Part of
a series on Shia Islam |
---|
Shia Islam portal |
Part of a series on |
Islam |
---|
Shia Islam ( /藞蕛i藧蓹/) is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib (656鈥661 CE) as his successor (khal墨fa) and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most notably at the event of Ghadir Khumm, but was prevented from succeeding Muhammad as the leader of the Muslims as a result of the choice made by some of Muhammad's other companions (峁岣ツ乥a) at Saqifah. This view primarily contrasts with that of Sunn墨 Islam, whose adherents believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor before his death and consider Ab奴 Bakr, who was appointed caliph by a group of Muhammad's other companions at Saqifah, to be the first rightful (r膩shid奴n) caliph after Muhammad (632鈥634 CE). Adherents of Sh墨士a Islam are called Shia Muslims.
Sh墨士a Islam is based on a 岣d墨th report concerning Muhammad's pronouncement at Ghadir Khumm. Sh墨士a Muslims believe that 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, should have been the designated successor to Muhammad as Islam's spiritual and political leader. This belief later developed into the concept of Imamah, the idea that certain descendants of Muhammad, the Ahl al-Bayt, are rightful rulers or Imams through the bloodline of 士Al墨 and his firstborn son 岣san, whom Sh墨士a Muslims believe possess special spiritual and political authority over the Muslim community. Later events such as 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨's martyrdom in the Battle of Karbala (680 CE) further influenced the development of Sh墨士a Islam, contributing to the formation of a distinct religious sect with its own rituals and shared collective memory. [1]
Sh墨士a Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam, followed by 10鈥15% of all Muslims. Although there are many Sh墨士a subsects in the Muslim world, Twelver Sh墨士墨sm is by far the largest and most influential, comprising about 85% of all Sh墨士a Muslims. Others include the Ism膩士墨l墨, Zayd墨, and Alevi. Sh墨士a Muslims form a majority of the population in four countries across the Muslim world: Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain. Significant Sh墨士ite communities are also found in Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Yemen, and the Indian subcontinent. Iran stands as the world's only country where Sh墨士a Islam forms the foundation of both its laws and governance system. [2]
The word Shia derives from the Arabic term Sh墨士at 士Al墨, meaning "partisans of Ali", "followers of Ali" or "faction of Ali". [3] [4] Sh墨士墨 ( /藞蕛i藧i/) denotes both the singular noun and the adjective form, while Sh墨士iyy奴n refers to the plural noun. [5] Shia or Sh墨士a ( /藞蕛i藧蓹/), Shiism/Sh墨士ism ( /藞蕛i藧瑟z(蓹)m/), and Shiite/Sh墨士ite ( /藞蕛i藧a瑟t/) are the forms used in English and other European languages for adherents, mosques, traditions, and things associated with the Shia branch of Islam. [6] [7]
The term Shia was first used during Muhammad's lifetime. [8] At present, the word refers to the Muslims who believe that the leadership of the Muslim community after Muhammad belongs to 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and his successors. [9] Nawbakhti states that the term Shia refers to a group of Muslims who at the time of Muhammad and after him regarded 士Al墨 as the Imam and caliph. [9] [10] Al-Shahrastani expresses that the term Shia refers to those who believe that 士Al墨 is designated as the heir, Imam, and caliph by Muhammad [9] [11] and that 士Al墨's authority is maintained through his descendants. [9] [12] For the adherents of Shia Islam, this conviction is implicit in the Quran and the history of Islam. Shia Muslim scholars emphasize that the notion of authority is linked to the family of the Abrahamic prophets as the Quranic verses 3:33 and 3:34 show: "Indeed, Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of 鈥橧mr芒n above all people. They are descendants of one another. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." [13]
This section may require
cleanup to meet Wikipedia's
quality standards. The specific problem is: cluttered, inconsistent, and confusing. (October 2022) |
Sh墨士a Islam encompasses various denominations and subgroups, [3] all bound by the belief that the leader of the Muslim community (Ummah) should hail from Ahl al-Bayt, the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. [14] It embodies a completely independent system of religious interpretation and political authority in the Muslim world. [15] [16]
Sh墨士a Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by God alone, only God has the prerogative to appoint the successor to his prophet. They believe God chose 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib to be Muhammad's successor, infallible, the first caliph (khal墨fa, head of state) of Islam. Sh墨士a Muslims believe that Muhammad designated Ali as his successor by God's command ( Eid Al Ghadir). [17] [18] 士Al墨 was Muhammad's first-cousin and closest living male relative as well as his son-in-law, having married Muhammad's daughter, F膩峁璱mah. [19] [20]
The Sh墨士墨te version of the Shahada, the Islamic profession of faith, differs from that of the Sunn墨s. [21] The Sunn墨 version of the Shahada states "There is no god except God, Muhammad is the messenger of God", but to this declaration of faith Sh墨士a Muslims append the phrase Ali-un-Waliullah (毓賱賷 賵賱賷 丕賱賱賴: "士Al墨 is the Wali (custodian) of God"). The basis for the Sh墨士墨te belief in 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib as the Wali of God is derived from the Quranic verse 5:55.
