Sunnis & Shias - Can someone please explain to me.....?

Question

The fundamental differences in the beliefs of these two Muslim sects?

Answer 1

i wouldn't turn your back on either one

Answer 2

I am not Muslim but I have had interactions with both groups (Sunni & Shia). I am not sure about their differences in theology and tradition because I do not practice Islam. What I do know is the split between the two is very old and happened early in Islamic history. When Mohammed was still alive Islam was unified under his leadership. After he died there was a major dispute over who should be his successor. The Shia supported a man from Mohammeds bloodline and the Sunnis supported someone else. From that time on they have battled each other sporadically and they developed into two separate traditions. Many Muslims will avoid saying whether they are Sunni or Shia to avoid conflicts and I have seen Sunni and Shiite Muslims that are perfectly brotherly to one another. Anyway , I just exhausted my knowledge of the subject. Hope it helps.

Answer 3

As David M said, that's how it started..the Shiite wanted Ali to take over instead of Abul Bakr ( Ali was Mohammed's cousin and Abu Bakr was Mohammed's best friend)
anyway, Mohammed (PBUH) assigned Abu Bakr to be the Imam while Mohammed (PBUH) was sick, therefore, it was a sign that Abu Bakr should be the successor, but the Muslims split on this subject and that's how Shiites originated.. Shiite literally means a sect, while Sunnies means those who follow the Sunni
See, because of this great difference, the Shiites did not accept some of the Caliphs such as Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman.
Now, Shiites have sects of their own and some of those sects hated those Caliphs and they reached to the extent of speaking of them badly and accusing them of committing grave sin while they were great Caliphs. They discarded some of the Hadith that was recited by them causing them to ignore some laws that Sunnis go by like legal prostitution..
what else?? O and most Shiites practice Toqya which is to conceal their true beliefs and act like Sunnis or just stay quiet..
Mainly that's it.. but some Muslims live quite peacefully together regardless to their sects and some like Iraq try to kill each other..

Answer 4

the fundamental difference starts from the succession of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh). Sunni believe that the succession should be political and nothing to do with the religous affair. While shia believe that Prophet in his lifetime appointed Ali (his son in law and first cousin) as his successor. AND they are still fighting over that!
After that the difference was finalized and made two sects when Husain (son of Ali) was martyred at Karbala(iraq) with his family by the people who didn't believe in his fathers succession. Present day sunnis and shia blame this tragedy to each other. THUS still fighting over that!
other than that their believes are same.

Answer 5

Here is a good article:
"Sunnis vs. Shi'ites
An Outline Of The Differences Between The Sunnis and The Shi'ite in Matters of Faith And Doctrine"

http://islamawareness.net/Deviant/Shia/sunni_vs_shia.html

note:
With reference to the use of the terms "Sunni and Shi'ite" Muslims prefer to simply be called "Muslim". One is either Muslim or not. There is no such thing as a Shi'ite Muslim. The Term Sunni is used here to denote those who Practice Islam according to Authentic Traditional Islamic sources, not to indicate that Shi'ite and Sunni's are both Muslims. Shi'ism is a separate religion and should be regarded as such.

Answer 6

Shias say that Ali is the first Imam as Mohammad said it before, and after him they accept 11 Imams that the 12th (Mahdi) is still alive,
But Sunnis say that Ali is the 4th Caliph but I forgot the 3 other's name, and they don't accept any Imam.