Recently, Islam has turned from the second world religion into a real ideology. His influence is so strong that many consider him one of the most important factors in politics. At the same time, this religion is quite heterogeneous, and quite often serious conflicts arise between its adherents. Therefore, it will be useful to understand what are the differences between Sunnis and Shiites, the two main branches of Islam. Their names are quite often mentioned in the news, and at the same time, most of us have a very vague idea about these currents.
Sunnis
The adherents of this direction in Islam got their name due to the fact that the main thing for the Nakh is the "Sunnah" - a set of foundations and rules based on the actions and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. This source explains difficult moments from the Koran and is a kind of addition to it. This is the key differencebetween Sunnis and Shiites. Note that this direction is dominant in Islam. In some cases, following the "sunnah" takes on fanatical, extreme forms. An example is the Afghan Taliban, who paid special attention not only to the type of clothing, but also to the length of the beard for men.
Shia
This direction of Islam allows free interpretation of the instructions of the prophet. However, not everyone has the right to this, but only a select few. The differences between Sunnis and Shiites include the fact that the latter are considered more radical, their religious processions are characterized by a certain drama. This branch of Islam is the second largest and most important, and the name of its supporters means "adherents." But the differences between Sunnis and Shiites do not end there. The latter are often referred to as "Ali's party". This is due to the fact that after the death of the prophet, a dispute arose in the Arab Caliphate as to who should transfer power. According to the Shiites, Ali bin Abi, a disciple of Muhammad and his closest relative, should have become the caliph. The split occurred almost immediately after the death of the prophet. After that, a war broke out, during which Ali was killed in 661. Later, his sons, Hussein and Hasan, also died. At the same time, the death of the first of them, which happened in 680, is still perceived by Shiites as a historical tragedy for all Muslims. In memory of this event, until now on the day of Ashura, supporters of this movement hold emotional mourning processions, during which participants in the procession beat themselvesswords and chains.
What else are the differences between Sunnis and Shiites
Ali's party believes that power in the caliphate should be returned to the imams - as they call the direct descendants of Ali. Since the Shiites believe that sovereignty is inherently divine, they reject the very possibility of elections. According to their ideas, imams are a kind of intermediaries between Allah and people. In contrast, the Sunnis believe that worship should be directly to Allah himself, and therefore the concept of intermediaries is alien to them. However, no matter how different Sunnis and Shiites may be, the differences between these currents are forgotten during the Hajj. The pilgrimage to Mecca is an important event that unites all Muslims, regardless of their differences in faith.