This additional phrase to the declaration of faith embodies the Sh墨士墨te emphasis on the inheritance of authority through Muhammad's family and lineage. The three clauses of the Sh墨士墨te version of the Shahada thus address the fundamental Islamic beliefs of Taw岣ツ玠 (unity and oneness of God), Nubuwwah (the prophethood of Muhammad), and Imamah (the Imamate, leadership of the faith). [22]
Ismah is the concept of infallibility or "divinely bestowed freedom from error and sin" in Islam. [23] Muslims believe that Muhammad, along with the other prophets and messengers, possessed ismah. Twelver and Ism膩士墨l墨 Sh墨士a Muslims also attribute the quality to Imams as well as to F膩峁璱mah, daughter of Muhammad, in contrast to the Zayd墨 Sh墨士as, who do not attribute ismah to the Imams. [24] Though initially beginning as a political movement, infallibility and sinlessness of the Imams later evolved as a distinct belief of (non-Zayd墨) Sh墨士墨sm. [25]
According to Sh墨士a Muslim theologians, infallibility is considered a rational, necessary precondition for spiritual and religious guidance. They argue that since God has commanded absolute obedience from these figures, they must only order that which is right. The state of infallibility is based on the Sh墨士墨te interpretation of the verse of purification. [26] [27] Thus, they are the most pure ones, the only immaculate ones preserved from, and immune to, all uncleanness. [28] It does not mean that supernatural powers prevent them from committing a sin, but due to the fact that they have absolute belief in God, they refrain from doing anything that is a sin. [23]
They also have a complete knowledge of God's will. They are in possession of all knowledge brought by the angels to the prophets (nab墨) and the messengers (r膩s奴l). Their knowledge encompasses the totality of all times. Thus, they are believed to act without fault in religious matters. [29] Shia Muslims regard 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib as the successor of Muhammad not only ruling over the entire Muslim community in justice, but also interpreting the Islamic faith, practices, and its esoteric meaning. 士Al墨 is regarded as a "perfect man" (al-insan al-kamil) similar to Muhammad, according to the Sh墨士墨te viewpoint. [30]
The Occultation is an eschatological belief held in various denominations of Sh墨士a Islam concerning a messianic figure, the hidden and last Imam known as "the Mahdi", that one day shall return on Earth and fill the world with justice. According to the doctrine of Twelver Sh墨士墨sm, the main goal of Imam Mahdi will be to establish an Islamic state and to apply Islamic laws that were revealed to Muhammad. The Quran does not contain verses on the Imamate, which is the basic doctrine of Sh墨士a Islam. [31] Some Sh墨士a subsects, such as the Zayd墨 Sh墨士as and Niz膩r墨 Ism膩士墨l墨s, do not believe in the idea of the Occultation. The groups which do believe in it differ as to which lineage of the Imamate is valid, and therefore which individual has gone into Occultation. They believe there are many signs that will indicate the time of his return.
Twelver Sh墨士a Muslims believe that the prophesied Mahdi and 12th Sh墨士墨te Imam, Hujjat Allah al-Mahdi, is already on Earth in Occultation, and will return at the end of time. 峁琣yyibi Ism膩士墨l墨s and Fatimid/Bohra/ Dawoodi Bohra believe the same but for their 21st 峁琣yyib, At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, and also believe that a Da'i al-Mutlaq ("Unrestricted Missionary") maintains contact with him. Sunn墨 Muslims believe that the future Mahdi has not yet arrived on Earth. [32]
Sh墨士a Muslims believe that the status of 士Al墨 is supported by numerous 岣d墨th reports, including the Hadith of the pond of Khumm, Hadith of the two weighty things, Hadith of the pen and paper, Hadith of the invitation of the close families, and Hadith of the Twelve Successors. In particular, the Hadith of the Cloak is often quoted to illustrate Muhammad's feeling towards 士Al墨 and his family by both Sunn墨 and Shia scholars. Shia Muslims prefer to study and read the hadith attributed to the Ahl al-Bayt and close associates, and most have their own separate hadith canon. [33] [34]
Sh墨士a Muslims believe that the armaments and sacred items of all of the Abrahamic prophets, including Muhammad, were handed down in succession to the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt. Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq, the 6th Sh墨士墨te Imam, in Kitab al-Kafi mentions that "with me are the arms of the Messenger of Allah. It is not disputable." [35]
Further, he claims that with him is the sword of the Messenger of God, his coat of arms, his Lamam (pennon) and his helmet. In addition, he mentions that with him is the flag of the Messenger of God, the victorious. With him is the Staff of Moses, the ring of Solomon, son of David, and the tray on which Moses used to offer his offerings. With him is the name that whenever the Messenger of God would place it between the Muslims and pagans no arrow from the pagans would reach the Muslims. With him is the similar object that angels brought. [35]
Al-峁⒛乨iq also narrated that the passing down of armaments is synonymous to receiving the Imamat (leadership), similar to how the Ark of Covenant in the house of the Israelites signaled prophethood. [35] Imam Ali al-Ridha narrates that wherever the armaments among us would go, knowledge would also follow and the armaments would never depart from those with knowledge (Imamat). [35]
According to Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar, God gives humans the faculty of reason and argument. Also, God orders humans to spend time thinking carefully on creation while he refers to all creations as his signs of power and glory. These signs encompass all of the universe. Furthermore, there is a similarity between humans as the little world and the universe as the large world. God does not accept the faith of those who follow him without thinking and only with imitation, but also God blames them for such actions. In other words, humans have to think about the universe with reason and intellect, a faculty bestowed on us by God. Since there is more insistence on the faculty of intellect among Shia Muslims, even evaluating the claims of someone who claims prophecy is on the basis of intellect. [36] [37]
Shia religious practices, such as prayers, differ only slightly from the Sunn墨s. While all Muslims pray five times daily, Shia Muslims have the option of combining Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha', as there are three distinct times mentioned in the Quran. The Sunn墨s tend to combine only under certain circumstances.
Shia Muslims celebrate the following annual holidays:
After Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities of Islam, the cities of Najaf, Karbala, Mashhad and Qom are the most revered by Sh墨士a Muslims. [42] [43] The Sanctuary of Im膩m 士Al墨 in Najaf, the Shrine of Imam 岣sayn in Karbala, The Sanctuary of Imam Reza in Mashhad and the Shrine of F膩峁璱mah al-Ma士峁E玬ah in Qom are very essential for Sh墨士a Muslims. Other venerated pilgrimage sites include the Kadhimiya Mosque in Kadhimiya, Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra, the Sahla Mosque, the Great Mosque of Kufa, the Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, and the Tomb of Daniel in Susa.
Most of the Sh墨士a sacred places and heritage sites in Saudi Arabia have been destroyed by the Al Saud- Wahhabi armies of the Ikhwan, the most notable being the tombs of the Imams located in the Al-Baqi' cemetery in 1925. [44] In 2006, a bomb destroyed the shrine of Al-Askari Mosque. [45] (See: Anti-Shi'ism).
