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The Differences Between the Sunni and Shi'ite
(Shia) Muslims
by Mohammed Alomari
1) Historically
a). Sunnis believe that the rightful successors
to the Prophet Mohammed were his close companions Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman, &
Ali, in that order.
b). Shia believe that only Ali and his
descendants are the rightful rulers, discounting the first 3 men.
2).a) Sunnis do NOT have a clerical hierarchy,
each religious leader is only respected as much knowledge as he has, and he
is either a scholar or not.
b). Shia have an extensive clerical hierarchy
(like the Vatican).
3). a). Sunnis can only use the textual
evidence (writings) and traditions (practices) like the Quran (as God's
Word) and the Sunna (sayings and practices of the Prophet Mohammed and his
companions). A Sunni religious leader cannot directly violate the texts, he
will be rejected by Sunnis.
b). Shia place a higher importance on the
clerics to interpret law, believing that they are divinely inspired and can
(and have in the past) contradicted text. The cleric's word is supreme to
anything else.
4). a). Sunnis are encouraged to get more
educated (read from the texts) about their religion, not for the sake of
being a cleric (because they have no clergy) rather to be better practicing
Muslim.
b). Shia are encouraged to pick a cleric to
imitate, so the burden of mistakes fall upon the cleric not the masses.
That's why most Shia are either not religious or if they are, know very
little of the Quran or life of the Prophet Mohammed, only their "resource"
(cleric).
5). a). Sunnis are only obligated to pay 2.5%
of their wealth to the poor.
b). Shia are obligated to pay 20% to their
clerics who then in turn distribute on how they best see fit.
6). Politically
a). Sunnis do not ally themselves with any
Muslim government because they are viewed as corrupt, dictatorial, and
un-Islamic.
b). Shia tend to ally themselves with (be
sympathetic to) the Iranian government, because of the clergy who rule and
long ties to Iran.
7). Influence wise
a). Sunnis have tended to reject outside
influence on their practices, as un-Islamic innovations.
b). Shia have many influences from the old
pre-Islamic Persian practices, to the point where you sense that Shia
(especially extremist Shia) have a special Persian bias against Arabs, such
as:
1). Pictures of the Prophet Mohammed and
his family are acceptable
2). Family members of the Prophet Mohammed
who married Persians are very dear, more so than others. Those killed by
Persians are discounted. Example: Ali was killed by a Persian, where his son
Hussain who married a Persian was killed by an Arab. Every year the death
of his son is remembered in tragedy plays where people beat themselves,
whereas his father is not (even though his father is closer to the Prophet
Mohammed than his son).
3). The Persian fire-worshipper who killed
Omar, the 2nd successor to the Prophet Mohammed, is celebrated by Shia in
Iran even though he never converted to Islam.
8). Temporary Marriages (marry for 1 hour, or 3
days, or whatever for a fee, similar to prostitution)
a). Sunnis consider it prohibited
b). Shia consider it ok
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