Recent from talks
Shia–Sunni relations
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Shia–Sunni relations
The issue of succession following the death Muhammad divided Muslims into two branches. One group held that the prophet did not appoint a successor, leaving the choice of leadership to the community. This group asserts that Abu Bakr, Muhammad's closest friend and father-in-law, succeeded him through a legitimate process of election at Saqifa. Another group held that Muhammad had designated Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, as successor, citing the events of Ghadir Khumm and regarding the leadership as belonging to the Prophet's family. The two Muslim groups came to be known as Sunni and Shia, respectively. The brutal and tragic killing of Muhammad's grandson Husayn by the forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid at Karbala, where many other members of the prophet's family were massacred, finalized the schism. Over the centuries, Sunni and Shia Muslims developed distinct theological traditions, schools of jurisprudence, collections of hadith, and religious practices. Nevertheless, they share the fundamental foundations of Islam, including belief in the oneness God (Tawhid), the Quran, and Muhammad as the Seal of the Prophets (Khatam an-Nabiyin). Both branches also share the Five Pillars of Islam, which are profession of faith (Shahada), daily prayer (Salah), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting in the month of Ramadan (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
Relations between Sunni and Shia Muslims have varied considerably across different periods and regions. While there have been periods of political rivalry, sectarian conflict, and persecution, there have also been long periods of coexistence, cooperation, intellectual exchange, and peaceful interaction. In the modern era, political conflicts and struggles for regional influence have sometimes taken on sectarian dimensions, particularly in parts of the Middle East and South Asia. Events such as the Iranian Revolution, the Iraq War, the Syrian Civil War, and Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict have contributed to heightened sectarian tensions. While the exact numbers are subject to debate, the Shia comprise around 15% of the Islamic world, and Sunnis around 85%. Shia Muslims form an overwhelming majority in Iran and Azerbaijan, while constituting a majority in Iraq and making up nearly half of the populations of Lebanon and Bahrain. Substantial Shia population are also present in Turkey, Yemen, Syria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Nigeria, Chad, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and other countries around the globe. Estimates place the global Shia Muslim population at 285–300 million, while the Sunni Muslim population at 1.7–1.8 billion. Sunni and Shia scholars and religious leaders regularly participate in gatherings and conferences, including at the annual International Islamic Unity Conference, the Al-Azhar University, and the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought. Every three years, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation brings all Muslim leaders together.
Sunni Muslims are the vast majority of Muslims in most Muslim communities in Central Asia (including China). Within Shia Islam about 85% are Twelver, and within Twelver Shia, the overwhelming majority follow the Usuli school of jurisprudence. In Iran, an officially Shia country since 1501, around 90–95% of Muslims are Shia. 65–85% of Muslims in Azerbaijan are Shia. Shia, mostly of the Zaydi sect, form a large minority (45%) of the population in Yemen. About 10–20% of Turkey's population belong to the Alevi sect of Shi'i Islam. The Shia constitute around 25–30% of Kuwaiti citizens, 55% of the Muslim population in Bahrain, and 45–55% of Muslims in Lebanon, 10–15% of Saudi Arabia, 10–15% of Syria, and 10–20% of Pakistan. Around 10–20% of Afghanistan, less than 5% of the Muslims in Nigeria, and around 4–5% of population of Tajikistan are Shia. And less than 1% of Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt India has as many Shia ("potentially") as there are in Iraq. Scholar Vali Nasr has said that numbers and percentages of Sunni and Shia populations are not exact because "in much of the Middle East it is not convenient" to have exact numbers, "for ruling regimes in particular".
The Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam. While Shia and Sunnis differ on the nature of the Mahdi, many members of both groups believe that the Mahdi will appear at the end of the world to bring about a perfect and just Islamic society.
In Shia Islam, "the Mahdi symbol has developed into a powerful and central religious idea." Twelvers believe the Mahdi will be Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth Imam returned from the occultation, where he has been hidden by Allah since 874. Mainstream Sunnis' beliefs are somewhat different: The Mahdi forms an important component of Sunni eschatology, his appearance being considered the last of the minor signs of the Day of Judgment before its major signs. They believe the Mahdi will be a descendant of Muhammad named Muhammad and will revive the faithful.
The Shia accept some of the same hadiths of Muhammad used by Sunnis as part of the sunnah and the basis of divine law and religious practice. In addition, they consider the sayings of Ahl al-Bayt that are not attributed directly to Muhammad as hadiths. Shia do not accept many Sunni hadiths unless they are also recorded in Shia sources or the methodology of how they were recorded can be proven.
Some Sunni-accepted hadiths—for example by Aisha or Abu Hurairah—are less favored by Shia (Aisha opposed Ali and Abu Hurairah is considered an enemy of Ali and, according to Shia, was only a Muslim for four years of his life before Muhammad's death. Although he accompanied Muhammad for only four years, he managed to record ten times as many hadiths as Abu Bakr and Ali each).
Shiism and Sufism are said to share a number of hallmarks: Belief in an inner meaning to the Quran, special status for some mortals (saints for Sufi, Imams for Shia), as well as veneration of Ali and Muhammad's family.