Shia orthodoxy, particularly in Twelver Shi'ism, has considered non-Muslims as agents of impurity (Naj膩sat). This categorization sometimes extends to kit膩b峥, individuals belonging to the People of the Book, with Jews explicitly labeled as impure by certain Shia religious scholars. [46] [47] [48] Armenians in Iran, who have historically played a crucial role in the Iranian economy, received relatively more lenient treatment. [47]
Shi'ite theologians and mujtahids (jurists), such as Mu岣mmad B膩qir al-Majlis峥, held that Jews' impurity extended to the point where they were advised to stay at home on rainy or snowy days to prevent contaminating their Shia neighbors. Ayatollah Khomeini, Supreme Leader of Iran from 1979 to 1989, asserted that every part of an unbeliever's body, including hair, nails, and bodily secretions, is impure. However, the current leader of Iran, 士Al墨 Khamene示墨, stated in a fatwa that Jews and other Peoples of the Book are not inherently impure, and touching the moisture on their hands does not convey impurity. [46] [49] [48]
The original Shia identity referred to the followers of Imam 士Al墨, [50] and Shia theology was formulated after the hijra (8th century CE). [51] The first Shia governments and societies were established by the end of the 9th century CE. The 10th century CE has been referred to by the scholar of Islamic studies Louis Massignon as "the Shiite Ismaili century in the history of Islam". [52]
The Shia, originally known as the "partisans" of 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib, Muhammad's cousin and Fatima's husband, first emerged as a distinct movement during the First Fitna from 656 to 661 CE. Shia doctrine holds that 士Al墨 was meant to lead the community after Muhammad's death in 632. Historians dispute over the origins of Shia Islam, with many Western scholars positing that Sh墨士墨sm began as a political faction rather than a truly religious movement. [53] [54] Other scholars disagree, considering this concept of religious-political separation to be an anachronistic application of a Western concept. [55]
Shia Muslims believe that Muhammad designated 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib as his heir during a speech at Ghadir Khumm. [14] The point of contention between different Muslim sects arises when Muhammad, whilst giving his speech, gave the proclamation "Anyone who has me as his mawla, has 士Al墨 as his mawla". [9] [56] [57] [58] Some versions add the additional sentence "O God, befriend the friend of 士Al墨 and be the enemy of his enemy". [59] Sunnis maintain that Muhammad emphasized the deserving friendship and respect for 士Al墨. In contrast, Shia Muslims assert that the statement unequivocally designates 士Al墨 as Muhammad's appointed successor. [9] [60] [61] [62] Shia sources also record further details of the event, such as stating that those present congratulated 士Al墨 and acclaimed him as Amir al-Mu'minin ("commander of the believers"). [59]
When Muhammad died in 632 CE, 士Al墨 ibn Ab墨 峁乴ib and Muhammad's closest relatives made the funeral arrangements. While they were preparing his body, Ab奴 Bakr, 士Umar ibn al-Kha峁弓膩b, and Abu Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah met with the leaders of Medina and elected Ab奴 Bakr as the first r膩shid奴n caliph. Ab奴 Bakr served from 632 to 634, and was followed by Umar (634鈥644) and 士Uthm膩n (644鈥656). [14]
With the murder of 士Uthm膩n in 657 CE, the Muslims of Medina invited 士Al墨 to become the fourth caliph as the last source, [19] and he established his capital in Kufa. [3] 士Al墨's rule over the early Islamic empire, between 656 CE to 661 CE, was often contested. [14] Tensions eventually led to the First Fitna, the first major civil war between Muslims within the empire, which began as a series of revolts fought against 士Al墨. While the rebels had previously affirmed the legitimacy of 士Al墨's khilaf膩示 (caliphate), they later turned against 士Al墨 and fought him. [19] Tensions escalated into the Battle of the Camel in 656, where Ali's forces emerged victorious against Aisha, Talhah, and al-Zubayr. However, the Battle of Siffin in 657 turned the tide against 士Al墨, who lost due to arbitration issues with Muawiyah, the governor of Damascus. [14] 士Al墨 withdrew to Kufa, overcoming the Kharijis, a faction that had transformed from supporters to bitter rivals, at Nahrawan in 658. In 661, 士Al墨 was assassinated by a Khariji assassin in Kufa while in the act of prostration during prayer ( sujud). Subsequently, Muawiyah asserted his claim to the caliphate. [63] [20]
Upon the death of 士Al墨, his elder son 岣san became leader of the Muslims of Kufa. After a series of skirmishes between the Kufa Muslims and the army of Muawiyah, 岣san ibn Ali agreed to cede the caliphate to Muawiyah and maintain peace among Muslims upon certain conditions: The enforced public cursing of 士Al墨, e.g. during prayers, should be abandoned; Muawiyah should not use tax money for his own private needs; There should be peace, and followers of 岣san should be given security and their rights; Muawiyah will never adopt the title of Amir al-Mu'minin ("commander of the believers"); Muawiyah will not nominate any successor. [64] [65] 岣san then retired to Medina, where in 670 CE he was poisoned by his wife Ja'da bint al-Ash'ath, after being secretly contacted by Muawiyah who wished to pass the caliphate to his own son Yazid and saw 岣san as an obstacle. [66]
岣sayn ibn 士Al墨, 士Al墨's younger son and brother to 岣san, initially resisted calls to lead the Muslims against Muawiyah and reclaim the caliphate. In 680 CE, Muawiyah died and passed the caliphate to his son Yazid, and breaking the treaty with 岣san ibn 士Al墨. Yazid asked Husayn to swear allegiance ( bay'ah) to him. 士Al墨's faction, having expected the caliphate to return to 士Al墨's line upon Muawiyah's death, saw this as a betrayal of the peace treaty and so 岣sayn rejected this request for allegiance. There was a groundswell of support in Kufa for 岣sayn to return there and take his position as caliph and Imam, so 岣sayn collected his family and followers in Medina and set off for Kufa. [14]
