Shia Islam

"Shia" redirects here. For other uses, see Shia (disambiguation).

Template:ShiaTerms Shi'a Islam (Shī‘a Arabic: شيعة; Template:ArabDIN is collective; Shī‘i, Template:ArabDIN, is singular), is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. Shi'a Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the absolute majority of the populations in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq, as well as a plurality in Lebanon. They also constitute over 45% of the population in Yemen, over 35% of the population in Kuwait, 10-15% of the population of Saudi Arabia, 30% of the population in Turkey, 20% of population of Syria, 25% of the population in Albania, and 20% of the population in Pakistan. It has been estimated that there are approximtaley 10-15 million Shias in India, around 10-15% of the total Muslim population of India. There are an estimated 130 to 190 million Shi'a, 10-15% of the world's Muslim population.

The Shi'a adhere to the Quran and teachings of the final Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and in contrast to other Muslims, believe that his family, the Ahl al-Bayt (the People of the House), including his descendants known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community. Unlike Sunni Muslims, the Shi'a believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and husband of his daughter, Fatimah, was the true successor to Muhammad who was appointed by God and his prophet, and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs.

The Shi'a faith is vast and inclusive of many different groups. There are various Shi'a theological beliefs, schools of jurisprudence, philosophical beliefs, and spiritual movements. Shi'a Islam embodies a completely independent system of religious interpretation and political authority in the Muslim world. The Shi'a identity emerged soon after the death of Muhammad, and Shi'a theology was formulated in the second century and the first Shi'a governments and societies were established by the end of the third century.

Shi'a Islam is divided into three branches. The largest and best known are the Twelver (اثنا عشرية Template:ArabDIN) which forms a majority of the population in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq,India and Pakistan. The term Shi'a often refers to Twelver Shi'a only. Other smaller branches include the Ismaili and Zaidi, who dispute the Twelver lineage of Imams and beliefs.

Etymology

Main article: Shia etymology

Shia, meaning follower, has been used in Qur'an in singular or plural forms with both positive^{[Quran 37:83]} and negative^{[Quran 54:51]} connotations.

"Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Template:ArabDIN (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali". Both Shia and Sunni sources trace the term to the years preceding the death of Muhammad; see Shia etymology.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Islam

File:MuslimDistribution2.jpg

Map showing distribution of Shi'a and Sunni Muslims in Africa, Asia and Europe.

By some estimates, approximately 15-25% of the world's Muslims are Shi'a. There are an estimated 190 to 250 million Shi'a Muslims.

A large portion of the world's Shi'a live in the Middle East. The Shi'a Muslims are a majority in Azerbaijan (approx. 85%), Iraq (approx. 65%), Bahrain (approx. 80%) and Iran, where 90% of the population are Shi'a Muslims.[3] They are near majority in Lebanon (45-55%), Syria (at 20%), India (at 10% of the Muslim population), Pakistan (at 20-35%) by including Ismailis and Moulai, Afghanistan (at 30%), Turkey (30%), Albania (25%), and Yemen (45%). The smaller Persian Gulf states of Qatar, Kuwait (at 36%) and the United Arab Emirates (at 16%) also have significant Shi'a minorities, as does the (Eastern Province ~33%) of Saudi Arabia.

Significant Shi'a communities exist on the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik). The Shi'a presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis, though there are almost a million Shi'a Muslims in Indonesia, mainly converts.

A significant syncretic Shia minority is present in Nigeria, centered around the state of Kano (see Shia in Nigeria). East Africa holds several populations of Ismaili Shia, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as the Khoja.

According to the Shia, one of the lingering problems in estimating the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. The reverse, however, has not held true, which may contribute to imprecise estimates of the size of each sect. For example, the 1926 rise of the House of Saud in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shia . Some Shia claim that they endure much bigotry and other indignities from Wahabi authorities daily and that Shia pilgrims from other countries are often singled out for harassment (see Status of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia); in Saudi Arabia they are called akkaf (عكف) which means rejecters (رافضه).

Concepts

Tomb of Muhammad in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Shia Muslims believe that the descendants from Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Zahra and his son-in-law Ali (the Imams) were the best source of knowledge about the Qur'an and Islam, the most trusted carriers and protectors of Muhammad's Sunnah (traditions), and the most worthy of emulation.

In particular, Shia Muslims recognize the succession of Ali (Muhammad's cousin, son-in-law, the first man to accept Islam — second only to Muhammad's wife Khadija — the male head of the Ahl al-Bayt or "people of the [Prophet's] house") and the father of Muhammad's only bloodline as opposed to that of the caliphate recognized by Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims believe that Ali was appointed successor by Muhammad's direct order on many occasions, and that he is therefore the rightful leader of the Muslim faith.

This difference between following either the Ahl al-Bayt (Muhammad's family and descendants) or the Caliph Abu Bakr has shaped Shia and non-Shia views on some of the Qur'an, the Hadith (narrations from Muhammad) and other areas of Islam. For instance, the collection of Hadith venerated by Shia Muslims is centered on narrations by members of the Ahl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some Hadith by narrators not belonging to or supporting the Ahl al-Bayt are not included (those of Abu Huraira, for example). Ali was the third successor to Abu Bakr and, for the Shia, the first divinely sanctioned "Imam," or successor of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE at the Battle of Karbala of Ali's son Hussein, who led an non-allegiance movement against the defiant caliph (71 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.

Regardless of the dispute about the Caliphate, the Shia recognize the religious authority of the Imams.

