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"Shia" redirects here. For other uses, see Shia (disambiguation).
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Template:ShiaTerms Shia Islam (Arabic: شيعة Shī‘ah, sometimes Shi'a or Shi'ite), is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. Shī‘ah Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the populations in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq, as well as a plurality in Lebanon and Kuwait.

Shi'a Muslims attribute themselves to the Qur'an and teachings of the final Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and in contrast to other Muslims, believe that his family, the Ahl al-Bayt (the People of the House), including his descendants known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community[1] and believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and husband of his daughter, Fatimah, was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammad who was appointed by God as his prophet, and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs.[2]

The Shi'a Islamic faith is vast and inclusive of many different groups. There are various Shi'a theological beliefs, schools of jurisprudence, philosophical beliefs, and spiritual movements. Shi'a Islam embodies a completely independent system of religious interpretation and political authority in the Muslim world. The Shi'a identity emerged soon after the death of Muhammad, and Shi'a theology was formulated in the second century[3] and the first Shi'a governments and societies were established by the end of the third century.

Shi'a Islam is divided into three branches. The largest and best known are the Twelver (اثنا عشرية Template:ArabDIN), named after their adherence to the Twelve Imams. They form a majority of the population in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq. The term Shi'a often refers to Twelver Shi'a only. Other smaller branches include the Ismaili and Zaidi, who dispute the Twelver lineage of Imams and beliefs.[4]

Etymology

Main article: Shia etymology

Shī‘ah, collectively, or Shī‘ī, singularly, means follower. It has been used in Qur'an in singular or plural forms with both positive[Quran 37:83] and negative[Quran 54:51] connotations.

"Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Template:ArabDIN (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali". Both Shia and Sunni sources trace the term to the years before the death of Muhammad. Muhammed is the messenger of God. [citation needed][Quran 48:29]

Origin

There are two theories about the emergence of Shia. One of them emphasizes the political struggle about the succession of Muhammad after his death and especially during the First Fitna.[5] According to this theory, early in the history of Islam, the Shīa were a political faction (party of 'Alī) that supported caliphate of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib and, later, of his descendants. Starting as a political faction, this group gradually developed into a religious movement. [6]

The other one emphasizes on different interpretation of Islam which led to different understanding about the role of caliphs and ulamas. Hossein Nasr has quoted:

Shi'ism was not brought into existence only by the question of the political succession to Muhammad as so many Western works claim (although this question was of course of great importance). The problem of political succession may be said to be the element that crystallized the Shi'ites into a distinct group, and political suppression in later periods, especially the martyrdom of Imam Husayn-upon whom be peace-only accentuated this tendency of the Shi'ites to see themselves as a separate community within the Islamic world. The principal cause of the coming into being of Shi'ism, however, lies in the fact that this

possibility existed within the Islamic revelation itself and so had to be realized. Inasmuch as there were exoteric [Zaheri] and esoteric [Bateni] interpretations from the very beginning, from which developed the schools (madhhab) of the Sharia and Sufism in the Sunni world, there also had to be an interpretation of Islam which would combine these elements in a single whole. This possibility was realized in Shi'ism, for which the Imam is the person in whom these two aspects of traditional authority are united and in whom

the religious life is marked by a sense of tragedy and martyrdom... Hence the question which arose was not so much who should be the successor of Muhammad as what the function and qualifications of such a person would be.[7]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Islam
File:MuslimDistribution2.jpg
Map showing distribution of Shi'a and Sunni Muslims in Africa, Asia and Europe.

As stated above, an estimate of approximately 10-15% of the world's Muslims are Shi'a, which corresponds to about 195-200 million Shi'a Muslims worldwide.[8] Shi'a Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the populations in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq.

Shi'a Muslims also constitute over 35% of the population in Lebanon,[9] over 45% of the population in Yemen,[10] over 35% of the population in Kuwait,[11] 20-25% of the population (primarily Alevi) in Turkey,[12] 20% (primarily Bektashi) of the population in Albania,[13] 20% of the population in Pakistan and 18% of population in Afghanistan. They also make up at least 15% of the Muslim populations in India, the UAE, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Serbia/Montenegro & Kosovo.

Significant Shi'a communities exist on the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik). The Shi'a presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis, though there are almost a million Shi'a Muslims in Indonesia, mainly converts.

A significant syncretic Shi'a minority is present in Nigeria, centered around the state of Kano (see Shia in Nigeria). East Africa holds several populations of Ismaili Shia, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as the Khoja.

