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Shī‘a Islam, also '''Shi‘ite Islam''' or '''Shi‘ism''' ( Arabic ''''), is the second largest denomination based on the Islam ic faith after Sunni Islam . Shias adhere to the teachings of Muhammad and the religious guidance of his family (who are referred to as the Ahl Al-Bayt ) or his descendants known as Shi'a Imams . Muhammad 's bloodline continues only through his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra and cousin Ali which alongside the Muhammad's grandsons are the Ahl Al-Bayt . Thus, Shi'as consider Muhammad 's descendants as the true source of guidance while considering the first three ruling Sunni Caliphs a historic occurrence and not something attached to faith. The singular/adjective form is '''' (.) and refers to a follower of the faction of Imam Ali according to the Shia ideology. Shia Islam, like among the Shias are the Alevi , Bektashi , Kubrawiya , Noorbakhshi , Oveyssi , Qizilbashi , Hamadani and Fatimid orders and denominations. Ten percent of Turkey's population is Alevi while Lebanon and Syria have 20% to 30% of Shias. ETYMOLOGY See Also: Shia etymology Although it has been misconceived that "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase '''' (), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali", the name has been adopted according to an order from the prophet(Muhammad) at the last return from Hajj. In the order, which is well-known as "Qadir motto", Muhammad enjoined his followers to continue thier allegiance by following twelve people "called Ahl Al-Bayt" beginning with Ali. Shia is the sect that accepts the following order. They believe in "the prophet, himself, should have assigned the leadership of the society after himself, as he did". Both Shia and Sunni sources trace the term to the years preceding the death of Muhammad; see Shia Etymology . OVERVIEW Shia Muslims believe that the descendants from Muhammad through his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali (the Imams ) were the best source of knowledge about the Qur'an and Islam, the most trusted carriers and protectors of Muhammad's Sunnah (traditions), and the most worthy of emulation. In particular, Shia Muslims recognize the succession of Ali (Muhammad's cousin, son-in-law, the first man to accept Islam — second only to Muhammad's wife Khadija — the male head of the Ahl Al-Bayt or "people of the {Link without Title} house") and the father of Muhammad's only bloodline as opposed to that of the Caliph ate recognized by Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims believe that Ali was appointed successor by Muhammad's direct order on many occasions, and that he is therefore the rightful leader of the Muslim faith. This difference between following either the Ahl Al-Bayt (Muhammad's family and descendants) or the Caliph Abu Bakr has shaped Shia and non-Shia views on some of the Qur'an, the Hadith (narrations from the Muhammad) and other areas of Islam. For instance, the collection of Hadith venerated by Shia Muslims is centered on narrations by members of the Ahl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some Hadith by narrators not belonging to or supporting the Ahl al-Bayt are not included (those of Abu Huraira , for example). Ali was the third successor to Abu Bakr and, for the Shia, the first divinely sanctioned "imam," or male descendant of the Muhammad Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE of Ali's son Hussein, who led an uprising against the "illegitimate" caliph (72 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). For the Shia, Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny. Regardless of the dispute about the Caliphate, the Shia recognize the religious authority of the Shia Imam s, also called ''Khalifa Ilahi.'' DEMOGRAPHICS See Also: Shia population Demographics of Islam By some estimates, approximately 10-15% of the world's Muslims are Shia. There are an estimated 130 to 190 million Shia Muslimshttp://pewforum.org/events/index.php?EventID=R120 (including Twelvers , Ismailis , Zaidi s) throughout the world, about three quarters of whom reside in Iran (which has the highest Shia population), Pakistan , India , Iraq , Azerbaijan , and Afghanistan . http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/40241_islamsects.shtml Independent News source mentioning Sunni-Shia demographic statistics] Sunni-Shia demographic statistics A large portion of the world's Shia live in the Shia form a Plurality , and they remain as significant minorities