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 more heavily on their ayatollahs, whom they see as a sign of God on earth.
What was the origin of the split between the Sunnis and the Shi as?
The original split between Sunnis and Shiites occurred soon after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, in the year 632 . ... Most of the Prophet Muhammad’s followers wanted the community of Muslims to determine who would succeed him. A smaller group thought that someone from his family should take up his mantle.
Which was the original difference between Sunnis and Shias?
Both sides agreed that Allah is the one true God and that Muhammad was his messenger, but one group (which eventually became the Shiites) felt Muhammad’s successor should be someone in his bloodline, while the other (which became the Sunnis) felt a pious individual who would follow the Prophet’s customs was acceptable.
Do Shias have a different Quran?
The Shia view of the Qur’an differs from the Sunni view, but the majority of both groups believe that the text is identical . While some Shia disputed the canonical validity of the Uthmanic codex, the Shia Imams always rejected the idea of alteration of Qur’an’s text.
What does Shia believe in?
Shia Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by God alone, only God has the prerogative to appoint the successor to his prophet. They believe God chose Ali to be Muhammad’s successor, infallible, the first caliph (khalifah, head of state) of Islam.
Why did Islam split into two groups?
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. The divide originated with a dispute over who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad as leader of the Islamic faith he introduced .
Is Saudi Arabia mostly Sunni or Shia?
The official form of Islam is Sunni of the Hanbali school, in its Salafi version. According to official statistics 90% of Saudi Arabian citizens are Sunni Muslims, 10% are Shia . (More than 30% of the population is made up of foreign workers who are predominantly but not entirely Muslim.)
Is UAE Sunni or Shia?
Approximately 11 percent of the population are citizens, of whom more than 85 percent are Sunni Muslims , according to media reports. The vast majority of the remainder are Shia Muslims, who are concentrated in the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah.
Does Shia go to Hajj?
Shia Muslims number 200 million and are the second largest denomination in the faith. Many perform the hajj , and they also travel to Iran, Iraq and beyond to visit holy sites. In Mina, Saudi Arabia, hundreds of Shias have travelled from Britain to perform the hajj.
How many times a day do Shias pray?
Shi’a Muslims have more freedom to combine certain prayers, such as the midday and afternoon prayers. Therefore they may only pray three times a day . Shi’a Muslims also often use natural elements when praying.
Do Shias fast during Ramadan?
Both Sunni and Shia Muslims fast during Ramadan . ... Shia also celebrate an additional holiday within the month of Ramadan that Sunnis do not.
What do Sunnis believe in?
Sunni Muslims strongly believe that the redemption of human beings is dependent on faith in Allah , His prophets, acceptance of Muhammad as the final prophet, and belief in righteous deeds as explained in the Koran. The mercy of Allah will determine the redemption of all human beings.
Is Iran Shia or Sunni?
According to some surveys, almost all of Iran’s 82,000,000 people are Muslim, with 90% of those being Shi’a , almost all of these from the Twelver sect. Another 10% are Sunni, most of them Kurds, Achomis, Turkmens, and Baluchs, living in the northwest, northeast, south, and southeast.
How many types of Shia are there?
There are three main branches of Shia Islam today – the Zaidis, Ismailis and Ithna Asharis (Twelvers or Imamis).
Who started Islam in India?
Islam reached India in the very early period and it is believed that one of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s companions Malik bin Deenar came to India’s western coast in 7th century and a mosque was built there in 629 EC which still exists.
When did Islam split into two groups?
A disagreement over succession after Mohammed’s death in 632 split Muslims into Islam’s two main sects, Sunni and Shia.
