Over the centuries, these political differences have spawned a number of varying practices and. Another important difference between the two sects is that shia muslims permit fixedterm temporary marriage, known as muttah. Apr 26, 2014 shia muslims believe in temporary marriage where a couple enters in to wedlock for a preset period of time while sunni muslims believe in a more permanent marriage which ends only in divorce of in the case of the death of a spouse. Heres a short primer on the schism between the sects. Shiite populations constitute a majority in iran, iraq, bahrain, and azerbaijan. Shias believe that only the people in the direct line of the prophet should lead the muslims. Differences between shia and sunni muslims business insider.
Here is a primer on the basic differences between sunni and. Sep 22, 2016 saudi arabias execution of shia cleric sheikh nimr alnimr could escalate tensions in the muslim world even further. There are moderate and fundamentalist sects within each branch. What is the difference between sunni islam, shia islam and. The difference between shiite and sunni muslims and why it. The differences between shia and sunni muslims business insider. Similarly, in shiitism, the druze are a somewhat eclectic sect residing in lebanon, syria, and israel. Saudi arabia is the most powerful purveyor of sunni islam, far and away the larger sect.
Shiasunni conflict in yemen involves the shia insurgency in northern yemen. Sunnis have their historical roots in the majority group who followed abu bakr, an effective leader, as muhammads successor, instead of his cousin and soninlaw ali. The primary difference in practice comes in that sunni muslims mainly rely on the sunnah, a record of the teachings and sayings of the prophet muhammad to guide their actions while the shiites. Saudi arabias execution of shia cleric sheikh nimr alnimr could escalate tensions in the muslim world even further. What are the differences between sunni and shiite muslims. It can be in a family, like a son is a caliph of the father, it can be a tribal system or it can be a statehood.
From another answer that i made to a different question, the crux of the issue between sunnis and shiites started off as a successionist problem. This week sunni and shia muslims ushered in the islamic new year and the beginning of the holy month of muharram. Sunni muslims are the largest denomination of the islam religion. Learn about shia adhan azan,the adhan is the islamic call to prayer. One of the most crucial differences between shia and sunni muslims is the importance that the shiites give to ali, whom the sunni do not recognise as being the prophets rightful successor. This split in the religion comes down to a political and spiritual difference of opinion about who should have succeeded muhammad after his death in 632 ce. Shia, shia islam, sunni, sunni and shia, sunni and shia islam, sunni islam.
Thus, understanding the historic roots of the shiasunni divide provide some explanations for reasons of conflict. The majority of the worlds muslim population follows the sunni branch of islam, and approximately 1015% of all muslims follow the shiite shiite, shia, shia branch. Sunni is an arabic word which means the one who follows the traditions or sunah of the prophet whereas shia word is derived from shiayat e ali that means friends of ali. First of all let me give introduction of important persons from the history of islam so that you can understand what exactly is the dispute. Sunnis have their historical roots in the majority group who followed abu bakr, an effective leader, as the successor of muhammad, instead of his cousin and soninlaw ali. A caliphate is something where one succeeds another. Oct 05, 2015 one of the most crucial differences between shia and sunni muslims is the importance that the shiites give to ali, whom the sunni do not recognise as being the prophets rightful successor. The economist explains what is the difference between sunni. The conflict between sunnis and shiites goes back nearly 1,400 years and today, it is tearing iraq apart.
Shia considered ali ibn abi talib as the first caliph and imam. What are the differences between sunni, shia, and sufi. A sunni muslim can marry not only a muslim woman, but also a kitabia i. There are many small differences such as how many times a day to pray, how to pray, how they should interpret the quran, etc. Origin and differences it is a great irony that quran speaks about unity and rejects the division of religion in sections among muslims however fact is that muslim community has many divisions and subdivisions like shia and sunni which evolved after the demise of prophet muhammad. The division among muslims is rooted from differences in political beliefs. Sunni muslims are also present in more countries and regions throughout the world, whereas most of shia muslims live in four countries. This actually has nothing to do with shia and sunni, nor anything with religion. They comprise about 85% of muslims, while shia muslims are the second largest denomination at over 10% of muslims. The death of prophet muhammad occasioned a debate as to who should be his true successor. Sunni and shia muslims share the most fundamental islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the two main subgroups in islam. Differences are more apparent in countries where sunnis and shias have major conflict and physically fight one another.