There are two interpretations about the emergence of Shia. One of them emphasizes the political struggle about the succession of Muhammad after his death and especially during the First Fitna. The other one emphasizes on different interpretation of Islam which led to different understanding about the role of caliphs and ulamas. Hossein Nasr has quoted:

Shi'ism was not brought into existence only by the question of the political succession to Muhammad as so many Western works claim (although this question was of course of great importance). The problem of political succession may be said to be the element that crystallized the Shi'ites into a distinct group, and political suppression in later periods, especially the martyrdom of Imam Husayn-upon whom be peace-only accentuated this tendency of the Shi'ites to see themselves as a separate community within the Islamic world. The principal cause of the coming into being of Shi'ism, however, lies in the fact that this

possibility existed within the Islamic revelation itself and so had to be realized. Inasmuch as there were exoteric [Zaheri] and esoteric [Bateni] interpretations from the very beginning, from which developed the schools (madhhab) of the Sharia and Sufism in the Sunni world, there also had to be an interpretation of Islam which would combine these elements in a single whole. This possibility was realized in Shi'ism, for which the Imam is the person in whom these two aspects of traditional authority are united and in whom

the religious life is marked by a sense of tragedy and martyrdom... Hence the question which arose was not so much who should be the successor of Muhammad as what the function and qualifications of such a person would be.

Ahl al-Kisa

Main article: Ahl al-Kisa

In Shi'a Islam, the term Ahl al-Kisa, meaning People of the Cloak, refers to the founder of Islam Muhammad, his daughter Fatimah, his cousin and son-in-law Ali, and his two grandsons Hasan and Husayn. Its origin is in the Hadith of the Event of the Cloak and the Hadith of Mubahala, hadith which are both accepted as authentic by Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, with differences only in interpretation. It is one of the foundations of the Shi'a conception of Imamate, which states that a male descendant of Muhammad has special rule over the Muslim community. The Ahl al-Kisa along with the Imams form the Shi'a definition of Ahl al-Bayt, a term used to designate the family of Muhammad.

The three branches of Shi'a differ on the nature of the Ahl al-Kisa and Imams. The two largest branches, the Twelver and the Ismaili, consider them to be in a state of ismah, meaning infallibility, a belief originating from the verse of purification in the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an. In contrast, the third branch, the Zaidi, view them only as political figures with the duty to lead revolts against corrupt rulers and governments.

The Four Companions

Main article: The Four Companions

The Four Companions, also called the Four Pillars of the Sahaba is a Shi'a term that refers to the four Sahaba Shi'a believe stayed most loyal to Ali ibn Abi Talib after the death of Muhammad:

• Miqdad
• Abu Dharr
• Salman the Persian
• Ammar ibn Yasir

Those among Muhammad's companions who were closest to Ali and did not swear allegiance to Abu Bakr were called Shiat Ali during Muhammad's lifetime.

The Light of Aql

Main article: Aql (Shiasm)

Shi'a Muslims believe that the souls of the Prophets and the Imams are derived from the first light in the universe which was created by God, the light of Aql, which in Arabic roughly translates as intellect. It is through this knowledge that all living and non-living entities know God, and all of humanity is dependent and united in this light. Sunni Muslims such as Barelvis and Sufis share similar beliefs.

Imamate

Main article: Status of a Shia Imam

The Ahlul Bayt are viewed as the perfect example for mankind, and like the prophets, should be emulated in acts and deeds. Twelver and Ismaili Shi'a believe that the Imams of Ahlul Bayt carry the divinely appointed responsibility of protecting Islam and enacting the example of the pure Sunnah of Muhammad. The Imams of Ahlul Bayt have guided Muslims throughout history, in many cases under the most horrible circumstances and under the most severe forms of discrimination due to the cruel policies of the reigning governments of the time. They are seen as incorruptible and infallible role models for Muslims that have shown the way of goodness and prosperity in this world and the next in the best way until their martyrdom or Occultation.

In contrast to the Twelver and Ismaili, the Zaidi only see the Imams as political figures who are descendants of Ali and Fatimah who uprise against corrupt and oppressing rulers and governments.

The Occultation

Main article: The Occultation

The Occultation in Shi'a Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, the Mahdi, is an Imam who has disappeared and will one day return and fill the world with justice. Some Shi'a, such as the Zaidi and Nizari Ismaili, do not believe in the idea of the Occultation. The groups which do believe in it differ upon which lineage of imamate is correct, and therefore which individual has gone into the Occultation.

Branches

The Shi'a faith throughout its history split over the issue of imamate, with each branch supporting different imams. The largest branch are the Twelvers, which over 85% of Shi'a belong to. The only other surviving branches are the Zaidi and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.

Twelver Shi'a believe in the lineage of the Twelve Imams. The Twelver Shi'a faith is predominantly found in Iran (est. 90%) , Azerbaijan (est. 75%), Bahrain (est. 75%), Iraq (est. 65%), Lebanon (est. 35%) , Kuwait (est. 35%), Turkey (est. 25%), Albania (est. 20%), Pakistan (est. 20%) and Afghanistan (est. 15%). .

The Zaidi dispute the succession of the fifth Twelver Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir, because he did not stage a revolution against the corrupt government, unlike Zaid ibn Ali. They do not believe in a normal lineage, but rather that any descendant of Hasan ibn Ali or Husayn ibn Ali who stages a revolution against a corrupt government is an imam. The Zaidi are mainly found in Yemen.

