The Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq is a holy site for Shia Muslims

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Part of a series on Shīa Islam
Beliefs and practices
Monotheism Holy Books Prophethood Succession to Muhammad Imamate of the Family Angels Judgement Day Mourning of Muharram Intercession · Ismah The Occultation · Clergy
Views
The Qur'an · Sahaba
Holy days
Ashura · Arba'een · Mawlid Eid ul-Fitr · Eid al-Adha Eid al-Ghadeer Eid al-Mubahila
History
Twelver Two things  · Ismāʿīlī · Zaidi The verse of purification Mubahala · Two things Khumm · Fatimah's house First Fitna · Second Fitna The Battle of Karbala Persecution
Ahl al-Kisa
Muhammad · Ali · Fatimah Hasan · Hussein
List of Shia companions
Holy ladies
Fatimah · Khadijah · Zaynab bint Ali · Fatimah bint al-Hasan · Sukayna bint Husayn · Rubab · Shahrbanu · Nijmah · Fātimah bint Mūsā · Hakimah Khātūn · Narjis · Fatimah bint Asad · Farwah bint al-Qasim ·
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Shia Islam (Arabic: شيعة‎, Shīʿah) is the second largest denomination of Islam. Adherents of Shia Islam are called Shi'as, Shi'ites, or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī (شيعة علي), meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Like other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is based on the teachings of the Quran and the message of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.^[6][7] In contrast to other schools of thought, the Shia believe that only God has the right to choose a representative to safeguard Islam, the Quran and sharia (based upon verses in the Quran which stipulate this according to the Shia).^[8] For this reason, the Shias look to Ali, whom they consider divinely appointed, as the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the first imam. The Shia believe that there are numerous narrations where Muhammad selected Ali as his successor.^[9][10]

Shias believe that Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"), and certain individuals among his descendants, who are known as Imams, have special spiritual and political authority over the community. Therefore, Shias prefer hadith attributed to the Ahl al-Bayt and close associates, and have their own separate collection of hadiths.^[11][12] All Shias agree on the succession of Hassan and Hussein after Ali, but they may differ after Hussein.^[13][14] Hassan and Hussein are described by Shias as "leaders of all youths in Paradise", and believe that these sons of Ali were the true leaders and caliphs of the Muslims.^[15][16] Shias regard Ali as the successor of Muhammad not only ruling over the community in justice, but also interpreting Islamic practices and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by God by divine decree (nass) to be the first Imam.^[17] Ali is known as "perfect man" (al-insan al-kamil) similar to Muhammad, according to Shia viewpoint.^[18]

Etymology[link]

Shia in Arabic

The word Shia (Classical Arabic: شيعة shīʻah /ˈʃiːʕa/) means follower^[19] and is the short form of the historic phrase shīʻatu ʻAlī (شيعة علي /ˈʃiːʕatu ˈʕaliː/), meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".^[1][3][4][5] The term has widely appeared in hadith and is repeated four times in the Quran;^[2] for example verse 37:83^[20] mentions Abraham as a Shia (follower) of Noah.^[21] Shi'ite, Shiite, Shia, and Shiism are alternative terms.

Doctrine[link]

The position of Ali is supported by numerous hadith, including 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 Ali and his family by both Sunni and Shia scholars. Therefore, Shias use hadiths narrated by the Ahl al-Bayt and close associates to understand the Quran.

Although there were several Shia branches through history, modern Shia Islam is divided into three main branches.^[22] The largest Shia sect in the early 21st century is the Ithna ashariyya,^[23] commonly referred to in English as the Twelvers, while smaller branches include the Ismaili and Zaidi.^[24]

The Shia Islamic faith is vast and inclusive of many different groups.^[1] Shia theological beliefs, and religious practises such as prayers slightly differ from the Sunnis. While all Muslims pray five times daily, Shias have the option of always combining Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha', as there are three distinct times mentioned in the Quran. The Sunnis tend to combine only under certain circumstances.^[25][26] Shia Islam embodies a completely independent system of religious interpretation and political authority in the Muslim world.^[27][28] The Shia identity emerged during the lifetime of Muhammad,^[29] and Shia theology was formulated in the 2nd century AH, or after Hijra (8th century CE).^[30] The first Shia governments and societies were established by the end of the 3rd century AH/9th century CE. The 4th century AH /10th century CE has been referred to by Louis Massignon as 'the Shiite Ismaili century in the history of Islam'.^[31]

