What is the difference between Shia and Sunni?

I was wondering what is the difference between Shia and Sunni? Are they different Islamic sects or completely different faiths? Are the actions of Shia Militants reflective of Islamic values (and those people who beat themselves)?

Thanks

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent. All praise is due to Allah, and may the Salaat and Salaam be upon the final messenger, sent as a mercy to mankind, along with his family, companions and all those who follow him.


Since the Shia are made up of numerous different sects, each sect having a set of beliefs that may differ from another in fundamental principles, it would be near impossible to provide a brief response to this question. It would require a detailed response outlining each sect's creed and comparing each sect with the true followers of Islaam, the Sunnis / Salafis / Ahlus Sunnah.

However, we hope that these general responses by some of the major scholars of our time would shed some light on the issue and more information will be added concerning this issue on this thread insha-Allaah:

Shaykh 'Abdul 'Azeez ibn Baaz, one of the highest ranking religious figures in Islaam in this era comments on the Shia:

\"I would like to inform you that the Shia consist of many different sects, each sect being involved in different types of innovations. The most severe are the Rafidah, the Khumainiyah and the Ithna-'Ashariyah sects, due to the great number of callers that promote them and because they engage in major polytheism such as invoking Ahlul Bayt, as well as believing that people have knowledge of the unseen [such as future events etc], specifically the 'twelve Imams' as they claim. They also declare the majority of the companions of the Prophet [may the Salaat and Salaam be upon him], to be disbelievers and insult them, such as Abu Bakr and 'Umar may Allah be pleased with them both. We ask Allah to protect us from the falsehood they are upon.

This does not prevent us from calling them to the religion of Allah, directing them to the correct path and warning them from the falsehood they are involved in according to the Book and the Sunnah.\"


The Committee of Major Scholars of Saudi Arabia, the most highly respected institution in Islam, had this to say regarding them:

\"There are many differences between the Shia and Ahlus Sunnah relating to monotheism, Prophet-hood, leadership and other issues. A lot of Scholars have written regarding them such as Shaykhul Islaam ibn Taymiyah in his book 'Minhaaj-us Sunnah', Sihristani in 'Al Milal wan Nihal', Ibn Hazm in 'Al Fasl' and others so please refer to these books.

Allah is the granter of success and may peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad.\"

They stated elsewhere:

\"The Shia consist of many different groups. Whoever amongst them claims that 'Alee attained the status of Prophet-hood, and that the angel Gabriel erred because he revealed the message to our Prophet Muhammad instead is a disbeliever.

Allah is the granter of success and may peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad.\"

So some sects of the Shia are outside the fold of Islam, they have beliefs that are in total contradiction to the Islaamic creed, they are not considered to be Muslims at all. Others have beliefs that may not take them out of the fold of Islam, but they are non the less considered to be innovators, engaging in practices that have nothing to do with the religion of Islam. And no the actions of Shia militants are not reflective of Islamic values, nor are the actions of any other militant sect for that matter.

Who are the Rafidah (the origin of the Shia)?



The first person to found this sect is ‘Abdullah son of Saba al Yahodi, a Yemeni Jew. He outwardly proclaimed to be Muslim and traveled to Madeenah during the rule of the rightly guided Khalifah Uthmaan ibn ‘Afaan, may Allah be pleased with him.

The were named ‘Rafidah” (literally meaning ‘The Rejecters’) because they rejected Zayd ibn ‘Alee after requesting him to free himself from Abu Bakr and Umar, the first and second rulers in Islam after the death of the final Messenger, may Salaat and Salaam be upon him. Upon hearing their request, he asked Allaah to have mercy on the two deceased leaders.

They said: ‘Therefore we will reject you.”

He responded: ‘Leave, for you are ‘Ar Rafidah’ – ‘the rejectors’.

Al Dhahabee, a renowned scholar and historian of the 8th Islamic century (14th Gregorian century) stated:

The Rafidah approached Zayd and said: ‘Free yourself of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and we shall support you.’

He replied: ‘Rather I shall support them.’

They said: ‘Therefore we reject you!’

They were then known as the Rafidah.

Shaykh al Islam ibn Taymiyah mentions in Majmoo’ al Fatawa:

Imam Ahmad was asked: ‘Who are the Rafidah?’

He said: ‘Those who vilify Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they rejected Zayd ibn ‘Alee due to their hatred of the two when he showed support for them, so whoever shows hatred of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar is from the Rafidah. It is also said that they were named ‘Rafidah’ due to their rejection of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.’

Shaykh al Islam said: ‘The origin of the Rafidah are hypocrites, it was ‘Abdullah ibn Saba the hypocrite who innovated this sect, he then practiced extremism towards ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib by stating that he was the only rightful leader of the Muslims among other things.’

Shaykh al Islam mentioned elsewhere: The founder of the Rafidah is none other than ‘Abullah ibn Saba the hypocrite, he outwardly proclaimed to be Muslim while concealing his Jewish faith, his intention was to corrupt the religion of Islam just as Bolis the Christian did with Christianity, he was in reality a Jew who embraced Christianity with the intention of corrupting it.

Ibn Abee al ‘Izz states in his explanation of ‘Al ‘Aqeedah at Tahawiyah”:

The founder of the Rafidah is a hypocrite who embraced Islam with the intention of destroying it and accusing the final Messenger of Allah, may Salaat and Salaam be upon him. ‘Abdullah ibn Saba was a Jew who only proclaimed to be Muslim in order to corrupt the religion of Islam with his vile evil plots, just as Bolis did with Christianity. He outwardly practiced Islam, started ordering people with good and forbidding them from evil and eventually plotted the murder of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Afaan and the turmoil that was caused due to it. He then traveled to Kufah and practiced extremism towards ‘Alee ibn Abi Talib and showed support for him in order to further his personal agenda. When ‘Alee was informed of this he ordered his execution, but he managed to escape to Qarqays, his biography is well known in Islamic history.

Interesting to note the response of the Companion of Muhammad (May Allah Raise his Rank and Grant him Peace) - Ali's response, to founder of the rafadee shee'ah deception.

When ‘Alee was informed of this he ordered his execution, but he managed to escape to Qarqays, his biography is well known in Islamic history.

It shows the pure monotheistic faith inherited by the Companions of Muhammad (May Allah Raise his Rank and Grant him Peace) that was preserved and carried through generations, were even the extreme praise of individuals was completely rejected in defence of tawheed (monotheism).

Post edited by: islaam.ca admin, at: 2007/06/14 23:26<br><br>Post edited by: islaam.ca admin, at: 2007/06/14 23:27