Sunni islam and shiism only assumed their current forms in the ninth century, after the collection of the prophets sayings hadith and the end of the line of shia imams. Another difference between sunnis and shiites has to do with the mahdi, the rightlyguided one whose role is to bring a just global caliphate into being. In sunni law, the daughter will have half of the estate while the rest will be inherited by the grandson as a residuary. Last question, you folks say ya ali which i saw in a documentary about iraniraq war. Within the sunni and shia branches, you can also find a number of sects. Pdf contemporary shiasunni sectarian violence researchgate. Under the sunni law, a marriage contracted in the absence of witnesses is invalid. However, akhbaris reject ijma and aql thus rejecting ijtihad. Sunni and salafi both have separate mosques and madrasas or schools. May 24, 2019 lutherans and baptists are basically the same. Difference between sunni and shia muslims sunni vs shia muslims. Sunni and shia laws of inheritance are different in their foundational structure as well as detailed implications, though the both are inspired from the quranic verses of inheritance. Sunnishia conflicts have unfortunately occurred in various parts of the arab and muslim world, and pakistan is not immune to such conflict.
What are the differences between shia and sunni muslims. Sunni muslims are the majority muslim division with 85 to 90% population among over all muslims. What is the difference between sunnis and shias the hindu. Though all muslims follow the quran and muhammad as a prophet, different traditions and beliefs have developed out of the two branches of the faith.
Shia muslims believe in temporary marriage where a couple enters in to wedlock for a preset period of time while sunni muslims believe in a more permanent marriage which ends only in divorce of in the case of the death of a spouse. Difference between sunni and shia difference between. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. I never asked a shia muslim about it but some sunni muslim told me that you guys praise ali more than the prophet. Sunnahgoes hand in hand with hadiths, which is what he said, these have been collected and graded in. Meaning of name tradition or welltrodden path partisans of ali current adherents.
The differences between the sunni and shiite islamic sects are rooted in disagreements over the succession to the prophet muhammad, who. They chose sides following the death of the islamic prophet muhammad in ad 632. Shia and sunni islam are the two major denominations of islam. Whats the difference between shiite and sunni muslims. Sunni and shia are the two main subgroups of islam. Prince alwaleed bin talal center for muslimchristian understanding. Though the two main sects within islam, sunni and shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of islam, a bitter split between the two goes back some 14 centuries.
They do differ, however, and that separation stemmed initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones. What is the difference between sunni and shia muslims. Apr 23, 2019 within the sunni and shia branches, you can also find a number of sects. What are the differences between sunni, shia, and sufi islam.
The economist explains what is the difference between. Religion is important in muslim countries and understanding sunni and shia beliefs is important in understanding the modern muslim world. The origin of the sunnishia conflict in early islamic history was a difference of opinion on how leaders of the muslim community should be selected. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. Jul 31, 2019 though the two main sects within islam, sunni and shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of islam, a bitter split between the two goes back some 14 centuries. Sunni muslims supported abu bakr as the first caliph of the muslim faith the first group of shia were a small group who opposed bakr and wanted a man named ali to take control the sunnishiite split. In iraq and syria, shia powers fight off largely sunni opposition. Here is a primer on the basic differences between sunni and shia islam.
