History Of Shiite (Shia) Islamic Sect [All What You Need To Know)

Shiites Islamic sect no doubt have been in the news in Nigeria for weeks now. This is not in connection with the fracas between them and Nigerian Army in Zaria where scores lost their lives. 

According to the claim of Nigerian Army, it was said that the Shiites barricaded the road against the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai. 

This did not go well with the army, thereby unleashed attack on them. The leader of the Shiite Islamic sect in Nigeria, El-Zakzaky together with his wife was arrested and still in detention at present. 

I posted this so as to educate about who Shi'ites are, their mode of worship and what  they stand for. 

Read and be updated. 

Shī‘a Islam, also known as Shi‘ite Islam or Shi‘ism, is the second largest branch of Islam after Sunni Islam. Shias adhere to the teachings of Muhammad and the religious guidance of his family (who are referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt ) or his descendants known as Shia Imams. 

Muhammad's bloodline continues only through his daughter Fatima Zahra and cousin Ali who alongside Muhammad's grandsons comprise the Ahl al-Bayt. 

Thus, Shias consider Muhammad's descendants as the true source of guidance. Shia Islam, like Sunni Islam, has at times been divided into many branches; however, only

three of these currently have a significant number of followers, and each of them has a separate trajectory.

From a political viewpoint the history of the Shia was in several stages. The first part was the emergence of the Shia, which starts after Muhammad's death in 632 and lasts until Battle of Karbala in 680. 

This part coincides with the Imamah of Ali, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn. The second part is the differentiation and distinction of the Shia as a separate sect within the Muslim community, and the opposition of the Sunni caliphs. 

This part starts after the Battle of Karbala and lasts until the formation of

the Shia states about 900. During this section Shi'ism divided into several branches. 

The third section is the period of Shia states. The first Shia state was the Idrisid

dynasty (780–974) in Maghreb . Next was the Alavid dynasty (864–928) established in Mazandaran (Tabaristan), north of Iran. 

These dynasties were local, but they were followed by two great and powerful dynasties. 

The Fatimid Caliphate formed in Ifriqiya in 909, and ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb , Egypt and the Levant until 1171. 

The Buyid dynasty emerged in Daylaman , north of Iran, about 930 and then ruled over central and western parts of Iran and Iraq until 1048. 

In Yemen , Imams of various dynasties usually of the Zaidi sect established a theocratic political structure that survived from 897 until 1962.

Muhammad began preaching Islam at Mecca before migrating to Medina , from where he united the tribes of Arabia into a singular Arab Muslim religious polity. 

With Muhammad's death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community. 

While Ali ibn Abi Talib , his cousin and son-in-law, and the rest of Muhammad's close family were washing his body for burial, the tribal leaders of Mecca and Medina held a secret gathering at Saqifah to decide who would succeed Muhammad as head of the Muslim state, disregarding what the earliest Muslims, the Muhajirun , regarded as Muhammad's appointment of Ali as his successor at Ghadir Khumm. Umar ibn al-Khattab, a companion of Muhammad, nominated Abu Bakr.

Others, after initial refusal and bickering, settled on Abu Bakr who was made the first caliph. This choice was disputed by Muhammad's earliest companions, who held that Ali had been designated his successor. 

According to Sunni accounts, Muhammad died without having appointed a successor, and with a need for leadership, they gathered and voted for the position of caliph. 

Shi'a accounts differ by asserting that Muhammad had designated Ali as his successor on a number of occasions, including on his death bed. Ali was supported

by Muhammad's family and the majority of the Muhajirun , the initial Muslims, and was opposed by the tribal leaders of Arabia who included Muhammad 's initial enemies, including, naturally, the Banu Umayya. 

Abu Bakr's election was followed by a raid on Ali's house led by Umar and Khalid ibn-al-Walid (see Umar at Fatimah's house). 

The succession to Muhammad is an extremely contentious issue. Muslims ultimately divided into two branches based on their political attitude towards this issue, which forms the primary theological barrier between the two major divisions of Muslims: Sunni and Shi'a, with the latter following Ali as the successor to Muhammad. 

The two groups also disagree on Ali's attitude towards Abu Bakr, and the two caliphs who succeeded him: Umar (or `Umar ibn al-Khattāb) and Uthman or (‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān). Sunnis tend to stress Ali's acceptance and support of their rule, while the Shi'a claims that he distanced himself from them, and that he was being kept from fulfilling the religious duty that Muhammad had appointed to him. 

The Sunni Muslims say that if Ali was the rightful successor as ordained by God Himself, then it would have been his duty as the leader of the Muslim nation to make war with these people (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman) until Ali established the decree. 

Shia claim, however, that Ali did not fight Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman, because firstly he did not have the military strength and if he decided to, it would have caused a civil war amongst the Muslims, which was still a nascent community throughout the Arab world. 

Differentiation and distinction

Shi'ism began to diverge from Sunni Islam in the centuries after the death of the Prophet Muhammad based on the politics of the early caliphs. 

Due to the Shi'a belief that Ali should have been the first caliph, the three caliphs that preceded him, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Usman, were considered illegitimate usurpers. 

Because of this, any hadith that were narrated by these three caliphs (or any of their supporters) were not accepted by Shi'a hadith collectors.

Due to this, the number of hadith accepted by Shi'a is far less than the hadees accepted by Sunnis, with many of the non-accepted hadith being ones that had to deal with integral aspects of Islam, such as prayer and marriage.

In the absence of a clear hadith for a situation, the Shi'a prefer the sayings and actions of the Imams on the similar level as the hadith of the Prophet himself over other ways, which in turn led to the theological elevation of the Imams as being infallible.

Credit: wiki 

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