what's the difference between the sunni and shiite muslims? and why are they fighting with each other?

Answer 1

The answers that draw analogies with the Catholic/Protestant divide are correct. The divisions between Sunni and Shiite are not only religious but also political.
Many people say that this divide is only religious, this is not true. Just like the Protestant movement was a reform of religion, it was also a "protest" against Papal power.
When the prophet died the issue of succession arose within Muslims. Many thought that the new leader or Caliph should be chosen from a council of the wise or elders or whatever. Others (later to be called Shiites) disagreed and said that the leader of Islam should be a descendant of the prophet. The usual political intrigue and violence erupted and as the centuries went by, Shiites have become the majority in the area around Iran, with scattered minorities throughout the Muslim world. Sunnis ruled in the rest.
Iraq has always been a flashpoint of Sunni/Shiite violence because it has a Shiite majority, but has always been ruled by Sunnis, even though it is very holy to Shiites. It was the site were the prophet's grandsons were killed by the Sunni leaders of the Umayyad Caliphate, the first Muslim empire after the murder of one of the last "sahabah" or companions of the prophet himself.
They have been killing each other ever since, but never at the magnitude that was seen in Europe between Protestants and Catholics. Sunni Islam does not have a figure as powerful as the pope is in Catholocis, a clear, recognized leader, and thus has never been able to mount a concerted attack on Shiites.
Because most Shiites live in Iran and Iran has throughout history been regarded as the bastion of Shii'sm, most Sunnis view Shiites as having sympathies to Iran.
To not make this long, there are no major "theological" differences, but the divide is so old that substantial "religious", political and social differences have emerged.
Christians have, more or less, stopped killing each other, i'm sure Muslims will one day, it just won't be anytime soon.

Answer 2

Briefly (and this is a bit oversimplified) - the Shiites descend from Muslims who followed the last descendant of Muhammad as the leader of Islam, while the Sunni derive from those who wanted a council of caliphs to rule. And yes, the division started with them butchering one another en masse. Not much has changed.

Answer 3

My husband just got back from Iraq this year, as a soldier, and his comments on this question were, "You can assimilate their fighting with each other with the "religious war" going on in Ireland between Catholics and Protestants. They are both considered Christians, both both hold to very different practiced beliefs. Similarly, the Sunnis and Shiites differ considerably in their religious beliefs, being in conflict with one another. Sunnis blame Shia for undermining the mythical unity of Islam and they view them as less loyal to Iraq. Shia blame Sunnis for marginalizing the Shia majority and recent Sunni attempts to question their loyalty to Iraq.
Also, a major religious "argument" among these two groups is that Sunnis call their religious leaders 'Imams', while Shia regard Imams as a supreme religious leader decended from Mohammad.

Answer 4

They both believe in the same thing...they just have different ways of saying things...The Shia have a slightly different way of thinking about Islam than Sunni

Answer 5

The same difference between the protestants and the catholics in Ireland and the same reasons. They think the way they worship God is better than the other guy.

Answer 6

The same difference between Catholics and Methodist. Except we stopped killing eachother a while ago.

Answer 7

kind of like the difference between a catholic and a protestant, minor religious differences.

Answer 8

You would have to ask saddam hussein for the answer to that one. He is the expert..

Answer 9

Well take two packs of wild dogs and put them in the same cage and......