Shiism - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Etymology

The Shiism in Arab term indicates in the beginning a group of partisans. In the Coran, this term is used several times in this direction. For example, in verse 28: 15 where the partisans of Brace are described by Shiite . Into another place, Abraham is introduced like a Shiite of Noah (verse 37: 83). At the beginning of the Islamic history, the term “shî `ite” was used in its original or literal direction to designate partisans of various people. For example, the Islamic history spoke, at its beginnings, of Shiites of Ali ibn Abî Tâlib and others of Shiites of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan. However, the term acquired the secondary or technical direction gradually partisans of Ali, those which believe in its Imam At.

In its Al-Firaq Al-Shî `ah , Hassan ibn Musa Al-Nawbakhti, a famous written Shiite scientist: “The Shiites are the partisans of Ali. They are called " The Shiites of Ali during and after the life of the Prophet and are known like the partisans of Ali and believe in his Imamat".

Sheik Moufid, one of the first and very remarkable Shiite scholar, defines the Shiites as being those which follow Ali and believe in his immediate succession after the Prophet. By explaining why the Shiites are also called “Imàmîyah”, he says: “It is a title for those which believe in the need for the imâmat and of its continuity in any age, and which each Imâm must be explicitly indicated, and must also be impeccable and perfect”.

Al-Shahrastani, in its Al-Milal wa Al-Nihal , a remarkable source on the various groups in Islam, writing: “The Shiites are those which follow Ali in particular and which believe in his Imâmat and caliphate according to the explicit directives and the wills of the Mahomet prophet”. It is a very precise definition, since the Shiites themselves believe that the reason to follow Ali is justified by the requirement of the Prophet.

Thus, one can say that the Shiite Moslems are those which have the following beliefs on the succession of the Mahomet prophet:

the succession with the Prophet is a Divine designation.
As the Prophet was chosen by God, its successor or Imâm must also be selected by God and then inspired to the Prophet.
the immediate successor of the Mahomet prophet is Ali.

Nomination of the successor

The Shiite Moslems think that people chosen among the family of Mahomet (the Imam S) were the best source of knowledge in connection with the Coran, of the Islam, the emulation (successors of the prophetic mission after Mahomet) and the most enthusiastic guards of the Sunnah of Mahomet.

In particular, the Shiite Moslems recognize the succession of the prophet by Ali ibn Abi Talib (the cousin and son-in-law of Mahomet, first man to accept Islam - after Khadidja - and also one of the five members of the Ahl Al-Bayt or “people in service prophet”). On the contrary, the Moslems sunnites recognize the Califat. The Shiites believe that Mahomet designated Ali like his successor on many occasions, and that it is thus the spiritual Guide of the Moslems, according to the Divine mission revealed with the Prophet.

The principal nomination was the day of Al-Ghâdir and in many other places. The day of Al-Ghadîr, after the pilgrimage of the good-bye, the Mahomet prophet announced solemnly and in front thousands of pilgrims come from the whole world the following speech and one from most important: Translated into French: With which I am a Master ( Mawla ), Ali is his Master ( Mawla ). My Lord, combines that which is combined with him, hate that which hates it, glorifie that which it glorifie, forsakes that which forsakes it, and leaves the right and justice with him where that it is This difference between the recognition of the capacity of the Ahl Al-Bayt (the family of Mahomet) or of the caliph Abou Bakr modelled the doctrines Shiite and nonShiite in connection with the Coran, of the Hadith S and other points. For example, the collection of the Hadith S recognized by the Shiites is based on narrations made by Ahl Al-Bayt whereas the hadiths narrators not forming part of the family of Mahomet are regarded as being able to be discussed (those of Abu Huraira for example).

According to the Shiites, the Prophet explicitly designated Ali like his Successor ( Imâm or Caliph), who will at the same time assume the responsibility to manage the empire and to guide the believers in their spiritual life after three other caliphs. Should it have been earlier selected? Indeed, as Jean-Paul Roux will notice it, it does not miss titles. He is cousin of the Prophet: his/her father raised Mahomet when this one became orphan; he is one of the first converts; he married Fâtima, girl of Mahomet and, by her, with him which did not have wire, he gave his two only male grandchildren, Hassan and Hussein.