Twelver Shia Muslims believe that Imam Mahdi (the twelfth imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi) is already on earth and is currently hidden (into occultation, Minor Occultation 874–941, Major Occultation began 941 and is believed to continue until a time decided by Allah) and will return at the end of time, whereas Sunnis believe the Mahdi will appear sometime in the future.^[32]

Beliefs[link]

Succession of Ali[link]

The Investiture of Ali at Ghadir Khumm (MS Arab 161, fol. 162r, AD 1309/8 Ilkhanid manuscript illustration)

Shia Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by God alone, only God has the prerogative to appoint the successor to his prophet. Ali was his first caliph. They believe that God chose Ali to be the successor, infallible and divinely chosen. Thus, they say that Muhammad, before his death, appointed Ali as his successor.

Ali was Muhammad's first cousin and closest living male relative as well as his son-in-law, having married his daughter Fatimah.^[1][33][34] 'Ali would eventually become the fourth Muslim caliph.^[35]

After the last pilgrimage, Muhammad ordered the gathering of Muslims at the pond of Khumm and it was there that Muhammad nominated Ali to be his successor. The hadith of the pond of Khumm (Arabic: غدير خم‎) refers to the saying (i.e., Hadith) about a historical event of appointment, crucial to Islamic history. This event took place on 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah of 10 AH in the Islamic calendar (March 10, 632 AD) at a place called Ghadir Khumm, which is located near the city of al-Juhfah, Saudi Arabia.^[36]

Shia Muslims believe it to be an appointment of Ali by Muhammad as his successor, while Sunni Muslims believe it to be a simple defense of Ali in the face of unjust criticism.^[33]

Shia Muslims further believe that the wording of the sermon delivered by Muhammad was as follows:

Oh people! Reflect on the Quran and comprehend its verses. Look into its clear verses and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah, none shall be able to explain to you its warnings and its mysteries, nor shall anyone clarify its interpretation, other than the one that I have grasped his hand, brought up beside myself, [and lifted his arm,] the one about whom I inform you that whomever I am his master (Mawla), this Ali is his master (Mawla); and he is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, my brother, the executor of my will (Wasiyyi), whose appointment as your guardian and leader has been sent down to me from Allah, the mighty and the majestic.

— Muhammad, 'The Farewell Sermon^[37]

When Muhammad died, Ali and Muhammad's closest relatives made the funeral arrangements. While they were preparing his body, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah (Abu 'Ubayda) met with the leaders of Medina and elected Abu Bakr as khalifa ("caliph"). Ali and his family were dismayed, but accepted the appointment for the sake of unity in the early Muslim community.^[33]

It was not until the murder of the third khalifa, Uthman, that the Muslims in Medina invited 'Ali to become the fourth khalifa.^[33]

While Ali was caliph, his capital was in Kufah, in present-day Iraq.^[1]

Ali's rule over the early Muslim community was often contested, to the extent that wars were waged against him. As a result, he had to struggle to maintain his power against the groups who broke away after giving him allegiance, or those who wished to take his position. After Ali's murder in 661 CE, his main rival, Muawiyah, claimed the caliphate.^[38] While the rebels who accused Uthman of nepotism affirmed Ali's khilafa, they later turned against him and fought him.^[33]

Ali ruled from 656 CE to 661 CE,^[33] when he was assassinated.^[34] while prostrating (sujud) in prayer. Shia add "و عليٌ وليُّ الله" "and Ali is the wali (chosen one) of God" (wa-'Aliyun waliyu l-Lāh), to the adhan and Shahada but this is not obligatory.^[39] Ali is regarded as the foremost authority on the Tafsir and hadith.^[40]

Hussein[link]

Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq, where Ali is buried.