in Afghanistan , Syria , India , Pakistan , Turkey and Yemen . Among the smaller Persian Gulf states, Qatar , Kuwait (~30%) and the United Arab Emirates (~16%) also have significant Shia minorities, as does the ( Eastern Province ~33%) of Saudi Arabia . About 20% of India 's Muslim population is Shia, and significant Shia communities exist on the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik ). Shia presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia , where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis. According to the Shia, one of the lingering problems in estimating the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. The reverse, however, has not held true, which may contribute to imprecise estimates of the size of each sect. For example, the 1926 rise of the , Qatif and Hofuf on the Persian Gulf , and western Arabia provinces of Jazan , Asir and Hijaz , that had large Shia minorities, have officially been completely stripped of their religious identities. Some Shia claim that they endure much bigotry and other indignities from Wahabi authorities daily and that Shia pilgrims from other countries are often singled out for harassment (see Status Of Religious Freedom In Saudi Arabia ); in Saudi Arabia they are called ''akkaf'' (عكف) which means rejecters (رافضه). DOCTRINES Main doctrines The Shia believe in the Five Pillars Of Islam , as do Sunnis, but categorize them differently. Shia beliefs include the following: Theology Of Shia (''Usūl al-Dīn'')
Aspects Of Religion (''Furū al-Dīn'')
Additional doctrines See Also: Additional Shia doctrines Shia have many other doctrines that are shared with other Muslims, such as wearing of the ''''), which is the dissimulation of one’s religious beliefs when one fears for one's life and the lives of one's family members. Misconceptions See Also: Misconceptions about the Shia See Also: Shia view of the Qur'an There are seemingly widespread misconceptions about Shia doctrines, regarding how and why the Shia uphold them. It is often said that the Shia worship or deify Imam Ali, because they see him as being infallible. After the Muhammad's death, a portion of the population supported Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law and cousin. Shias hold that only God can appoint a successor to the Muhammad whom he has appointed. Therefore, the Shia do not recognize Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman as the first three caliphs. (Ali was recognized as the fourth caliph in 656 C.E.) Shia Islam was seen by some as a political-religious sect that recognizes the leadership of Ali and his descendants. Theologically, Sunni Islam and Shia Islam differ over the concept of pre-ordination, with Shia refusing to accept that God(Allah) has preordained what will happen. However, the The majority of Shias denounce such beliefs as blasphemous and against the grain of Islam (absolute, total and inarguable belief in the existence of only one God). Shia do not view Ali as a prophet as many accuse them of doing. He is seen only as the proper protector of the Islamic nation after the death of Muhammad. While Shia and Sunni Muslims accept the same sacred text, the '' Qur'an ,'' it is claimed by Salafi's that the Shia dispute the current version. Nonetheless, Shias say that the accusation is false, as they believe that the ''Qur'an'' has never been maliciously altered. {Link without Title} DENOMINATIONS ), IRAN]]
# Ali Ibn Abu Talib ( 600 – 661 ), also known as ''Ali, Amir al-Mo'mineen'' (commander of the faithful), also know as ''Shah-e Mardan Ali'' (King of men) # Hasan Ibn Ali ( 625 – 669 ), also known as ''Hasan al Mujtaba'' # Husayn Ibn Ali ( 626 – 680 ), also known as ''Husayn al Shaheed'', also known as ''Sah Hüseyin'' # Ali Ibn Husayn ( 658 – 713 ), also known as ''Ali Zainul Abideen'' # Muhammad ibn Ali ( 676 – 743 ), also known as '' Muhammad Al Baqir '' # Jafar ibn Muhammad ( 703 – 765 ), also known as '' Jafar As Sadiq '' # Musa ibn Jafar ( 745 – 799 ), also known as '' Musa Al Kazim '' # Ali ibn Musa ( 765 – 818 ), also known as '' Ali Ar Ridha '' # Muhammad ibn Ali ( 810 – 835 ), also known as ''Muhammad al Jawad'' ( Muhammad At Taqi ), also known as ''Taki'' # Ali ibn Muhamad ( 827 – 868 ), also known as '' Ali Al-Hadi '', also known as ''Naki'' # Hasan ibn Ali ( 846 – 874 ), also known as '' Hasan Al Askari '' # Muhammad ibn Hasan ( 868 –?), also known as '' Hojjat Ibn Al Hasan '', also known as '' Mahdi ''
STATUS OF A SHIA IMAM See Also: Status of a Shia Imam The Ahlul Bayt are the perfect