Apart from the considerations on the Caliphate, the Shiites recognize the authority of the Imam (also called Khalifat Allâh ) as an religious authority, although the various branches of Islam shî `ite are not agreement on the succession of this Imam and its successor (the Duodécimain S, Ismaéliens or Zaydites for example).

Origin of the Shiism

With died of Mahomet in 632, the Prophet was the chief of the Community ( Umma ) of a territory become an important state in only a few years. As it had not designated its successor or the manner of choosing it, the question of its succession was at the origin of the first large Schisme of the Islam. Part of the members of the Saqifa saw in Ali, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet, the single successor legitimates this one. But a majority of members preferred to him to choose a Caliph not belonging to the family of Mahomet: for them, the caliph must be a simple member of the community of the believers. They obtained win and it is finally Abou Bakr which was indicated first Imam (spiritual and temporal guide of the community).

To avoid the problems of succession, Abou Bakr considered that it was to designate its successor. The second caliph - Omar ibn Al-Khattab - designated, in his turn, a council of six people to choose in his center the next caliph according to a very strict procedure, which it developed. Uthman Ben Affan, appointed third caliph was assassinated into 656, following a popular revolt. Ali, finally, was indicated with the head of the community. In spite of its titles and its exploits, its caliphate proceeded in the tumult and its capacity was disputed: part of the clan of the Omeyyades (related to the late caliph Utman) and former companions of Mahomet, close to the widow of the Prophet Baited, claim its forfeiture. Muawiya ibn Abî Sufyan, governor of Damas and chief of the clan of the Omeyyades broke its pact with Ali and was raised with an aim of becoming caliph. Its army meets that of Ali with Siffîn - on banks of the Euphrate - in 658. This last was about to carry it when the troops of Muawiya held up layers of Coran at the end of their swords and claimed an arbitration, that Ali accepted. This arbitration aimed to say if Uthman had deserved to be assassinated to have missed with the rules of the crowned book. The exit of this procedure was unfavourable in Ali since nothing was reproached Uthman. Ali was then recognized corresponsable of the assassination of this last and Muawiya was made proclaim caliph into 660. Part of the men of Ali - the Kharidjite - revolted, reproaching Ali for having granted the arbitration. This revolt was strongly repressed by Ali and the majority of Khârijites died in the battle of Nahrawan; one their survivors was avenged by assassinating Ali, in 661, with a coated sword of poison, whereas it made his prayer in the mosque. The Bataille of Siffin was decisive because it marked the beginning of a regrouping favorable to Ali and his descendants under the name of Shî `At Ali (" the party of Ali"), which was really structured only at the 9th century. It implies, as of its origins, a fidelity with the family of the Prophet and her descendants.

This conflict of succession generated a fundamental scission within Islam: on the one hand, the Shiites recognize Ali like first successor of Mahomet. With its two sons - Hassan and Hussein - who succeeded to him - began for the Shiites the line of the Imams. Other, the majority sunnites see as a Ali only the fourth caliph. The sunnites were joined thus little by little the clan of the Omeyyades. The doctrinal characteristics and the theological differences between these two currents thus rest on a quarrel of the succession. These religious currents were thus built on a political base.

The Sunnisme comes from the word " Sunna" , i.e. the tradition of the Prophet, who includes/understands his words, his acts and his practices. They consider that Coran (divine word) was not created and that the universe and the History are predetermined. To be Moslem sunnite more amounts perpetuating the Tradition of the Prophet mimétiquement; according to this current, the cycle of prophecy was closed with the Mahomet prophet. The Shiism practices the method of Kalam (deductive reasoning), which insists on the reasoning, the argumentation, the free will and the character created of Coran, contrary to the sunnism. The Shiites believe in the freedom of the individual will. The existence depends on the presence of a Imam, alive intercessor between the spiritual and temporal world, the Prophet and the believers. The Imam is equipped, within the framework of the interpretation of Coran of the " connaissance" and of " the infaillibilité". Coran has an obvious direction and a direction " caché" that it is necessary to study, and that the Imams are charged to transmit to faithful more deserving. This importance attached to the Imam does not have an equivalent in the sunnism and explains the organization, the hierarchisation and the authority of the Shiite clergy (for example, in Iran). The Shiism awaits and prepares the arrival of the Mahdi, kind of Messiah who " the ground of justice and equity will fill as far as it is currently filled of injustice and tyrannie". This waiting, which often implies at the Shiites a rejection of the order current (inherited the quarrel of succession around Ali and worsened by the later events) and the preparation of the arrival of Mahdi, is a factor of destabilization.

