Shia and Sunni Division Packet (Rewrite these questions-on-your own paper; answer each question in complete sentences.) 1. In which country(s) are most Shia located? Sunni? 2. What are five things both Shia and Sunni accept? 3. Why do Sunni’s claim to have less crime? 4. What is a Caliph? 5. What is an Ayatollah? 6. Complete the Venn Diagram (use your own Paper, please).Shia and Sunni Division ‘Spanish and Word Retions cource materia fr Damen Witwer’ losses Fall 2004 sll materia copyeght Daren Witwer, 2000-2007 less noted [Home } [Up] Shia and Sunni The two major divisions of Islam By: AB Mirdamadi converted from a Power Point presentation in class to HTML by Ali Miramadi, and published here by permission of the author. Topics that will be covered on this page: 1- Where Shia and Sunni separated 2- Sunni beliefs after Muhammad's death 3- Shia beliefs after Muhammad's death 4- A few Differences The Separation Of Shia and Sunni In the final days of his life, Muhammad the prophet and messenger of Islam told his closer followers that his life is nearing an end. Many people Could not imagine that Muhammad would also pass away some day. But http://home.minneapolis.edu/~witwerda/religions/ali/shia.htm 9/24/2008and Sunni Bist ion as he said himself, he was like any other human being and some day would'leave this world-tt'safterhis death that Islam would see a split and just like the other religions of the world, there would be conflicts and arguments on who's right, and who's wrong. This is where Islam would actually see a separation. From here on based on different beliefs, Islam would divide into two major groups. Basically, the differences are more noticed once you go into the details of this religion. Almost all of the basics of Islam are the same for both groups. The five pillars of Islam are a good example that these two groups both agree on, These five pillars are: 1- Belief and witness in there being one God and that Muhammad is his messenger. 2- doing the Daily prayers 3- Zakal, or spiritual almsgiving, in which all Muslims should donate at least two and a half percent of their income to needy Muslims 4- Fasting, which is done through out the month of Ramadan, This is the month that the Quran was sent to Muhammad 5- Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca. All of these are the basic rules of Islam, which every Muslim should follow. These are all the same between both the Shia's and the Sunnis. The differences between these groups are how they do each one of these basic rules. For instance, at prayer time, there is a slight difference in gestures and prayers between the Shiites and the Sunnis. Sunni beliefs after Muhammad's death As said earlier, what separates these two groups is what happens after Muhammad's death. The Sunnis believe that Muhammad, before his death had not identified anyone after himself to lead the Muslims. Soa group of his followers gather in a meeting and decided that they should all Vote to see who would be the best person to guide the Islamic ummah (population). In this group of people, one of Muhammad's close followers, ‘Abu-Bakr is decided to take control. Sunnis call the people who lead the {Islamic government after Muhammad a Caliph. The very first which was Abu-Bakr. It's at this point where the Shia and Sunni divide themselves and the reason was that that a group of people which later on are referred to the Shias or Shiites didn’t agree on Abu-Bakr becoming the first Caliph. Why they did not believe this will be explained in the next section. bttp://home-minneapolis.edw/~witwerda/religions/ali/sbia.htm 9724/2008Shia beliefs after Muhammad's death A group of people did not accept Abu-Bakr as the Caliph, These groups of people are later on known as the Shia's, What they believe in is that Muhammad, on his final pilgrimage to Mecca, had announced an important message to the Muslim nation. Ata place named Ghadireh-Khom, he gathers all the people that are returning to their homes from Haj (pilgrimage to Mecca). He there announces that this Hajj he has just recently retumed from was the last one he could ever attend. Then a Question is asked about what the Muslim community should do and whom they should follow. Muhammad replies “I have left you with two very important resources, One the Quran, and the second my family” then he calls Ali and raises his hand to the sky. (Ali is Muhammad's cousin and the first male individual to accept Islam). Then says "Whoever believes in me, should also believe in Ali’. The Shia population refer to this announcement as Muhammad having chosen Ali and identifying him as the Islamic leader after himself. So Ali was the first Imam (Shia leader) but also the fourth Sunni Caliph. After Ali there were his sons, Hassan and Hussein, then Hussein's son Sajjad, and etc... This continues til the very last and twelfth Imam which is Mahdi. It is believed that Mahdi has been hidden in God's command till the day that only God knows himself. On that day Mahdi will return and fight with evil and corruption which at that time it will be at its maximum extent Several differences and arguments In Islam the five pillars are something that every Muslim has to accept. ‘So what are the differences between the Sunnis and the Shia's? There are numerous differences, of which the very first and major one is the Caliph and the Imam, which we already talked about. Other differences can be seen in different areas. For example another difference is in the Islamic rules and how extremely they are applied. For instance women in Saudi Arabia (which is a Sunni based population) would not have many privileges that men do. They cannot work outside the house, they cannot Vote, and they would spend much more of their time doing household chores. Crime is much more less in Sunni countries. Because if in that country you were to steal anything, your hand would get cut off immediately. In Mecca when the call to prayer has been said, all of the People go to prayer as soon as possible with out even having to close the stores. Prayer is of great importance and therefore all the people are o expected to be in their local Mosque. [All indicated that in his home country tran, a predominantly Shiite country, that the effects of conservative / Wahabi Islam are not as great, though women are expected to wear the Hijab] ~ http:/home.minneapolis.edu/~witwerda/religions/ali/shia.htm 9124/2008*. Shia population on thie other hand has its own differences. As said Imam Mahdi is the final Imam that is hidden from the world under Gods command. In the absence of Mahdi, the Shia people will refer to the Ayatollah’s, or sheikhs if they have any questions. The Ayatollah’s and the Sheikhs are individuals who have eamed a degree in Islamic education. Their job is to answer the people’s questions they happen to have. Recent technology is one of the many things that are not mentioned in the Quran. The sheikhs have the duty of extracting new laws that relate to new technology that hasn't been mentioned in the Quran directly. So this way the Shia people have a reference to answer the questions presented by life in the modern world. There are many other differences between the two groups that go more into details. But as said before, both groups accept the main views and basic laws of Islam. It's the details that they have conflict over. These divisions are not only seen in Islam, but also seen in almost every other religion. The final part | would like to add is where these two groups are normally found. Most of the Muslim population is Sunni. The Shia’s can be seen mostly in Iran (95% of the Iranian population is Shia), parts of Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. Make a Venn diagram like the one attached to this packet. As you read about the Shia and Sunni Muslims, record similarities and differences between the 2 groups of people. We will discuss this in class.woo'JadjapHps@ T TWASMAL SYUNS SWI SMAA ~~ t oo 2389 Bee —~ Swen