Question

The similarities and dissimilarities between the two sects

Answer 1

Answer:

There are two major sects in Islam. The Sunni and Shi’a sects. Some refer to Muslim mystics, the Sufis, as a sect of Islam. They are, however, considered as Sunni. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2010 and released January 2011 found that there are 1.62 billion Muslims around the world, and it is estimated that the Sunni population is between 75% and 90%.

The difference between Sunni and Shia sects

The difference between Sunnis and Shi’a is more of a political nature than creed. There are no dogmatic differences between the two sects. Both, Sunnis and Shi’as, believe in the one God (Allah in Arabic) or Tawhid (monotheism), in the angels, scriptures, prophets and messengers, the hereafter, and the divine decree, destiny. They share the same scripture, called the Qur’an. Although there may be a difference in the way Sunnis and Shi’as worship, nevertheless, both pray five times a day, fast the month of Ramadan, pay the zakah (or the obligatory charity) and go to Mecca for pilgrimage. During daily prayers, both Sunnis and Shi’as direct their faces toward Mecca.

After the death of Muhammad, Muslims disputed over the prophet’s successor. Muhammad’s successor, Abu Bakr, and the other three Caliphs (Omar, Uthman and Ali) after him were accepted by Muslims as the rightful successors of the prophet and were later known as Sunnis. On the other hand the Muslims who thought Ali Bin Abi Talib, the prophet’s cousin, is the legitimate successor of the prophet became to be known as Shi’a. The Shi’a believes that the prophet’s successor has to be from the family of the prophet Muhammad. Whereas Sunnis believe that the successor of the prophet must be from the tribe of Quraish, the prophet’s tribe. This political discord continued for centuries and the divide between the two sects remains to this day unresolved. Another major difference between Sunni and Shi’a is that Sunnis believe that no person after Muhammad is infallible while the Shi’a believes in the infallibility of the twelve Imams (leaders) who are descendants from the family of prophet Muhammad.

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