With died of the Imam Ali, the Shiites recognized his son Hassan like successor with the caliphate. Let us note that for the Ismaélien S, Hassan was designated as temporary Imâm ( Imâm-i mustawda `) whereas Hussein was indeed permanent Imâm ( Imâm-i mustaqarr ). Hassan, constrained to accept the authority umayyade, lived peacefully with Médine; but it laid down with the Caliph two conditions: you must obey to me to make the war or to contract peace. In fact, Hassan estimated that it did not have the means of fighting against the army of Driven `âwiya. It sent emissary in secrecy to negotiate a honourable rendering with Mu `âwiya. The conditions were such as it will be Hussein who will succeed Hassan after her death and whom their revenues would not be stopped. Driven `âwiya thus put a term at the fratricidal wars, but it poisoned Hassan in 670, a few years later. The second wire of Ali, Imâm Hussein rompît with the dynasty damascenes as soon as Mu `âwiya associated with the capacity his/her son Yazîd I {{er}} in 678, judged impious, discharged and addicted to drink. One cannot describe with certainty the course of these events because we do not have any contemporary source. The first written accounts date from the end of the first century of the Hégire, but all these sources disappeared. Those currently available go back to the beginning of the 3rd century of Hégire. The army of Ommeyyades taken along by Yazid, then caliph, had deprived the town of Karbala of its access to water: Euphrate. In order to find an exit with this situation, Hussein took the road with ten men to try to negotiate with this last. The conditions imposed by the caliph are then too humiliating so that an agreement can be found. October 10th, 680, Yazid orders with its army to go on Karbala. Hussein and one of wire of Hassan died in Martyr, according to the Shiites, at the time of this battle which marks the incipient rupture between the Shiites and those which one will name later the sunnites. Each tenth day of the lunar month of Mouharram, the Shiites commemorate this defeat by the Ashûra .

Single the surviving male one of Hussein, Imâm Ali Zayn Al-Abidin, so was also recognized like the agent of the divine knowledge. During its life, it did not take part in any political action. By consulting the first historical works mainly sunnites and by being based on later sources duodécimaines and ismaéliennes, a second reading of the history reveals us a more realistic and more critical vision of the origin of the original Shiism. The embryonic formulation of the doctrines of the Imâmat emerged during this tumultuous period between Ali ibn Abî Tâlib and Zayn Al `Âbidîn. During this period the major and fundamental aspect of the principles of the faith shî `ite was exposed. Imâm Muhammad Al-Baqir enjoyed a prestigious role. Moreover, its role as Imâm of the young community shî `ite was crucial because the community lived multiple scissions. He was a scholar who controlled subjects varied on all knowledge as well religious (Coran, Sunnah , Hadith , etc) that philosophical and scientific.

The tragic destiny of Hussein shakes part of the Moslem conscience and causes a determination to be fought until the end for an ideal of being able just and respectful of the basic principles of Islam. Martyrdom becomes a symbol of the fight against the injustice. The heart of the Shiism is in this massacre, from where the worship of martyrdoms. All the descendants of Hussein will have a tragic destiny, such as the prison on order of the caliph (or Caliph).

The scission between Shiites Duodécimain S and Shiite Ismaélien S, the two greater groups of shî `ite, took place with died of the 6th Imam Jafar have-Sadiq in the year 765.

Nowadays, the chief of the Muslim community is, for the sunnites, the caliph: an ordinary man (and not near to God), elected by other men in the community of the faithful ones. Their religious system is arranged hierarchically than that of the Shiites. Since their secession, the Shiites (those which " take the parti" of Ali) attach much more importance to their religious leaders than the sunnites; they consider that the Muslim community can be directed only by the descendants of the family of Mahomet, of the Imams which directly draw their authority from God.

Doctrines

As a Moslem movement, the Shiism recognizes divine unicity, the crowned texts of the Coran, the Prophet, the five obligations fundamental, the last judgment and resurrection.

The Ismaéliens Nizârites have a recognized spiritual guide, the Aga Khan VI. The Mustaliens obey a Da' I representing of Imâm occulted. The duodécimains recognize of it several, called Ayatollah or Marja: each faithful can choose to it his, follow its lesson and pour its dîme to him ( khûms or Zakat).

