The Sunni Shia Divide | 5 Strange Facts | Why Sunni and Shia divided?

 

Introduction

The Sunni-Shia divide is as old as Islamic history. Today, Islam is divided into many subgroups among its followers. According to the United Nations Population Fund, by July 2024, the global population had reached 8.119 billion. Among people of various religions and ideologies, approximately 2 billion are Muslims, meaning every fourth person in the world is a Muslim. In terms of population, Islam ranks second after Christianity.

The majority of Muslims are concentrated in the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. However, Islam, the second-largest religion in the world, is divided into two major groups: Sunni and Shia. These groups are further subdivided into numerous smaller sects. The Sunni-Shia conflict continues to fuel unrest in the Middle East.

This article explores the historical origins of the Sunni-Shia divide in Islam, their beliefs, and the subsequent divisions within these groups.

Against the Backdrop

In 610 CE, Prophet Muhammad began inviting the people of Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia to embrace Islam. The religion called upon Mecca’s idol-worshippers to believe in one God, submit to Him alone, and abandon idolatry. Islam addressed all aspects of human life, including religious, social, and political dimensions. By the time Prophet Muhammad passed away in 632 CE, Muslims had established a strong foothold in Arabia, with Medina as the Islamic state governed by the Prophet. In his life, his decisions were final, and his commands were universally accepted.

However, following his passing, debates over religious and political succession among Muslims led to a significant division within the community. Even before Prophet Muhammad was buried, a tribal leader in Medina convened a gathering and declared himself caliph. To prevent discord, Abu Bakr and Umar quickly intervened and halted the unilateral decision, ensuring unity among Muslims. Meanwhile, Ali was occupied with the burial of Prophet Muhammad. Scholars suggest that at this point, Muslims had two differing views regarding succession. One group supported Abu Bakr, while the other believed Ali was entitled to the caliphate or what is called ‘Imamate’.

One faction argued that leadership should be given to the most capable person, Abu Bakr, while the other insisted that the rightful and legitimate ruler should be from Prophet Muhammad’s lineage, i.e., Ali. Eventually, Abu Bakr was chosen as the caliph.

After approximately two years, in 634 CE, Abu Bakr passed away, having already nominated Umar as his successor. Umar ruled for ten years, and after his assassination in 644 CE, a council was convened to select the next caliph. The primary contenders were Uthman, Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law, and Ali, his cousin and son-in-law. The council voted in favor of Uthman, who became the next caliph. During the tenure of the first three caliphs, including Ali’s supporters, the Muslim community remained united. During this time, Muslims expanded their empire beyond Arabia to regions including Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt.

Civil Strife

Uthman served as caliph for twelve years until he was assassinated by rebels in 656 CE. Historians note that these rebels were not only Muslims but also descendants of prominent Companions of Prophet Muhammad. At the time of Uthman’s assassination, the political divisions among Muslims expanded geographically. One faction, led by Muawiyah, believed that Uthman’s killers were among Ali’s forces. As the governor of Syria, Muawiyah declared Syria an independent Islamic state and proclaimed himself caliph. Meanwhile, two other Companions, Talha ibn Ubaydullah and Zubair ibn al-Awam, along with Aisha, Prophet Muhammad’s wife, mobilized an army demanding that Ali hand over Uthman’s assassins.

In 656 CE, the alliance of these three figures marched to Basra, Iraq, and took control of the city. In response, Ali arrived in Basra with an army of 20,000. Negotiations between the two sides continued for days but eventually led to a battle. During the conflict, Aisha rode a camel, directing her troops, earning this battle the name “Battle of the Camel.” In this battle, Zubair and Talha were martyred, and Aisha’s camel’s legs were cut, however, Ali respectfully sent her back to Medina. In 657 CE, another battle, the Battle of Siffin, took place between Ali and Muawiyah. This conflict ended in a truce. After the Battle of Siffin and the peace agreement that followed, a faction within Ali’s army emerged, opposing the truce with Muawiyah. They questioned why Ali had opted for peace instead of defeating Muawiyah. This group turned against both Ali and Muawiyah. Ali called them Khawarij (those who deviated from the mainstream). In 658 CE, Ali had to engage in a battle with them, known as the Battle of Nahrawan. This battle broke the strength of the Khawarij, and they scattered. However, in 661 CE, a member of the Khawarij assassinated Ali. The Khawarij are considered Islam’s forgotten third sect after Sunni and Shia. Scholars believe that the Ibadi sect in Oman traces its roots to the Khawarij. For more information about the Ibadi sect, a detailed research-based video is available on our Youtube Channel.

The period from 656 CE (Uthman’s assassination) to 661 CE (Ali’s assassination) is referred to as Islam’s first fitna (civil strife). During this time, Muslims fought among themselves over succession and governance, leading to divisions and the formation of sects, weakening the Muslim community. By the end of the first fitna, three main groups—Sunni, Shia, and Khawarij—had emerged.

After Ali’s martyrdom, his eldest son and grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Hasan, became the caliph. However, he soon faced conflict with Muawiyah’s forces. But both sides agreed to a peace treaty under which Hasan stepped down on the condition that Muawiyah would govern according to Islamic principles and that his successor would be chosen through consultation (shura).

Karbala

In 680 CE, after Muawiyah’s death, his son Yazid-I became caliph, sparking widespread unrest in the Islamic world. By then, Hasan had already passed away, so his younger brother, Husayn, marched from Medina to Kufa to gather support against Yazid. Meanwhile, Abdullah ibn Zubair declared his own caliphate (Khilafat-e-Zubairia) in Mecca. Yazid, based in Damascus, sent an army that ultimately killed Husayn and 72 of his companions in the famous Battle of Karbala in Iraq.

Following this, Muslims were divided into two distinct groups. The supporters of Ali and his family became known as Shian e Ali (followers of Ali), advocating Ali’s leadership and principles. The other group came to be known as Sunnis, those who followed the sunnah (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad. Sunnis recognized Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali as the first four rightful caliphs of Islam.

Shia Muslims, however, regard Ali as the first rightful Imam and believe his claim to leadership was divinely ordained through Prophet Muhammad, as evidenced at the Hajjat-ul-Wida (Farewell Pilgrimage) in 10 AH.

Umayyads and Abbasids

After Ali, Muawiyah’s family, the Umayyads, ruled from 661 to 750 CE. Their dynasty was succeeded by the Abbasids, while the Umayyads retained power in Spain. The Abbasids ruled for several centuries. During this period, Sunni Islam developed four main schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali), which further split into various sub-sects. Today, the Hanafi school is the largest among Sunni Muslims. However, in the 19th century, the Hanafis in India split into two major groups: Barelvi and Deobandi.

On the other hand, Shia Islam also divided into many sub-groups like Kaysaniyah, Zaidiyah, Ismailiyah, and Twelvers (Ithna Ashariyah). Twelver Shias constitute the majority of Shia Muslims, comprising about 15% of the global Muslim population. Twelvers are also known as Imamiyah or Ja’fariyah. The Ismailis established the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt, the Zaidis maintained a stronghold in Yemen, and the Twelvers thrived under the Safavid Empire and other states. Modern-day Iran officially adheres to Twelver Shia Islam as its state religion.

Large Shia populations are also found in India, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, and other countries. For more information about Shia sects, a video link is provided in the description.

Sunnis, the majority of Muslims worldwide, are concentrated in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, and Central Asia.

If you wish to learn more about the beliefs and ideologies of Sunni and Shia Muslims, visit our YouTube channel’s homepage. There, you’ll find detailed videos about the history, beliefs, and origins of various Muslim sects.

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