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there are different strands of muslims, sunni and shia, i dont know how they are different, and whether there are more strands.

2006-10-28 14:25:51 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

18 answers

BRANCHES OF ISLAM:

The death of Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam in Medina provoked a major crisis among his followers: The dispute over the leadership resulted in the most important "schism" in Islam: "Sunnis" and "Shiites:

Some people consider the Prophet's preference to follow him was Ali, the husband of his daughter Fatima, and the father of his only surviving grandsons Hasan and Husayn. But, while the family was busy burying the Prophet, the leaders of Medina elected the aging Abu Bakr, the father of the Prophet's favorite wife, as the successor ("caliph"), even before the burial of the Prophet. Ali and his family were dismayed but agreed for the sake of unity, and because Ali was still young... however, after the murder of the third caliph, Ali was invited by the Muslims of Medina to accept the caliphate, with the mayor schism of Islam:

- The "Sunnis", followers of Abu, the majority, with 800 million Muslims.

- The "Shiites", followers of Ali, with 100 million Muslims (Iran, Iraq, Palestine).

Despite the differences in detail and politics, the various branches do accept the basic tenets laid down in the Koran.


1- The "Sunni": 800 million:

The followers of Abu, called "Sunni" because they accept the "sunnas", the oral traditions and interpretations of the Koran after Muhammad's death, called the "sunnas", and later the "Hadiths".

They are usually more liberal.

They belief the "caliph" ("successor" of Muhammad) should always be elected, not conferred by heredity. They claim they are the true followers of the faith, and until 1959 they refuse to recognize the Shiites as true Muslims. They believe in "predestination".

During the Ottoman Turks, the Caliphs were called "Sultans".

2- The "Shiite": 100 million:

The "Shiite ("partisans"), are the followers of Ali, more orthodox and militant, mainly in Iran, Iraq, and Palestine. In 656, Ali and Fatima's son Hussein led a fight against the Sunnis. Hussein was torture and beheaded, and today the Shiites of Iran honor the memory of Hussein's death with an annual procession in which marches in a frenzied demonstration beat and whip themselves with chains and branches.

The "Iman" and "Mahdi" (Messhiah):
Shiites created the office of the "Imam" ("leader" or "guide"), who were infallible, one for each generation, the only source of religious instruction and guidance, and all in direct descendence of Ali. There were 12 Imams since Ali; the last one, the 12th, went into hiding in 940, and he will emerge later to rule the world as "Mahdi" ("Messiah"). For this reason they are also called the "Imamites" or "Twelvers".

- The present "Ayatollahs", ("signs of God") see themselves as joint caretakers of the office of the Imam, until he returns at the end of time. The "Ayatollah Khomeini" claimed that he was a descendant of the 7th Imam, and hence the rightful ruler of the Shiites.


The "Wahhabi":

A small group founded by al-Wahhab in the eighteenth century, but it was the primary force in the creation of the state of Saudi Arabia in 1932, the country of the cities of Mecca and Medina, and from them, the Wahhabi have influenced Muslims throughout the world who go into the pilgrimage to Mecca.

They are the Puritans of the Muslims, with the most strict, severely enforced moral standard of conduct, and their call for a pure Islam regulated by a literal interpretation of the Koran.

For them, it is a polytheism to visit the graves of the saints, and they are against observance of the feast of the Birth of the Prophet... and they discourage such Western innovations as cinema and dancing.
The Wahhabis: The Fanatical Reformists of Modern Islam


The Kharijites - the Early Seceders of Islam:

The first major sect that appeared in the history of Islam was made up of the Khawarij or Kharijites as they are known to us. The word means "those who go out", that is, seceders. They appeared as a separate group after the Battle of Siffin when Ali submitted his conflict with Mu'awiyah to arbitration. Although his followers had unanimously influenced him into this course of action, a section broke away afterwards, claiming that no caliph of Allah should submit the cause of God to the discretion of man. This group thus became the nucleus of the Kharijite movement in Islam, a dogmatic and fanatical sect which plagued Iraq for many years.
This group did not last long, however, (mercifully for the peace-loving Muslim communities in Iraq) but it did provide an example which was to be followed in later centuries by other sects, in particular the Wahbabis. http://answering-islam.org.uk/Gilchrist/Vol1/9d.html


The "Ismailis":

In the eight century a group of Shiites created a division on the account of who would be the rightful seventh Imam at the death of the sixth Imam who had 2 sons: They followed the older brother, Ismail, who died as a child, and so, they are called the "Ismailis" or "Seveners".