En route to Kufa, Husayn was blocked by an army of Yazid's men, which included people from Kufa, near Karbala; rather than surrendering, Husayn and his followers chose to fight. In the Battle of Karbala, 岣sayn and approximately 72 of his family members and followers were killed, and Husayn's head was delivered to Yazid in Damascus. The Shi'a community regard 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨 as a martyr ( shahid), and count him as an Imam from the Ahl al-Bayt. The Battle of Karbala and martyrdom of 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨 is often cited as the definitive separation between the Shia and Sunn墨 sects of Islam. 岣sayn is the last Imam following 士Al墨 mutually recognized by all branches of Shia Islam. [67] The martyrdom of Husayn and his followers is commemorated on the Day of Ashura, occurring on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. [14]
Later, most denominations of Shia Islam, including Twelvers and Ism膩士墨l墨s, became Imamis. [9] [69] [70] Imami Sh墨士墨tes believe that Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad. [71] Imams are human individuals who not only rule over the Muslim community with justice, but also are able to keep and interpret the divine law and its esoteric meaning. The words and deeds of Muhammad and the Imams are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree (nass) through Muhammad. [72] [73] According to this view peculiar to Shia Islam, there is always an Imam of the Age, who is the divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the Muslim community. 士Al墨 was the first Imam of this line, the rightful successor to Muhammad, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah. [71] [74]
This difference between following either the Ahl al-Bayt (Muhammad's family and descendants) or pledging allegiance to Ab奴 Bakr has shaped the Shia鈥揝unn墨 divide on the interpretation of some Quranic verses, hadith literature (accounts of the sayings and living habits attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his lifetime), and other areas of Islamic belief throughout the history of Islam. For instance, the hadith collections venerated by Shia Muslims are centered on narrations by members of the Ahl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some hadith transmitted by narrators not belonging to or supporting the Ahl al-Bayt are not included. Those of Abu Hurairah, for example, Ibn Asakir in his Ta士rikh Kabir, and Muttaqi in his Kanzu士l-Umma report that 士Umar ibn al-Kha峁弓膩b lashed him, rebuked him, and forbade him to narrate 岣d墨th from Muhammad. 士Umar is reported to have said: "Because you narrate hadith in large numbers from the Holy Prophet, you are fit only for attributing lies to him. (That is, one expects a wicked man like you to utter only lies about the Holy Prophet.) So you must stop narrating hadith from the Prophet; otherwise, I will send you to the land of Dus." (An Arab clan in Yemen, to which Abu Hurairah belonged). According to Sunn墨 Muslims, 士Al墨 was the fourth successor to Ab奴 Bakr, while Shia Muslims maintain that 士Al墨 was the first divinely sanctioned "Imam", or successor of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala of 士Al墨's son, 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨, and 71 of his followers in 680 CE, who led a non-allegiance movement against the defiant caliph.
It is believed in Twelver and Ism膩士墨l墨 branches of Shia Islam that divine wisdom (士aql) was the source of the souls of the prophets and Imams, which bestowed upon them esoteric knowledge (岣kmah), and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees. [75] [76] Although the Imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation (wa岣), he had a close relationship with God, through which God guides him, and the Imam, in turn, guides the people. Imamate, or belief in the divine guide, is a fundamental belief in the Twelver and Ism膩士墨l墨 branches of Shia Islam, and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance. [77]
In Shia Islam, Imam Mahdi is regarded as the prophesied eschatological redeemer of Islam who will rule for seven, nine, or nineteen years (according to differing interpretations) before the Day of Judgment and will rid the world of evil. According to Islamic tradition, the Mahdi's tenure will coincide with the Second Coming of Jesus (士莫s膩), who is to assist the Mahdi against the Masih ad-Dajjal (literally, the "false Messiah" or Antichrist). Jesus, who is considered the Masih (" Messiah") in Islam, will descend at the point of a white arcade east of Damascus, dressed in yellow robes with his head anointed. He will then join the Mahdi in his war against the Dajjal, where it is believed the Mahdi will slay the Dajjal and unite humankind.
In the century following the Battle of Karbala (680 CE), as various Shia-affiliated groups diffused in the emerging Islamic world, several nations arose based on a Shia leadership or population.
A major turning point in the history of Shia Islam was the dominion of the Safavid dynasty (1501鈥1736) in Persia. This caused a number of changes in the Muslim world:
With the fall of the Safavids, the state in Iran鈥攊ncluding the state system of courts with government-appointed judges (q膩岣嵞)鈥攂ecame much weaker. This gave the shar墨士a courts of mujtahid an opportunity to fill the legal vacuum and enabled the ulama to assert their judicial authority. The Usuli school of thought also increased in strength at this time. [89]
Shia Islam is the second largest branch of Islam. [91] It is estimated that either 10鈥20% [92] or 10鈥13% [93] [94] [95] of the global Muslim population are Shias. They may number up to 200 million as of 2009. [94] As of 1985, Shia Muslims are estimated to be 21% of the Muslim population in South Asia, although the total number is difficult to estimate. [96]
Shia Muslims form a distinct majority of the population in two countries of the Muslim world: Iran and Azerbaijan. [97] [98] Shia Muslims constitute 36.3% of the entire population (and 38.6% of the Muslim population) of the Middle East. [99]
Estimates have placed the proportion of Shia Muslims in Lebanon between 27% and 45% of the population, [97] [100] 30鈥35% of the citizen population in Kuwait (no figures exist for the non-citizen population), [101] [102] over 20% in Turkey, [94] [103] 5鈥20% of the population in Pakistan, [104] [94] and 10鈥19% of Afghanistan's population. [105] [106]
Saudi Arabia hosts a number of distinct Shia communities, including the Twelver Baharna in the Eastern Province and Nakhawila of Medina, and the Ism膩士墨l墨 Sulaymani and Zayd墨 Shias of Najran. Estimations put the number of Sh墨士墨te citizens at roughly 15% of the local population. [107] Approximately 40% of the population of Yemen are Shia Muslims. [108] [109]
Significant Shia communities also exist in the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik). [110] The Shia presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantly Sh膩fi士墨 Sunn墨s.