The Shia regard Hussein ibn Ali as an imam (which is considered a divine spiritual leader appointed by God) and a martyr. He is believed to be the third of the imams from the Ahl al-Bayt, who are supposed to succeed Muhammad, and that he set out on his path in order to save the religion of Islam and the Islamic nation from annihilation at the hands of Yazid I. He is notable for being the last imam following Ali whom all Shia sub-branches agree on.^[41]

Imamate of the Ahl al-Bayt[link]

A fictional representation of the Sword of Ali, the Zulfiqar, two swords were captured from the temple of the pagan polytheist God Manat during the Raid of Sa'd ibn Zaid al-Ashhali. Muhammad gave them to Ali, saying that one of them was Al-Dhulfiqar, which became the famous sword of Ali and a symbol of the Shia Islam^[42]

Most of the early Shia as well as Zaydis differed only marginally from mainstream Sunnis in their views on political leadership, but it is possible in this sect to see a refinement of Shia doctrine. Early Sunnis traditionally held that the political leader must come from the tribe of Muhammad—namely, the Quraysh. The Zaydis narrowed the political claims of the Ali's supporters, claiming that not just any descendant of Ali would be eligible to lead the Muslim community (ummah) but only those males directly descended from Muhammad through the union of Ali and Fatimah. But during the Abbasid revolts, other Shia, who came to be known as Imamiyyah (followers of the imams), followed the theological school of Ja'far al-Sadiq. They asserted a more exalted religious role for imams and insisted that, at any given time, whether in power or not, a single male descendant of Ali and Fatimah was the divinely appointed imam and the sole authority, in his time, on all matters of faith and law. To those Shia, love of the imams and of their persecuted cause became as important as belief in God's oneness and the mission of Muhammad.^[23]

Later most of Shia, including Twelver and Ismaili, became Imamis. Imami Shia believe that Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad.^[23] Imams are human individuals who not only rule over the 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, or nass, through Muhammad.^[43][44]

According to this view, 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. Ali was the first imam of this line, the rightful successor to Muhammad, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah.^[23]

Kalema at Qibla of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt with phrase "Ali-un-Waliullah"

This difference between following either the Ahl al-Bayt (Muhammad's family and descendants) or Caliph Abu Bakr has shaped Shia and non-Shia views on some of the Quran, the hadith (narrations from Muhammad) and other areas of Islam. For instance, the collection of Hadith venerated by Shia Muslims is centered on narrations by members of the Ahl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some Hadith by narrators not belonging to or supporting the Ahl al-Bayt are not included (those of Abu Hurairah, for example). According to Sunnis, Ali was the fourth successor to Abu Bakr, while the Shia maintain that Ali was the first divinely sanctioned "Imam," or successor of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE at the Battle of Karbala of Ali's son Hussein ibn Ali, who led a non-allegiance movement against the defiant caliph (71 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.

It is believed in Twelver and Ismaili Shia Islam that 'aql, divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the prophets and imams and gave them esoteric knowledge called ḥikmah and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees.^[23][45][46] Although the Imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, 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 Ismaili Shia branches and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance.^[47]

In Shia Islam, there is a third phrase of the Shahada, Ali-un-waliullah, which depicts the importance of the Imamate.^[48]

- The fundamental first phrase La- ilaha-ill-al-lah is the foundation stone of Islam, the belief that "there is no god but Allah". This is the confession of Tawhid.

- The second phrase, Mohammad-ur –rasul-al-lah, says "Mohammad is God's Rasul, Nabi, the Messenger, Apostle". This is the acceptance of the "Nabuwat", or prophethood, of Muhammad.

- According to Shia Islam, Muhammad declared Ali bin Abu Talib as his successor and said that "for whoever I am a Moula of them, Ali is his Moula". Hence, they say the Kalema required further confession of the third phrase Ali-un- wali-ul-lah, meaning "Ali is his (Muhammad's) Wali", its caretaker, stressing the need that for continuation of faith there is a requirement of Wali, the imams who are the real caretakers of Islam.

The Shahada thus includes three Islamic teachings, Tawhid, Nabuwat and Imamate. In this belief, the Nabi, Muhammad and the imams are so linked together that these cannot be viewed separately. One leads to the other and finally to God, "God", the Almighty.