According to Shi'a Muslim, one of the lingering problems in estimating Shi'a population is that unless Shi'a 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 House of Saud in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shi'a.[14]

Concept of Imamah

The Holy Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Tomb of Muhammad in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Main article: Status of a Shia Imam

Most of the early Shia as well as Zaydis differed only marginally from mainstream Sunnis in their views on political leadership, but it is possible in this sect to see a refinement of Shīa doctrine. Early Sunnis traditionally held that the political leader must come from the tribe of the Prophet—namely, the Quraysh. The Zaydīs narrowed the political claims of the Ali's supporters, claiming that not just any descendant of 'Alī would be eligible to lead the Muslim community (ummah) but only those males directly descended from Muḥammad through the union of 'Alī and Fāṭimah. But during Abbasid revolts, other Shīa, who came to be known as imāmiyyah (followers of the Imams) follow theological school of Ja'far al-Sadiq. They asserted a more exalted religious role for Imams and insisted that, at any given time, whether in power or not, a single male descendant of 'Alī and Fāṭimah was the divinely appointed Imam and the sole authority, in his time, on all matters of faith and law. To those Shīʿites, love of the imams and of their persecuted cause became as important as belief in God’s oneness and the mission of Muhammad. [6]

Later most of Shia, including Twelver and Ismaili, became Imami. Imamis Shia believe that Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad.[6] Imams are human individual who not only rules over the community with justice, but also is able to keep and interpret the Divine Law and its esoteric meaning. The Prophet and Imams' words and deeds are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through the Prophet.[15][16]

According to this view, there is always an Imam of the Age, who is the divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the Muslim community. ‘Alī was the first Imam of this line, the rightful successor to the Prophet of Islam, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Zahra.[6]

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 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). According to the Sunnis, Ali was the third successor to Abu Bakr however, the Shia maintain that Ali was the first divinely sanctioned "Imam," or successor of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE at the Battle of Karbala of Ali's son Hussein, who led an non-allegiance movement against the defiant caliph (71 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.

It is believed in Twelver and Ismaili Shī‘ah Islam that ‘aql, divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the Prophets and Imams and gave them esoteric knowledge called ḥikmah and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees.[17][18][6] Although the Imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, he had a close relationship with God, through which God guides him, and the Imam in turn guides the people. Imamate, or belief in the divine guide is a fundamental belief in the Twelver and Ismaili Shī‘ī branches and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance.[19]

The Occultation

Main article: The Occultation

The Occultation in Shi'a Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, the Mahdi, is an Imam who has disappeared and will one day return and fill the world with justice. Some Shi'a, such as the Zaidi and Nizari Ismaili, do not believe in the idea of the Occultation. The groups which do believe in it differ upon which lineage of imamate is correct, and therefore which individual has gone into the Occultation. Ali was a prophet people say

Branches

The Shi'a faith throughout its history split over the issue of imamate, with each branch supporting different imams. The largest branch are the Twelvers, which over 85% of Shi'a belong to. The only other surviving branches are the Zaidi and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.

Twelver Shi'a believe in the lineage of the Twelve Imams. The Twelver Shi'a faith is predominantly found in Iran (est. 90%) , Azerbaijan (est. 85%), Bahrain (est. 75%), Iraq (est. 65%), Yemen (est. 45%), Lebanon (est. 35%) [20], Kuwait (est. 35%), Turkey (est. 25%), Albania (est. 20%), Pakistan (est. 20%) and Afghanistan (est. 20%).[21][22].

The Zaidi dispute the succession of the fifth Twelver Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir, because he did not stage a revolution against the corrupt government, unlike Zaid ibn Ali. They do not believe in a normal lineage, but rather that any descendant of Hasan ibn Ali or Husayn ibn Ali who stages a revolution against a corrupt government is an imam. The Zaidi are mainly found in Yemen.

The Ismaili dispute the succession of the seventh Twelver Imam, Musa al-Kadhim, believing his older brother Ismail bin Jafar actually succeeded their father Jafar al-Sadiq, and did not predecease him like Twelver Shi'a believe. Ismaili form small communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Yemen, China and Saudi Arabia[23] and have several subbranches.

Twelver

Main article: Twelvers

Twelver Shi'asm (اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest denomination within the Shi'a branch of Islam. An adherent of Twelver Shi'ism is most commonly referred to as a Twelver, which is derived from their belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, or Imams.

The Twelve Imams

See also: Twelve Imams


The Twelve Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, in the Twelver or Ithna Ashariya branch of Shia Islam.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[24][25] Twelvers have five Principles of the Religion which relates to Aqidah.[26]

  1. Salat (Prayer) – Performing the five daily prayers.
  2. Sawm (Fast) – fasting during the Islamic holy lunar month of Ramadhan (Able to eat while the sun is hidden)
  3. Hajj (Pilgrimage) – performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (once in a lifetime)
  4. Zakat (Poor-rate) – paying the poor-tax (2.5% of your wealth every year should go to the poor)
  5. Khums (One-fifth of savings) – paying tax to the Imam (سهم امام) and poor/deserving saadat (descendents of Ahlul Bayt) - Saham-e-Saadat
  6. Jihad (Struggle) – struggling to please the Almighty. The greater, or internal Jihad is the struggle against the evil within one's soul in every aspect of life. The lesser, or external, Jihad is the struggle against the evil of one's environment in every aspect of life. This is not to be mistaken with the common modern misconception that this means "Holy War". Writing the truth (jihad bi l-qalam) and speaking truth in front of an oppressor are also forms of Jihad.
  7. Commanding what is just
  8. Forbidding what is evil
  9. Tawallá – loving the Ahlu l-Bayt and their followers
  10. Tabarrā' – dissociating oneself from the enemies of the Ahlu l-Bayt

Ja'fari jurispudence

Main article: Ja'fari jurisprudence

Ja'fari jurisprudence or Ja'fari Fiqh is the name of the jurisprudence of the Twelver Muslims, derived from the name of Ja'far al-Sadiq, the 6th Shia Imam.

