Shiites vs Sunnis?

Question

What is the difference and why do they seem so intent on killing one another? I know that's a rash simplification, but can anyone give me a good answer?

12 gods-- I think you've got it backwards. Sunni are WELLL the majority, and are beleived to be much more conservative

Answer 1

Shiats are the ones who accept the Prophet's daughter and son in law as his successors plus they accept the Quran. So mainly they accept his family line and his book.
Sunnis are the ones who only accept the Quran and the elders of that time (Abubakr) as his successors. And then later on Omar and Othman.
now sunnis believe that shiats are outsiders of religion and so they say a shiats blood is clean to spill, meaning that they allow themselves by law to kill a shiat.
Shiats are basically defending themselves.

EDIT: just wanted to say that slave of 12 gods is wrong. Actually its almost the other way around. Sunnis dont allow their daughters to go to college. My friends are sunnis and most of them got married to a person selected by their parents while they were still in high school and none of them applied for college. But me and most of my other persian friends come from a shiat family and all of us have at least a BS in some major.
AND sunnis are not the minority, they are the majority of muslims.

Answer 2

The first answer is correct, it all started with questions over the succession after Muhammed died. Sunnis have been in power for most of their history, often times opressing the Shiites so much that many pretended to be Sunni. Further more, the Shittes are more like South American Catholics, they are considered a little bit more idolatrous, and they are more into symblols and imagery. Iran is the first real major Shiite power.

Answer 3

It's about Sunnis being the Orthodox Muslims, believed that each generation posessed a diivinely inspired leader, or Imam, from the house of Ali, who was the true spiritual leader or head of Islam. This leader was thought of as infallible. Within the Shia movement, an emphasis was put upon the veneration of the chief religious figures of the tradition. Muhammad was thought of as perfect and sinless, a belief which also penetrated orthodox thinking. The Imams were also given a quasi-divine status.

Both these ideas eventually came into a doctrine that the line of succession extended to twelve Imams, ending with Muhammad al-Mahdi who, according to belief, was spirited away at the age of eight and remained "hidden" until a later time when he would return to earth to bring in a period of justice and prosperity, as well as righteousness. Not all Shia sects believed in this.

True teachings were handed down secretly to Imams, and the true interpretation of the Qur'an were not that of the orthodox.

New doctrines caused Islam to be divided into the two sects. Sunnis are the orthodox believers, and Shiites, not so orthodox. Shiites became dominant in Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. Shiites have also divided themselves into sub-sects, around the world.(ie Sufism or Sufis).

Shiism also differs in one place to another, but orthodox Sunnis follow orthodox traditions of the Qur'an, and they stick together mostly. They also discourage new beliefs.

Answer 4

The "ites" in the Bible always meant trouble for Israel. The Shiites are the main problem today. They say the Sunnis are dogs, they'll never go to heaven and it is okay to lie to the Sunnis and take anything that belongs to them. Ishmael's children - his hand will be against his brother. A wild donkey of a man.

Answer 5

The conflict began upon Mo's death. Shiites believed and do still that the office of caliph should be hereditary. Sunnis believe whoever is most qualified should be caliph. It's today a power struggle over which sect controls the gov't.

Answer 6

It came to down to who succeeded Muhammad after he died. The Sunni's believe Muhammad wanted his father-in-law (Abu Bakr) and the Shiites believe he picked his son-in-law (Ali). They also have different stories about the period following the death of Muhammad and are willing to kill each other other the consequences. If you need more details, go to the page on Wikipedia for much more information about the controversy, but don't expect a definitive answer.

Answer 7

Yes, I'll take $200 on the Sunnis, and also another $50 on the Overs.

Answer 8

well i only know this because my teacher in anc. world history
but the shiites are a democracy routed government and the sunnies are a rep routed govnmt so they have there arguements over gods and rulers and it ends up getting worse than the argument was and it has been out of hand over there

Answer 9

Everyone through all religions through the ages seem intent on killing each other. Nothing new under the sun. Usually it is from intended misunderstandings. Religion has always been used as a method to tear apart, rather than unite.

Answer 10

SHIITES - they are the conservative more fundamentalists of that bunch. they are the ones who beat and cut themselves bloody in the name of that peaceful religion they follow! Saddam Hussein had forbidden them to practice that barbaric behavior!

SUNNIS - they are the more liberal of the two . allowing their daughters to go to college, more peaceful - not in religion but more in every day life! now no longer peaceful in any way because the are the minority and fight for sheer survival- it also doesn't help that Saddam was a Sunni and they are pissed off that he is gone!