The Ismaili dispute the succession of the seventh Twelver Imam, Musa al-Kadhim, believing his older brother Ismail bin Jafar actually succeeded their father Jafar al-Sadiq, and did not predecease him like Twelver Shi'a believe. Ismaili form small communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Yemen, China and Saudi Arabia and have several subbranches.

Twelver

Main article: Twelvers

Twelver Shi'asm (اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest denomination within the Shi'a branch of Islam. An adherent of Twelver Shi'ism is most commonly referred to as a Twelver, which is derived from their belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, or Imams.

The Twelve Imams

See also: Twelve Imams

The Twelve Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, in the Twelver or Ithna Ashariya branch of Shia Islam. According to the theology of Twelvers, the successor of Muhammad is an infallible human individual who not only rules over the community with justice, but also is able to keep and interpret the Divine Law and its esoteric meaning. The Prophet and Imams' words and deeds are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through the Prophet.

It is believed in Shi'ism that Aql, a divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the Prophets and Imams and gave them esoteric knowledge, called Hikmah, and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees. Although the Imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, but has close relationship with God, through which God guides him, and the imam in turn guides the people. Because God would not leave the world without some sort of divine guidance for humanity.

There is always an Imam of the Age, who is the divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the Muslim community. Ali was the first Imam of this line, and in the Twelvers' view, the rightful successor to the Prophet of Islam, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Zahra. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam, with the exception of Husayn ibn Ali, who was the brother of Hasan ibn Ali. The twelfth and final Imam is Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is believed by the Twelvers to be currently alive, and in hiding.

1. Ali ibn Abu Talib (600–661), also known as Ali, Amir ul-Mu'mineen (commander of the faithful), also known as Shah-e Mardan Ali (King of men)
2. Hasan ibn Ali (625–669), also known as Hasan al Mujtaba
3. Husayn ibn Ali (626–680), also known as Husayn al Shaheed, also known as Sah Hüseyin
4. Ali ibn Husayn (658–713), also known as Ali Zainul Abideen
5. Muhammad ibn Ali (676–743), also known as Muhammad al Baqir
6. Jafar ibn Muhammad (703–765), also known as Ja'far as Sadiq
7. Musa ibn Jafar (745–799), also known as Musa al Kadhim
8. Ali ibn Musa (765–818), also known as Ali ar Ridha
9. Muhammad ibn Ali (810–835), also known as Muhammad al Jawad (Muhammad at Taqi), also known as Taki
10. Ali ibn Muhamad (827–868), also known as Ali al-Hadi, also known as Naki
11. Hasan ibn Ali (846–874), also known as Hasan al Askari
12. Muhammad ibn Hasan (868–?), also known as Hujjat ibn al Hasan, also known as Mahdi

Principles of the Religion (Usūl al-Dīn)

Five basic elements of Islam according to Twelver Shi'a beliefs are:

• Tawhīd (Oneness): The Oneness of God
• Adalah (Justice): The Justice of God
• Nubuwwah (Prophethood): God has appointed perfect and infallible prophets and messengers to teach mankind the religion (that is, a perfect system of how to live in "peace" or "submission to God"). Prophets are Messengers which are appointed by Allah to bring the message of God to people and spread that message while the Imam (leader) is appointed by Allah to protect that message since ordinary people will fail to do so. Also, as Muhammad was the last messenger of God which means the message he brought was the last and final message to the people from Allah, none is supposed to bring a message from Allah after Muhammed, therefore, if people were left with the message alone, the true message could not survive long and would have undergone changes. Imams were therefore appointed to take care of the message and prevent people from going astray after the last prophet.
• Imamah (Leadership): God has appointed specific leaders to lead and guide mankind — a prophet appoints a custodian of the religion before his demise. Shi'a Muslims believe in Twelve Imams, eleven of whom were killed, but they believe their twelfth Imam is still alive. Their history says that he disappeared after performing rituals of the eleventh Imam's (his father's) death. He is still under 'ghaybat' or 'occultation' and will appear on the face of the earth to raise the truth and bring an end to tyranny and oppression
• Qiyamah (The Day of Judgment): After the annihilation of this world, God will raise mankind for Judgement.

Practices of the Religion (Furū al-Dīn)

Main articles: Practices of the Religion and Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)

According to Shia Twelvers doctrine, what is referred to as pillars by Sunni Islam are called the practices or secondary principles(Firoo e Din). There are three additional practices. The first is jihad, which is also important to the Sunni, but not considered a pillar. The second is Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf, the "Enjoining to Do Good", which calls for every Muslim to live a virtuous life and to encourage others to do the same. The third is Nahi-Anil-Munkar, the "Exhortation to Desist from Evil", which tells Muslims to refrain from vice and from evil actions and to encourage others to do the same. Twelvers have five fundamental beliefs which relates to Aqidah.