A significant Shia minority is present in Nigeria, made up of modern-era converts to a Sh墨士墨te movement centered around Kano and Sokoto states. [94] [95] [111] Several African countries like Kenya, [112] South Africa, [113] Somalia, [114] etc. hold small minority populations of various Shia subsects, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as the Khoja. [115]
Figures indicated in the first three columns below are based on the October 2009 demographic study by the Pew Research Center report, Mapping the Global Muslim Population. [94] [95]
Country | Article | Shia population in 2009 (Pew) [94] [95] | Percent of population that is Shia in 2009 (Pew) [94] [95] | Percent of global Shia population in 2009 (Pew) [94] [95] | Population estimate ranges and notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Iran | Islam in Iran | 66,000,000鈥69,500,000 | 90鈥95 | 37鈥40 | |
Pakistan | Shia Islam in the Indian subcontinent | 25,272,000 | 15 | 15 | A 2010 estimate was that Shia made up about 10鈥15% of Pakistan's population. [116] |
Iraq | Shi'a Islam in Iraq | 19,000,000鈥24,000,000 | 55鈥65 | 10鈥11 | |
India | Shia Islam in the Indian subcontinent | 12,300,000鈥18,500,000 | 1.3鈥2 | 9鈥14 | |
Yemen | Shia Islam in Yemen | 7,000,000鈥8,000,000 | 35鈥40 | ~5 | Majority following Zaydi Shia sect. |
Turkey | Shi'a Islam in Turkey | 6,000,000鈥9,000,000 | ~10鈥15 | ~3鈥4 | Majority following Alevi Shia sect. |
Azerbaijan | Islam in Azerbaijan | 4,575,000鈥5,590,000 | 45鈥55 | 2鈥3 | Azerbaijan is majority Shia. [117] [118] [119] A 2012 work noted that in Azerbaijan, among believers of all faiths, 10% identified as Sunni, 30% identified as Shia, and the remainder of followers of Islam simply identified as Muslim. [119] |
Afghanistan | Shi'a Islam in Afghanistan | 3,000,000 | 15 | ~2 | A reliable census has not been taken in Afghanistan in decades, but about 20% of Afghan population is Shia, mostly among ethnic Tajik and Hazara minorities. [120] |
Syria | Islam in Syria | 2,400,000 | 13 | ~2 | Majority following Alawites Shia sect. |
Lebanon | Shi'a Islam in Lebanon | 2,100,000 | 31.2 | <1 | In 2020, the CIA World Factbook stated that Shia Muslims constitute 31.2% of Lebanon's population. [121] |
Saudi Arabia | Shi'a Islam in Saudi Arabia | 2,000,000 | ~6 | ||
Nigeria | Shi'a Islam in Nigeria | <2,000,000 | <1 | <1 | Estimates range from as low as 2% of Nigeria's Muslim population to as high as 17% of Nigeria's Muslim population. [a] Some, but not all, Nigerian Shia are affiliated with the banned Islamic Movement in Nigeria, an Iranian-inspired Shia organization led by Ibrahim Zakzaky. [122] |
Tanzania | Islam in Tanzania | ~1,500,000 | ~2.5 | <1 | |
Kuwait | Shi'a Islam in Kuwait | 500,000鈥700,000 | 20鈥25 | <1 | Among Kuwait's estimated 1.4 million citizens, about 30% are Shia (including Ismaili and Ahmadi, whom the Kuwaiti government count as Shia). Among Kuwait's large expatriate community of 3.3 million noncitizens, about 64% are Muslim, and among expatriate Muslims, about 5% are Shia. [124] |
Bahrain | Islam in Bahrain | 400,000鈥500,000 | 65鈥70 | <1 | |
Tajikistan | Shi'a Islam in Tajikistan | ~400,000 | ~4 | <1 | Shi'a Muslims in Tajikistan are predominantly Nizari Ismaili |
Germany | Islam in Germany | ~400,000 | ~0.5 | <1 | |
United Arab Emirates | Islam in the United Arab Emirates | ~300,000 | ~3 | <1 | |
United States |
Islam in the United States Shia Islam in the Americas |
~225,000 | ~0.07 | <1 | Shi'a form a majority amongst Arab Muslims in many American cities, e.g. Lebanese Shi'a forming the majority in Detroit. [125] |
United Kingdom | Islam in the United Kingdom | ~125,000 | ~0.2 | <1 | |
Qatar | Islam in Qatar | ~100,000 | ~3.5 | <1 | |
Oman | Islam in Oman | ~100,000 | ~2 | <1 | As of 2015, about 5% of Omanis are Shia (compared to about 50% Ibadi and 45% Sunni). [126] |
The Shia community throughout its history split over the issue of the Imamate. The largest branch are the Twelvers, followed by the Zayd墨s and the Ism膩士墨l墨s. Each subsect of Sh墨士墨sm follows its own line of Imamate. All mainstream Twelver and Ism膩士墨l墨 Shia Muslims follow the same school of thought, the Ja式fari jurisprudence, named after Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq, the 6th Sh墨士墨te Imam. Sh墨士墨te clergymen and jurists usually carry the title of mujtahid (i.e., someone authorized to issue legal opinions in Shia Islam).
Twelver Sh墨士墨sm or Ithn膩士ashariyyah is the largest branch of Shia Islam, [127] [91] [128] [129] [130] [131] and the terms Shia Muslim and Shia often refer to the Twelvers by default. The designation Twelver is derived from the doctrine of believing in twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as " the Twelve Imams". Twelver Shia are otherwise known as Imami or Ja士fari; the latter term derives from Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq, the 6th Sh墨士墨te Imam, who elaborated the Twelver jurisprudence. [132] Twelver Shia constitute the majority of the population in Iran (90%), [133] Azerbaijan (85%), [3] [134] Bahrain (70%), Iraq (65%), and Lebanon (65% of Muslims). [135] [136]
Twelver doctrine is based on five principles. [137] These five principles known as Usul ad-Din are as follow: [138]
Besides the Quran, which is the sacred text common to all Muslims, Twelver Shias derive scriptural and authoritative guidance from collections of sayings and traditions ( hadith) attributed to Muhammad and the Twelve Imams. Below is a list of some of the most prominent of these books:
According to the theology of Twelvers, the successor of Muhammad is an infallible human individual who not only rules over the Muslim community with justice but also is able to keep and interpret the divine law (shar墨士a) and its esoteric meaning. The words and deeds of Muhammad and the Twelve Imams are a guide and model for the Muslim community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and Imams must be chosen by divine decree (nass) through Muhammad. [72] [73] The twelfth and final Imam is Hujjat Allah al-Mahdi, who is believed by Twelvers to be currently alive and hidden in Occultation. [77]
The Twelver jurisprudence is called Ja式fari jurisprudence. In this school of Islamic jurisprudence, the sunnah is considered to be comprehensive of the oral traditions of Muhammad and their implementation and interpretation by the Twelve Imams. There are three schools of Ja士fari jurisprudence: Usuli, Akhbari, and Shaykhi; the Usuli school is by far the largest of the three. Twelver groups that do not follow the Ja士fari jurisprudence include Alevis, Bektashi, and Qizilbash.