Hub AI
Shia–Sunni relations AI simulator
(@Shia–Sunni relations_simulator)
Shia–Sunni relations
The issue of succession following the death Muhammad divided Muslims into two branches. One group held that the prophet did not appoint a successor, leaving the choice of leadership to the community. This group asserts that Abu Bakr, Muhammad's closest friend and father-in-law, succeeded him through a legitimate process of election at Saqifa. Another group held that Muhammad had designated Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, as successor, citing the events of Ghadir Khumm and regarding the leadership as belonging to the Prophet's family. The two Muslim groups came to be known as Sunni and Shia, respectively. The brutal and tragic killing of Muhammad's grandson Husayn by the forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid at Karbala, where many other members of the prophet's family were massacred, finalized the schism. Over the centuries, Sunni and Shia Muslims developed distinct theological traditions, schools of jurisprudence, collections of hadith, and religious practices. Nevertheless, they share the fundamental foundations of Islam, including belief in the oneness God (Tawhid), the Quran, and Muhammad as the Seal of the Prophets (Khatam an-Nabiyin). Both branches also share the Five Pillars of Islam, which are profession of faith (Shahada), daily prayer (Salah), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting in the month of Ramadan (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
Relations between Sunni and Shia Muslims have varied considerably across different periods and regions. While there have been periods of political rivalry, sectarian conflict, and persecution, there have also been long periods of coexistence, cooperation, intellectual exchange, and peaceful interaction. In the modern era, political conflicts and struggles for regional influence have sometimes taken on sectarian dimensions, particularly in parts of the Middle East and South Asia. Events such as the Iranian Revolution, the Iraq War, the Syrian Civil War, and Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict have contributed to heightened sectarian tensions. While the exact numbers are subject to debate, the Shia comprise around 15% of the Islamic world, and Sunnis around 85%. Shia Muslims form an overwhelming majority in Iran and Azerbaijan, while constituting a majority in Iraq and making up nearly half of the populations of Lebanon and Bahrain. Substantial Shia population are also present in Turkey, Yemen, Syria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Nigeria, Chad, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and other countries around the globe. Estimates place the global Shia Muslim population at 285–300 million, while the Sunni Muslim population at 1.7–1.8 billion. Sunni and Shia scholars and religious leaders regularly participate in gatherings and conferences, including at the annual International Islamic Unity Conference, the Al-Azhar University, and the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought. Every three years, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation brings all Muslim leaders together.
Sunni Muslims are the vast majority of Muslims in most Muslim communities in Central Asia (including China). Within Shia Islam about 85% are Twelver, and within Twelver Shia, the overwhelming majority follow the Usuli school of jurisprudence. In Iran, an officially Shia country since 1501, around 90–95% of Muslims are Shia. 65–85% of Muslims in Azerbaijan are Shia. Shia, mostly of the Zaydi sect, form a large minority (45%) of the population in Yemen. About 10–20% of Turkey's population belong to the Alevi sect of Shi'i Islam. The Shia constitute around 25–30% of Kuwaiti citizens, 55% of the Muslim population in Bahrain, and 45–55% of Muslims in Lebanon, 10–15% of Saudi Arabia, 10–15% of Syria, and 10–20% of Pakistan. Around 10–20% of Afghanistan, less than 5% of the Muslims in Nigeria, and around 4–5% of population of Tajikistan are Shia. And less than 1% of Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt India has as many Shia ("potentially") as there are in Iraq. Scholar Vali Nasr has said that numbers and percentages of Sunni and Shia populations are not exact because "in much of the Middle East it is not convenient" to have exact numbers, "for ruling regimes in particular".
The Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam. While Shia and Sunnis differ on the nature of the Mahdi, many members of both groups believe that the Mahdi will appear at the end of the world to bring about a perfect and just Islamic society.
In Shia Islam, "the Mahdi symbol has developed into a powerful and central religious idea." Twelvers believe the Mahdi will be Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth Imam returned from the occultation, where he has been hidden by Allah since 874. Mainstream Sunnis' beliefs are somewhat different: The Mahdi forms an important component of Sunni eschatology, his appearance being considered the last of the minor signs of the Day of Judgment before its major signs. They believe the Mahdi will be a descendant of Muhammad named Muhammad and will revive the faithful.
The Shia accept some of the same hadiths of Muhammad used by Sunnis as part of the sunnah and the basis of divine law and religious practice. In addition, they consider the sayings of Ahl al-Bayt that are not attributed directly to Muhammad as hadiths. Shia do not accept many Sunni hadiths unless they are also recorded in Shia sources or the methodology of how they were recorded can be proven.
Some Sunni-accepted hadiths—for example by Aisha or Abu Hurairah—are less favored by Shia (Aisha opposed Ali and Abu Hurairah is considered an enemy of Ali and, according to Shia, was only a Muslim for four years of his life before Muhammad's death. Although he accompanied Muhammad for only four years, he managed to record ten times as many hadiths as Abu Bakr and Ali each).
Shiism and Sufism are said to share a number of hallmarks: Belief in an inner meaning to the Quran, special status for some mortals (saints for Sufi, Imams for Shia), as well as veneration of Ali and Muhammad's family.
Recent media