Question for Sunni or Shia Muslims.
-
Quick, down n dirty guide? Shias elevate the Prophet Muhammad AND his family particularly Ali. They reject the legitimacy of the first three caliphs unlike the Sunnis. They also hate Aishah. They love Ali, a lot and believe that he was the right successor of Muhammad. They also believe that the Mahdi, an Imam who disappeared ages ago, will return one day and make everything alright. They sometimes prostrate, during prayer, on a piece of flat rock thing to symbolise Karbala where important people died. They're the ones that have the Ayatollahs and they do not accept some of the hadiths Sunnis accept.
They can also get tattoos and Ali tattoos (plus that of the Zulfiqar sword which is like Ali's EXCALIBUR) are pretty popular. And have contract marriages where the couple agrees upon a fixed term after which it is automatically dissolved. Sunnis think they're infidels and though the moderate ones would normally say "there's no sects in Islam" they secretly think the Shias are crazy. And vice versa I guess.
I probably messed up some of that and if so, apologies and please correct. They're just some of the things off the top of my head when I think about the differences without getting into too much details.
-
Quick, down n dirty guide? Shias elevate the Prophet Muhammad AND his family particularly Ali. They reject the legitimacy of the first three caliphs unlike the Sunnis. They also hate Aishah. They love Ali, a lot and believe that he was the right successor of Muhammad. They also believe that the Mahdi, an Imam who disappeared ages ago, will return one day and make everything alright. They sometimes prostrate, during prayer, on a piece of flat rock thing to symbolise Karbala where important people died. They're the ones that have the Ayatollahs and they do not accept some of the hadiths Sunnis accept.
They can also get tattoos and Ali tattoos (plus that of the Zulfiqar sword which is like Ali's EXCALIBUR) are pretty popular. And have contract marriages where the couple agrees upon a fixed term after which it is automatically dissolved. Sunnis think they're infidels and though the moderate ones would normally say "there's no sects in Islam" they secretly think the Shias are crazy. And vice versa I guess.
I probably messed up some of that and if so, apologies and please correct. They're just some of the things off the top of my head when I think about the differences without getting into too much details.
Thank you, that helps a lot although I am a little confused with some of the Arabic terms
-
Could someone give me a quick guide to the differenced between sunni and shia (in plain English please)? As I have no idea what they are (other than different sects)
Shias are obsessed with Prophet Muhammad's family and Sunnis are obsessed with the Prophet's companions.
Adding to the "Mahdi" thing that srotu was talking about - the Shias believe that he is in occulation in some cave. This story however (and the whole Mahdi concept) is totally fabricated by Hadiths.
The Sunnis also believe the Mahdi will return, but they dont believe that he is in occulation. If nobody mentioned it yet, the Mahdi is a descendant of Prophet Muhammad - the 12th Imam. Check it on wikipedia if you want.
There are also some differences in the practices of the Shias and Sunnis - the Shias give 20 percent of their money to their religious leaders (oh yeah..btw the Shias have a complicated religious hierarchy, similar to what the Catholics have) and they give 2.5 percent to the poor. The Sunnis only give 2.5 percent to the poor, they dont have such a complicated and big religious heirarchy in their clergy.Shias usually combine their 5 prayers into 3 times (ie. 1 at dawn, 2 at noon and 2 in the evening), Sunnis rarely do this - only in unusual circumstances.
You may also want to check http//islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm
-
Shias are obsessed with Prophet Muhammad's family and Sunnis are obsessed with the Prophet's companions.
Adding to the "Mahdi" thing that srotu was talking about - the Shias believe that he is in occulation in some cave. This story however (and the whole Mahdi concept) is totally fabricated by Hadiths.
The Sunnis also believe the Mahdi will return, but they dont believe that he is in occulation. If nobody mentioned it yet, the Mahdi is a descendant of Prophet Muhammad - the 12th Imam. Check it on wikipedia if you want.
There are also some differences in the practices of the Shias and Sunnis - the Shias give 20 percent of their money to their religious leaders (oh yeah..btw the Shias have a complicated religious hierarchy, similar to what the Catholics have) and they give 2.5 percent to the poor. The Sunnis only give 2.5 percent to the poor, they dont have such a complicated and big religious heirarchy in their clergy.Shias usually combine their 5 prayers into 3 times (ie. 1 at dawn, 2 at noon and 2 in the evening), Sunnis rarely do this - only in unusual circumstances.
You may also want to check http//islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm
Thank you, very helpful. Just on a personal note, as a Church Minister, I wish my lot would give me 20% of their earnings ... lol !
-
Thank you, very helpful. Just on a personal note, as a Church Minister, I wish my lot would give me 20% of their earnings ... lol !
laugh
-
I think they should give 20% to the poor...so there would not be any poor people! yay
-
I think they should give 20% to the poor...so there would not be any poor people! yay
Wrong. They give 20% of their money to their religious leaders! Additionally they give 2.5% of their money to the poor. Zakat according to the Quran is way different however.
-
Wrong. They give 20% of their money to their religious leaders! Additionally they give 2.5% of their money to the poor. Zakat according to the Quran is way different however.
Read it carefully...I said "I think they 'should' give 20% of their money to the poor yay"
peace
-
Read it carefully...I said "I think they 'should' give 20% of their money to the poor yay"
peace
Ooooh..sorry. Yes, indeed, they should! haha..
-
Peace,
respectfully.Here's a good one if shia are the majority in Iraq - and they are (57%) - then how come they cannot overcome sunnis?
I mean, what's going on here?Glory be to our God.
Glory be to our God.Peace.
Peace,
Well I think too just because a group is in the majority doesn't mean they'll hold power. Look at South Africa, whites are not the majority but who had the power? -
Peace,
Well I think too just because a group is in the majority doesn't mean they'll hold power. Look at South Africa, whites are not the majority but who had the power?bravo I agree completely!
-
-
Someone once told me the natural progression of things is
Some other religion/Agnosticism-->Interest in Islam--->Sunni--->Shia--->Qur'an alone
I think he was just basing it off of our experiences though.
Other religion/Agnosticism--->Interest in islam---->quran alone ;D
this is my view of a natural progression of things ;D
peace
-
Peace,
Well I think too just because a group is in the majority doesn't mean they'll hold power. Look at South Africa, whites are not the majority but who had the power?Peace,
Respectfully.Yeah, because the white people over there and elsewhere use forse more often then we think.
I'm not saying that we should use force, far from it, but we should be more firm in our way.Peace.