what's the difference between a sunni and a shiite muslim?

Question

They're both Muslims, why do they fight? What are the differences?

Answer 1

It’s a difference in leadership selection after a major civil war in history of Islam between Imam Hussain and Yazid.

Both Sunni and Shia regards Imam Hussain being just on war against Yazid as he was cruel self proclaim King/ Monarch (never before him there were a person in Islamic history who got Leadership/Kingship and or khalafat from father based on blood line.)

Sunni’s point of View:
Sunni’s claim that the way of leadership selection should be based on selection committee as in case of first four Sunni Caliphs after death of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). Abu Baker his best friend and the first adult male convert to Islam after Prophet wife Khatijda. The later two were also Prophet’s companion. Lastly the 4th Imam Ali was prophet’s Son-in-law (also first male/teenage convert to Islam). Ali was a noble Muslim and become a advisor of all his precedent Caliphs. Imam Hussain the son of Imam Ali foght against Yazid who claimed to be first Monarch of Islam and Yazid have been regarded villain in both Shia and Sunni tradition. Unfortunately the Yazid was so cruel to martyred Imam Hussain and become the self proclaim Caliph. Sunni’s view is that although the prophet’s grandson was the best righteous Muslim to be Chaliph on merite at the time; the Chaliphate or Leadership position in itself can not be just based on blood line for future succession.

Shia’s point of View (in my understanding):
Shia which means group (Group of Ali) consider that Prophet choose Ali for his succession i.e. Caliphate but after his death people rushed and elected Abu Bakar (his friend) as first Leader while Ali wasn’t present there due to his Father-in-law’s death. Later Ali only accepted Abu Bakar as leader just to avoid a big political dispute in Muslim community of young Islamic capital city of Medina. Ali continued his help for later 2 caliph Umar and Osman as best advisor.
When Imam Ali’s son Imam Hussain got Shaheed by Yazid armies Shia kept their royalty to Ali under cover in Yazid rule.

FINAL NOTES:
Most probably Shia believe that all the Civil war and Imam Hussain shahadat would have been avoidable if Ali were to be elected as First leaders of believers. After deaths of 11th Imams from Ali blood line the 12th Imam disappear.

After the Imam’s disappears today Shia and Sunni should be more similar since now both elect their current leaders based on Shura (connsole) as in Iran (Shia dominant) and some semi democratic ( Islamic republics) of Sunni majority countries.


PROPHET LAST SERMON: 632 C.E

Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him)
O people! Listen and obey though a mangled Abyssinian slave is your Amir if he
executes the ordinances of the Book of Allah among you. ....

(Majortiy of Shia’s and some Sunni’s don’t include above part in their books of Hadith sayings of Prophet, though they belief on later part of equality between Humans)

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action. ........

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The purpose of listing my thoughts is only for learning and understanding purpose no offence meant please, please do correct me in my mistakes and misconception; my Sunni & Shia friends.

Hope this will help.

Answer 2

They both live by Islam, but Iran is Shiite. The only way I can explain this they supposedly live from the Qur'an (koran). But they are sects, similar too some of our religion would be like the Baptist and Methodist, we may believe a little different but under the same God. They shiite and sunni Muslims are battling for who are the correct sect to rule Islam. Islam is not a peaceful religion it is chaotic and misery. In essences they kill one another, their own people, because basically they are confused.

Answer 3

Well based upon the news coming out today the big difference is that the Sunni's kill Shiite's by using huge bombs that kill up to 160 or so. The Shiite's use kerosene to burn the Sunni's alive. They are both barbaric societies that think like the dark ages but are living in a modern world. They've been killing each other for centuries and nothing other than the return of Jesus will stop it.

Answer 4

regardless of the (minor) religious difference Sunnis and Shiites lived together in peace for centuries.
it wasn't until the invasion of Iraq when hell broke loose. at first, the Iraqis rejoiced when the US military over thrown the Ba'th regime of Saddam Hussein.

now we have the Iraqi people (Sunnis and Shiites) and Al Qaida (foreign fighters from all over the Mideast and mostly Sunnis) in Iraq right.
Al Qaida in Iraq are committed to fight the Americans in Iraq to the bitter end until we either get out or get killed. that's how they think.

after the first few months the majority of the Iraqis who "rejoiced" when Saddam was caught, started to get tired of the US occupation and the militias started to grow.
in the beginning there was no fighting between Shiites and Sunnis at all. all the fighting was basically against the US and UK. Sunni Iraqis who wanted to get involved in this joined Al Qaida (foreign Arabs) and Shiites Iraqis joined Al Mahdi Army in Baghdad's Sadr city.
now this Mahdi militia was showing our troops hell until the US Army had to make a truce with their leader Muqtada Al Sadr and promised him that the new regime will be controlled by Shiites instead Sunnis who ruled Iraq for many many years under Saddam's regime.

Sunnis see this as treason and therefore justify killing the "traitors". they started bombing Shiite neighborhoods, mosques, and markets.
bottom line is our military is some what responsible for all the sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites.

in my opinion both Shiites and Sunnis who do kill innocent people for no reason other than being Sunni or Shiites (civilians) are vicious animals and don't deserve to breath.
unfortunately the civil war has erupted and there's nothing we can do to stop it.
mark my words. this current regime will not last for too long.

Answer 5

kyle has it almost right, the sunni follow the 'sunnah' or ways and sayings of the prophet Muhammad. Shiite or shia believe the caliphate follows the line of descendents from Muhammad. why do they fight? because neither has read, believes in, or follows the Holy Quran which clearly states in surah (chapter) 6: 159
"As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, have no part in them in the least. Their affair is with Allah (God). He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did".
Can't get much clearer than that.

Answer 6

Poki Poki, please don't try to mislead folks here.
To explain why two groups of the same faith will fight and kill each other, you must study the traditional way of life of Arabs; it has nothing to do with the US.
Now spend a week in the library and read all about Sunnis and Shiites....Please!

Answer 7

a sunni believes muhammed is the prophet of allah while a shiite believes it was muhammed's grandson, who revitalized the religion, was the real prophet. isn't it interesting that they are at such odds with this notion that they're willing to kill for it?

Answer 8

This question is asked daily. Why don't you read the answers sometimes so it will not be asked over and over-------------.

Simple answer---after the Prophet died------the Shia followed the Prophet's bloodline for their leaders, and the Sunni elected their leaders.

Answer 9

the sunni's are supposed to be direct deccedants to muhammad,the shiite muslims are the in-direct follows-decendats of muhammad.

Answer 10

Read a little bit about them...it's interesting.