Shiites and Sunnis have been separate entities within the religion of Islam for about 1400 years. Extremist Shiites and Sunnis have been in bloody conflict for the last several. Yet, there is still much confusion differentiating the two groups, especially among the west. Here is a brief primer:
What caused the original rift?
When Islam’s founder, the prophet Muhammad, died in 632, his followers disagreed about who would take over as leader of the Muslim people. Some believed the caliph, or leader, should be a direct descendent of Muhammad. They favored the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law Ali as leader. They came to be known as Shiites.
The other side, which came to be known as Sunnis, believed that any capable man could serve as leader of Islam and chose Muhammad’s advisor, Abu Bakr, to be the best man for the job.
The Sunnis were the eventual victors in a violent struggle for dominance that lasted several decades. Today, Sunnis make up about 85 to 90% of the world’s Muslims. In the Middle East though, the Shiites have a 55% majority.
When did the violence start?
In the year 656, Shiites killed the third Sunni caliph. Five years later, Sunnis assassinated Ali. Ali’s son Hussein led a retaliation in 680, but was beheaded along with other Shiite followers. At this point, the Sunni are recognized as the clear victors and dominant force of the Islam world. The holiday of Ashura is celebrated by Shiite Muslims to commemorate the martyrdom Ali and Hussein.
What are the differences in belief and practice?
Differences in belief between Sunnis and Shiites are relatively few. Both follow the Qur’an and adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam (the creed, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage). The main difference is the Shiites hierarchal structure based on bloodline, which creates a more centralized clergy than the Sunni. Another important distinction is the celebration of Ashura, which is not recognized by Sunni Muslims. Other differences are in ritual. For instance, Sunnis pray 5 times a day with their hands up toward their chests, while Shiites consolidate the prayers into 3 times a day with their hands at their sides.
It is also important to note that many Muslims don’t identify themselves as being Sunni or Shiite. They simply prefer be called “Muslims.”
Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah: which side do they fall on?
Both sides have extremists involved in terrorist groups. Some of the more notable Sunni groups are Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Fatah, Asbat Al-Ansar, and PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization).
On the Shiite side, some of the more active terrorist groups are Hezbollah and MAM (Mehdi Army Militia).
Is the current conflict about religion?
Following Ali’s defeat in 680, Sunnis and Shiites learned to tolerate each other’s differences and lived in relatively peaceful conditions for centuries. There were no inquisitions, holy wars, or genocides.
Recent conflicts between the two Muslim groups are not about religion, says Hisham Hellyer of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies. “They are all about power and politics,” he said. Sayyed Hassan al-Qazwini, leader of the largest mosque in North America, argues that there really isn’t any conflict between Sunnis and Shiites. He says it is really only a conflict between extremist Sunnis and Shiites, “who represent 1 percent of Muslims at best.”
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