Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer examines how throughout Islamic history, Shi'ites developed a denomination distinct in various significant ways from that of Sunnis. The writer explains that the differences between Islam's two major denominations arose as early as the beginning of Islamic history and in fact took place shortly after Islam's fourth caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib came to power. Initially, these differences centered on a political dispute over who should serve as the prophet's successor after his death. The writer looks at both sides of the dispute. Initial differences over political ideology caused Shi'ites to branch off from the majority Sunni Muslim community and form their own ideological viewpoints on various other issues. The writer concludes that Sunni-Shi'ite relations since the beginning of Islamic history reveal that both took divergent paths in regards to the beliefs and practices of Islam.

From the Paper:

"Initial differences over political ideology caused Shi'ites to branch off from the majority Sunni Muslim community and form their own ideological viewpoints on various other issues. Besides politics, Shi'ites later developed their own distinguished set of beliefs regarding theology and jurisprudence. This meant that they now developed their own understanding of belief in the Islamic creed, practice of the five established pillars of Islam, interpretation of the Quranic text, acceptance and rejection of the prophet's Hadiths, sources of Islamic jurisprudence, and position of the various eminent Islamic personalities in history, particularly from among the prophet's companions. The Shi'ite branch later subdivided into various smaller sects, which hold differing viewpoints about various matters despite sharing some fundamental concepts of the Shi'ite belief system."

More papers on Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims:

• Comparison Essay # 42467 : "The Ancient Sects of Islam: Sunni and Shi'ite"
• Analytical Essay # 42268 : "Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims"
• Essay # 137883 : "Analyzing the Pros and Cons of American Journalism for Islamic Identity through the War in Iraq"

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