The Ja'fari 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

Main article: The Shia clergy

Twelver Shi'a 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 are given greater weight.

Guardianship of the Jurisprudence

Main article: Hokumat-e Islami: Velayat-e faqih (book by Khomeini)

Traditionally Twelver Shi'a Muslims consider Ali ibn Abi Talib and the other 11 imams not only religious guides but political leaders, based on a crucial hadith where the Prophet Muhammad passes on his power to command Muslims to Ali. Since the last Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, went into "occultation" in 939 AD and is not expected back until end times, this left Shi'a without religiously sanctioned governance. In contrast, the Ismaili Imams did successfully gain political power with the shortly lived Fatimid Empire. After the fall of the Fatimid Empire Ismaili Shi'asm started to lean towards secular thought.

The first Shia regime, the Safavid dynasty in Iran, propagated the Twelver faith, made Twelver law the law of the land, and patronized Twelver scholarship. For this, Twelver ulama "crafted a new theory of government" which held that while "not truly legitimate", the Safavid monarchy would be "blessed as the most desirable form of government during the period of awaiting" for the twelfth imam.[27]

In general, the Shi'a adhere to one of three approaches towards the state: either full participation in government, i.e. attempting to influence policies by becoming active in politics, or passive cooperation with it, i.e. minimal participation, or else most commonly, mere toleration of it, i.e. remaining aloof from it.[28] Historically, Zaidi and Ismaili Shi'a imams functioned as both religious and political leaders, but later after the fall of the Fatimid Empire the Ismaili imamate became a secular institution. In general, Twelver Shi'a historically remained secular.

This changed with Iranian Revolution where the Twelver Ayatollah Khomeini and his supporters established a new theory of governance for the Islamic Republic of Iran. It's based on Khomeini's theory of guardianship of the Islamic jurist as rule of the Islamic jurist, and jurists as "legatees" of the Prophet Muhammad.

While not all Twelver Shi'a accept this theory, it is uniquely Twelver and the basis of the constitution of Iran, the largest Shi'a Muslim country, where the Supreme Leader must be an Islamic jurist.

Ismaili

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The Ismā‘īlī (Arabic: الإسماعيليون al-Ismāʿīliyyūn; Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Persian: إسماعیلیان Esmāʿiliyān) branch of Islam is the second largest part of the Shī‘ah community after the Twelvers. The Ismā‘īlī get their name from their acceptance of Ismā‘īl ibn Ja‘far as the divinely-appointed spiritual successor (Imām) to Ja‘far aṣ-Ṣādiq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Mūsà al-Kāzim, younger brother of Ismā‘īl, as the true Imām. The Ismā‘īlī and the Twelvers both accept the same initial A'immah from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fāṭimah az-Zahra and therefore share much of their early history.

After the death or Occultation of Imām Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl in the 8th century, the teachings of Ismailism further transformed into the belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on the deeper, esoteric meaning (bāṭin) of the faith. With the eventual development of Twelverism into the more literalistic (zahir) oriented Akhbari and later Uṣūlī schools of thought, Shī‘ism developed in two separate directions: the metaphorical Ismā‘īlī group focusing on the mystical path and nature of God and the divine manifestation in the personage of the "Imam of the Time" as the "Face of God", while the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law (sharī‘ah) and the deeds and sayings (sunnah) of Muḥammad and his successors (the Ahlu l-Bayt), who as A'immah were guides and a light to God.[29]

Though there are several sub-groupings within the Ismā‘īlīs, the term in today's vernacular generally refers to the Nizārī community who are followers of the Aga Khan and the largest group among the Ismā‘īliyyah. While many of the branches have extremely differing exterior practices, much of the spiritual theology has remained the same since the days of the faith's early Imāms. In recent centuries Ismā‘īlīs have largely been an Indo-Iranian community,[30] but they are found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia,[31] Yemen, China,[32] Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa and South Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.[33]

Ismā‘īlī Imāms

Main article: List of Ismaili Imams

After the death of Ismā‘īlī ibn Ja‘far, many Ismā‘īlī believed the line of Imāmate ended and that one day the messianic Mahdi, whom they believed to be Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, would return and establish an age of justice. One group included the violent Qarmatians, who had a stronghold in Bahrain. In contrast, some Ismā‘īlīs believed the Imāmate did continue, and that the Imāms were in hiding and still communicated and taught their followers through a network of dā‘īs "Missionaries".