Sunni rulers continued to monopolise political power, while the shia lived in the shadow of the state, looking instead to their imams, the first twelve of whom were descended directly from ali, for guidance. Differences between sunni, shia and ibadi islam wikipedia. One of the most crucial differences between shia and sunni muslims is the importance that the shiites give to ali, whom the sunni do not recognize as being the prophets rightful successor. Difference between shia and sunni law of marriage and divorce. Sunni muslims and shia muslims have different theological beliefs. Major tenets and beliefs are often similar between the two branches because sunnis and shias are both muslims, but some important. Apr 08, 2020 from another answer that i made to a different question, the crux of the issue between sunnis and shiites started off as a successionist problem. Although both groups rely first and foremost on the quran and. A significant root of the political maelstrom that characterizes the middle east today is the shia sunni breach, and hopefully these 7 major differences between shia and sunni muslims will help. Under the shia law, the presence of witnesses is not necessary. Sep 29, 2006 the conflict between sunnis and shiites goes back nearly 1,400 years and today, it is tearing iraq apart. For example, in saudi arabia, sunni wahhabism is a prevalent and puritanical faction. The sunni majority got their way, as abu bakr became the first muslim caliph and successor of the prophet. Pdf religious violence, primarily stemming from shiasunni.
Shia hadiths differ from sunni hadiths mainly in that shia hadiths include the sayings of the ahlul bayt. Sunnishia tensions are more about politics, power and privilege than theology. Shia muslim is the 2 nd major muslim division with 15 to 10% overall population. Religious law muftis judges traditionally administered religious law based on one of the 4 schools of law. Sunni islam is the largest sect, although in some countries it is a minority. Initially the difference between sunni and shia was merely a question of who should lead the muslim community. For shias, the month also is a time to mourn the events that sparked the centuriesold schism between shia and sunni muslims.
Origin and differences it is a great irony that quran speaks about unity and rejects the division of religion in sections among muslims however fact is that muslim community has many divisions and subdivisions like shia and sunni which evolved after the demise of. Difference between sunni and salafi difference between. A difference between sunni and shia has originated from political and spiritual grounds. Comparison of sunni and shia islam there are two main sects in islam.
Jan 05, 2016 saudi arabia is the most powerful purveyor of sunni islam, far and away the larger sect. The schism between the two sects began after the death of muhammad in 632 a. Although shia muslims only constitute between 10% and % of the global muslim population, they. Law and jurisprudence is another area of difference between sunni and shia islam. But the two branches of islam have not always been openly hostile, and in many parts of. While most literature attributes the development of shia praxis to the persian. Ignorance may be bliss, but it makes for bad policy. Sunni shia conflicts have unfortunately occurred in various parts of the arab and muslim world, and pakistan is not immune to such conflict. Jan 31, 2016 shiasunni conflict in yemen involves the shia insurgency in northern yemen. What is the difference between sunni and shiite muslimsand why does it matter. A dispute over succession to islamic prophet muhammad as a caliph of the islamic community spread across various parts of the world, which led to the battle of jamal and battle of siffin. What is the difference between sunni and shiite muslims and.
The real difference between sunni and salafi is that sunnis believe prophet muhammad is nur or enlightened soul to guide the muslims whereas the salafis believe he is a normal human being like me and you. Shia muslims only pray three timesmorning, lunchtime and sunset. The other differences are on the basis of religious practices and rituals people follow. Born in 570 ce in mecca, saudi arabia and died in 632 c.
Sunni islam is the largest denomination, although in some countries it is a minority. Although my another sunni friend told me not to listen to them and rather ask someone who is a shia. Wrong, and both groups would likely agree on that point. Difference between shia and sunni compare the difference. Thus, understanding the historic roots of the shia sunni divide provide some explanations for reasons of conflict. The differences between shia and sunni muslims business. Clashes between islams two big sects, the sunni and the shia, take place across the muslim world. What is the difference between sunni and shiite muslims. Sunni and shia share the most of the fundamental islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The differences between sunni and shia muslims the words sunni and shia appear regularly in stories about the muslim world but few people know what they really mean.