black mamba
07-14-2006, 04:32 AM
here's a clarification on the sunni / shia issue:
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
after the Holy Prophet's (pbuh) death, questions rose over his successor.
the two different tribes wanted the replacement from amongst them but negotiations collapsed and there was a fear that everything would descend into chaos. three of the Prophet's companions, Hazrat Abu-bakr, Hazrat Umar & Hazrat Usman, held a small meeting with other companions and decided that Hazrat Abu-bakr should become the 1st caliph.
sunni belief: this was a valid election of the 1st caliph
shia belief: the Holy Prophet had declared Hazrat Ali (his cousin & son-in-law) as his successor during the last Hajj performed by the Prophet before his death infront of all those present
anyway, after the caliph had been chosen, Hazrat Ali put in an initial claim to caliphate but after he was refused, he sat on the sidelines occasionally advising the caliphs when asked for his advice but never taking a part in politics
after the 3rd caliph's murder (Hazrat Usman) due to ineternal strife, muslims asked Hazrat Ali to become the 4th caliph because they could not find a suitable successor. at the time, the two tribes of Ummayads and Bani Hashim were very much against each other because of pre-islamic animosity. Hazrat Usman was an Ummayad caliph and he had placed Muawiya (the muslim son of Abu Sufyan - the Prophet's biggest enemy during his life) as the ruler of Syria. when Hazrat Ali (from Bani Hashim) became the 4th caliph, Muawiya refused to accept him, put in his own claim and effectively sealed off the province from the rest of the government. Hazrat Ali fought a few battles against Muawiya and defeated him but he was himself murdered by a member of a new sect that had come up at the time called Khizrajites.
sunni & shia belief: both are the same in this regard
wahabbi belief: what muawiya did was correct because they believed that as a companion of the Prophet, Muawiya could not have been wrong
After Hazrat Ali's death, his son Imam Hassan (the Prophet's 1st grandson from Hazrat Ali) took over but Muawiya had him poisoned. After Imam Hassan's death, Imam Hussain (the Prophet's 2nd grandson from Hazrat Ali) tok over. Muawiya died and was succeeded by his son Yazid. To make a long story short, Yazid's army and Imam Hussain along with his 72 companions fought at Qarbala, Iraq, which resulted in their being completely wiped out and their families being captured.
sunni & shia belief: these incidents happened
sunni belief: no need to take sides since both sides were muslims
shia belief: yazid & muawiya were wrong
wahabi belief: yazid & muawiya were correct in doing what they did
after this incident, the differences between the muslims started which translated into religious differences as well and each Imam fought against the opposite side's ruler at the time till the 12th Imam (as per sunni & shia belief Imam Mehdi - the Imam who is yet to come along with Jesus Christ)
CURRENT SITUATION
sunnis and shias were fine with each other and most of their differences were political till both sides got radicalized after the introduction of the wahabbi sect from saudi arabia. wahabbis believe that shias believe Hazrat Ali was divine and a deity. whereas, shias think he was human but very dear to God and the Prophet. the sunnis believe that he was human like the rest of the companions and the Prophet but they also say that shias should not perform some of the religious ceremonies that they do.
people vary in thought and ideology and with the onset of extremism, things have gotten worse
hope this explanation was clear enough
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
after the Holy Prophet's (pbuh) death, questions rose over his successor.
the two different tribes wanted the replacement from amongst them but negotiations collapsed and there was a fear that everything would descend into chaos. three of the Prophet's companions, Hazrat Abu-bakr, Hazrat Umar & Hazrat Usman, held a small meeting with other companions and decided that Hazrat Abu-bakr should become the 1st caliph.
sunni belief: this was a valid election of the 1st caliph
shia belief: the Holy Prophet had declared Hazrat Ali (his cousin & son-in-law) as his successor during the last Hajj performed by the Prophet before his death infront of all those present
anyway, after the caliph had been chosen, Hazrat Ali put in an initial claim to caliphate but after he was refused, he sat on the sidelines occasionally advising the caliphs when asked for his advice but never taking a part in politics
after the 3rd caliph's murder (Hazrat Usman) due to ineternal strife, muslims asked Hazrat Ali to become the 4th caliph because they could not find a suitable successor. at the time, the two tribes of Ummayads and Bani Hashim were very much against each other because of pre-islamic animosity. Hazrat Usman was an Ummayad caliph and he had placed Muawiya (the muslim son of Abu Sufyan - the Prophet's biggest enemy during his life) as the ruler of Syria. when Hazrat Ali (from Bani Hashim) became the 4th caliph, Muawiya refused to accept him, put in his own claim and effectively sealed off the province from the rest of the government. Hazrat Ali fought a few battles against Muawiya and defeated him but he was himself murdered by a member of a new sect that had come up at the time called Khizrajites.
sunni & shia belief: both are the same in this regard
wahabbi belief: what muawiya did was correct because they believed that as a companion of the Prophet, Muawiya could not have been wrong
After Hazrat Ali's death, his son Imam Hassan (the Prophet's 1st grandson from Hazrat Ali) took over but Muawiya had him poisoned. After Imam Hassan's death, Imam Hussain (the Prophet's 2nd grandson from Hazrat Ali) tok over. Muawiya died and was succeeded by his son Yazid. To make a long story short, Yazid's army and Imam Hussain along with his 72 companions fought at Qarbala, Iraq, which resulted in their being completely wiped out and their families being captured.
sunni & shia belief: these incidents happened
sunni belief: no need to take sides since both sides were muslims
shia belief: yazid & muawiya were wrong
wahabi belief: yazid & muawiya were correct in doing what they did
after this incident, the differences between the muslims started which translated into religious differences as well and each Imam fought against the opposite side's ruler at the time till the 12th Imam (as per sunni & shia belief Imam Mehdi - the Imam who is yet to come along with Jesus Christ)
CURRENT SITUATION
sunnis and shias were fine with each other and most of their differences were political till both sides got radicalized after the introduction of the wahabbi sect from saudi arabia. wahabbis believe that shias believe Hazrat Ali was divine and a deity. whereas, shias think he was human but very dear to God and the Prophet. the sunnis believe that he was human like the rest of the companions and the Prophet but they also say that shias should not perform some of the religious ceremonies that they do.
people vary in thought and ideology and with the onset of extremism, things have gotten worse
hope this explanation was clear enough