In 909, ‘Ubaydallāh al-Mahdi bil-Lāh, a claimant to the Ismā‘īlī Imāmate, established the Fatimid Empire, a political power where Ismā‘īlī Imāms would rule for centuries. Egypt became the center of an empire that included at its peak North Africa, Sicily, Palestine, Syria, the Red Sea coast of Africa, Yemen and the Hejaz. Under the Fatimids, Egypt flourished and developed an extensive trade network in both the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, which eventually determined the economic course of Egypt during the High Middle Ages.

During this period, three lineages of Imāms formed. The first branch, known today as the Druze, occurred with the Imām al-Hākim bi-Amrallāh. Born in 386 AH (985), he ascended as ruler at the age of eleven and was feared for his eccentricity and believed insanity. The typical religiously tolerant Fatimid Empire saw much persecution under his reign. When in 411 AH (1021) his mule returned without him, soaked in blood, a religious group that was even forming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream Ismā‘īlism and refused to acknowledge his successor. Later to be known as the Druze, they believe al-Hākim to be the incarnation of God and the prophecized Mahdi, who would one day return and bring justice to the world.[34] The faith further split from Ismā‘īlism as it developed very unique doctrines which often classes it separately from both Ismā‘īliyyah and Islam.

The second split occurred following the death of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah in 487 AH (1094). His rule was the longest of any Caliph in any Islamic empires. Upon his passing away his sons, the older Nizār and the younger al-Musta‘lī fought for political and spiritual control of the dynasty. Nizār was defeated and jailed, but according to Nizāri tradition, his son to escaped to Alamut where the Iranian Ismā‘īlī had accepted his claim.[35]

The Musta‘lī line split again between the Ṭayyibī and the Ḥāfizī, the former claiming that the 21st Imām and son of al-Amīr went into Occultation and appointed a Dā‘ī al-Muṭlaq to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Ismā‘īlī had lived after the death of Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl. The latter claimed that the ruling Fatimid Caliph was the Imām, and they died out with the fall of the Fatimid Empire.

The Pillars of the Ismā‘īlī

Main article: Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)

The Ismā‘īlī Seven Pillars of Islam, including the Nizārī, Druze and Bohra (Musta‘lī) have three doctrines that are not included in the Five Pillars of Islam: Walayah, Taharah and Jihad. This would raise the total to eight, but the Bohra do not include shahādah, lowering it to seven. The shahādah is a prominent part of other Ismā‘īlī traditions, with the added inclusion of ‘Aliyun Amīru l-Mu'minīn Walī Allāh Arabic: علي ولي الله "‘Alī, the Master of the Believers, is the walī of God", at the end of the standard shahādah as recited by the rest of the Muslim Ummah.[36]

  • Walayah “Guardianship” denotes love and devotion to God, the prophets, the imām and the du‘āt "missionaries". In Ismāˤīlī doctrine, God is the true desire of every soul, and he manifests himself in the forms of prophets and imāms; the appointed Missionaries lead believers to the right path. The Druze refer to this pillar as Taslīm "Submission".
  • Taharah “Purity”: The Druze
  • Shahādah "Profession of Faith": The Bohra do not list this as a Pillar and hence have only seven pillars.[36] the Druze do not add the typical Ismā‘īlī phrase to the basic profession of faith.
  • Salah "Prayer": Unlike Sunni and Twelver muslims, Nizari Ismāˤīliyya reason that it is up to the current imām to designate the style and form of prayer, and for this reason the current Nizari practices resemble dua and pray them three times a day. These three times have been related with the three times that have been mentioned in the Qur'ān: sunrise, before sunset, and after sunset. In contrast, the Mustaˤlī maintain five prayers and their style is generally closely related to that of the Twelvers. The Druze believe that the meaning of prayer is sidqu l-lisān "speaking Truth (to/about God)" and do not believe in five daily prayers. They do sometimes attend prayers, which is the practice of the "uninitiated" (juhhāl) and historically was also done for reasons of taqiyya.
  • Zakah "Charity": with the exception of the Druze, all Ismā‘īlī madhāhab have practices resembling that of Sunni and Twelver Muslims with the addition of the characteristic Shī‘ah khums: payment of 1/8th of one's unspent money at the end of the year to the Imām. In addition to khums, Ismā‘īlīs pay 12.5% of their monthly gross income to the imām, which goes to the central accounts and then spent on welfare of the humankind like education and health projects. One of the major examples of these projects is the Aga Khan Development Network, that is one of the biggest welfare networks of the world. Thus, Ismā‘īlīs believe that as Muḥammad was designated to take zakāt from believers in the past, it is now the duty to pay the Imām or his representative. The Druze practice Ḥifzu l-Ikhwān "Protection of One's Brothers" instead of paying a fee, a culturally complex practice of interdependence.
  • Sawm “Fasting”: Nizāri and Musta‘lī believe in both a metaphorical and literal meaning of fasting. The literal meaning is that one must fast as an obligation, such as during Ramaḍān, and the metaphorical meaning being that one is in attainment of the Divine Truth and must strive to avoid worldy activities which may detract from this goal. In particular, Ismā‘īlīs believe the real and esoteric meaning of fasting is avoiding devilish acts and doing the good deeds. Not eating during the month of Ramaḍdaān has been considered as a metaphorical implementation of fasting and is not compulsory. The Druze emphasise the esoteric meaning, which they call tark ‘ibādat al-awthān "deserting idol-worship": that which detracts from communion with God is an idol (wathan).
  • Hajj “Pilgrimage”: For Ismā‘īlīs, this means visiting the Imām or his representative and that this is the greatest and most spiritual of all pilgrimages. The Bohra maintain also the practice of going to Mecca. The Druze interpret this completely metaphorically as "fleeing from devils and oppressors" and rarely go to Mecca.[37]
  • Jihad "Struggle": The definition of jihad is controversial as it has two meanings: "the Greater Struggle" and the "The Lesser Struggle", the latter of which means a confrontation with the enemies of the faith. The Nizārī are pacifist and interpret "adversaries" of the faith as personal and social vices (i.e. wrath, intolerance, etc.) and those individuals who harm the peace of the faith and avoid provocation and use force only as a final resort only in self-defense. It is unclear what the Bohra believe. The Druze have a long history of military and political engagement, but refer to this pillar solely as Rīda "Contentment" - the war to fight that which removes you from the ease of the Divine Presence, a meaning similar to that of the Nizārī. In addition, the ˤUqqāl "Wise Ones", the religious cadre of the Druze, are pacifists.