The five pillars of Islam to the Ja士fari jurisprudence are known as Usul ad-Din:
In Ja士fari jurisprudence, there are eight secondary pillars, known as Furu ad-Din, which are as follows: [138]
According to Twelvers, defining and interpretation of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) is the responsibility of Muhammad and the Twelve Imams. Since the 12th Imam is currently in Occultation, it is the duty of Sh墨士墨te clerics to refer to the Islamic literature, such as the Quran and hadith, and identify legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law to provide means to deal with current issues from an Islamic perspective. In other words, clergymen in Twelver Sh墨士墨sm are believed to be the guardians of fiqh, which is believed to have been defined by Muhammad and his twelve successors. This process is known as ijtihad and the clerics are known as marja士, meaning "reference"; the labels Allamah and Ayatollah are in use for Twelver clerics.
Islamist Sh墨士墨sm ( Persian: 鬲卮蹖毓 丕禺賵丕賳蹖) is a new denomination within Twelver Sh墨士墨sm greatly inspired by the political ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood and mysticism of Ibn Arabi. It sees Islam as a political system and differs from the other mainstream Usuli and Akhbari groups in favoring the idea of the establishment of an Islamic state in Occultation under the rule of the 12th Imam. [141] [142] Hadi Khosroshahi was the first person to identify himself as ikhwani (Islamist) Shia Muslim. [143] Because of the concept of the hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, Shia Islam is inherently secular in the age of Occultation, therefore Islamist Shia Muslims had to borrow ideas from Sunn墨 Islamists and adjust them in accordance with the doctrine of Sh墨士墨sm. [144] Its foundations were laid during the Persian Constitutional Revolution at the start of 20th century in Qajar Empire (1905鈥1911), when Fazlullah Nouri supported the Persian king Ahmad Shah Qajar against the will of Muhammad Kazim Khurasani, the Usuli marja士 of the time. [145]
Ism膩士墨l墨s, otherwise known as Sevener, derive their name from their acceptance of Ism膩士墨l ibn Ja士far as the divinely appointed spiritual successor ( Imam) to Ja士far al-峁⒛乨iq, the 6th Sh墨士墨te Imam, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who recognize M奴s膩 al-K膩岷搃m, younger brother of Ism膩士墨l, as the true Imam.
After the death or Occultation of Muhammad ibn Imam Ism膩士墨l in the 8th century CE, the teachings of Ism膩士墨l墨sm further transformed into the belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on the deeper, esoteric meaning ( b膩峁璱n) of the Islamic faith. With the eventual development of Twelver Sh墨士墨sm into the more literalistic ( zah墨r) oriented Akhbari and later Usuli schools of thought, Sh墨士墨sm further developed in two separate directions: the metaphorical Ism膩士墨l墨 group focusing on the mystical path and nature of God and the divine manifestation in the personage of the "Imam of the Time" as the "Face of God", with the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law (shar墨'ah) and the deeds and sayings (sunnah) attributed to Muhammad and his successors (the Ahl al-Bayt), who as A'immah were guides and a light (n奴r) to God. [146]
Though there are several subsects amongst the Ism膩士墨l墨s, the term in today's vernacular generally refers to the Shia Imami Ism膩士墨l墨 Niz膩r墨 community, often referred to as the Ism膩士墨l墨s by default, who are followers of the Aga Khan and the largest group within Ism膩士墨l墨sm. Another Shia Imami Ism膩士墨l墨 community are the Dawudi Bohras, led by a Da'i al-Mutlaq ("Unrestricted Missionary") as representative of a hidden Imam. While there are many other branches with extremely differing exterior practices, much of the spiritual theology has remained the same since the days of the faith's early Imams. In recent centuries, Ism膩士墨l墨s have largely been an Indo-Iranian community, [147] but they can also be found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, [148] Yemen, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East and South Africa, and in recent years several Ism膩士墨l墨s have emigrated to China, [149] Western Europe (primarily in the United Kingdom), Australia, New Zealand, and North America. [150]
In the Niz膩r墨 Ism膩士墨l墨 interpretation of Shia Islam, the Imam is the guide and the intercessor between humans and God, and the individual through whom God is recognized. He is also responsible for the esoteric interpretation of the Quran (ta示w墨l). He is the possessor of divine knowledge and therefore the "Prime Teacher". According to the "Epistle of the Right Path", a Persian Ism膩士墨l墨 prose text from the post- Mongol period of Ism膩士墨l墨 history, by an anonymous author, there has been a chain of Imams since the beginning of time, and there will continue to be an Imam present on the Earth until the end of time. The worlds would not exist in perfection without this uninterrupted chain of Imams. The proof ( hujja) and gate ( b膩b) of the Imam are always aware of his presence and are witness to this uninterrupted chain. [151]
After the death of Ism膩士墨l ibn Ja士far, many Ism膩士墨l墨s believed that one day the eschatological figure of Imam Mahdi, whom they believed to be Muhammad ibn Imam Ism膩士墨l, would return and establish an age of justice. One group included the violent Qarmatians, who had a stronghold in Bahrain. In contrast, some Ism膩士墨l墨s believed the Imamate did continue, and that the Imams were in Occultation and still communicated and taught their followers through a network of Da'i ("Missionaries").
In 909 CE, Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah, a claimant to the Ism膩士墨l墨 Imamate, established the Fatimid Caliphate. During this period, three lineages of Imams were formed. The first branch, known today as the Druze, began with Al-岣つ乲im bi-Amr All膩h. [152] Born in 985 CE, he ascended as ruler at the age of eleven. When in 1021 CE his mule returned without him, soaked in blood, a religious group that was forming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream Ism膩士墨l墨sm and did not acknowledge his successor. [152] Later to be known as the Druze, they believe Al-岣つ乲im to be God incarnate [153] and the prophesied Mahdi on Earth, who would one day return and bring justice to the world. [154] The Druze faith further split from Ism膩士墨l墨sm as it developed into a distinct monotheistic Abrahamic religion and ethno-religious group with its own unique doctrines, [152] and finally separated from both Ism膩士墨l墨sm and Islam altogether. [152] Thus, the Druze do not identify themselves as Muslims, [152] and are not considered as such by Muslims either. [152] [155] [156] [157] [158]
The second split occurred between Niz膩r墨 and Musta鈥榣墨 Ism膩士墨l墨s following the death of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah in 1094 CE. His rule was the longest of any caliph in any Islamic empire. Upon his death, his sons, Niz膩r (the older) and Al-Musta鈥榣墨 (the younger), fought for political and spiritual control of the dynasty. Niz膩r was defeated and jailed, but according to the Niz膩r墨 tradition his son escaped to Alamut, where the Iranian Ism膩士墨l墨 had accepted his claim. [159] From here on, the Niz膩r墨 Ism膩士墨l墨 community has continued with a present, living Imam.