In one of the Qibla of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah of the Fatimid Caliphate, the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, was engraved his name and the phrase kalema‐tut‐sahadat (see image above left), giving specific importance to the third phrase, Ali –un‐ wali ‐ ul –lah, hence to the Imamate.

Ismah[link]

After Muhammad, Ali is credited as the first male to accept Islam

Ismah is the concept of infallibility or "divinely bestowed freedom from error and sin" in Islam.^[49] Muslims believe that Muhammad and other prophets in Islam possessed ismah. Twelver and Ismaili Shia Muslims also attribute the quality to Imams as well as to Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, in contrast to the Zaidi, who do not attribute 'ismah to the Imams.

According to Shia 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 Shia interpretation of the verse of purification.^[50][51] Thus, they are the most pure ones, the only immaculate ones preserved from, and immune to, all uncleanness.^[52] It does not mean that supernatural powers prevent them from committing a sin, but due to the fact that they have an absolute belief in God, that they find themselves in the presence of God.^[53]

They also have a complete knowledge of God's will. They are in possession of all knowledge brought by the angels to the prophets (nabi) and the messengers (Rasul). Their knowledge encompasses the totality of all times. They thus act without fault in religious matters.^[54]

Intercession[link]

Tawassul (Arabic: توسل‎) is an Islamic religious practice in which a Muslim seeks nearness to God. A rough translation would be: "To draw near to what one seeks after and to approach that which one desires." The exact definition and method of tawassul is a matter of some dispute within the Muslim community.

Muslims who practice tawassul point to the Quran, Islam's holy book, as the origin of the practice. Many Muslims believe it is a commandment upon them to "draw near" to God.^[55] Amongst Sufi and Barelvi Muslims within Sunni Islam, as well as Twelver Shia Muslims, it refers to the act of supplicating to God through a prophet, imam or Sufi saint, whether dead or alive.^[56]

The Occultation[link]

This section requires expansion.

The Occultation in Shia Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, the Mahdi, is an Imam who has disappeared and will one day return alongside Jesus and fill the world with justice. According to the Twelver Shia, the main goal of the Mahdi will be to establish an Islamic state and to apply Islamic laws that were revealed to the Prophet of Islam.^[57]

Some Shia, such as the Zaidi and Nizari Ismaili, do not believe in the idea of the Occultation. The groups which do believe in it differ upon 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.

History[link]

Graph of notable figures[link]

Origin of the Shia[link]

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (December 2010)

According to Encyclopædia Britannica and others,^[58] the Shia are believed to have started as a political party and developed into a religious movement, influencing Sunnis and producing a number of important sects.

Early in the history of Islam, the Shīʿites were a political faction (Arabic shīʿat ʿAlī, “party of ʿAlī”) that supported the power of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (the fourth caliph [khalīfah, successor of Muhammad]) and, later, of his descendants.^[23]

Hossein Nasr disagrees with this and writes:

Shi'ism was not brought into existence only by the question of the political succession to Muhammad as so many Western works claim (although this question was of course of great importance). The problem of political succession may be said to be the element that crystallized the Shi'ites into a distinct group, and political suppression in later periods, especially the martyrdom of Imam Husayn-upon whom be peace-only accentuated this tendency of the Shi'ites to see themselves as a separate community within the Islamic world. The principal cause of the coming into being of Shi'ism, however, lies in the fact that this possibility existed within the Islamic revelation itself and so had to be realized. Inasmuch as there were exoteric [Zaheri] and esoteric [Bateni] interpretations from the very beginning, from which developed the schools (madh'hab) of the Sharia and Sufism in the Sunni world, there also had to be an interpretation of Islam, which would combine these elements in a single whole. This possibility was realized in Shi'ism, for which the Imam is the person in whom these two aspects of traditional authority are united and in whom the religious life is marked by a sense of tragedy and martyrdom... Hence the question which arose was not so much who should be the successor of Muhammad as what the function and qualifications of such a person would be.^[59]