• Salat (Prayer) – Performing the five daily prayers.
• Sawm (Fast) – fasting during the Islamic holy lunar month of Ramadhan (Able to eat while the sun is hidden)
• Hajj (Pilgrimage) – performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (once in a lifetime)
• Zakat (Poor-rate) – paying the poor-tax (2.5% of your wealth every year should go to the poor)
• Khums (One-fifth of savings) – paying tax to the Imam (سهم امام)
• Jihad (Struggle) – struggling to please the Almighty. The greater, or internal Jihad is the struggle against the evil within one's soul in every aspect of life. The lesser, or external, Jihad is the struggle against the evil of one's environment in every aspect of life. This is not to be mistaken with the common modern misconception that this means "Holy War". Writing the truth (jihad bil qalam) and speaking truth in front of an oppressor are also forms of Jihad.
• Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf – commanding what is good
• Nahi-Anil-Munkar – forbidding what is evil
• Tawalla – loving the Ahlul Bayt and their followers
• Tabarra – dissociating oneself from the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt

Ja'fari jurispudence

Main article: Ja'fari jurisprudence

Ja'fari jurisprudence or Ja'fari Fiqh is the name of the jurisprudence of the Twelver Muslims, derived from the name of Ja'far al-Sadiq, the 6th Shia Imam.

The Ja'fari Shia consider Sunnah to be the oral traditions of Muhammad and their implementation and interpretation by the Imams who were all scholars and descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband, the first Imam, Ali.

Role of religious scholars

Main article: The Shia clergy

Twelver Shi'a Muslims believe that the study of Islamic literature is a continual process, and is necessary for identifying all of God's laws. Sunni Muslims also believe that they can interpret the Qur'an and hadith with the same authority as their predecessors - that the door to ijtihad was never closed. However, the opinion of the 1st and 2nd century (7th and 8th century Gregorian calendar) scholars are given greater weight.

Guardianship of the Jurisprudence

Main article: Hokumat-e Islami : Velayat-e faqih (book by Khomeini)

Traditionally Twelver Shi'a Muslims consider Ali ibn Abi Talib and the other 11 imams not only religious guides but political leaders, based on a crucial hadith where the Prophet Muhammad passes on his power to command Muslims to Ali. Since the last Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, went into "occultation" in 939 AD and is not expected back until end times, this left Shi'a without religiously sanctioned governance. In contrast, the Ismaili Imams did successfully gain political power with the shortly lived Fatimid Empire. After the fall of the Fatimid Empire Ismaili Shi'asm started to lean towards secular thought.

The first Shia regime, the Safavid dynasty in Iran, propagated the Twelver faith, made Twelver law the law of the land, and patronized Twelver scholarship. For this, Twelver ulama "crafted a new theory of government" which held that while "not truly legitimate", the Safavid monarchy would be "blessed as the most desirable form of government during the period of waiting" for the twelfth imam.

In general, the Shi'a adhere to one of three approaches towards the state: either full participation in government, i.e. attempting to influence policies by becoming active in politics, or passive cooperation with it, i.e. minimal participation, or else most commonly, mere toleration of it, i.e. remaining aloof from it. Historically, Zaidi and Ismaili Shi'a imams functioned as both religious and political leaders, but later after the fall of the Fatimid Empire the Ismaili imamate became a secular institution. In general, Twelver Shi'a historically remained secular.

This changed with Iranian Revolution where the Twelver Ayatollah Khomeini and his supporters established a new theory of governance for the Islamic Republic of Iran. It's based on Khomeini's theory of guardianship of the Islamic jurist as rule of the Islamic jurist, and jurists as "legatees" of the Prophet Muhammad.

While not all Twelver Shi'a accept this theory, it is uniquely Twelver and the basis of the constitution of Iran, the largest Shi'a Muslim country, where the Supreme Leader must be an Islamic jurist.

Ismaili

Main article: Ismaili

The 'Ismāʿīlī (Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Arabic: الإسماعيليون al-Ismāʿīliyyūn; Persian: إسماعیلیان Esmāʿīliyān) branch of Islam is the second largest part of the Shī'a community, after the Twelvers (Ithnāʿashariyya). The Ismaili get their name from their acceptance of Ismail bin Jafar as the divinely appointed spiritual successor (Imam) to Jafar al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Musa al-Kazim, younger brother of Ismail, as the true Imam. The Ismaili and the Twelvers both accept the same initial Imams from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima Zahra and therefore share much of their early history.

After the passing away -- or occultation (according to Sevener Ismailis) - of Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail in the 8th century CE, the teachings of Ismailism further transformed into the belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on the deeper, esoteric meaning (batin) of the Islamic religion. With the eventual development of Twelverism into the more literalistic (zahir) oriented Akhbari and later Usooli schools of thought, Shi'ism developed into two separate directions: the metaphorical Ismaili group focusing on the mystical path and nature of Allah, and the manifestation of himself in the personage of the "Imam of the Time" as the "Face of Allah", while the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law (sharia) and the deeds and sayings (sunnah) of Muhammad and his successors (Ahl al-Bayt) who as Imams were guides and a light to Allah.

Though there are several sub-groupings within the Ismailis, the term in today's vernacular generally refers to the Nizari community, who are followers of the Aga Khan and the largest group among the Ismailis. While many of the branches have extremely differing exterior practices, much of the spiritual theology has remained the same since the days of the faith's early Imams. In recent centuries Ismailis have largely been an Indo-Iranian community, but Ismaili are found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, China, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa and South Africa, but have in recent years emigrated to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.

Ismaili Imams

Main article: List of Ismaili Imams

After the death of Isma'il ibn Jafar, many Ismaili believed the line of imamate ended, and that one day the messianic Mahdi, whom they believed to be Muhammad ibn Ismail, would return and establish an age of justice. One group included the violent Qarmatians who had a stronghold in Bahrain. In contrast, some Ismaili believed the Imamate did continue, and that the Imams were in hiding and still communicated and taught their followers through a network of da'i.