Contemporary leadership

For Nizārīs, there has been less of a scholarly institution because of the existence of a present Imām. The Imām of the Age defines the jurisprudence, and may differ with Imāms previous to him because of different times and circumstances.

However, divine leadership has continued in the Bohra branch through the institution of the "Unrestricted Missionary". According to Bohra tradition, before the last Imām, Ṭayyib Abi l-Qāṣim, went into seclusion, his father, the 20th Imām Mansur al-Amir Bi-Ahkamillah had instructed Queen Al-Hurra Al-Malika in Yemen to appoint a vicegerent after the seclusion - the Unrestricted Missionary, who as the Imām's vicegerent has full authority to govern the community in all matters both spiritual and temporal while he is in the Occultation. The three branches of the Musta‘lī, the Alavi Bohra, Sulaimani Bohra and Dawoodi Bohra, differ on who the current Unrestricted Missionary is.

Zaidi

Main article: Zaidi

The Zaidi are a branch of Shi'a Islam named after the Imām Zayd ibn ˤAlī. Followers of the Zaidi fiqh are called Zaidis (or occasionally, Fivers by Sunnis). However, there is also a group called the Zaidi Wasītīs who are Twelvers (see below).

Since the earliest form of Zaidism was of the Jarudiyya group,[38] many of the first Zaidi states, like those of the Alavids, Buyids, Ukhaidhirids[citation needed] and Rassids, were inclined to the Jarudiyya group.

The first Zaidi state was established in Daylaman and Tabaristan (northern Iran) in 864 C.E. by the Alavids;[39] it lasted until the death of its leader at the hand of the Samanids in 928 C.E. Roughly forty years later the state was revived in Gilan (north-western Iran) and survived under Hasanid leaders until 1126 C.E. After which from the 12th-13th centuries, the Zaidis of Daylaman, Gilan and Tabaristan then acknowledge the Zaidi Imams of Yemen or rival Zaidi Imams within Iran.[40]

The Buyids were reported to have been Zaidi,[citation needed] as well as the Ukhaidhirite rulers of al-Yamama in the 9th and 10th centuries.[41]

The leader of the Zaidi community took the title of Caliph. As such, the ruler of Yemen was known as the Caliph, al-Hadi Yahya bin al-Hussain bin al-Qasim ar-Rassi (a descendant of Imam al-Hasan) who, at Sa'da, in 893-7 C.E., founded the Zaidi Imamate and this system continued until the middle of the 20th century, until the revolution of 1962 C.E. that deposed the Zaidi Imam. The founding Zaidism of Yemen was of the Jarudiyya group, however with the increasing interaction with Hanafi and Shafi'i Sunni Islam, there was a shift from the Jarudiyya group to the Sulaimaniyya, Tabiriyya, Butriyya or Salihiyya groups.[42]

Zaidis form the dominant religious group in Yemen. Currently, they constitute about 40-45% of the population in Yemen. Ja'faris and Isma'ilis are 2-5%.[43][44] In Saudi Arabia, it is estimated that there are over 1 million Zaidis (primarily in the western provinces).[citation needed]

Currently the most prominent Zaidi movement is Husayn al-Huthi's Shabab al-Mu'mineen, who have been the subject of an ongoing campaign against them by the Yemeni Government in which the Army has lost 743 men and thousands of innocent civilians have been killed or displaced by government forces, causing a grave humanitarian crisis in north Yemen. Shia Population of the Middle East[45]

Sunni & Shi'a relations

Main article: Historical Shia-Sunni relations

The Shi'a 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 and Sunni scholars),[46] 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.

