Sunni vs Shia Essays - Islam, Shia Islam, Hadith, Sunnah, Ali

Sunni vs Shi'a One of the most important periods in Islam is the division between Sunnis and Shi'as. Sunnis and Shi'as are very similar, but some of their practices and beliefs counteract the other. These differences are derived from different interpretations and point of view. The split originated from the death of Prophet Muhammad. Different people had different interpretations of wh o should be the next leader. At first, Sunni and Shi'a was only a matter of who the next leader should be. However, as time went by, Shi'a began to show a preference for Hadith and Sunnah literature. Credited to the Prophet's family and close links. The Sunnis consider any Hadith and Sunnah credited to any of the 12000 companions to be valid. Also, all Muslims must pray 5 times a day, but Shi'a practice permits praying in only 3 intervals. There is also a significant different in the layout of the religious leadership. In Shi'a tradition, the most learned emerge as spiritual leaders. However, there is no such hierarchy in Sunni Islam. But, Sunnis and Shi'as are more similar than it appears to be. They both share the fundamental Islamic beliefs and religious scriptures. Also, they follow the five pillars of Islam.