They are in parts of India, Egypt, and the rulers of Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Bahrain.

They believe that incarnations of God in the form of new Imams will continue throughout time

There are different groups of Ismailis:

The "Ismaili Druze"
About 700,000, believe that the Fatimid leader al-Hakim of Egypt was God. They meet on Thursdays, instead of Fridays, and they have monogamous marriages. They are in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, trying to have an independent state.

The Ismaili "Hashshashin" or "Assassins", used the drug hashish to get exited, and became famous for their practice of seizing Crusader forts and assassinating Christians. Today, known as "Khojas" or "Mawlas" in Bombay, India, and parts of Iran, Syria, and Zanzibar.
I had a good experience with one of them. When I went to Egypt with my wife, Hank was our taxi-driver for a week, a great one, he brought us to incredible places. The last day he told me: "You are lucky this didn't happened 5 years ago, because at that time I was an Assassin, and my job was to kill Christians".


The Sufi ("mystic", "woolen robes"):

It is a mystic group responsible for large scale conversion of Hindus and Africans into Islam.

One founder was Ahmad al-Qadiana, who lived in Cairo in the eighth century and claimed to be an incarnation of Allah.

The "Whirling Derisshes":

The greatest of the Sufi poets is "Meluana Celadin Rumi" (1207-73), from Turkey, whose work, "Masvani", is considered second only to the Koran, and it was Rumi who advocated and influenced the development of the "whirling dervishes", twirl dancing around the master, as a means of achieving oneness with God... it requires 1,001 hours to master the dance, once secret, now performed openly.

They used to retreat to the desert where they live as wandering ascetics, abstaining from all worldly pleasures and dressing in woolen robes, "sufis"... and there are several "orders", like the Christian monastic orders.

Their "primary goal", is to rid the souls of self-love and replace it with God-love. The "ego" aspect of human nature must be eradicated if the path of salvation is to be achieved.

The "Sufi Way", has 7 stages: Repentance, abstinence from worldly pleasures, detachment or isolation from the world, solitude, poverty, patience, and self-surrender to God. The 7-path program is completed when "ego" leaves and "divine love" enters the human soul.

The "Sufi Meditation", prescribes for concentration to touch 5 centers of the body: The heart; then the spirit center found in the heart; then the secret center between the heart and the spirit center; then the forehead, seat of the mysteries; and finally the brain, the deeply hidden source of mystery.

"Worship practices" are meditating, praying with songs and dances, gyrating movements of the body... "a master" will lead the devout to mystical trances... illumination comes in the form of ecstatic dancing, as may be practiced by the "whirling dervishes". The wild dancing represents the movements of the planets... and when the dancer collapses in a trance, enters into God.

Eventually the dervish becomes a "perfect man" who can teach others God's truth.

Among the Sufis, the most holy men become saints and their tombs become shrines to which pilgrims go to receive divine blessings.

The modern "work" of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, to know "thyself", is mostly based in Sufi Mysticism, even with the "Whirling dervish-type dances".


Baha'ism:

A religion founded by "Baha' U'llah" ("Mirza Husayn Ali") in 1863 in Iran, with the desire "to unite mankind into one religion kingdom".

Baha' claimed to be the "Madhi" ("Messiah") expected by Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists... There are today 5 million Baha'is in 205 countries; 100,000 in he USA, with the main temple and headquarters in Wilmette, Illinois.

In more than 100 books, Baha' proclaims that "the earth is but one country and mankind its citizens", and the "oneness of humanity, oneness of religion, oneness of God"... with "12 principles", including the independent search for truth, the unity of all religions, a universal language, a world confederacy of nations, a world court, work as worship, abolition of welth and poverty, establishment of world peace...

