Transcript Sunni and Shiite

How the Muslim Culture Split into
Shiites and Sunnis and the Two
Groups’ Similarities and Differences.
BY SHIMON GAMEL AND KOBY DESMOND
Common Beliefs and Practices of
All Muslims
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Belief in Muhammad as the main prophet
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Belief that Allah is one
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Belief in the prophets of other religions, like
Moshe
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Belief that the Qur’an is Muhammad’s last
testament for mankind
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Pilgrimage to Mecca
Key Differences in Belief Among
Muslims

There are two branches of Islam, Sunni and
Shiite.

Sunni’s believe the Muhammad’s first four
caliphs “successors” and their children are the
legitimate religious leaders.

The Shiite’s only believe that the fourth caliph,
Ali, is the only successor of Muhammad and Ali’s
children are the only legitimate religious leaders.
The Shiite/Sunni Split





The Muslim culture split into two groups after Muhammad's
death in 632 AD. It happened because of a dispute over who
should be his successor.
One group, the Sunnis, thought that the community should
choose a new leader, but others, the Shiites, thought one of his
relatives should lead. The name of this relative was Ali. Ali was
married to Muhammad’s daughter.
Ali was killed. His sons, Hassan and Hussein, were denied what
they thought was their legitimate right to be the caliphates
(Muslim leader). Hassan is believed to have been poisoned by
Muawiyah, the first caliph of the Umayyad dynasty.
A war broke out, but eventually the Sunni prevailed choosing
Abu Bakr as their leader.
The Sunni leaders ruled the Islamic world until the end of the
Ottoman Empire after World War I.
Sunni and Shiite – More Differences

The word Sunni comes from "Ahl al-Sunna", the people of the
tradition, the term Shiite comes from "Shiat Ali" or the party of
Ali.

Sunni’s believe that Mohammed was the final prophet and
that the leaders after him are merely people whereas Shiites
honor leaders that came after Mohammed, like Ali and
Hussein, and other imams as holy people, with almost divine
qualities. Shiites believe in the coming of a messianic like
figure who will be the 12th Imam.
Shiites and Sunnis -Then and Now

The great majority of Muslims are Sunni–somewhere around 90%

Shia Muslims are in the majority in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Azerbaijan
and, according to some estimates, Yemen.

For centuries, these groups have co-existed and even
intermarried

There has been ongoing competition among their leaders

Recent conflicts in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and
Pakistan have divided the two sects further

In countries that have been governed by Sunnis, Shia tend to be
poorer. They often see themselves as victims of discrimination
and oppression.
Sunni and Shia Muslim Population
Distribution in the Middle East
Works Cited
Shuster, Mike. "The Origins Of The Shiite-Sunni
Split."Http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2007/02/12/7332087/theorigins-of-the-shiite-sunni-split. NPR, 12 Feb. 2007. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
Sunnis and Shia: Islam's ancient schism - BBC News. (2014, June 20).
Retrieved October 12, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/worldmiddle-east-16047709
"What Is the Difference Between Sunni and Shiite Muslims--and Why
Does It Matter?" History News Network. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
<http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/934>.
"What's the Difference Between Shiite and Sunni Muslims?" LiveScience.
TechMedia Network, 25 Feb. 2011. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.livescience.com/33071-whats-the-difference-betweenshiite-and-sunni-muslims.html>.