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Islam

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Two main divisions within Islam: a political & cultural distinction more than religious and theological:

• Sunni (80%) - followers of tradition (sunna). The Arabic (democratic) tradition held that the successor of Muhammad should be determined by election from among the followers. Sunni Muslims base their interpretation of the faith on the Sunna - traditions - modeled on the example set by Prophet Muhammad and agreed upon by democratic consensus of Islamic scholars.

• Shi’ite (15%) - primarily in Persia/Iran, follows the Persian (monarchy) tradition of hereditary leadership, thus disagreeing with Sunni as to who is the rightful heir to Muhammad’s leadership. Leaders of the community should, in Shi’ite eyes, be in familial relation to Muhammad. Shi'ite interpretation of the faith is based on that of the living leader or Imam of the community. 

• Initial division began right after Muhammad died. There was great debate over who the successor should be. The Shi’ites do not recognize the legitimacy of the first three elected leaders, called Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman. The forth Caliph, Ali, was elected but also happened to be the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad and, as such, is the only successor to the Prophet recognized as legitimate by both sides. Shi'ite Islam gets its name from "shi'a" meaning "party [of Ali]" (as in political party).

• The first Caliph died after just two years. The next three made great strides in spreading and formalizing the new faith but all three were met with resistance from rebel groups and were assassinated (martyred).

• These four Caliphs all knew Muhammad personally. The period of time under their guidance was 632 - 661 CE.

• For Sunnis, the chain of leadership by these "Rightly Guided Caliphs" died out after Ali.

Sunnis might be considered more literal or orthodox ("traditional") in their following of the religion as laid down by Muhammad. Sunni Islam is less diversified (more unified) than Shi'ite, since Sunni follows the faith as laid down originally by the founder rather than as interpreted by later leaders. However Sunni are, at the same time, less militant and less extreme than Shi’ites in their beliefs and attitudes. Although in recent decades Sunni Islam, in a number of locales, has not been immune to extremism this is not the norm.

Following Caliph Ali, several Sunni dynasties ruled the Islamic world:

• the Umayyad caliphate ruled until 750

• then the Abbasids ruled for more than 500 years (under which a great civilization developed - the Islamic renaissance period)

• the Ottoman Empire ruled from the 16th century until the British Empire emerged in the 19th century

Posters:
How Did The Spread Of Islam Affect The World?
How Did The Spread Of Islam Affect The World? (Cont'd)

During this time, Shi'ite Islam avoided involvement in worldly politics. Rather, the Shi'ite tended to be more creative and original (as well as mystical) in it's interpretation of the faith. Being more flexible, they thus tended to develop more sub-divisions than Sunni.

Some notable and unique aspects of Shi’ite Islam:

• Has a greater focus on personalities: Saints, founders of various sects and Imams. Here an "Imam" is more than just the prayer leader of a local mosque. For Shi’ite Islam, an Imam is a community wide spiritual leader, recognized almost as a saint or holy man. The Imamite, as an extension of the family of Muhammad, is given respect equal to almost that of Muhammad himself. Shi’ites recognize Ali as the first Imam and trace an hereditary lineage of up to 12 succeeding Imams. Disagreements about the legitimate heir cause further division ("party politics") among Shi’ites into "Fourers", "Seveners" (Ismailis) and "Twelvers" depending upon which Imam they consider to be the last legitimate Imam. Majority are "Twelvers".

• Shi’ite beliefs concerning the 12th Imam: he did not die but, rather, went into hiding, becoming invisible to human perception (sometime in the 9th century). At some time in the future he will reappear. At this return he is seen to be Al Madhi (a spiritual concept not unlike the "second coming" of Jesus or the coming Messiah of Judaism. In some versions of the story, Al Madhi will actually be the forerunner for the return of Jesus who will then complete his mission as the Messiah).

• Shi’ite Islam is much more passionate than Sunni. The fact that their early Imams were martyred is incorporated into the expression of the faith in the form of passion plays and an unwavering willingness to suffer and even die for the faith.

• Shi’ite Imams are both political as well as spiritual leaders (as Muhammad himself was), thus Shi’ite lands (e.g., Iran) tend to be run as Islamic states.

• Shi’ites are less strict than Sunni’s about following the traditions of the Prophet. Guidance from the Imam, as an extension of Muhammad (as Catholics follow the Pope as an extension of Peter), serves as primary interpreter of Islam for Shi’ites. Shi’ite Islam is less uniform than Sunni and has many variations, depending on the Imam lineage recognized. In addition to subdivisions, there were several break-away faiths (e.g., the Druze, Babis and Baha’is). Ironically, one of the results of their creative interpretation of Islam was the Muslim mystical movement called "Sufism" (a positive passion).