Can anyone explain the difference between the beliefs of the Sunnis and those of the Shiites?

Question

Is it similar to the difference between Protestant and Catholic or something altogether different?

Answer 1

The Shias believed, upon Mohammed's death, that the leadership should go to the blood line of Mohammed. I will not get into names. This is what these followers did. The Sunnis believed they should go with an elected leader. This is the group they followed. That is the simple beginning of it all.

I really hate the bigotry of the above responses. Or, should I saw the unintelligent babble?

Answer 2

The basic difference in the two sects is that of the Shiite faith of the system of "Imamah". The Shiite faith of "Imamah" implies that after the Prophet (pbuh), there shall be no other prophet, but the only true leader of the Muslims, at any given time, is an "Imam" who, like the prophets of God, is directly appointed by God. The appointment of the first "Imam" was made by God through the last Prophet (pbuh), while every subsequent "Imam" is appointed through the "Imam", who precedes him. Another qualification of the "Imam", according to the Shiite belief is that he shall belong to the family of the last Prophet (pbuh). The Shiite belief holds that the "Imams", like the prophets of God, are "ma`soom" (sinless, innocent) and, therefore, should be obeyed in all matters and under all circumstances. The "Imams", according to the Shiite faith, are thus not just the political leaders of the Muslims but also their religious leaders and clergy. The Sunni school, on the other hand, does not ascribe to any such belief.

Answer 3

The only difference between them is that they think the other should die so they go around chopping eachothers heads off until America and her allies come and start shooting at them and then there are three enemies in a free-for-all muslims against muslims against Americans so its really like a threesome with a whiteguy and 2 kinky, middle-eastern goth chicks that are trying to kill him while he fights back and for the unkown reason they fight eachother as well and then all 3 of them fighting only its really in war between the US and Shiites and Sunnis. Theyre probably fighting over oil saying "No I get to screw the dumb americans that have too many stupid red diaper doper baby liberals that are too concerned for the animals to drill in Alaska!" If we would drill in Alaska the gas prices would not be so high.

Answer 4

Nice answer Fatima.

Kasey, you clearly have no concept of history. Get an education.