Shi'a and Sunni historians record that many Shi'a have been persecuted, intimidated, and killed, through what Shi'a consider a coup d'état against Ali's caliphate.[citation needed] Many prominent Salafi Sunni scholars are known to have openly considered the Shia as "kufar" (disbelievers)[citation needed]. Imam Ash-Shafi'i, one of the most prominent early scholars of his time said in regards to the Shi'a "I have not seen among the heretics a people more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi’ites."[47] 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. Today Shi'a claim that they endure much bigotry and other indignities from Wahabi authorities daily and that Shi'a Muslim 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)

The renowned al-Azhar university of theology in Egypt, originally founded by the Ismaii Imams during the reign of the Fatimid Empire in 988 CE,[48] considers Shi'a philosophy to be an indivisible part of the body of Islamic jurisprudence. Today, both Sunni and Shi'a students graduate from the Al-Azhar university which also teaches regarding both doctrines and uses certain Shi'a material in its courses. (See List of Shia books). On July 6, 1959, Shaikh Mahmood Shaltoot -the head of the al-Azhar Theological school- announced the al-Azhar Shia Fatwa

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 [schools of thought] can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so. The Ja'fari school of thought, which is also known as "al-Shia al-Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah" (i.e., The Twelver Imami Shi'ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought.

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has made differing statements on the matter, and seems to have changed his stance on Shi'ism as he acquired more knowledge on the topic:

"Let it be known to all that the Shi`ah are Muslims who believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Yes, there is no doubt that the Shi`ah have their beliefs and dogmas which we condemn as heresy but this doesn’t make them non-Muslims."

(August 17, 2006)[49]

"He pointed out that he travelled to Iran around 8 years ago and met with former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and was received enthusiastically. And he told the Shia scholars there that if there is to be a true discussion and unity amongst us it is necessary for a number of things to be fully stopped, such as your saying that the Quran in our hands is altered and that the Mushaf Faatemah is an addition to this Quran, and the constant insults upon the Sahaabah, May Allah be pleased with them. And it is beyond imagination that I would say Abu Bakr, Radhia Allahu Anhu, and you say, La'anahu Allah, this is totally unacceptable. Also to stop consistently talking about Ali's higher right to Khilaphah, for all of them have died and the matter is finished, and that Umar bin Abdul Aziz was asked on the past conflict between Ali and Muawiyah and the blood in this conflict, he said that Allah has cleansed our hands from this blood so why should we soil our tongues with it." (September 3, 2006)[50]

Similar fatwas (promoting the acceptance of Shi'as into mainstream Islam) have not been issued by some Sunni scholars or universities. A number of contemporary Sunni scholars such as Shaykh Dr Khaalid ibn ‘Ali al-Mushayqih (who released a fatwa regarding praying with the Shia) maintain that Shia are not considered as Muslims, unless they deny certain beliefs found in a number of Shia hadith books like al-kafi that are accepted by the majority of twelver Shia:

The Shia and Sunnis differ in their view of Aisha (one of the wives of the Muhammad). The Shia have a dim view of her character whereas the Sunnis consider her an exemplary woman. The differences stem primarily from the Shia claim of dishonourable behaviour with Muhammad and her taking a position opposed to the position of the fourth Caliph Ali regarding how to handle the prosecution of the assassinators of the third Caliph Uthman. For more details, please refer to Sunni and Shia views of Aisha.

Doctrinal differences

Further information: Sunni-Shia relations § Differences in beliefs and practices

Because Islamic law and theology is based partly on hadith (traditions or customs of Mohammad) the Shia rejection of some Sunni hadith and Sunni rejection of some Shia hadith means that Shia and Sunni understandings of Islam diverge.

Infallibility

See also: ismah

Unlike most Sunni Muslims and Zaidi Shi'a, Twelver and Ismaili Shi'a Muslims believe that the Ahl al-Bayt, who include the Ahl al-Kisa (People of the Cloak) and lineage of Imams, are in a state of ismah, meaning infallibility.[51]

Esoteric interpretation

Main article: Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an

Unlike many Sunni, Shia believe that faith has an outer meaning, Zahir, accessible to all through study of commentaries tafsir, and an inner or esoteric meaning, batin, accessible only through ta'wil[52] Ta'wil can only done by the Prophet and Imams[52]

Hadith

For example, while Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a, and all Sunni Muslims pray five times each day, some of the prayer times differ. Shia perform ritual prayers (Salah) back to back, sometimes worshipping two times consecutively, as in (1+2+2) - Asr with Dhuhr, and Isha'a with Maghrib, respectively. Shi'a do not perform non-obligatory prayers in congregation, like Tar'raweeh, which Sunnis pray during Ramadaan. Nizari Ismaili have a completely different style of prayer from both mainstream Shi'a and Sunni tradition.

