The Prophet Mohammed unveiled a new faith to the people of Mecca in 610. Known as Islam, or submission to God. Islam is a monotheistic religion. It incorporated some Jewish and Christian traditions and expanded with a set of laws that governed most aspects of life, including political authority. By the time of his death in 632, Prophet had consolidated power in Arabia. His followers subsequently built an empire that would stretch from Central Asia to Spain less than a century after his death. But a debate over succession split the community, with some arguing that leadership should be awarded to qualified individuals and others insisting that the only legitimate ruler must come through Mohammed’s bloodline. In this article, we shall discuss the two sects of Islam: Sunnis and Shias
Sects in Islam:
Sunni School of Thought:
The word Sunni is derived from the Arabic word ‘Sunnah’ which implies a ‘way’, referring to “One of the path” or “one who follows the practices of the Prophet”. At the time of the death of the Prophet, there was a quarrel between the two groups for imamate (the temporal leadership of the religion). One group advocated the principle of the election in choosing the Imam. This group is known as “Sunni”. The adherents to the Sunni doctrine are called Sunni.
According to the Sunni doctrine, the leader of Muslims, at any given moment, is the Caliph. He is mainly temporal (worldly) ruler than the religious chief. In the past, four principles for appointing the Caliph recognized: consensus by the ummah, nomination by the preceding Caliph, selection by a committee, or by military force. Most of the Muslims follow Sunni school.
There are four sub-schools of Sunni school of Law namely a) Hanafi school, b) Maliki school, c) Shafei school and d) Hanbali school.
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Shia School of Thought:
At the time of the death of the Prophet, there was a quarrel between the two groups for imamate (the temporal leadership of the religion). One group opposed the principle of the election in choosing the Imam and proclaimed that Ali is the successor of the ‘Prophet’. They firmly believe that imamat must be devolved upon the successors of the prophet, i.e. (i) Ali, the son in law; and (ii) Fatima, the daughter of Prophet. This group is known as “Shia”.
According to Shia doctrine, Imam is the final interpreter of the laws. The Imam is not a leader by an election, but by divine right as he is the successor of the Prophet, a descendant of Ali. They deny and dispute the principle of election by the people in the matter of Caliphate, and hold that the Prophet had appointed Ali as his successor. Followers of this school are found in Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, Lebanon, and India. There are three sub-schools of Shia school of Law namely a) Ithna-ashari, b) Ismaili and c) Zaidy. Ithna-ashari sub-school is further divided into i) Akhbari and ii) Usuli. Ismaili sub-school is further divided into i) khoja and b) Bohra
Beliefs which are common in Sunnis and Shias:
There is a substantial common denominator between Sunni and Shiite Islam.
- Both sects believe that Allah chose a man named Muhammad as the Prophet of Islam, and that, with Allah’s blessings and continuous revelations, Muhammad guided the Muslims to lead life according to the Quran, a collection of divine revelations, and the “Hadith” (the sayings, teachings, and practices of the Prophet Muhammad, which serve as a supplement to the Quran). In a short period of 22 years, from 610 to 632 A.D., he succeeded in leaving a great political and spiritual legacy that ultimately led to the establishment of Islamic civilization.
- Both sects also believe that the Quran has a Divine source, and that Allah’s prophetic missions concluded with Muhammad.
- Both sects believe that piety, righteous observance of the principles of the Quran, and striving for goodness in daily life are the greatest virtues of human beings.
- Both sects agree on the need for a strong ethical and moral code to regulate human behaviour in all its manifestations.
- Both sects believe that a social justice as a fundamental right.
- Both sects share the belief that there are five pillars of Islam:
- the unity of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad,
- the five obligatory prayers,
- fasting,
- charity, and
- the pilgrimage to Mecca.