The Musta鈥榣墨 Ism膩士墨l墨s split between the 峁琣yyibi and the 岣つ乫i岷搃; 峁琣yyibi Ism膩士墨l墨s, also known as "Bohras", are further divided between Dawudi Bohras, Sulaymani Bohras, and Alavi Bohras. The former denomination claims that At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, son of Al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah, and the Imams following him went into a period of anonymity (Dawr-e-Satr) and appointed a Da'i al-Mutlaq ("Unrestricted Missionary") to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Ism膩士墨l墨s had lived after the death of Muhammad ibn Imam Ism膩士墨l. The latter denomination claims that the ruling Fatimid caliph was the Imam, and they died out with the fall of the Fatimid Empire.
Ism膩士墨l墨s have categorized their practices which are known as seven pillars:
|
The Niz膩r墨s place importance on a scholarly institution because of the existence of a present Imam. The Imam of the Age defines the jurisprudence, and his guidance may differ with Imams previous to him because of different times and circumstances. For Niz膩r墨 Ism膩士墨l墨s, the current Imam is Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan IV. The Niz膩r墨 line of Imams has continued to this day as an uninterrupted chain.
Divine leadership has continued in the Bohra branch through the institution of the "Missionary" ( Da'i). According to the Bohra tradition, before the last Imam, At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, went into seclusion, his father, the 20th Al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah, had instructed Al-Hurra Al-Malika the Malika ( Queen consort) in Yemen to appoint a vicegerent after the seclusion鈥攖he Da'i al-Mutlaq ("Unrestricted Missionary"), who as the Imam's vicegerent has full authority to govern the community in all matters both spiritual and temporal while the lineage of Musta鈥榣墨- 峁琣yyibi Imams remains in seclusion (Dawr-e-Satr). The three branches of Musta鈥榣墨 Ism膩士墨l墨s ( Dawudi Bohras, Sulaymani Bohras, and Alavi Bohras) differ on who the current "Unrestricted Missionary" is.
Zaydism, otherwise known as Zaydiyya or as Zayd墨 Sh墨士ism, is a branch of Shia Islam named after Zayd ibn 士Al墨. Followers of the Zayd墨 school of jurisprudence are called Zayd墨s or occasionally Fivers. However, there is also a group called Zayd墨 W膩si峁玸 who are Twelvers (see below). Zayd墨s constitute roughly 42鈥47% of the population of Yemen. [160] [161]
The Zayd墨s, Twelvers, and Ism膩士墨l墨s all recognize the same first four Imams; however, the Zayd墨s consider Zayd ibn 士Al墨 as the 5th Imam. After the time of Zayd ibn 士Al墨, the Zayd墨s believed that any descendant (Sayyid) of 岣san ibn 士Al墨 or 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨 could become the next Imam, after fulfilling certain conditions. [162] Other well-known Zayd墨 Imams in history were Yahya ibn Zayd, Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, and Ibrahim ibn Abdullah.
The Zayd墨 doctrine of Imamah does not presuppose the infallibility of the Imam, nor the belief that the Imams are supposed to receive divine guidance. Moreover, Zayd墨s do not believe that the Imamate must pass from father to son but believe it can be held by any Sayyid descended from either 岣san ibn 士Al墨 or 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨 (as was the case after the death of the former). Historically, Zayd墨s held that Zayd ibn 士Al墨 was the rightful successor of the 4th Imam since he led a rebellion against the Umayyads in protest of their tyranny and corruption. Muhammad al-Baqir did not engage in political action, and the followers of Zayd ibn 士Al墨 maintained that a true Imam must fight against corrupt rulers.
In matters of Islamic jurisprudence, Zayd墨s follow the teachings of Zayd ibn 士Al墨, which are documented in his book Majmu'l Fiqh (in Arabic: 賲噩賲賵毓 丕賱賮賽賯賴). Al-岣つ乨墨 ila'l-岣qq Ya岣膩, the first Zayd墨 Imam and founder of the Zayd墨 State in Yemen, is regarded as the codifier of Zayd墨 jurisprudence, and as such most Zayd墨 Shias today are known as Hadawis.
The Idrisids ( Arabic: 丕賱兀丿丕乇爻丞) were Arab [163] Zayd墨 Shias [164] [165] [166] [167] [168] [169] whose dynasty, named after its first sultan, Idris I, ruled in the western Maghreb from 788 to 985 CE. Another Zayd墨 State was established in the region of Gilan, Deylaman, and Tabaristan (northern Iran) in 864 CE by the Alavids; [170] it lasted until the death of its leader at the hand of the Samanids in 928 CE. Roughly forty years later, the Zayd墨 State was revived in Gilan and survived under Hasanid leaders until 1126 CE. Afterwards, from the 12th to 13th centuries, the Zayd墨 Shias of Deylaman, Gilan, and Tabaristan then acknowledged the Zayd墨 Imams of Yemen or rival Zayd墨 Imams within Iran. [171]
The Buyids were initially Zayd墨 Shias, [172] as were the Banu Ukhaidhir rulers of al-Yamama in the 9th and 10th centuries. [173] The leader of the Zayd墨 community took the title of caliph; thus, the ruler of Yemen was known by this title. Al-Hadi Yahya bin al-Hussain bin al-Qasim ar-Rassi, a descendant of 岣san ibn 士Al墨, founded the Zayd墨 Imamate at Sa'dah in 893鈥897 CE, and the Rassid dynasty continued to rule over Yemen until the middle of the 20th century, when the republican revolution of 1962 deposed the last Zayd墨 Imam. (See: Arab Cold War). The founding Zayd墨 branch in Yemen was the Jarudiyya; however, with increasing interaction with the 岣naf墨 and Sh膩fi士墨 schools of Sunn墨 jurisprudence, there was a shift from the Jarudiyya group to the Sulaimaniyya, Tabiriyya, Butriyya, and Salihiyya. [174] Zayd墨 Shias form the second dominant religious group in Yemen. Currently, they constitute about 40鈥45% of the population in Yemen; Ja士faris and Ism膩士墨l墨s constitute the 2鈥5%. [175] In Saudi Arabia, it is estimated that there are over 1 million Zayd墨 Shias, primarily based in the western provinces.