Mut'ah

Another issue of difference between the sects is that of Nikah Mut‘ah or "temporary marriage". While the Sunni claim that Mut`ah is forbidden, Shia accept it because it is found in Qur'an (An-Nisa, 24) and number of Twelver Shia traditions that the practice is permitted. There are sahih Twelver Shia traditions which maintain that mut'ah is forbidden, but these are dismissed as they contradict other narrations on mut'ah which were deemed more acceptable.[53] Some Twelver Shi'a discourage the practice of Mut'ah, but maintain that it is permissible. Others deem it not only permissible, but mustahab (recommended).The Nizari Ismaili do not allow it at all.

Mohr

Another difference is that some Shia use soil (turbah) or clay tablets (mohr) during their prayers.

Persecution

Main article: Persecution of Shia Muslims

At various times many Shi'a groups have faced persecution.[54][55][56][57][58][59]

While the dominant strand in modern Sunni dogma regards Shiism as a valid madhhab, following Al Azhar, some Sunnis both now and in the past have regarded it as beyond the pale, and have attacked its adherents. In modern times, notable examples include the bombing campaigns by the Sunni Sipah-e-Sahaba, a small extremist group, against Shia mosques in Pakistan, the persecution of Hazara under the Taliban, and the bloody attacks linked with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his followers against Shia in Iraq.

Religious places & events

Calendar

Shi'a Muslims in Bahrain strike their chests during the Remembrance of Muharram.

Sunni, and Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a, celebrate the following annual holidays:

The following holidays are observed by Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a only, unless otherwise noted:

  • The Remembrance of Muharram and Ashurah (عاشوراء) for Shia commemorates Imam Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom. Imam Husayn was grandson of Muhammad, who was killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Sunnis' 6th Khalif. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Sunnis also celebrate Ashurah, but give it a different meaning (see Ashurah). On January 19, 2008, 2 million Iraqi Shia pilgrims marched through Karbala city, Iraq to celebrate Ashura. 20,000 Iraqi troops and police guarded the event amid tensions due to clashes between Iraqi troops and the cult which left 263 people dead (in Basra and Nasiriya).[60]
  • Arba'een commemorates the suffering of the women and children of Imam Husayn's household. After Husayn was killed, they were marched over the desert, from Karbala (central Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus, Syria). Many children (some of whom were direct descendants of Muhammad) died of thirst and exposure along the route. Arba'een occurs on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah.
  • Milad al-Nabi, Muhammad's birth date, is celebrated by both Sunni (though not all celebrate as there is a dispute on this issue) and Shia on the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, which coincides with the birth date of the sixth imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq.[citation needed]
  • Mid-Sha'ban is the birth date of the 12th and final imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. It is celebrated by Shi'a Muslims on the 15th of Shaban. Many Shia fast on this day to show gratitude.
  • Eid al-Ghadeer celebrates Ghadir Khum, the occasion when Muhammad announced Ali's imamate before a multitude of Muslims. Eid al-Ghadeer is held on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah.
  • Al-Mubahila celebrates a meeting between the household of Muhammad and a Christian deputation from Najran. Al-Mubahila is held on the 24th of Dhil-Hijjah.

