Difference b/w Shia & Sunni

[Zuhair Nasir]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Hope you are fine Imam Sahab..

One of my friend wants to know

What is the difference between shia and sunni with reference..and i think your reply will clear all his confusions..

JazakAllah

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam


First of all, the beliefs of the shi'ite, is different from that of a Sunni (Ahl as-Sunnah w'al Jama'ah). The shi'ite are extreme in his belief regarding the the Imams of the time, for example Imam Abu Hanifah Radi Allahu anhu, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad bin Hambal and Imam Shafi'i Radi Allahu anhum they have their own set of Imams, and within them there are also differences. Where we believe all our Imams to be Haqq, they have differences between theirs, which is also an absurdity. Some shi'ites also have differences in relation to the Qur'an. They state that the number of chapters exceeds, that number which the Qur'an originally has.

They also differ in regard to the people whom they have followed with regard to the general consensus. This includes the Imams, their students, the juristic experts (faqih), as a whole they have a totally different set of rules to us (fiqh).


Secondly, they (meaning Sunni/Shi'ite) differ in madh'hab, whether their madh'hab is Maliki, Shafi' Hanafi or Hambali, or even in the cases of following the Madh'hab, of the Maturidiyyah, Hambali, or even the Ash'ari Imams. They are the ones who hold Madh'hab regarding belief. The shi'ites, are from non of these sources or madh'habs. This makes them different to us regarding belief.


Thirdly, some of the performed shi'ite practices are very different, unusual, & in some cases even haram, extremely haram, which have no proof from the Qur'an, hadith, fiqh, or even by consensus, which makes their actions unlawful. Some of these have been known to take place in months like Muharram, which are not like the actions we have dring this sacred month.


Fourthly, the shi'ah have differences in relation to the Qur'an, in regard to the verses, chapters, or even ethics relating to it. They use verses of the Qur'an making permissable some of their actions which would otherwise be regarded as impermissable by mainstream Muslims. Examples of these include marriage and divorce, or being married to someone which would be haram to get married to.


fifthly, the shi'ah hadith narrators are those which relate to their specific belief, some which are made up, or some which are transformed. Their hadith books are different to ours, like the Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi. If they do believe in them they will have other sources which would be authored by Shi'ite scholars.


For further information regarding this matter, please take a study of any book relating to their 'aqa'id, not forgetting the difference they have with that of the Sunnis.


Jazak'allah for your question.




Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi