Recently, Islam has transformed from a second world religion into a real ideology. Its influence is so strong that many consider it to be one of the most important political factors. However, this religion is quite heterogeneous, and often serious conflicts arise between its supporters. Therefore, it will be useful to understand what the differences between the Sunnis and Shiites, the two main branches of Islam are. Their names are often mentioned in the news, and at the same time, most of us have a very vague idea of these trends.
Sunnis
The adherents of this trend in Islam got their name due to the fact that the main thing for us is the "Sunnah" - a set of principles and rules based on the actions and statements of the Prophet Muhammad. This source explains the difficult points from the Qur'an and is a kind of addition to it. This is the key difference between Sunnis and Shiites. Note that this direction is dominant in Islam. In some cases, following the Sunnah takes on fanatical, extreme forms. An example is the Afghan Taliban, who paid special attention not only to the type of clothing, but also to the length of the beard in men.
Shiites
This branch of Islam allows a free interpretation of the prophet's instructions. However, not everyone has the right to it, but only the elite. The differences between Sunnis and Shiites include the fact that the latter are considered more radical, a certain drama is inherent in their religious processions. This branch of Islam is the second largest and most important, and the name of its supporters means "adherents." But the differences between Sunnis and Shiites do not end there. The latter are often called the "Ali party." This is due to the fact that after the prophet died, a dispute arose in the Arab Caliphate as to whom to transfer power to. According to Shiites, Ali bin Abi, a student of Muhammad and his closest relative, should have become a caliph. The split occurred almost immediately after the death of the prophet. After this, a war broke out, during which Ali was killed in 661. Later, his sons, Hussein and Hassan, also died. Moreover, the death of the first of them, which happened in 680, is still perceived by the Shiites as a historical tragedy of all Muslims. In memory of this event, supporters of this movement still conduct emotional mourning processions on the day of Ashura , during which participants in the procession beat themselves with sabers and chains.
What else are the differences between Sunnis and Shiites
The Ali party believes that the power in the caliphate should be returned to the imams - as they call direct descendants of Ali. Since Shiites believe that supreme power is inherently divine, they reject the very possibility of elections. According to their ideas, imams are a kind of mediators between Allah and people. In contrast, the Sunnis believe that worship should be directly to Allah himself, and therefore the concept with intermediaries is alien to them. However, no matter how Sunnis and Shiites differ from each other , the differences between these movements during the Hajj are forgotten. The pilgrimage to Mecca is a major event that unites all Muslims, regardless of what differences they have in their faith.