Holy cities

Both Shia and Sunni Muslims share a certain veneration and religious obligations towards certain shrines and holy sites, such as Mecca (Masjid al-Haram), Medina (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi), and Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa Mosque). For a list of some of the holiest uniquely Shia shrines see Shia holy sites.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Corbin (1993), pp. 45 - 51
  2. ^ Tabatabaei (1979), pp. 41-44
  3. ^ Dakake (2008), pp.1 and 2
  4. ^ Tabatabae (1979), p. 76
  5. ^ See:
    • Lapidus p. 47
    • Holt p. 72
  6. ^ a b c d e "Shi'ite". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  7. ^ Nasr, Shi'ite Islam, preface, p. 9 and 10
  8. ^ pewforum.org
  9. ^ New York Times: Religious Distribution in Lebanon
  10. ^ How many Shia?
  11. ^ Demographics of Kuwait
  12. ^ Demographics of Turkey
  13. ^ Demographics of Albania
  14. ^ Discrimination towards Shia in Saudi Arabia
  15. ^ Nasr (1979), p.10
  16. ^ Momen (1985), p.174
  17. ^ Nasr (1979), p.15
  18. ^ Corbin (1993), pp.45-51
  19. ^ Gleave, Robert. "Imamate". Encyclopaedia of Islam and the Muslim world; vol.1. MacMillan. ISBN 0028656040.
  20. ^ The Revenge of the Shia
  21. ^ Religious Minorities in the Muslim World
  22. ^ A History of Islam from a Baha'i Perspective
  23. ^ International Crisis Group. The Shiite Question in Saudi Arabia, Middle East Report N°45, 19 September 2005
  24. ^ Momem (1987), p.178
  25. ^ "Pillars of Islam". Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  26. ^ Momem (1987), p.176
  27. ^ Nasr, Vali, The Shia Revival, Norton, (2006), p.74-75
  28. ^ Momen, An Introduction to Shi'i Islam, (1985), p.193
  29. ^ "Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i". Retrieved 2007-04-25.
  30. ^ Nasr, Vali, The Shia Revival, Norton, (2006), p.76
  31. ^ "Congressional Human Rights Caucus Testimony - NAJRAN, The Untold Story". Retrieved 2007-01-08.
  32. ^ "News Summary: China; Latvia". Retrieved 2007-06-01.
  33. ^ Daftary, Farhad (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 1–4. ISBN 0-7486-0687-4.
  34. ^ "al-Hakim bi Amr Allah: Fatimid Caliph of Egypt". Retrieved 2007-04-24.
  35. ^ Daftary, Farhad (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 106–108. ISBN 0-7486-0687-4.
  36. ^ a b Article on 'Bohras' in OUP Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, John Esposito (ed), 1995, retrieved from [1]
  37. ^ "Isma'ilism". Retrieved 2007-04-24.
  38. ^ Article by Sayyid 'Ali ibn 'Ali Al-Zaidi, A short History of the Yemenite Shi‘ites (2005) Referencing: Momen, p.50, 51. and S.S. Akhtar Rizvi, "Shi'a Sects"
  39. ^ Article by Sayyid 'Ali ibn 'Ali Al-Zaidi, A short History of the Yemenite Shi‘ites (2005) Referencing: Iranian Influence on Moslem Literature
  40. ^ Article by Sayyid 'Ali ibn 'Ali Al-Zaidi, A short History of the Yemenite Shi‘ites (2005) Referencing: Encyclopedia Iranica
  41. ^ Madelung, W. "al- Uk̲h̲ayḍir." Encyclopaedia of Islam. Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2007. Brill Online. 7 December 2007
  42. ^ Article by Sayyid 'Ali ibn 'Ali Al-Zaidi, A short History of the Yemenite Shi‘ites (2005)
  43. ^ http://www.yemenincanada.ca/map.php
  44. ^ http://www.library.uu.nl/wesp/populstat/Asia/yemeng.htm
  45. ^ The Gulf 2000 Project SIPA Columbia University
  46. ^ http://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/incident.htm
  47. ^ Ibn Taymeeyah, Minhaaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/39
  48. ^ History of the Middle East Database
  49. ^ Shi`ites & Sunnis: Time for Unity - IslamonLine.net - Ask The Scholar
  50. ^ Qaradawi: Shias have penetrated Egypt and Hassan Nasrallah is an extremist (i.e. ghalli) Shia
  51. ^ Nasr, Vali, The Shia Revival, Norton, 2006, p.38
  52. ^ a b Nasr, Vali, The Shia Revival, Norton, 2006, p.52
  53. ^ hadith number 511 The Shia sheikh Tusi gives the explanation that although this hadith is Sahih, it was narrated by Ali under taqiyah and therefore the contradiction between this hadith and those Shia narrations permitting mut'ah can be overlooked.
  54. ^ (Ya'qubi; vol.lll, pp.91-96, and Tarikh Abul Fida', vol. I, p.212.)
  55. ^ The Psychologies in Religion, E. Thomas Dowd and Stevan Lars Nielsen, chapter 14
  56. ^ Basra handover completed
  57. ^ Hanging will bring only more bloodshed | Bronwen Maddox: World Briefing - Times Online
  58. ^ Al-Ahram Weekly | REGION | Shi'ism or schism
  59. ^ The Shia, Ted Thornton, NMH, Northfield Mount Hermon
  60. ^ BBC NEWS, Iraqi Shia pilgrims mark holy day

References

Further reading

  • Corbin, Henry (1993). History of Islamic Philosophy, translated by Liadain Sherrard and Philip Sherrard. Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications for The Institute of Ismaili Studies. ISBN 0710304161.
  • Halm, Heinz (2004). Shi'ism. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 0748618880.
  • Halm, Heinz (2007). The Shi'ites: A Short History. Markus Wiener Pub. ISBN 1558764372.
  • Lalani, Arzina R. (2000). Early Shi'i Thought: The Teachings of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 1860644341.
  • Momen, Moojan (1985). An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300034997.
  • Moosa, Matti (1988). Extremist Shiites: The Ghulat Sects. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 0815624115.
  • Nasr, Seyyed Hossein (1989). Expectation of the Millennium: Shiʻism in History. SUNY Press. ISBN 088706843X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Rogerson, Barnaby (2007). The Heirs of Muhammad: Islam's First Century and the Origins of the Sunni Shia split. Overlook Press. ISBN 1585678961.
  • Wollaston, Arthur N. (2005). The Sunnis and Shias. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1425479162.
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