Currently, the most prominent Zayd墨 political movement is the Houthi movement in Yemen, [176] known by the name of Shabab al-Mu'mineen ("Believing Youth") or Ansar Allah ("Partisans of God"). [177] In 2014鈥2015, Houthis took over the Yemeni government in Sana'a, which led to the fall of the Saudi Arabian-backed government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. [176] [177] [178] Houthis and their allies gained control of a significant part of Yemen's territory, and resisted the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen seeking to restore Hadi in power. [176] [177] (See: Iran鈥揝audi Arabia proxy conflict). Both the Houthis and the Saudi Arabian-led coalition were being attacked by the Sunn墨 Islamist militant group and Salafi-jihadist terrorist organization ISIL/ISIS/IS/Daesh. [179] [180] [181] [182] [183] [184]
The history of Shia鈥揝unn墨 relations has often involved religious discrimination, persecution, and violence, dating back to the earliest development of the two competing sects. At various times throughout the history of Islam, Shia groups and minorities have faced persecution perpetrated by Sunn墨 Muslims. [185] [186] [187] [188]
Militarily established and holding control over the Umayyad government, many Sunn墨 rulers perceived the Shias as a threat鈥攂oth to their political and religious authority. [189] The Sunn墨 rulers under the Umayyad dynasty sought to marginalize the Shia minority, and later the Abbasids turned on their Shia allies and imprisoned, persecuted, and killed them. The persecution of Shia Muslims throughout history by their Sunn墨 co-religionists has often been characterized by brutal and genocidal acts. Comprising only about 10鈥15% of the global Muslim population, [91] Shia Muslims remain a marginalized community to this day in many Sunn墨-dominant Arab countries, without the rights to practice their religion and freely organize. [190]
In 1514, the Ottoman sultan Selim I (1512鈥1520) ordered the massacre of 40,000 Alevis and Bektashi (Anatolian Shia Muslims). [191] According to Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, "Sultan Selim I carried things so far that he announced that the killing of one Shia had as much otherworldly reward as killing 70 Christians." [192] In 1802, the Al Saud- Wahhabi armies of the Ikhwan from the First Saudi State (1727鈥1818) attacked and sacked the city of Karbala, the Shia shrine in Najaf (eastern region of Iraq) that commemorates the martyrdom and death of 岣sayn ibn 士Al墨. [193]
During the rule of Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist Iraq, Shia political activists were arrested, tortured, expelled or killed, as part of a crackdown launched after an assassination attempt against Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz in 1980. [194] [195] In March 2011, the Malaysian government declared Shia Islam a "deviant" sect and banned Shia Muslims from promoting their faith to other Muslims, but left them free to practice it themselves privately. [196] [197]
The most recent campaign of anti-Shia oppression was the Islamic State organization's persecution of Shias in its territories in Northern Iraq, [181] [198] [182] [199] which occurred alongside the persecution of various religious groups and the genocide of Yazidis by the same organization during the Second Iraq War. [181] [182] [183] [184]
For Shi士i Muslims, Muhammad not only designated 士Al墨 as his friend, but appointed him as his successor鈥攁s the "lord" or "master" of the new Muslim community. 士Al墨 and his descendants would become known as the Imams, divinely guided leaders of the Shi士i communities, sinless, and granted special insight into the Qur示anic text. The theology of the Imams that developed over the next several centuries made little distinction between the authority of the Imams to politically lead the Muslim community and their spiritual prowess; quite to the contrary, their right to political leadership was grounded in their special spiritual insight. While in theory, the only just ruler of the Muslim community was the Imam, the Imams were politically marginal after the first generation. In practice, Shi士i Muslims negotiated varied approaches to both interpretative authority over Islamic texts and governance of the community, both during the lifetimes of the Imams themselves and even more so following the disappearance of the twelfth and final Imam in the ninth century.
according to a famous hadith... 'our sixth imam, Imam Sadeg, says that we have five definitive holy places that we respect very much. The first is Mecca... second is Medina... third... is in Najaf. The fourth... in Kerbala. The last one belongs to... Qom.'
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
link)
Similarly, swords were also placed on the Idols, as it is related that Harith b. Abi Shamir, the Ghassanid king, had presented his two swords, called Mikhdham and Rasub, to the image of the goddess, Manat....to note that the famous sword of Ali, the fourth caliph, called Dhu-al-Fiqar, was one of these two swords
The architect of his military system was a general named Jawhar, an islamicized Greek slave who had led the conquest of North Africa and then of Egypt
When the Sicilian Jawhar finally entered Fustat in 969 and the following year founded the new dynastic capital, Cairo, 'The Victorious', the Fatimids ...
Under Mu始izz (955-975) the Fatimids reached the height of their glory, and the universal triumph of Isma 驶ilism appeared not far distant. The fourth Fatimid Caliph is an attractive character: humane and generous, simple and just, he was a good administrator, tolerant and conciliatory. Served by one of the greatest generals of the age, Jawhar al-Rumi, a former Greek slave, he took fullest advantage of the growing confusion in the Sunnite world.
The Pew Forum's estimate of the Shia population (10鈥13%) is in keeping with previous estimates, which generally have been in the range of 10鈥15%.
Shia Islam represents 10鈥20% of Muslims worldwide
In the early 21st century some 10鈥13 percent of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims were Shi士i.
Of the total Muslim population, 10鈥13% are Shia Muslims and 87鈥90% are Sunni Muslims. Most Shias (between 68% and 80%) live in just four countries: Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.
Religion: The overwhelming majority of the population (96.3 percent) is Muslim, of whom approximately 95 percent are Sunni and 5 percent Shia.
Religion: Virtually the entire population is Muslim. Between 80 and 85 percent of Muslims are Sunni and 15 to 19 percent, Shia.
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
In Yemen, Zaidists, a Shia offshoot, constitute 30% of the total population
[Druze] often they are not regarded as being Muslim at all, nor do all the Druze consider themselves as Muslim
Most Druze do not consider themselves Muslim. Historically they faced much persecution and keep their religious beliefs secrets.