In 909 CE, Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah, a claimant of the Ismaili imamate, established the Fatimid Empire, a political power where Ismaili Imams would rule for centuries. Egypt became the center of an empire that included at its peak North Africa, Sicily, Palestine, Syria, the Red Sea coast of Africa, Yemen and the Hejaz. Under the Fatimids, Egypt flourished and developed an extensive trade network in both the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, which eventually determined the economic course of Egypt during the High Middle Ages.

During this period three lineages of Ismaili Imams formed. The first branch (Druze) occurred with the Imam Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Born in 386 AH (985 AD), he ascended as ruler at the age of eleven and was feared for his eccentricity and believed insanity. The typical religiously tolerant Fatimid Empire saw much persecution under his reign. When in 411 AH (1021 AD) his mule returned without him, soaked in blood, a religious group that was even forming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream Ismailism and refused to acknowledge his successor. Later to be known as the Druze, they believe Al-Hakim to be the incarnation of Allah and the prophecized Mahdi, who would one day return and bring justice to the world. The faith further split from Ismailism as it developed very unique doctrines which often classes it separately from both Ismailism and Islam.

The second split occurred following the death of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah in 487 AH (1094 AD). His rule was the longest of any caliph in both the Fatimid and other Islamic empires. Upon his passing away his sons, the older Nizar and the younger Al-Musta'li fought for political and spiritual control of the dynasty. Nizar was defeated and jailed, but according to Nizari tradition his son to escaped to Alamut where the Iranian Ismaili had accepted his claim.

The Mustaali line split again between the Taiyabi and the Hafizi, the former claiming that the 21st Imam and son of Al-Amir went into occultation and appointed a Da'i al-Mutlaq to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Ismaili had lived after the death of Muhammad ibn Ismail. The latter claimed that the ruling Fatimid caliph was the Imam, and they died out with the fall of the Fatimid Empire.

The Pillars of the Ismāˤīlī

Main article: Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)

Ismaili Seven Pillars of Islam, including the Nizari, Druze, and Mustaali have three doctrines that are not included in the Five Pillars of Islam: Walayah, Taharah and Jihad. This would raise the total to eight, but the Bohra Ismailis do not include Shahadah, lowering it to seven. The Shahadah is a prominent part of other Ismaili traditions, with the added inclusion of " Alīyun Ameerul Mo'min wali Allah (علي ولي الله("Ali, the Master of Believers, is the friend of God")", at the end of the standard shahadah as recited by the rest of the Muslim Ummah. .

The Shi'a Ismāˤīlī - the Nizari, Druze and Mustaali - have Pillars beyond those of the Sunni. While most Ismāˤīlīs have eight, the Bohras and Druze have only seven.

• Walayah “Guardianship” denotes love and devotion to God, the prophets, the imām and the duˤāt "missionaries". In Ismāˤīlī doctrine, God is the true desire of every soul, and he manifests himself in the forms of prophets and imāms; the appointed duˤāt lead believers to the right path. The Druze refer to this pillar as Taslīm "Submission".
• Taharah “Purity”: The Druze
• Shahādah: Most Ismāˤīlīs add ˤAliyun wāliyu l-Lāh (علي ولي الله) "ˤAlī is the friend of God" at the end of the shahādatayn: the exception is the Druze. The Bohra do not list this as a Pillar of Faith, and hence have only seven pillars..
• Salah "Prayer": Unlike Sunni and Twelver muslims, Nizari Ismāˤīliyya reason that it is up to the current imām to designate the style and form of prayer, and for this reason the current Nizari practices resemble dua and pray them three times a day. These three times have been related with the three times that have been mentioned in the Qur'ān: sunrise, before sunset, and after sunset. In contrast, the Mustaˤlī maintain five prayers and their style is generally closely related to that of the Twelvers. The Druze believe that the meaning of prayer is sidqu l-lisān "speaking Truth (to/about God)" and do not believe in five daily prayers. They do sometimes attend prayers, which is the practice of the "uninitiated" (juhhāl) and historically was also done for reasons of taqiyya.
• Zakah "Charity": with the exception of the Druze, all Ismāˤīlī madhāhab have practices resembling that of Sunni and Twelver Muslims with the addition of the characteristic Shīˤa khums: payment of 1/8^th of one's unspent money at the end of the year to the imām. In addition to khums, Ismāˤīlīs pay 12.5% of their monthly gross income to the imām, which goes to the central accounts and then spent on welfare of the humankind like education and health projects. One of the major examples of these projects is the Aga Khan Development Network, that is one of the biggest welfare networks of the world. Thus, Ismāˤīlīs believe that as Prophet Muhammad was designated to take zakāt from the believers in the past, it is now the duty to pay the imām or his representative. The Druze practice hifzu l-'Ikhwān "Protection of One's Brothers" instead of paying a fee, a culturally complex practice of interdependence.
• Sawm “Fasting”: Nizari and Mustaˤlī believe in both a metaphorical and literal meaning of fasting. The literal meaning is that one must fast as an obligation, such as during the Ramadan and the metaphorical meaning being that one is in attainment of the Divine Truth and must strive to avoid worldy activities which may detract from this goal. In particular, Ismāˤīlīs believe the real and esoteric meaning of fasting is avoiding devilish acts and doing the good deeds. Not eating during the month of Ramadan has been considered as a metaphorical implementation of fasting and is not compulsory. The Druze emphasise the esoteric meaning, which they call tark ˤibādat al-awthān "deserting idol-worship": that which detracts from communion with God is an idol (wathan).
• Hajj “Pilgrimage”: For Ismāˤīlīs, this means visiting the imām or his representative and that this is the greatest and most spiritual of all pilgrimages. The Mustaˤlī maintain also the practice of going to Mecca. The Druze interpret this completely metaphorically as "fleeing from devils and oppressors" and rarely go to Mecca.
• Jihad "Struggle": The definition of jihad is controversial as it has two meanings: "the Greater Struggle" and the "The Lesser Struggle", the latter of which means a confrontation with the enemies of the faith. The Nizari are pacifist and interpret "adversaries" of the faith as personal and social vices (i.e. wrath, intolerance, etc.) and those individuals who harm the peace of the faith and avoid provocation and use force only as a final resort only in self-defense. It is unclear what the Mustaali believe. The Druze have a long history of military and political engagement, but refer to this pillar solely as Rīda "Contentment" - the war to fight that which removes you from the ease of the Divine Presence, a meaning similar to that of the Nizari. In addition, the ˤUqqāl "Wise Ones", the religious cadre of the Druze, are pacifists.

