Shia Islam

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Shia Islam (Arabic: شِيعَةٌ , Persian: شیعه) is the second largest branch of Islam. Shia Muslim believe that Prophet Muhammad under the command of God chose Ali as Caliph (or Successor) and publicly declared it during his last sermon after Hajj at Ghadir Khumm. Shi'a Muslims believe in the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad's family, whom they call the Ahl al-Bayt. The Shias think that the first three ruling Sunni Caliphs had no importance to the development of the faith. The singular/adjective form is Shī'ī (شِيعِيٌّ) and means a follower.

Shia Islam

Ali's Tomb is one of the most important places for Shi'a Muslims
Founder
Followers of Ali ibn Abi Talib

Shi'a Islam, like Sunni Islam, has at times been divided into many branches, however only three of these have a significant number of followers nowadays. The best known and the one with most adherents is Twelvers (Ithnā 'ashariyya), followed by the Ismaili and Zaidiyyah.

Terminology

The term "Shia" comes from the Arabic phrase "Shīʿat ʿAlī," meaning "followers of Ali." Shia Islam refers to the group of Muslims who believe that after Prophet Muhammad's death, leadership of the Muslim community should have gone to Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and his descendants. The Shia believe that Ali was chosen by Muhammad as his successor, and that leadership should stay within Ali's family. This belief is seen as supported by the Quran and Islamic history, with Shia scholars citing verses that highlight the special status of the family of certain prophets, including Ali.

Shia Islam Media

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  Ḍarīẖ over ʿAlī's qabr (grave), Sanctuary of Imām ʿAlī in Najaf, Iraq, the holiest site in Shia Islam.

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  Kalema at Qibla of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt, displaying the phrase Ali-un-Waliullah (علي ولي الله: "ʿAlī is the Wali (custodian) of God").

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  Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, Iran, is a popular pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims. Local belief holds that the 12th Shīʿīte Imam—the promised Mahdi according to Twelvers—once appeared and offered prayers at Jamkaran.

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  Shia Muslims gathered in prayer at the Shrine of Imam Ḥusayn in Karbala, Iraq

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  Sanctuary of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Iran, is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Ali al-Rida, the 8th Imam in Shia Islam. 25 Million Shias visiting the shrine each year.

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  Great Mosque of Kufa, site of ʿAlī's assassination (661 CE)

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  S̲h̲āh ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm Shrine in Rey, Iran, contains the tomb of ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm al-Ḥasanī, a descendant of Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī and a companion of Muhammad al-Taqī.

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  Battle of Karbala, painting by the Isfahan-based Persian artist Abbas Al-Mousavi, Brooklyn Museum (between 1868 and 1933)

Sources

• Shia Code, the Shia Islamic Guide Archived 2019-08-25 at the Wayback Machine
• List of Shi'a websites Archived 2009-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project
• Al-Shia Website
• Archived 2021-03-17 at the Wayback Machine