History of Shia Islam

Shī‘a Islam, also Shi‘ite Islam or Shi‘ism is the second largest branch of Islam, after Sunnism. Shi'as adhere to the teachings of Muhammad and the religious guidance of his family (who are referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt) or his descendents known as Shi'a Imams. Muhammad's bloodline continues only through his daughter Fatima Zahra and cousin Ali which alongside Muhammad's grandsons are the Ahl al-Bayt. Thus, Shi'as consider Muhammad's descendents as the true source of guidance while considering the first three ruling Sunni caliphs a historic occurrence and not something attached to faith. Shi'a Islam, like Sunni Islam, has at times been divided into many branches; however, only three of these currently have a significant number of followers and each of them has a separate trajectory.

From political viewpoint the history of Shia was formed from several parts. The first part is emergence of Shia which starts after Muhammad's death in 632 and lasts until Battle of Karbala in 680. This part coincides with the Imamah of Ali, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn. The second part is the differentiation and distinction of Shia as a separate sect in Muslim community and opposition of Sunni caliph. This part starts after battle of Karbala and lasts until the formation of Shia states about 900. During this section Shia is divided into several branches. The third section is the period of Shia states. The first Shia state was Idrisid dynasty (780-974) in Maghreb. Then Alavids dynasty (864 - 928) established in Mazandaran (Tabaristan), north of Iran. These dynasties were local. But they followed by two great and powerful dynasty. Fatimid Caliphate which formed in Ifriqiya in 909. Then ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Egypt and the Levant until 1171. The Buyid dynasty emerged in Daylaman, north of Iran, about 930 and then ruled over central and western part of Iran and Iraq until 1048. In Yemen Imams of various dynasties usually of the Zaidi sect established a theocratic political structure that survived from 897 until 1962.

From Saqifa to Karbala

Muhammad began preaching Islam at Mecca before migrating to Medina, from where he united the tribes of Arabia into a singular Arab Muslim religious polity. With Muhammad's death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community. While Ali ibn Abi Talib, his cousin and son-in-law, and the rest of Muhammad's close family were washing his body for burial, the tribal leaders of Mecca and Medina held a secret gathering at Saqifah to decide who would succeed Muhammad as head of the Muslim state, disregarding what the earliest Muslims, the Muhajirun, regarded as Muhammad's appointment of Ali as his successor at Ghadir Khumm. Umar ibn al-Khattab, a companion of Muhammad, nominated Abu Bakr. Others, after initial refusal and bickering, settled on Abu Bakr who was made the first caliph. This choice was disputed by Muhammad's earliest companions, who held that Ali had been designated his successor. According to Sunni accounts, Muhammad died without having appointed a successor, and with a need for leadership, they gathered and voted for the position of caliph. Shi'a accounts differ by asserting that Muhammad had designated Ali as his successor on a number of occasions, including on his death bed. Ali was supported by Muhammad's family and the majority of the Muhajirun, the initial Muslims, and was opposed by the tribal leaders of Arabia who included Muhammad's initial enemies, including, naturally, the Banu Umayya.^[1]. Abu Bakr's election was followed by a raid on Ali's house led by Umar and Khalid ibn al-Walid (see Umar at Fatimah's house). ^[2]

The succession to Muhammad is an extremely contentious issue. Muslims ultimately divided into two branches based on their political attitude towards this issue, which forms the primary theological barrier between the two major divisions of Muslims: Sunni and Shi'a, with the latter following Ali as the successor to Muhammad. The two groups also disagree on Ali's attitude towards Abu Bakr, and the two caliphs who succeeded him: Umar (or `Umar ibn al-Khattāb) and Uthman or (‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān). Sunnis tend to stress Ali's acceptance and support of their rule, while the Shi'a claims that he distanced himself from them, and that he was being kept from fulfilling the religious duty that Muhammad had appointed to him. The Sunni Muslims say that if Ali was the rightful successor as ordained by God Himself, then it would have been his duty as the leader of the Muslim nation to make war with these people (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman) until Ali established the decree. Shia claim, however, that Ali did not fight Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman, because firstly he did not have the military strength and if he decided to, it would have caused a civil war amongst the Muslims, which was still a nascent community throughout the Arab world.^[3]

Differentiation and distinction

Division into branches

Twelvers history

Imams era

Occultation era

Ismaili history

Setr

Old Da'vat

New Da'vat

Zaidiyya history

Other sects

Qarmatians

Alevis

Alawism

Notes

1. ^ Chirri, Mohamad (1982). The Brother of the Prophet Mohammad. Islamic Center of America, Detroit, MI. Alibris ID 8126171834. 
2. ^ See:
   • Holt (1977a), p.57
   • Lapidus (2002), p.32
   • Madelung (1996), p.43
   • Tabatabaei (1979), p.30–50
3. ^ Sahih Bukhari 5.57.50

References

• Holt, P. M.; Bernard Lewis (1977a). Cambridge History of Islam, Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521291364. 
• Lapidus, Ira (2002). A History of Islamic Societies (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521779333. 
• Madelung, Wilferd (1996). The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521646960. 
• Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn; Seyyed Hossein Nasr (translator) (1979). Shi'ite Islam. Suny press. ISBN 0-87395-272-3. 

See also

• Abdullah ibn Saba
• Historical Shi'a-Sunni relations

External links

• Four Centuries of Influence of Iraqî Shî‘ism on Pre-Safavid Iran