Sunni vs Shia

It's complicated.

There are no major theological differences as such, just a large number of minor differences that, for the most part, don't follow any specific pattern. The reason for this is that the Sunni-Shia divide was originally a political conflict over the leadership over all Muslims. The Shia position was that the Prophet Muhammed had bestowed on Ali ibn Abu Talib and his line of descendants a divine mandate to rule. The Sunni contest this, and consider the matter of leadership not to be a religious matter in the first place, that Muslims are free to choose their own leaders.

Over time, though, the two factions developed their own separate theology and ethics. This is part from having different scholarly traditions, but also due to differences in hadithology. The hadiths are the Islamic secondary religious texts, preserved narrations of the life and acts of the Prophet Muhammed and the early Islamic community. Thing is though, there's an immense body of such narrations, the great majority of which is considered apocryphal. Which are authentic enough to serve as the basis for the religion is a matter of difference between Sunni and Shia, mainly because there are a number of prominent characters in early Islamic history whom the Sunni consider to be honourable companions while the Shia consider them to be crooks who usurped leadership from Ali, and thus reject any narrations tracing back to them.

Most of the current Sunni-Shia fights in the world, though, have little to nothing to do with theology, the question of leadership over the Muslims, or even the choice of state religion of a country. Most are simply intercommunal power struggles, much like the Northern Irish conflict. The days of Shia attempts to create a Caliphate ruled by a Caliph with the right line of descent from Ali are long gone. Iran, the world's only real theocracy, is rather structured around a rather newfangled revolutionary idea of a mix of clerical rule and democracy.

I have nothing against Shias but I don't really consider most of them Muslims and if they are Muslims usually they are not the best and then there are some Shias that are good Muslims anyway my reasoning for this is because they believe they're priests or rabbis have the power to see the unseen which in Islam is a major shirk (disbelief) because we believe only god can so it invalidates there Islam and even if some of them don't believe that then they arnt commiting major shirk but they are still killing sunnis and they make fun of abu bakr radi allah wa annu and like they just do a bunch of unislamic stuff like it's unislamic to even make fun of someone to there face but to disrespect a dead companion that was most beloved to the prophet saw same goes to his wives there's allot of stuff they do that is unislamic but a decent amount of them are Muslims but also a decent amount of them have committed major shirk so they're not really Muslims

I don't wanna pull the blame card but they started it my cuzin was at Lebanon and they blew up a mosk while he was there and he lives right next to it he could've been there when they blew it up!!! If they're Muslims why are they killing other Muslim it even says in the Quran not to kill people in there place of worship this includes non Muslims As I said not all Shias are bad Muslims but the majority of them are but there's probably some Shias out there that are better Muslims then anyone on this forum

Greetings brother, peace be upon you!

I'm not going to say which sect is right which one is wrong, there is plenty of literature out there to demonstrate that. As one of the brothers already mentioned, human being despite all their advances still continue to fight with each other. However, I am going to save you the trouble and ask you not to start thinking of divisions in Islam. All you should care about is the oneness of Allah (God), His messengers, his authentic books, Qiyamah (judgement day) life after death, God's other creation one that you cannot see (ie Angels and Jinns) and the teachings of the prophet. That is what you call the starter kit. Satan works in his own ways to create division amongst people. Satan failed to create major divisions while our Prophet Muhammed PBUH was alive since he got direct revelations from Allah but after this death he slowly started to poison people. Only the best of the companions of the Prophet PBUH, Abu Bakr As-Siddique (RA) was able to die by natural cause rest of them are assassinated by muslim people. Satan's work!

Once you get a firm hold of the starter kits and the five pillars of Islam you should start to enrich your understanding of Islam and aim to become one of the best of the best to tread this earth by looking at the life stories of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his companions starting with Abu Bakr As-Siddique (RA), Umar Bin Khattab Al- Farooq (RA), Uthman Bin Affan (RA), Ali Ibne Abu Talib (RA), Hamza Ibne Abdul Muttalib (RA). Their life stories are as appealing to non muslims as they are to us Muslims because they were truly the best of the best.

As one of the famous scholars of Islam in modern times Yassir Qadhi said - we are glad we don't have to choose sides and use our weapons when the fight between muslims broke out, lets not indulge in using our tongue over such matters now

Looking forward to you accepting Islam one day.

format_quote Originally Posted by Robrog8999

I'm not Muslim but I am researching it and investigating it. I know very little about the religion as I've discovered. So here's where I'm at....
Sunni's and Shia's.
What's the difference and why all the fighting,killing and controversy between the two?
Please break this down for me.
Much appreciated!

format_quote Originally Posted by anatolian

Salam. Whats your basis for Iran being the only real theocracy? Saudi and Pakistan claim to be Islamic states for example.

They are not theocracies. The clerics don't rule Saudi nor Pakistan. Actual theocracy, as in direct clerical rule, is rare to the point of nonexistent in Islamic history.

Interesting subject for me as also relatively new to the study of Islam..But correct me if i am wrong, wasnt the Shia sect started when the Caliphate of the day massacred Mohamed's family?

A pretty good reason not to trust certain hadiths that came after imho..And a perfect example why only fools should trust leaders, emperors and kings or any sovereign other than God..

Nope

Khawarij ...(comes from the arabic word kharaj which means exit)
As prophecised by prophet. Death of imam Hossain is major controversy each sect blaming the other. There is lot more to it and Insha Allah brother u will find answers as you look for it. However, it is not upto you or me to reject religious hadith. Because we do not possess the necessary qualifications. Meanwhile those who does have already banned the doubtful ones. Yet others not banned have been established as less reliable than others. Must do your homework before diving into one particular book. There are people who have attained higher status in the eyes of Allah than you or me and as human beings one of the best ways we can learn is to follow role models. After our Prophet pbuh there are the caliphs. End of story.

format_quote Originally Posted by beleiver

Interesting subject for me as also relatively new to the study of Islam..But correct me if i am wrong, wasnt the Shia sect started when the Caliphate of the day massacred Mohamed's family?

A pretty good reason not to trust certain hadiths that came after imho..And a perfect example why only fools should trust leaders, emperors and kings or any sovereign other than God..

format_quote Originally Posted by Dr. Blitz

Nope

Khawarij ...(comes from the arabic word kharaj which means exit)
As prophecised by prophet. Death of imam Hossain is major controversy each sect blaming the other. There is lot more to it and Insha Allah brother u will find answers as you look for it. However, it is not upto you or me to reject religious hadith. Because we do not possess the necessary qualifications. Meanwhile those who does have already banned the doubtful ones. Yet others not banned have been established as less reliable than others. Must do your homework before diving into one particular book. There are people who have attained higher status in the eyes of Allah than you or me and as human beings one of the best ways we can learn is to follow role models. After our Prophet pbuh there are the caliphs. End of story.

By the same rational the creed of Nicea was followed and the doctrine of Christ ignored..there is only one path to peace as in the Quran and the sermon on the mount, listening to leaders other than God is not that path..
It makes most sense to me, Hossain knew Mohamed's pbuh message better than anyone..

Imam Hussain was a little child during the Prophetic years of Muhammed (PBUH). In terms of what people learned from the life of Prophet PBUH it was his adult companions, males and females, the ones who were the closest to him, ones who accepted the faith first and were true to it from the start.

Eg, if I open a private clinic and I have an assistant physician with me, after I retire I would make the assistant in charge not my grandson. Even if my grandson went on to study medicine. The assistant physician has the right to become the owner in terms of seniority and experience. Hope that makes sense.

format_quote Originally Posted by beleiver

By the same rational the creed of Nicea was followed and the doctrine of Christ ignored..there is only one path to peace as in the Quran and the sermon on the mount, listening to leaders other than God is not that path..
It makes most sense to me, Hossain knew Mohamed's pbuh message better than anyone..

I can't get how people are not getting to the point, the only thing that disbeliever and a believer needs to know is that Shiasm, Sufism and the rest are not from Islam and does not make them Muslims.

There are only three acceptable.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.686 Narrated by Ahdam bin Mudarrab
'Imran bin Hussain said, "The Prophet (S.A.W) said, 'The best of you (people) are my generation, and the second best will be those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the second generation."

I know for sure that Salafi is acceptable as it's from the first three generations.

Qur'an, Sunnah and Hadith.

format_quote Originally Posted by Dr. Blitz

Imam Hussain was a little child during the Prophetic years of Muhammed (PBUH). In terms of what people learned from the life of Prophet PBUH it was his adult companions, males and females, the ones who were the closest to him, ones who accepted the faith first and were true to it from the start.

Eg, if I open a private clinic and I have an assistant physician with me, after I retire I would make the assistant in charge not my grandson. Even if my grandson went on to study medicine. The assistant physician has the right to become the owner in terms of seniority and experience. Hope that makes sense.

Adults, companions or not are not immune from treachery as history has proven time and time again, give any one human being power over another or promise of worldly wealth and its guaranteed..That i think is why God is the sovereign to be obeyed and he has no partners beside him, is it not?

A small child in those days was more mature as in having responsibilities and duties than most adults today i am sure..either way he was raised by Mohamed's Family his closest companions who would naturally be less inclined to betray his message for want of material gain and power..

format_quote Originally Posted by Salafiyah

I can't get how people are not getting to the point, the only thing that disbeliever and a believer needs to know is that Shiasm, Sufism and the rest are not from Islam and does not make them Muslims.

There are only three acceptable.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.686 Narrated by Ahdam bin Mudarrab
'Imran bin Hussain said, "The Prophet (S.A.W) said, 'The best of you (people) are my generation, and the second best will be those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the second generation."

I know for sure that Salafi is acceptable as it's from the first three generations.

Qur'an, Sunnah and Hadith.

How do you know for sure Salafis are genuine and Sufis and Shia not, how can anyone Judge what a true believer is other than Allaha?

I have read some Salafi scholars works and find them not very accurate, misleading and contradictory, and certainly if they are True i am very opposed to Islam with my whole heart, spirit and soul...Yet i love the Quran and praise Allaha..

Not saying all Salafis are the same BTW..the same as not all Sufis and Shia are the same..

I understand the point you are trying to make
However in Islam we do not believe that blood line has more right than those who the muslim ummah favored. Satan doesn't spare anyone. Prophet PBUH no where mentioned after him his grandson should come to power and it doesnt fall under islamic law. He also did not say that his family gets divine revelation like he did from Jibreel (AS) In order to determine who has the most right to be the caliph one needs to study the hijrah, the life of the muslims before hijra, muhajireen and the al ansar, who had the biggest role in propagation of Islam after the Prophet pbuh and ofcourse the Shariah law. This is my humble opinion and I'm basing it on what I have learnt from the religious scholars of our era.

Regards

format_quote Originally Posted by beleiver

Adults, companions or not are not immune from treachery as history has proven time and time again, give any one human being power over another or promise of worldly wealth and its guaranteed..That i think is why God is the sovereign to be obeyed and he has no partners beside him, is it not?

A small child in those days was more mature as in having responsibilities and duties than most adults today i am sure..either way he was raised by Mohamed's Family his closest companions who would naturally be less inclined to betray his message for want of material gain and power..