammad |
| Holy Cities |
| Mecca · Medina · Jerusalem |
| Najaf · Karbala · Kufa |
| Kazimain · Mashhad · Samarra |
| Events |
| Hijra · Islamic calendar · Eid ul-Fitr |
| Eid ul-Adha · Aashura · Arba'in |
| Buildings |
| Mosque · Minaret · Mihrab · Kaaba |
| Islamic architecture |
| Functional Religious Roles |
| Muezzin · Imam · Mullah |
| Ayatollah · Mufti |
| Interpretive Texts & Practices |
| Qur'an · Hadith · Sunnah |
| Fiqh · Fatwa · Sharia |
| Sects |
| Sunni: Hanafi · Hanbali · Maliki · Shafi'i |
| Shi'a: Ithna Asharia · Ismailiyah · Zaiddiyah |
| Others: Ibadi · Kharijite · Murjite · Mu'tazili |
| Movements |
| Sufism · Wahhabism · Salafism |
| Non-Mainstream Sects / Movements |
| Ahmadiyyah · Nation of Islam |
| Zikri · Druze |
| Related Faiths |
| Alawi · Babism · Bahá'í Faith · Yazidi |
Shi‘as (the adjective in Arabic is شيعى shi‘i; English has traditionally used Shiite) make up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 25%-30% of all Muslims. (The largest sect, the Sunni Muslims, make up about 70% of all Muslims).
| Contents |
Shi‘a Muslims live in all parts of the world, but some countries have a higher concentration of Shi‘a. Iran is almost entirely Shi‘a, and of the 95% Muslim population of Iraq, about 70% are Shi‘a. Large Shi‘a populations are also found in Pakistan (25%), the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (19%), Bahrain (75%), Oman, Brunei, with smaller groups in other parts of the Persian Gulf.
The majority of Shi‘as are referred to as Twelver Shi‘as. This is so that they can be distinguished from other variants of Shi‘a Islam. Twelver Shi‘as believe in the imamate (leadership) of the twelve imams following the death of Prophet Muhammad.
Following is a listing of the rightful sucessors of Muhammad, as recognized by mainstream ("Twelver") Shias. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam, except for Husayn who was the brother of Hasan. See Shia Imams for details.
Shi‘a Muslims believe that Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of Prophet Muhammad, was the first of the twelve imams appointed by God to succeed Prophet Muhammad as leader of the Muslim community. Shi‘as regard the three caliphs who succeeded him as illegitimate rulers who usurped power in contravention to God's command and the will of the Prophet Muhammad.
They believe that the twelve descendants of Prophet Muhammad are Imams (political and religious leaders) and have a special status. They are regarded as direct corporeal and spiritual successors of Prophet Muhammad. They are infallible, divinely inspired, and chosen directly by God.
The differences between Shi'a and Sunni are not historical, but theological. The theological differences are rooted in the
question of why someone should believe in Islam. According to Shi’a theology, a Muslim must believe in Islam by following
the rationality. On the other hand, according to Sunni theology, a Muslim must become Muslim because the God and his prophet had
said so. This results in difference between Sunni and Shia theology in ranking the rationality and Quran. Shi’a theology
ranks rationality above the Quran (in that it can be interpreted) and the traditions of the prophet and the Imams. Sunnis rank
them the other way around.
This theological difference between Shi'a and Sunni has resulted in many differences in terms of rituals, customs, etc. The theological difference between shi'a and Sunni is depicted in the fundamentals of Islam. For Shi'a, the fundamentals are:
While for Sunni, the fundamentals are other 12 concepts that are related to the ritual of Muslims.
There are two categories of Islamic theology, namely "Usuli" (rationalist) and "Akhbari" (traditionalist). According to Usulis, it is the obligation of every muslim to either be a marja or follow a living marja. There are many
Shi‘a marjas in the world today such as Ayatollah
Khamenei, Ayatollah Wahid-Khorasani, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Ayatollah Sadiq Sherazi, Ayatollah Mohamed Hussein FadlAllah, etc. However, according to "Akhbaris," only
Prophet Muhammad and the twelve imams should be followed absolutely.
Marks the end of fasting the month of Ramathan.
Marks the end of the pilgram to Meca
This is the 10th of Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic year. This day marks the commemoration of Imam Husayn bin Ali's martyrdom. It is a day of deep mourning. Husayn was the third imam, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad (the son of Prophet Muhammad's daughter- Fatima) and a son of Ali. He is a symbol of martyrdom, and standing up against oppression for Shi‘a Muslims.
Arba'een is commemorated on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah. Shias also remember the terrible treatment of the women of Imam Hussein's household - they were dragged from Karbala (central Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus, Syria) - with many young children dying of thirst and exposure along the route.
A celebration held on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah marking the event of Ghadeer Khumm in 10 AH. The day on which God stated the completion of Islam. Laylatul Qadr is the biggest night, and Eid al-Ghadeer is the biggest day.
A celebration held on the 24th of Dhil-Hijjah marking the event of al-Mubahila between the Household of the Prophet and a Christian deputation from Najran, in 10 AH.
A celebration to mark the Prophet Muhammad's birth date, 17th Rabbi al-Awwal. Coincides with the birth date of the 6th Shi'a Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq (see Shia Imams). (The Sunnis mark the occasion on 12th Rabbi al-Awwal.)
Significant to all Muslims but specifically to Shi'as as it also marks the birth date of their 12th and final Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi.
The variants of Shi‘a Islam differ regarding the rights of succession after the death of Prophet Muhammad, but they agree that the Imams were usurped from their rightful position.
Sevener Shi‘as: The Ismailis are the largest group among Sevener Shi‘as.
Fiver Shi‘as or Zaidis: A minor group that believes in the same first four imams as the Twelvers and Seveners, but differ on the fifth. They are thus known as Fivers.
Both major Shi‘a sects (as do some Sunni Muslims) believe that the last Imam (either the seventh or the twelfth) has been hidden alive by God. This hidden (occulted) imam is capable of communicating with the faithful. Some Iranian Shi‘as believed that the late Ayatollah Khomeini (not to be confused with Ayatollah Khamenei, the current supreme ayatollah of Iran) received inspiration from the twelfth and last Imam. Beliefs vary as to what will happen when the last Imam, called the Mahdi ("the guided one"), returns (though some sects reserve that title for Jesus). It is generally believed that the last Imam will be accompanied by Jesus and will affirm Muhammad's message to mankind from God.
Bahá'í Faith: This independent religion (not a sect of Islam) accepts the Twelver Shi‘a succession as correct, though they also believe that the twelfth Imam is the Báb. The Bahá'ís are considered heretics by Muslims of all sects.
Karbala, Jafari, Imam, Fatimids, Ismailis, Sunni Islam, Iraqi opposition, Shia Imams, Zaidi, Dawoodi Bohras
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