Islam is a Muslim religion founded by Mohammed in the XNUMXth century, and has two main branches: the Sunni or Orthodox – sunna, traditional – followers of the first caliph after Muhammad, and the Shiites, the followers of Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali. Their differences were doctrinal and political. Sunnis make up 90 percent of the Muslim world, with 1.200 billion adherents.
So you want to dig a little deeper, here we explain the differences between Shiites and Sunnis.
Who are the Sunnis?
Sunnis make up the majority of Muslims. It is estimated that between 86 and 90 percent of the population belongs to this group. Which are considered the most traditional and orthodox branch of Islam. In fact, the Sunni name is derived from the expression "Ahl al-Sunna": traditional village.
In this context, the tradition refers to the practices stemming from the actions of the Prophet Muhammad and his attendants. Therefore, Sunnis worship all the prophets mentioned in the Koran, especially Muhammad, who is considered the last prophet.
Later Muslim leaders were seen as temporary figures. Otherwise, compared to Shiites, Sunni religious teachers and leaders have historically been controlled by the civil state. The Sunni tradition is at its highest point in Saudi Arabia. And it also supports a clearly codified system of Islamic law, as well as membership in one of the four law schools.
Who are the Shiites?
Ali in question was the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed, and the Shiites claim that they and their descendants have the right to lead the Muslims.. Ali he was assassinated by caliphate intrigues, violence and civil war. His sons Hassan and Hussein were denied what they believed to be his legal right to inherit it.
Hassan is believed to have been poisoned by Muawiyah, the first Umayyad caliph or leader of the Muslims, while his brother Hussein and several members of his family were killed on the battlefield. These events are behind the Shia concept of martyrdom and its mourning rituals, and the Shia faith also has a distinctive messianic element. The Shiites also have a hierarchy of clerics who provide open and consistent interpretations of Islamic texts.
The number of Shiites today is estimated to be between 120 and 170 million, or about a tenth of all Muslims. They are the majority of the population of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Azerbaijan and, by some estimates, Yemen. But Afghanistan, India, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also have significant Shia communities.
What role does this division play in the political conflict?
In Sunni-ruled countries, Shiites are often the poorest in society and see themselves as victims of oppression and discrimination. Some Sunni extremists even preach hatred towards Shiites.
For its part, the iranian revolution of 1979launched a radical Islamist agenda with Shiite leanings, challenging conservative Sunni governments, especially in the Persian Gulf. Tehran's policy of supporting Shiite parties and militias abroad has been countered by Gulf states in favor of Sunni governments and movements abroad.
During the lebanese civil war, the Shiites rose to prominence due to Hezbollah's military activities. Sunni extremists, like the Taliban, have done the same in Pakistan and Afghanistan, often targeting Shiite places of worship. In the meantime, the current conflicts in Iraq and Syria are also sectarian.
Many young Sunnis have joined insurgent groups fighting in these countries, many of which replicate the extremist ideology of Al Qaeda.. While their Shia counterparts often fight in or alongside government forces, both Iran and Saudi Arabia have identified a common enemy in the self-styled Islamic State.
Differences between Shiites and Sunnis
Shias and Sunnis share many beliefs and practices, in particular the pillars of Islam, including the pilgrimage to Mecca and the five daily prayers.
Shiites see Ali as the first successor of the Prophet and see him and his eleven successors (Imams) as an example. Shia Islam has a hierarchical clergy with different ranks of religions (Imams, Ayatollahs). They believe that the lost successor of the Twelfth Prophet will return to Earth before the end to establish justice and peace.
Sunni Muslims view the four successors of the Prophet as "well-educated caliphs" and they place little value on following their leaders.
Shia Muslims refer to Ali in the profession of faith (shahada). They have different days of celebration and mourning than Sunnis, based on their reverence for the family of the Prophet, such as the Ashura and Arbain ceremonies dedicated to the memory of Imam Hussein, who died a martyr.
According to a 2015 study by the Pew Forum think tank, there are less than 1600 billion muslims in the world, of whom around 90% are Sunni. The remaining 10% is made up of different branches of Shia.
The two branches of Islam are more evenly distributed in the Middle East, with many Shia communities in Iran, Iraq and Bahrain. They are also present in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.
Iran is the most Shiite country in the world, with 90 percent of its 79 million people professing the faith, and tends to sympathize with smaller communities in other countries. There are also Shiite branches in Iran's three neighbors, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as in India. Saudi Arabia, the pilgrimage site for Mecca and Medina, is considered the center of Sunni Islam, and its king is the "guardian of the two holy mosques" in these cities. Al-Azhar University in Cairo is the foremost academic institution of Sunni Islam and a benchmark for believers.
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