The Shiism grants an affection particular to the Imams martyrs, Ali, Hassan and especially Hussein, celebrated with the festivals of mourning of Mouharram.

Certain Shiites request by posing their face on the ground of Kerbala, or, if they of it are distant, on a small flat cylinder from approximately 8 to 10 cm in clay diameter of the same Holy Land.

Justice of God

The shî `ites consider Justice as being one of the bases of the religion ( usûl Aldine ) which are by order of importance: divine Unicity ( Tawhîd ), Justice ( `Adl ), Prophecy ( Nubuwwa ) and Imâma. It belongs to the Divine Intention. Holding of Justice, in fact Mu `tazilites and the Shiites supported that intellect ( `aql ) human plays a determining role in the choice of our decision. The human intellect which, independently of any instruction, has an intuitive knowledge of the good and evil. One cannot allot the evil to God, because It is Sage and this attribute is contrary with its Nature. Holding of Justice established a series of rules and it is in these rules that they founded the question of the constraint ( jabr ) and of the free choice ( ikhtiyâr ), which is one of the most difficult questions in Islamic theology (cf: Mahomet Rizâ Al-Muzaffar, Beliefs of the Shiism , http://www.bostani.com/Livres/croyance.htm).

Jurisprudence

The Shiites think that the Sunnah rises from the oral traditions stated by Mahomet and their interpretation by Imâms - which were the descendants of Mahomet by his/her daughter Fatima Zahra and her husband Ali.

The Shiite Moslems attach importance of the interpretation of the divine revelation which is a continuous process, necessary to conform according to Qur' ân. The Moslems sunnites also believe that they can interpret Qur' ân and Hâdith. However the sunnites prefer to attach a greatter importance to the scientists such Hanbali, Hanafi, Maliki and Shâfi `I. The Shiite thinkers currently consider that the Ijtihad always exists, and that they can interpret Qur' ân and Hâdith with the same authority as their predecessors while knowing that they are not infallible the such Imams.

The religious law ( sharî `has ) being partially founded on the hadîths; the fact that the Shiites and the sunnites do not agree on the validity of same the hadîths involves differences in the religious traditions, and thus in jurisprudence.

Statute of Imâm shî `ite

Divisions and branches

The Shiism duodécimain

The Shiism duodécimain is the Shiism " historique" : it is majority in Iraq (which has on its territory several Holy Cities of which Kerbala), in Iran where the Shiism is religion of State, like among the Moslems of Lebanon. Duodécimains do not move away basically from the sunnism and they were recognized Moslem by the Institute Al-Azhar of Cairo, most known of the authorities sunnites of the world.

For the duodécimains, since the screening ( ghayba ) of the twelfth imâm, the men cannot claim themselves of another authority and they are thus free compared to the temporal power in place. There are thus a separation of spiritual and the temporal one.

The Ouléma play a great part in the revolution. The doctrines are not fixed because it twelfth Imâm is always alive: in spite of its physical absence, it informs at its community the expression of its will. Interpretation thus remains open in the Shiism and the new problems can receive a new solution. According to the criteria of the theological knowledge, the `Ulama can interpret the signs of the Imam.

The other members of the community are satisfied with imitation ( taqlîd ) and with a literal reading of Qur' ân. Idealistic vision of the end of time, the hidden imâm returns to an hidden side of the revelation. It is necessary to make an effort to manage to find and include/understand the ésotérique one, beyond what is visible.

Currently for the majority current of the Shiism duodécimain, it twelfth successor of Mahomet Al-Mahdî disappears in 874: it is the screening. This supernatural phenomenon of screening will make it possible to put a term at the question of the temporal power, and gives a eschatologic dimension and very strong nun.

The Duodécimains henceforth admit passively the political order because it twelfth Imâm will return at the end of times and will find its reign. In its waiting, no capacity is really legitimate, but the believer must await the return of the imâm while making efforts to improve spiritually.

One can note that the Iranian Révolution of 1979 partly broke with this waiting while wanting to set up a mode religious and political right before the return of the imâm, which was rejected by certain theological tendencies of the Shiism Duodécimain.

Ismaéliens

The Zaydisme

The Zaydiyya recognize five Imâms.