In 1863 Baha' already proclaimed that "mankind is headed toward a social and economic cataclysm... and out of this tragedy a "golden age" will dawn, and Baha'is will be the only ones prepared to rule this new world order"...

... His imminent prophecies, and his noble and altruistic goals have not been fulfilled in 1997.

Most leaders of the major religions reject Baha'is teaching, doctrines, and practices: Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims, who consider Baha' an heretic.

In Iran, the country of Baha, members of the Baha'i faith are severely persecuted and often sentenced to death for "heresy", and they destroyed the "House of Bab" in Shiraz, the Baha'is holiest shrine.

The "practices", are mostly Muslim: To pray at certain times during the day, and encourage to make at least one pilgrimage to their own Mecca: The temple in the city of "Ak'ka", near Haifa, Israel, where Baha' died and was buried, and is the actual world headquarters of the Baha'is.

"Number 9", is their symbol of unity and stands for the 9 manifestations of God to Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Confucius, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Hare Krishna, Bab, and Baha'... Bab was the precursor of Baha', like another John the Baptist. Their temples have 9 sides, 9 pillars, 9 gates, 9 fountains.

- For the Muslims, it is a heresy to have another prophet after Muhammad...
- For the Christians, it is a heresy to rob Christ of his incarnate deity, and to reject his atonement on the Cross.


In the USA: "Black Muslims":

In many nations there are groups of Muslims to fight for the specific problems of that nation, making the number of Muslim Denominations larger than those of Christianity.

In the USA, one of these is the "Nation of Islam" or "Black Muslims", started by Timothy Drew in 1913, and founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad, who established a mosque in Detroit in 1931, and claimed to be Allah incarnated.

The chief developer of the movement was "Elijah Muhammad", assistant of Fard. "Black men" were enjoined to give up Christianity, because they were seen as destined by Allah to assume cultural and political leadership of the Earth. The white race was conceived of as a race of devils whose time of reign was coming to an end. They bought thousands of acres, to promote self-help enterprises. Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are Black Muslims.

His most prominent disciple was "Malcolm X", who broke with the group because of its separatists views, before his assassination in 1965, forming the "American Muslim Mission".

A splinter group under "Louis Farrakhan", based in New York, retains the name "Nation of Islam".

2006-10-31 13:55:21 · answer #1 · answered by aboosait 4 · 5 1

One group believes that the son of Mohammed should carry on the legacy, the other believes that the leader should have been a cleric voted upon by another group.

There are hundreds of other 'strands'. In Saudi Arabia they're mainly Wahabbi, in the US you have a lot of NOI, etc. Just like Christians from South Carolina are probably different from Christians in Kenya etc.

In most cases, the differences have been excaberbated by outside interests, a la 'Divide and Conquer'. Same with the Hutus and Tutsi, Hindus and Muslims in India, etc. etc.

2006-10-28 14:31:53 · answer #2 · answered by rasmalai001 3 · 4 0

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and among the greatest cities in Africa and the Middle East and a good place to visit; discover more with hotelbye . On the Nile stream, Cairo is well-known for its own history, maintained in the wonderful old Islamic town and Coptic websites in Old Cairo. The Egyptian Museum in the hub of town is a must see, with its numerous Ancient Egyptian artefacts since number visit to Cairo will be complete with out a stop by at the Giza Pyramids, and to the regional Saqqara Pyramid Complex. In Cairo you can see: The Pyramid of Cheops (also named the Great Pyramid or Pyramid of Khufu), the greatest chart of the Giza class, and its inside of slim articles could be investigated, though there isn't significantly to see, except a plain tomb step with an bare sarcophagus. Right behind the Great Pyramid is the Solar Ship Museum, which shows one of the ceremonial solar barques uncovered in your community that has been meticulously restored to their unique glory. Further south on the plateau may be the Pyramid of Chephren (also known as the Pyramid of Khefre), that has an inside canal region that may be entered.