Contemporary leadership

In the Nizari branch of Ismaili Shi'a Islam, there has been less of a scholarly institution because of the existence of a present Imam. The Imam of the Age defines the jurisprudence, and may differ with Imams previous to him because of different times and circumstances.

However, divine leadership has continued in the Mustaali branch through the institution of the Da'i al-Mutlaq, meaning unrestricted missionary. According to Mustaali Ismaili tradition, before the last Mustaali Imam, Taiyab abi al-Qasim went into seclusion, his father, the 20th Imam Mansur al-Amir Bi-Ahkamillah had instructed Queen Al-Hurra Al-Malika in Yemen to appoint a vicegerent after the seclusion - the Da'i al-Mutlaq, who as the Imam's vicegerent, has full authority to govern the community in all matters both spiritual and temporal while he is in the Occultation. The three branches of the Mustaali, the Alavi Bohra, Sulaimani Bohra, and Dawoodi Bohra differ on who the current Da'i al-Mutlaq is.

Zaidi

Main article: Zaidi

The Zaidi are a branch of Shi'a Islam named after the Imām Zayd ibn ˤAlī. Followers of the Zaidi fiqh are called Zaidis (or occasionally, Fivers by Sunnis). However, there is also a group called the Zaidi Wasītīs who are Twelvers (see below).

Since the earliest form of Zaidism was of the Jarudiyya group, many of the first Zaidi states, like those of the Alavids, Buyids, Ukhaidhirids and Rassids, were inclined to the Jarudiyya group.

The first Zaidi state was established in Daylaman and Tabaristan (northern Iran) in 864 C.E. by the Alavids; it lasted until the death of its leader at the hand of the Samanids in 928 C.E. Roughly forty years later the state was revived in Gilan (north-western Iran) and survived under Hasanid leaders until 1126 C.E. After which from the 12th-13th centuries, the Zaidis of Daylaman, Gilan and Tabaristan then acknowledge the Zaidi Imams of Yemen or rival Zaidi Imams within Iran.

The Buyids were reported to have been Zaidi, as well as the Ukhaidhirite rulers of al-Yamama in the 9th and 10th centuries.

The leader of the Zaidi community took the title of Caliph. As such, the ruler of Yemen was known as the Caliph, al-Hadi Yahya bin al-Hussain bin al-Qasim ar-Rassi (a descendant of Imam al-Hasan) who, at Sa'da, in 893-7 C.E., founded the Zaidi Imamate and this system continued until the middle of the 20th century, until the revolution of 1962 C.E. that deposed the Zaidi Imam. The founding Zaidism of Yemen was of the Jarudiyya group, however with the increasing interaction with Hanafi and Shafi'i Sunni Islam, there was a shift from the Jarudiyya group to the Sulaimaniyya, Tabiriyya, Butriyya or Salihiyya groups.

Zaidis form the dominant religious group in Yemen. Currently, they constitute about 40-45% of the population in Yemen. Ja'faris and Isma'ilis are 2-5%.[4],[5] In Saudi Arabia, it is estimated that there are over 1 million Zaidis (primarily in the western provinces).

Currently the most prominent Zaidi movement is Husayn al-Huthi's Shabab al-Mu'mineen, who have been the subject of an ongoing campaign against them by the Yemeni Government in which the Army has lost 743 men and thousands of innocent civilians have been killed or displaced by government forces, causing a grave humanitarian crisis in north Yemen. Shia Population of the Middle East

Sunni & Shi'a relations

Main article: Historical Shia-Sunni relations

The Shi'a believe that the split between the Shia and Sunni began with Muhammad's death, when Abu Bakr was accepted as the successor to Muhammed by the majority of Muslims, then Umar and Uthman. They believe that the successorship was given to Ali at Ghadir Khum (a hadith accepted by Shi’a scholars), and that the testimony that can be traced back to reliable sources is to be trusted, while traditions that cannot be fully verified are suspect.

Shi'a and Sunni historians record that many Shi'a have been persecuted, intimidated, and killed, through what Shi'a consider a coup d'état against Ali's caliphate. Many prominent Salafi Sunni scholars are known to have openly considered the Shia as "kufar" (disbelievers). Imam Ash-Shafi'i, one of the most prominent early scholars of his time said in regards to the Shi'a "I have not seen among the heretics a people more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi’ites." Such statements stem mainly from differences in beliefs regarding Ali, Umar, and other companions, and in the Shia's use of various concepts, such as Muta.

