Sunni and Shi’a

Lesson Objective

To understand the theological and practiial differences between

Sunni and Shi’a Muslims

To understand the differences between the Shi’a groups of

Twelvers and Seveners

Exam Board

• Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: – the split between Sunni and Shi’a Islam; – the different Shi’a groups of Seveners

and Twelvers;

• Candidates should be able to discuss these areas critically.

The origins and features of Sunni and Shi’a Islam• The central issue is whether there

should be a family line of rulers or whether Muhammed intended elections to take place to ensure that the most suitable and devout person led the Ummah.

Theological Differences and Attempts at promoting Unity

• The line of Mohammed (pbuh) through Ali and Hussein became extinct in 873CE when the last Shia Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who had no brothers disappeared within days of inheriting the title at the age of four.

• The Shias refused, however, to accept that he had died, preferring to believe that he was merely "hidden" and would return.

• When after several centuries this failed to happen, spiritual power passed to the ulema, a council of twelve scholars who elected a supreme Imam.

Structure

• The best known modern example of the Shia supreme Imam is the late Ayyatollah Khomeni, whose portrait hangs in many Shia homes.

• The Shia Imam has come to be viewed with Pope-like infallibility and the Shia religious hierarchy is not dissimilar in structure and religious power to that of the Catholic Church within Christianity.

• Sunni Islam, in contrast, more closely resembles the myriad independent churches of American Protestantism.  Sunnis do not have a formal clergy, just scholars and jurists, who may offer non-binding opinions. 

Shia Imams

• Shias believe that their supreme Imam is a fully spiritual guide, inheriting some of Muhammad's inspiration ("light") . 

• Their imams are believed to be inerrant interpreters of law and tradition.  Shia theology is distinguished by its glorification of Ali. 

• In Shia Islam there is a strong theme of martyrdom and suffering, focusing on deaths of Ali and, particularly, Hussein plus other important figures in the Shia succession. 

• Shi`ism attracted other dissenting groups, especially representatives of older non-Arab (Mawali) civilizations (Persian, Indian, etc.) that felt they had not been treated fairly by the Arab Muslims.

Practical Differences

• On a practical daily level, Shias have a different call to prayer, they perform wudu and salat differently including placing the forehead onto a piece of hardened clay from Karbala, not directly onto the prayer mat when prostrating. As they believe it is important to prostrate on the earth as M* did.

– Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri: I saw Allah's Apostle prostrating in mud and water and saw the mark of mud on his forehead. [Al-Bukhari, Sahih (English translation), vol. 1, book 12, no. 798; vol. 3, book 33, no. 244]

– Narrated Anas bin Malik: We used to pray with the Prophet in scorching heat, and if someone of us could not put his face on the earth (because of the heat) then he would spread his clothes and prostrate over them. [Al-Bukhari, Sahih (English translation), vol. 2, book 22, no. 299]

• Shi’ites also have a different shahadah, they add ‘wa ‘Ali wali Allah’, and ‘Ali is God’s friend’.

Practical Differences - Prayers• They also tend to combine prayers, sometimes

worshipping three times per day instead of five. They combine Duhr and Asr prayers and Maghrib and Isha prayers.

• “Establish prayer (regularly) from the declension of the sun till the darkness of the night, and the recital at the morn; verily the recital at the morn is witnessed” (Alisra’, 78)

• Narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Holy Prophet (S) prayed Duhr and Asr in Madeenah not in time of fear or travel. He was asked: why did you do that? he replied “I did not want to burden my followers.” (Sahih Muslim, Jam’ Bain Alsalatain)

Practical Differences

• The fast of sawm is longer for Shi’ites because they wait until the sun has completely set before they close the fast. They also spend three days mourning the death of Ali because he was martyred on the 20th of Ramadan.

• In Sunni countries zakat is paid to the state but Shi’ah Muslims pay it to their religious leaders.

The Qur’an

• Shia Muslims believe that there is a secret knowledge hidden within the Qur’an which was told to ‘Ali by Muhammed (pbuh) and that this has been passed down through the Imams.

• The Shi’ites also have some different ahadith and prefer those narrated by Ali and Fatima to those related by other companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Because of her opposition to Ali, those narrated by Aisha count among the least favoured. 

Shias Today

• Iran is overwhelmingly Shia - 89%. • Shias also form a majority of the population in Yemen and

Azerbaijan, Bahrain and 60% of the population of Iraq. There are also sizeable Shia communities along the east coast of Saudi Arabia and in the Lebanon. 

• The well known guerilla organization Hizbollah, which forced the Israelis out of southern Lebanon in 2000, is Shia. 

• Worldwide, Shias constitute ten to fifteen percent of the overall Muslim population.

• Within Shia Islam there are different sects.  Most Shias are "Twelvers", i.e. they recognize the 12 Imams. There are also Sevener and Fiver Shias who don't recognize the later Imams.

Seveners and Twelvers• The two main branches of Shi’a Islam are

divided on whether they accept 12 or 7 Imams.

• Both groups claim that the last Imam disappeared and did not die and is hidden to return in the future. The Hidden Imam is know as the Mahdi.

• Isma’ilis = Seveners. They follow Isma’il as the rightful 7th Imam.

• Imamis = Twelvers

Isma’ilis

• At height of power during 10th and 12th century

• The Isma’ilis recognize Jafar the sixth Imam and his eldest son Isma’il as the seventh. However Isma;il predeceased Jaf’ar.

• Some refuse to accept his death and claim he went into occultation and would return at the end of time as the Mahdi.

Imamis• Last group of Shi’ias to develop a clear identity• They recognize a different son of Ja’far, Musa al-Kazim

as the seventh Imam and his son, Ali al-Rida as the eighth.

• Hasan al-Askari the eleventh Imam has a young son Muhammad who immediately went into hiding, called the Minor Occultation (ghayba) and communicated with his followers only through four successive deputies.

• In 939 this communication ended and it was announced he had entered the Major Occultation and would no longer communicate with humanity until he reappears as the Mahdi.

Homework

• Complete the comparison table of Sunni and Shi’a beliefs and practices

Exam Question

• To what extent are the origins of Shi’a Islam reflected in Shi’a belief and practices? [35 marks]