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After the death of Muhammad in 632, two faction rose: the majority Sunni and minority Shia. The Sunni wanted to elect or choose their own leader. The Shia wanted a member of the Prophet's family to lead and chose Imam Ali, the cousin of the Prophet and husband of Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.

The Sunni faction won out and elected the first caliph. Ali was eventually chosen as the fourth caliph, but two of his predecessors were murdered, and nearly endless war has brewed between Sunni and Shiites since Muhammad's passing. Ali, as the fourth caliph, fell and died in battle near the town of Kufa in 661.

Ali's son Hussein took leadership of the Shia faction after the death of his father, and continued the war with the Sunnis. He fell in battle with 71 of his family members at Karbala, his head was taken in tribute to the caliph in Damascus and his body was interred on the battlefield.

The greatest schism perhaps between Shia and Sunni is the almost divination of Shia leaders, known as Imam. Many Sunni believe that Shia place their Imam almost on a level with God, perhaps the greatest sin of all. This becomes most supportable with the story of the Hidden Imam.

In the tenth century, the Twelfth Shiite Imam rose to power. The legend goes that God took Madhi (the Messiah) and put him into hiding. This Madhi is said will return in the end days and make the Koran fully manifest (sound familiar Apocalyptic Christians?)

Fighting between the factions continued for centuries after the passing of Muhammad, as well as with Christian Crusaders, and the Mongols. Ottoman Turkey spread it further, but by 1500 Sunni power was set in Persia where it was met by the Azeri conquerors, shifting Persia (modern day Iran and Iraq) to Shia control. The Safavid Dynasty established Persia as its center of power and distinguished itself from Sunni controlled Ottoman Turkey and Mughal India.

The fighting continues today, nearly unabated since 632.

Shiite Perspective

Hazrat Muhammad have learned from Gabriel (an angel who serves to God as a messenger) that Imam Ali must his successor. After Muhammad's death, when his family was entombing him, some groups that were Muhammads helpers (also know as 'Ansar Group' and 'Mohajer Group') were ready to choose the successor! But somebodies told them "the successor is Imam Ali!" but they didn't recognize to their words.

So, they chose 'Abu Bakr' as their king and leader while it belonged to Imam Ali.

As what Imam Ali said in 'Nahj Al-balaghe' (a book about his own quotes and mails) that have told "I thought hard, but I understand if I want to get what belongs to me, Islam will destroy under the War will happen" so he wait and wait a long time ago...

So, after 25 years, three leaders come and go until people were under the sin and oppression, so people, who want a good leader, came to Imam Ali and wanted him to be their leader. Imam Ali didn't accept so people wanted more. At last, Imam Ali accept it but he said to all of them 'If I be your leader I will do the right work and will never help to the ones that want to command people and bother people '

In the end, Those who wanted that Imam Ali be their leader, killed him while Imam Ali knew.

So why he didn't do anything to survive? Cause that was his time to go to God and this accident MUST happened.

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10y ago

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