Western scholarship that views Shi'ism as a political movement is factually incorrect. The concept of separation of church and state did not yet exist in the Muslim community in the 6th century AD. S.H.M Jafri, the author of The Origin and Early Development of Shi'a Islam, writes:

Those who thus emphasize the political nature of Shi'ism are perhaps too eager to project the modern Western notion of the separation of church and state back into seventh century Arabian society, where such a notion would be not only foreign, but completely unintelligible. Such an approach also implies the spontaneous appearance of Shi'ism rather than its gradual emergence and development within Islamic society.^[60]

Early[link]

Disagreement broke out over who would succeed Muhammad as leader of the Muslim community. While the Sunnis followed the companions of Muhammad, the Shia followed Ali. This dispute eventually led to the First Fitna, which was the first major civil war within the Islamic Caliphate. The Fitna began as a series of revolts fought against the first Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib, caused by the assassination of his political predecessor, Uthman ibn Affan. It lasted for the entirety of Ali's reign, and its end is marked by Muawiyah's assumption of the caliphate (founding the Umayyad dynasty), and the subsequent recorded peace treaty between him and Hasan ibn Ali.

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The Second Fitna was when the first Umayyad Caliph Muawiya I was succeeded upon his death in 680 by his son, Yazid I. Yazid's first opposition came from supporters of Hussein ibn Ali, who was the grandson of Muhammad and the son of the former Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, who had been assassinated. Husayn and many of his closest supporters were martyrd by Yazid's troops at the Battle of Karbala. This battle is often cited as the definitive break between the Shia and Sunni sects of Islam, and until this day it has been commemorated each year by Shia Muslims on the Day of Ashura.

Fatimid rule (909–1171)[link]

One of the earliest nations where the rulers were Shia (Ismaili) Muslims was the Fatamid Caliphate, which controlled much of North Africa, the Levant, parts of Arabia and Mecca and Medina.

Hamdanid rule[link]

The Hamdanid dynasty was a Shi'a^[61] Muslim Arab dynasty of northern Iraq (Al-Jazirah) and Syria (890-1004)

Būyid rule[link]

The founders of the Būyid confederation were 'Imad al-Daula and his two younger brothers, Rukn al-Dawla and Mu'izz al-Daula.

Ilkhanate rule[link]

The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate, was a Mongol khanate established in Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanate was based, originally, on Genghis Khan's campaigns in the Khwarezmid Empire in 1219–1224, and founded by Genghis's grandson, Hulagu, in territories which today comprise most of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Pakistan. The Ilkhanate initially embraced many religions, but was particularly sympathetic to Buddhism and Christianity. Later Ilkhanate rulers, beginning with Ghazan in 1295, embraced Shia Islam.

Bahmani rule[link]

The Bahmani Sultanate (Devanagari: बहमनी सल्तनत ; also called the Bahmanid Empire or Bahmani Kingdom) was a Shia Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms.^[62] Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic Kingdom in South India.^[63]

Safavid rule (1501–1736)[link]

A major turning point in Shia history was the Safavid dynasty in Persia.

• The ending of the relative mutual tolerance between Sunnis and Shias that existed from the time of the Mongol conquests onwards and the resurgence of antagonism between the two groups.
• The beginning of the emergence of an independent body of ulama capable of taking a political stand different from the policies of the state.
• The growth in importance of Iranian centers of religious learning and change from Twelver Shiaism being a predominantly Arab phenomenon.^[64]
• The growth of the Akhbari School which preached that only the Quran, hadith are to be bases for verdicts, rejecting the use of reasoning.

With the fall of the Safavids, the state in Persia – including the state system of courts with government-appointed judges (qadis) – became much weaker. This gave the Sharia courts of mujtahids an opportunity to fill in the slack and enabled "the ulama to assert their judicial authority." The Usuli School also increased in strength at this time.^[65]

Shia Rule

Extent of Shia rule under the Fatimids   Extent of Shia rule under the Hamdanids   Extent of Shia rule under the Buyids Extent of Shia rule under the Buyids   Extent of Shia rule under the Ilkhanates   Extent of Shia rule under the Bahmani Sultanate   Extent of Shia rule under the Safavid dynasty