What is the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite?

Answer 1

Religion, it's all about religion.

Answer 2

Sunni is the largest sect of Islam they follow the traditions of Islam.
There are many hadith. Stories and observances of the life of Muhammad. Many are true some are suspect of exaggeration.
The early leadership of the faithful after the death of Muhammad
caused a split.The Shia believe in the descendants of Muhammad
especially the Imams. Imam Husayn, Imam Ali (for ex). There were 12 Imams. There has been war and animosity between these two sects for centuries.

Answer 3

Shias r followers of Prophet Mohammad and his ahelai baith [his family]. They r the followers of Hazarath Ali, the rightful successor of Profhet Mohammad. When Prophethood ended, Imamath started and we have 12 imams and Hazarath Ali is our first imam. What our Prophet said our last Imam said. While sunnis have 3 imams and all have different views. Sunnis believe that Hazarath Abu Bakar was the first Khalifa of Islam and Hazarath Omar and Hazarth usman followed. Prophet Mohammad, at the occassion of Khadir e qum and in front of thousands of pilgim, nominated Hazarath Ali as his successor. This can be found in all the books of Islam and even Sunnis r aware of this. When Prophet Mohammad was on his death bed,he asked for paper and pen, but he was refused coz Hazarath Omar said that they had Quran and it was enough. My dear there is a big big difference between sunnies and shites. We r the followers of islam in true sense ie the shites

Answer 4

Sunni is when the sun shines and there's no clouds around and Shiite is the brown stuff you usually flush or optionally fling, if you're a monkey, eat, if you're pet hamster, and cover with sawdust if you lack indoor plumbing.

Answer 5

Shi'a Islam, also Shi`ite Islam or Shi`ism (Arabic: شيعة‎ ​ transliterated: ShÄ«‘ah Persian: شیعه‎ ​) is the second largest denomination of the religion of Islam. Shi'a Muslims adhere to the teachings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his Ahlul Bayt (family). Thus, Shi'as reject the rule of the initial three Sunni Caliphs as Sunnis reject the Imamate of the Shi'a Imams. The singular/adjective form is ShÄ«`Ä« (Arabic: شيعي.) and refers to a follower of the Ahlul Bayt and of Ali ibn Abi Talib (Imam Ali) in particular.
Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam. They are referred to as Ahl ul-Sunna (Arabic: أهل السنة), the folks of the tradition. The word Sunni comes from the word sunna (Arabic : سنة ) which means the tradition of the Prophet of Islam Muhammad. Sunnis are also referred to as Ahl ul-Sunna wa-l-Jama'ah (Arabic: أهل السنة والجماعة) (people of tradition and congregation) which is meant to imply that the Sunnis are united.

Sunni (Arabic: سني ) means follower of the sunna of the Prophet, with some details.

Answer 6

details...its silly that they don't get along...all though my brother just got back from Iraq serving as an adviser to the Iraqi's and he said the rift between the two is nowhere near as the press would have you believe..the reporters never leave their hotels in Baghdad..anyway he said the Iraqi's kept asking him why the news channels always made a big deal out of it.

Answer 7

Its an argument over who the legitimate successor to Muhammed was/is, it's like arguing over who the legitimate Pope is, or the difference between Protestants and Catholics.

Answer 8

I believe that the shitte muslims believe that their ruler should be a direct decendent from muhammad when the sunni musims believe that any dedacated and true worshiper could be the ruler. decendent or not

Answer 9

The difference is that they are all moslems but in the middle east

Answer 10

sunnies believe in allah alone and our phophet mohammed(s.a.w) as his messenger

shia's belive in hassan and hussain as thier messengers

Answer 11

Their interpretation of islam is different.