example for mankind, and like the Prophet s, they should be emulated in acts and deeds. The Shia believe that the Imams of Ahlul Bayt carry the divinely appointed responsibility of protecting Islam and enacting the example of the pure '' Sunnah '' of Muhammad . The Imams of Ahlul Bayt have guided Muslims throughout history, in many cases under the most horrible circumstances and under the most severe forms of discrimination due to the cruel policies of the reigning governments of the time. They are seen as incorruptible and infallible role models for Muslims that have shown the way of goodness and prosperity in this world and the next in the best way until their martyrdom or occultation. JURISPRUDENCE See Also: Ja'fari jurisprudence Ja'fari jurisprudence or '''Ja'fari Fiqh ''' is the name of the jurisprudence of the Shia Twelvers Muslims , derived from the name of Ja'far Al-Sadiq , the 6th Shia Imam . The Ja'ffari Shia consider ''Sunnah'' to be the oral traditions of Muhammad and their implementation and interpretation by the Imams who were all scholars and descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband, the first Imam, Ali . Role of religious scholars See Also: The Shia clergy Shia Muslims believe that the study of Islamic literature is a continual process, and is necessary for identifying all of God's laws. Sunni Muslims also believe that they can interpret the ''Qur'an'' and ''hadith'' with the same authority as their predecessors - that the door to '' Ijtihad '' was never closed. However, the opinion of the 1st and 2nd Century (7th and 8th century Gregorian calendar) scholars Hanbali , Hanafi , Maliki , and Shafii are given greater weight. Differences of Shia and Sunni traditions Because Islamic law is based partly on the '' Hadith ,'' Shia rejection of some Sunni hadith and Sunni rejection of some Shia hadith means that the versions of the law differ somewhat. For example, while both Shia and Sunni pray five times each day, some of the prayer times differ. Shia do not believe that there is a set time for As'r and Ish'a prayers, and therefore, they are prayed together with the Thu'hur and Mugrib prayers, respectively. Likewise, Shia do not perform non-obligatory prayers in congregation, like Tar'raweeh, which Sunnis pray during Ramadaan. Also, another issue of difference between the sects is that , it was narrated by Ali under Taqiyah and therefore the contradiction between this hadith and those Shia narrations permitting mut'ah can be overlooked. Many Shia discourage the practice of Mut'ah, but maintain that it is permissible. RELIGIOUS CALENDAR strike their chests during the Remembrance of Muharram.]] All Muslims, Sunni or Shia, celebrate the following annual holidays:
The following holidays are observed by Shia only, unless otherwise noted:
HISTORY OF SHIA-SUNNI RELATIONS See Also: Historical Shia-Sunni relations The Shia believe that the split between the Shia and Sunni began with Muhammad's death, when Abu Bakr was accepted as the successor to Muhammed by the majority of Muslims, then Umar and Uthman. They believe that the successorship was given to Ali at Ghadir Khum (a ''hadith'' accepted by Shi’a scholars), and that the testimony that can be traced back to reliable sources is to be trusted, while traditions that cannot be fully verified are suspect. Shia and Sunni historians record that many Shia have been persecuted, intimidated, and killed, through what Shia consider a Coup D'état against Ali 's Caliph ate. Many prominent Salafi Sunni scholars are known to have openly considered the Shia as " Kufar " (disbelievers). Imam Ash-Shafi'i , one of the most prominent early scholars of his time said in regards to the Shia ''"I have not seen among the heretics a people more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi’ites."''Ibn Taymeeyah, Minhaaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/39 Such statements stem mainly from differences in beliefs regarding Ali , Umar , and Other Companions , and in the Shia's use of various concepts, such as Muta . The renowned ). On July 6 , 1959 , Shaikh Mahmood Shaltoot -the head of the al-Azhar Theological school- announced the Al-Azhar Shia Fatwa 1) Islam does not require a Muslim to follow a particular Madh'hab (school of thought). Rather, we say: every Muslim has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in its books. And, everyone who is following such Madhahib of thought can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so. |
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