The renowned al-Azhar university of theology in Egypt, originally founded by the Ismaii Imams during the reign of the Fatimid Empire in 988 CE, considers Shi'a philosophy to be an indivisible part of the body of Islamic jurisprudence. Today, both Sunni and Shi'a students graduate from the Al-Azhar university which also teaches regarding both doctrines and uses certain Shi'a material in its courses. (See List of Shia books). On July 6, 1959, Shaikh Mahmood Shaltoot -the head of the al-Azhar Theological school- announced the al-Azhar Shia Fatwa

#Islam does not require a Muslim to follow a particular Madh'hab (school of thought). Rather, we say: every Muslim has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in its books. And, everyone who is following such Madhahib [schools of thought] can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so.

1. The Ja'fari school of thought, which is also known as "al-Shia al-Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah" (i.e., The Twelver Imami Shi'ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought.

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has made differing statements on the matter, and seems to have changed his stance on Shi'ism as he acquired more knowledge on the topic:

"Let it be known to all that the Shi`ah are Muslims who believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Yes, there is no doubt that the Shi`ah have their beliefs and dogmas which we condemn as heresy but this doesn’t make them non-Muslims."

(August 17, 2006)

"He pointed out that he travelled to Iran around 8 years ago and met with former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and was received enthusiastically. And he told the Shia scholars there that if there is to be a true discussion and unity amongst us it is necessary for a number of things to be fully stopped, such as your saying that the Quran in our hands is altered and that the Mushaf Faatemah is an addition to this Quran, and the constant insults upon the Sahaabah, May Allah be pleased with them . And it is beyond imagination that I would say Abu Bakr, Radhia Allahu Anhu, and you say, La'anahu Allah, this is totally unacceptable. Also to stop consistently talking about Ali's higher right to Khilaphah, for all of them have died and the matter is finished, and that Umar bin Abdul Aziz was asked on the past conflict between Ali and Muawiyah and the blood in this conflict, he said that Allah has cleansed our hands from this blood so why should we soil our tongues with it." (September 3, 2006)

Similar fatwas (promoting the acceptance of Shi'as into mainstream Islam) have not been issued by some Sunni scholars or universities. A number of contemporary Sunni scholars such as Shaykh Dr Khaalid ibn ‘Ali al-Mushayqih (who released a fatwa regarding praying with the Shia) maintain that Shia are not considered as Muslims, unless they deny certain beliefs found in a number of Shia hadith books like al-kafi that are accepted by the majority of twelver Shia:

The Shia and Sunnis differ in their view of Aisha (one of the wives of the Muhammad). The Shia have a dim view of her character whereas the Sunnis consider her an exemplary woman. The differences stem primarily from the Shia claim of dishonourable behaviour with Muhammad and her taking a position opposed to the position of the fourth Caliph Ali regarding how to handle the prosecution of the assassinators of the third Caliph Uthman. For more details, please refer to Sunni and Shia views of Aisha.

Doctrinal differences

Further information: Sunni-Shia relations § Differences in beliefs and practices

Because Islamic law and theology is based partly on hadith (traditions or customs of Mohammad) the Shia rejection of some Sunni hadith and Sunni rejection of some Shia hadith means that the versions understandings of Islam emerge.

Infallibility

See also: ismah

Unlike most Sunni Muslims and Zaidi Shi'a, Twelver and Ismaili Shi'a Muslims believe that the Ahl al-Bayt, who include the Ahl al-Kisa (People of the Cloak) and lineage of Imams, are in a state of ismah, meaning infallibility.

Esoteric interpretation

Main article: Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an

Unlike many Sunni, Shia believe that faith has an outer meaning, Zahir, accessible to all through study of commentaries tafsir, and an inner or esoteric meaning, batin, accessible only through ta'wil Ta'wil can only done by the Prophet and Imams

Hadith

For example, while Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a, and all Sunni Muslims pray five times each day, some of the prayer times differ. Shia perform ritual prayers (Salah) back to back, sometimes worshipping two times consecutively, as in (1+2+2) - Asr with Dhuhr, and Isha'a with Maghrib, respectively. Shi'a do not perform non-obligatory prayers in congregation, like Tar'raweeh, which Sunnis pray during Ramadaan. Nizari Ismaili have a completely different style of prayer from both mainstream Shi'a and Sunni tradition.

Mut'ah

Another issue of difference between the sects is that of Nikah Mut‘ah or "temporary marriage". While the Sunni claim that Mut`ah is forbidden, Shia accept it because it is found in a number of Shia traditions that the practice is permitted. There are Sahih Shia traditions which maintain that mut'ah is forbidden, but these are dismissed as they contradict other narrations on mut'ah which were deemed more acceptable. Many Shi'a discourage the practice of Mut'ah, but maintain that it is permissible. The Nizari Ismaili do not allow it at all.

Mohr

Another difference is that some Shia use soil (turbah) or clay tablets (mohr) during their prayers.

Persecution

Main article: Persecution of Shia Muslims

At various times many Shi'a groups have faced persecution.

While the dominant strand in modern Sunni dogma regards Shiism as a valid madhhab, following Al Azhar, some Sunnis both now and in the past have regarded it as beyond the pale, and have attacked its adherents. In modern times, notable examples include the bombing campaigns by the Sunni Sipah-e-Sahaba, a small extremist group, against Shia mosques in Pakistan, the persecution of Hazara under the Taliban, and the bloody attacks linked with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his followers against Shia in Iraq.