2016-12-18 04:09:25 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

The Sunni, comprising 90% of the Muslims in Iraq and who rule Iran, follow the Qu'ran to the letter. They believe in the laws that most westerners regard as barbaric, forcing women into secondary positions, stoning, etc. The Shia are more liberal and allow more rights for women.

2006-10-28 14:38:06 · answer #4 · answered by padwinlearner 5 · 1 0

Sunni follow Abu-Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. Shia follow Ali, Hasan and Hussien and other memebers from the household of prophet Muhammad. i will say how about if we just stick with the Quran and prophet Muhammad(P) to avoid propblems according to this verse: 59 O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end. Ch4:59 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا

2016-05-22 04:20:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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2016-04-21 22:02:49 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

how bitter it is when we have to use the word "differences",isn't it? I don't know how much you know about these,if you want a simple answer for your history question,the answer is this:after Prophet Mohammad,who believed 12 Imams are the right substitutes, he/she is Shia; and if he/she believed that there were 4 Khalife(substitutes) after Prophet, he/she is Sunni and there fore Sunnis don't believe in the speeches remained from the Imams, the only text they accept is Quran(Ghor'an).
if you want to know more,the reality is another story,you have to creep deeply into history; some days there were two powerful countries in the world,I don't say what , you can find if you are eager to know;another weak country wanted these great countries to be weak,so this weak country had to do something; so began to start these stories between Muslims;you see?what we call "difference" is not a "real difference"; you can test it yourself, go and ask two or more muslims,which one is "apparantly" Shina and the other one is "apparantly Sunni" ;ask them what are your "differences"? think deep and you will see there is nothing but a "CONSPIRACY" . both of them agree in Quran and both of them agree that 12Imams and 4Khalife(Calipha) were all good Muslims( Ali is common in both series ).now what ever has happened in that old time in not important, because it was all good things, good Muslims all of them,they will go to Paradise and what will happen to the new ones is the "Hell";because these Muslims in our time are suffering from an accurate CONSPIRACY and NEGLIGENCE . there is a point, you can have a look at Qoran, Soore Rome,ayeh(ayat,sign)number 31&32;God says(predicts) that if you "split" the religion and be happy that the part you believe is "right" then you don't agree in the Uniqe GOD; see? how bright and obvious HE predicts and says this matter . if DEEPER you look , you can understand from this SIGN that ... I like you yourself think more and find out more from this; wish THE DAY ALL RELIGIONS pursuants UNDERSTAND that religions have come to make all of us "ONE" and "HONEST" .wish wish wish ...

2006-10-29 01:06:11 · answer #7 · answered by skyman 1 · 1 0

shia believes that the first khaleefah should be Ali Ben Abitaleb ,sunni believes the first Khaleefah is Abo Baker Alsedeeq
some sunni thinks that Ali had to be the prophet not mohammed.
but at the end they r both the same,they r muslims and they got the same beliefs

2006-10-28 15:12:44 · answer #8 · answered by Tara 6 · 0 0

the shia sect is a new version developed after muhammad. the sunnis follow quran and hadith(saying and actions of muhammad) when considering what to do in certain situations...
the shias believe that ali is a holy person in the religion.

2006-10-28 14:56:22 · answer #9 · answered by musa 3 · 1 1

Not much difference since they are both outside of Islam with their Hadith that belittle Quran.

They both use a false translation of Quran in which they see Jesus as being a part of Islam when the Quran never uses that name.

They both use other than Quran to judge women and order the adulteress be stoned to death and they both allow the murder of women for "honor killing".

There are many other "strands" that are made up of similar frauds that claim Islam as their religion.

2006-10-28 14:33:04 · answer #10 · answered by mythkiller-zuba 6 · 1 2

suppose its like catholics and Protestants and Methodist church of England etc etc all Christians but very different you just have to look at the northern Ireland scenario unfortunately there are fanatics on all sides we just have to agree to differ and move on

2006-11-01 09:52:36 · answer #11 · answered by bobonumpty 6 · 0 0

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