What's the difference between Shiite and Sunni Muslims?

Question

Why are the two groups fights against one another?

Answer 1

The main difference is that Shiites kill Sunnis and Sunnis kill Shiites.

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

Great question, since Muslims love to talk about how they love all Muslims like brothers. Newsflash -- shooting someone in the back of the head is not love by most standards.

Someone can probably state this more eloquently, but I think that Shiites do not believe Muhammad is the ultimate prophet of Islam. There was a guy named Ali that came later, that they hold in higher regard. At least until somebody tells me I'm wrong.

Answer 4

The difference is: When Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) past away, the people got together and chose the next leader(khalifa), which was " AbuBakr". Sunnis are content on that, but Shiites believe that " Ali" , the nephew, and son-in-law of Muhammad should have been the next leader.
And no matter what American or wetsern Media tells you they are not fighting because of any religious affiliation, they are fighting for political gains.

Answer 5

The difference between shiite and a sunni is that shiite believe in the prophet Ali and the sunni muslims believe in the prophet mohammed.

Answer 6

Shi'a Muslims believe that the Caliph (Ruler) should be a direct decsendant of Ali and that Ali was the first Caliph (cousin/son-in-law of Muhammad).

Sunnis believe that Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali were all the four rightly guided caliphs of Islam.

They both think that the other misinterpreted meanings from the Qur'an

Answer 7

There's a lot of distinct differences but I'm in a hurry so I'll just be very generic. Sunnis make up the general Muslim population and their more of quietists and more peaceful. Shiites are a minority group of Muslims mostly concentrated in Iraq and Iran. They're activists and they're the ones that are always waging Jihad and suicide bombing everyone.

Answer 8

Muhammad never designated who should be his successor as leader of Islam. After his death, Muslim leaders quickly decided that Muhammad's friend and father-in-law, Abu Bakr, should be caliph (chief executive, commander-in-chief, chief justice and leader, imam, of public worship). Abu Bakr was one of the first converts to Islam. The first four successors of Muhammad are called the "rightly guided caliphs." The fourth, 'Ali, was Muhammad's cousin. Ali was assassinated by fanatics in favor of Mu'awiya of the Umayyad family being the leader. Hasan and Husayn, sons of 'Ali and Muhammad's daughter, Fatima, were the surviving male heirs of Muhammad. Because of special interest in the family of Muhammad, there had been a "faction (shi'a) of 'Ali" that felt he and his descendants were the obvious successors. The Shi'ites call their leaders imams rather than caliphs, tracing them down through a number of generations from Imam 'Ali.
In all other important respects, the Shi'ites share the same story with the Sunnites, the majority group in Islam that looks to the four rightly guided caliphs as the proper successors to Muhammad.

Answer 9

Sunni comes from the word "Sunnah" or one that has heard. Literally, that's all the converts to Islam who were not originally from the clans of Mecca.

Shia comes from the name "Shi'at Ali", Mohammads relative who was also his lieutenant , who left him when Mohammad chose Abu Bak'r and Omar, his other lieutenants who had given him their 9 year old and teenage daughters for wives, to be the first and second Caliphs. Descendants of the Shi'at Ali army are called Shia.

They've been killing each other ever since.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Answer 10

All believe Mohamed was God's last prophet. The difference is similar to the difference between Catholics and Protestants. I can not recall which followed which path, but one chose to follow the descendants of Mohamed while the others chose to follow the religious teachers under Mohamed.