Islam in Iran Sunni’s vs. Shi’a

Word Worm! Sect: Sectarian A subdivision of a larger religious group of or relating to or characteristic of a sect or sects; "sectarian differences" a member of a sect;

Both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The schism between the two initially stemmed not from spiritual differences but from political ones. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, a debate ensued over who should take his place as leader of the faith. Most of the prominent Muslims of Medina claimed that Muhammad had named no successor and elected Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s closest advisor and companion, as the first caliph (successor). This was an extremely controversial appointment, as other Muslims argued that Muhammad had designated Ali as his successor. Ali was the Prophet’s son-in-law and closest male relative, and those who supported him felt not only that his succession had been the intention of the Prophet but also that his blood tie to Muhammad was a sacred bond.

Ali’s supporters, who believed that direct descendants of Muhammad were the only rightful leaders of the faith, would become known as the Shia (from “Shi’at Ali,” or “the party of Ali”). Those who became the Sunni believed instead that their leaders should be elected from among those most capable, politically. Both sides occasionally gained control in the fractious early Caliphate, and although Ali eventually became the fourth caliph, his reign was short and ended in assassination. He was followed by Muawiyah of the prominent Umayyad family, but when Muawiyah was succeeded by his son, Yazid I, the Shia revolted, demanding that Ali’s son, Hussein, be named caliph. Hussein set out from Mecca to meet his supporters, but he and his family were massacred by Umayyad troops at the Battle of Karbala. While political power would occasionally still shift after this, the Shi’a were to remain an often-persecuted minority throughout the era of the Caliphate.

Shia doctrine is based on a interpretation of Islam established by the “imams,” religious leaders who were descendants of Muhammad and whom the Shia consider to be the sole interpreters of Islamic theology. In Shiism, the Qur’an contains layers of meaning beneath the literal meanings that were revealed by the imams. The Shia also have their own versions of the “hadith,” the collected sayings and deeds of the Prophet, and thus have a distinct interpretation of Islamic law and culture. The Shia tradition adds to Islam a significant passion element, the observance of the murders of Ali and Hussein, and an occult and messianic element, the belief that Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth and “hidden” imam who disappeared in 874 A.D., is alive but hidden from the world by God and will return in the final days to restore the world to justice. Politically, generations spent as a persecuted minority have made the Shia quicker to resent authority than the Sunni and to view spiritual life as a struggle for social justice and against oppression.

Approximately 85-90% of Muslims today are Sunni

Who are the Shi'a? Sunni Shi'a 600's Shi’a = oppression Ali’s Sons… Caliph: The successor of Muhammad (King-ish) Caliphate: Constitutional theocracy, kingdom of Islamic Empirical influence from the death of Mohammed until the 13th century Who are the Shi'a? Sunni Shi'a 4) Ali: (Muhammad’s son-in-law) Killed by saber! Abu Bakr: (early convert and trusted advisor) 2) Umar 3) Utman 600's Ali’s Sons… 5) Hassan: Poisoned 6) Hussein: Beheaded at Karbala After Muhammad’s death, there is no direct line to become Caliph Sunnis back Abu Bakr Shi’a back Ali Ali is killed in 5 year civil war (true split of Islam begins) Sunni’s WIN and Caliphate becomes monarchy (called Umayyads): @ Battle of Karbala (In Iraq) Supporters of Ali vs Sunni Umayyad Caliphate All men killed, Hussein martyred BEGINNING OF SHI’A OPPRESSION: Shi’a flee to present day Iran Shi’a = oppression

Sassanid Empire- Zorastrian Umayyad Caliphate- Sunni Shi'a flee! Where to?

Now, instead of Caliph, Shi’a believe in the… 12 Imams (cult of martyrdom) 1) Ali 2) Hassan 3) Hussein 12) Muhammad al-Mahdi : The Awaited One Did not die! In a cave under a Mosque in Sumarra, Iraq Apocalypse Sumarra, Iraq

Muhammad established no church or institutional structure for Islam; indeed, the faith's basic notion that all believers were equal before God seemed to rule out the notion of a priesthood. But Islam was a social and political movement as well as a religious one, and as it developed, a complex set of institutions grew with it, which over time took on an increasingly religious significance. And as the Arab empire expanded, Islam incorporated elements of the cultures it encountered, giving rise to varying schools of interpretation of the texts of Islamic belief: the Qur'an, the "sunnah" (the exemplary words and deeds of Muhammad) and the "hadith" (the records kept by Muhammad's companions). With the rise of religious institutions and the expansion of Islamic scholarship, doctrinal arguments developed, which led to the development of a number of sects and schools of thought. But the most important schism in Islam -- the event that split the faith into the majority Sunni and minority Shia branches that persist to the present day -- took place at the religion's very beginnings.

Pilgrimage to Karbala Watch Video 3/2007 In the summer of 2006, as the Iranian-backed Hezbollah fought off Israelis in Lebanon and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faced down President George Bush, a bus full of Iranian pilgrims left Tehran on a journey to the holy city of Karbala, deep inside a shattered Iraq. Pilgrimage to Karbala follows this intense journey into the heartlands of Shia Islam, revealing how two ancient crimes – the murder of Muhammad’s grandson and the disappearance of a six-year-old imam – became the founding legends of Shiism and still shape events in the Middle East today. The film is followed by Daljit Dhaliwal’s interview with Professor Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future. Watch Video