Religious places & events

Calendar

Shi'a Muslims in Bahrain strike their chests during the Remembrance of Muharram.

Sunni, and Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a, celebrate the following annual holidays:

• Eid ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر), which marks the end of fasting during the month of Ramadan and falls on the first day of Shawwal.
• Eid ul-Adha, which marks the end of the Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah, starts on the 10th day of Dhul Hijja.

The following holidays are observed by Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a only, unless otherwise noted:

• The Remembrance of Muharram and Ashurah (عاشوراء) for Shia commemorates Imam Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom. Imam Husayn was grandson of Muhammad, who was killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Sunnis' 6th Khalif. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Sunnis also celebrate Ashurah, but give it a different meaning (see Ashurah). On January 19, 2008, 2 million Iraqi Shia pilgrims marched through Karbala city, Iraq to celebrate Ashura. 20,000 Iraqi troops and police guarded the event amid tensions due to clashes between Iraqi troops and the cult which left 263 people dead (in Basra and Nasiriya).
• Arba'een commemorates the suffering of the women and children of Imam Husayn's household. After Husayn was killed, they were marched over the desert, from Karbala (central Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus, Syria). Many children (some of whom were direct descendants of Muhammad) died of thirst and exposure along the route. Arba'een occurs on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah.
• Milad al-Nabi, Muhammad's birth date, is celebrated by both Sunni(though not all celebrate as there is a dispute on this issue) and Shia on the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, which coincides with the birth date of the sixth imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq.
• Mid-Sha'ban is the birth date of the 12th and final imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. It is celebrated by Shi'a Muslims on the 15th of Shaban. Many Shia fast on this day to show gratitude.
• Eid al-Ghadeer celebrates Ghadir Khum, the occasion when Muhammad announced Ali's imamate before a multitude of Muslims. Eid al-Ghadeer is held on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah.
• Al-Mubahila celebrates a meeting between the household of Muhammad and a Christian deputation from Najran. Al-Mubahila is held on the 24th of Dhil-Hijjah.

Holy cities

Both Shia and Sunni Muslims share a certain veneration and religious obligations towards certain shrines and holy sites, such as Mecca (Masjid al-Haram), Medina (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi), and Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa Mosque). For a list of some of the holiest uniquely Shia shrines see Shia holy sites.

See also

• Islam
• Persecution of Shia Muslims
• Demographics of Islam
• Shia Crescent
• List of Shia books
• Shia clergy
• List of Shia Islamic scholars
• Succession to Muhammad
• Shia-Sunni relations

References

• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Encyclopædia Iranica. Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University. ISBN 1568590504. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Martin, Richard C. Encyclopaedia of Islam and the Muslim world; vol.1. MacMillan. ISBN 0028656040. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Corbin, Henry (1993 (original French 1964)). History of Islamic Philosophy, Translated by Liadain Sherrard, Philip Sherrard. London; Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications for The Institute of Ismaili Studies. ISBN 0710304161. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
• Dakake, Maria Massi (2008). The Charismatic Community: Shi'ite Identity in Early Islam. SUNY Press. ISBN 0791470334.
• Holt, P. M. (1977a). Cambridge History of Islam, Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521291364. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Lapidus, Ira (2002). A History of Islamic Societies (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521779333.
• Momen, Moojan (1985). TAn Introduction to Shi`i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelve. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300035314.
• Sachedina, Abdulaziz Abdulhussein (1988). The Just Ruler (al-sultān Al-ʻādil) in Shīʻite Islam: The Comprehensive Authority of the Jurist in Imamite Jurisprudence. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 0195119150.
• Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn (1979). Shi'ite Islam. Suny press. ISBN 0-87395-272-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Further reading

• Corbin, Henry (1993). History of Islamic Philosophy, translated by Liadain Sherrard and Philip Sherrard. Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications for The Institute of Ismaili Studies. ISBN 0710304161.
• Halm, Heinz (2004). Shi'ism. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 0748618880.
• Halm, Heinz (2007). The Shi'ites: A Short History. Markus Wiener Pub. ISBN 1558764372.
• Lalani, Arzina R. (2000). Early Shi'i Thought: The Teachings of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 1860644341.
• Momen, Moojan (1985). An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300034997.
• Moosa, Matti (1988). Extremist Shiites: The Ghulat Sects. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 0815624115.
• Nasr, Seyyed Hossein (1989). Expectation of the Millennium: Shiʻism in History. SUNY Press. ISBN 088706843X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Rogerson, Barnaby (2007). The Heirs of Muhammad: Islam's First Century and the Origins of the Sunni Shia split. Overlook Press. ISBN 1585678961.
• Wollaston, Arthur N. (2005). The Sunnis and Shias. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1425479162.

External links

• Shi'ite an article in Encyclopedia Britannica online
• Shi'ite Doctorine by MOHAMMAD ALI AMIR-MOEZZI an article in Encyclopedia Iranica
• Ask Shia
• ALShiatalk Discussion Forums
• Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project
• Aalulbayt Global Information Center
• Imam Al-Khoei Foundation
• Shia Search Website
• Rafed Network For Cultural Development
• SHIACODE.COM -Shia Islamic Guide
• Online Community Portal For Sunni -Shia
• Shia YouTube
• List of Shia websites
• Institute for Interreligious Dialogue, Tehran