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History Behind the Split:
The differences between Sunni and Shiite Islam originated in a historical dispute over the succession to the Prophet Muhammad. On Muhammad’s death in 632 A.D., the “Majlis al-Shura” (assembly of advisors), comprising the most devoted and highly knowledgeable Muslims, selected Abu Bakr as the first Caliph, or leader, of the Muslims. Abu Bakr was one of the close companions of Muhammad, and the father of Muhammad’s second wife. This action by the assembly indicated that leaders were to be selected by Muslims on the basis of their piety and merit, and ruled out the idea of a bloodline succession to the Prophet in the religious and political governance of Islam. Most Muslims accepted the selection of Abu Bakr as the first legitimate Caliph, who would rule according to the practices established by the Prophet.
The first Shiites were a small group of Muslims who opposed the selection of Abu Bakr as the first Caliph. They rallied around the person of Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, who had married the Prophet’s daughter, Fatima. They supported Ali and the concept of a legitimate bloodline succession to the Prophet Muhammad in both religious and temporal matters. Ali had, in fact, been one of the prominent members of the consulting body which selected Abu Bakr as the first Caliph of Islam. But given the tribal traditions of the Arabian Peninsula, the selection of Abu Bakr was regarded by some Muslims as denying the right of Ali to succeed the Prophet and serve as a leader or Imam in religious and political matters. After the selection of Abu Bakr as the first Caliph, the Shiites grew in number and became a political group supporting Ali as the successor of the Prophet. They vehemently rejected the Caliphate, and instead advocated the concept of the “Imamate,” a religious and political ideology based on guidance by Imams.
The predominant trend in Shiism is that described as “Twelver Shiism,” which is centered in Iran and is the principal form of Shiism in Iraq, Lebanon, and Bahrain. This Shiism holds that Muhammad was succeeded by twelve divinely ordained Imams directly descended from him through Ali and his wife Fatima, and that rejection of and disobedience to any of the twelve Imams constitutes infidelity equal to rejection of the Prophet Muhammad. The distinctiveness of Twelver Shiism lies in its belief that the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, disappeared and will reappear one day to inaugurate a reign of justice that will presage the final judgment.
Those Shiites who are not Twelver Shiites also believe that Ali was the rightful Imam, in succession to Muhammad, but differ on the importance of some of the succeeding Imams. The Ismailis accept the first six Twelver Imams, but hold that the son of the sixth Imam, Ismail, whose descendants continue to the present day, was the rightful succeeding Imam. The present Aga Khan is the Imam of the best-known subsection of the Ismailis. The Zaydis believe that the Imams received divine guidance, but do not believe in their infallibility or share the commitment to all twelve Imams, and reject the doctrine about the hidden Imam.
Sunni-Shiite Doctrinal Differences:
- The primary ideological difference relates to questions of religious authority and the leadership of all Muslims following the death of the Prophet. According to the Sunni doctrine, the leader of Muslims, at any given moment, is the Caliph. He is mainly temporal (worldly) ruler than the religious chief and can be selected, while according to Shia doctrine, Imam is the final interpreter of the laws. The Imam is not a leader by an election, but by divine right as he is the successor of the Prophet, a descendant of Ali.
- Sunnis, do not consider the institution of hereditary “Imamate” as part of the Islamic faith, while Shiism believe that each Imam is appointed through the designation of the previous “Imam” by Divine Command.
- The Sunni Muslims believe that no one can intercede between Allah and human beings, while according to Shiism, the Twelve Imams can intercede between mankind and Allah.
- 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. Even the prophet Muhammad is at the mercy of Allah, while Shiite Muslims are guaranteed paradise if they obey and follow Muhammad and the Twelve Imams.
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Conclusion:
Sunnis and Shias are two major sects in Islam. There are many other tiny sects in Islam, such as Ahmadi, Quranist, non-denominational Sufi, etc. Also, a large number of Muslims do not identify with either sect (but ultimately their beliefs align with one sect more than the other). In India, majority of Muslim follow Sunni School of Thought. Understanding the basic differences and similarities between Sunni and Shi’a Islam is an essential to study of Muslim Law.
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