Minority Shiite currents

Among these currents - from which some result from the current ismaélien - one can quote the Alaouites of Syria, the Alévis of Turkey and the Druzes of Syria, of Palestine, the Lebanon and Israel. They are well moved away from orthodoxy Islamic, if one understands by orthodoxy what is common in the majority of the Moslems, i.e. the lesson of Coran and the Mohamédienne Tradition, in particular the five pillars: the Certificate of Faith, the daily prayer (salat), Aumôme legal, the Fast of the Ramadan and the Pilgrimage with Mecque.

Demography of the Shiism

Various Shiite currents

The Shiites themselves are divided into several currents.

Today, the Iran is the great center of the Shiism but this current of Islam exists also elsewhere, it is thus not the Iranian version of Islam. The chi' ites are majority in Iran, Bahrain, Iraq, and they constitute a minority in about fifteen other countries.

the Chiisme duodécimain is the majority religion in Iran and Iraq. One finds also strong minorities duodécimaines in India and in Pakistan (approximately 10% of the Moslems), in Afghanistan, in the Arabic peninsula and with the Lebanon; to see Khoja;
the Ismaéliens are very dispersed. Their communities of origin are with the Pakistan and in Syria, but the majority train a diaspora, especially in the Anglo-Saxon countries;

Nizârites ;
Bohras ;

the Zaydites are especially present at the Yemen;
the Alevi, which are close to the Alaouites, are majority in Azerbaïdjan and they are approximately 25 million in Turkey. There are some believers in North Africa and Balkans (especially in Albania).
the Alaouites, which are close to the Alevi, constitute 10% of the population in Syria. The family of the Head of Syrian State is resulting from this community.

Shiites in the World

States in which the Shiites constitute the majority of the population

Iran (religion of State): 90%
Iraq: 64%
Bahrain: +50%

States in which the Shiites constitute the majority of the Moslems but not population

Yemen: 45% of Zaydites
Lebanon: 25% of Shiites and 8% of Druzes

Moslem states in which the Shiites are minoritiares

Syria: 11% of Alaouites and 4% of Druzes
Kuwait: 21%
United Arab Emirates: 13%
Afghanistan: 15%
Qatar: 10%
Egypt: 6% (especially of the Ismaëlien S)
Saudi Arabia: 10%
Pakistan: 20%

Religious calendar

All the Moslems, sunnites or Shiites, celebrate the following annual festivals:

Aïd el-Fitr which marks the rupture of the Ramadan. It is celebrated the first day of the month of shawwal.
Aïd to el-Kebir which marks the end of the Hajj and takes place the 10 of the month of Dhou Al Hijja.

The following festivals are celebrated only by the Shiites, except contrary precision:

the Achoura and the Passion of Al-Hussein commemorate the martyrdom of Imâm Hussein. This small son of Mahomet was killed by the army of Yazid Ben Muawiya. Achoura is one day of mourning which takes place the 10 of the month of Mouharram. This day of the calendar hégirien is also celebrated by the other Moslems; only, whereas the sunnites as well commemorate Achoura for the martyrdom of Al-Hussein as for the multiple former miracles of which it is the birthday (accosting of Noah's Ark, exit of Egypt of the Children of Israel under the control of Brace, etc) the Shiites, they, almost exclusively celebrate Achoura for the memory of Al-Hussein.
the Arbayn commemorates the end of the period of 40 days mourning following the decapitation of Hussein, as well as the suffering of the survivors of the battle of Karbalâ', who wandered in the desert before arriving at Damas. She is celebrated the 20 of the month of Safar.
the Mouloud or Mawlid is the birthday of the birth of the prophet Mahomet, who is celebrated the 17 of the month of Rabia Al Awal, for the Shiites that coincides with the birth date of the 6th Imam, Jafar have-Sadiq.
the `Id Al-Ghâdir is the commemoration of the last sermon of Mahomet, in which it would have designated Ali like his successor. The festival takes place the 18 of the month of Dhou Al-Hijja.
Al-Mubahila celebrates the meeting between “people in service [of the prophet]” and the Christians of the Najran. Al-Mubahila is held the 24 of the Dhûl-Hijja month.
semi Shaban: the birthday of the birth of the twelfth and last imâm, Muhammad Al-Mahdi according to the belief shî `ite. It is one of the greatest festivals of the Shiites. Many Shiites fast during this day to show their gratitude.
the 13 rajab: birth of Ali ibn Abî Tâlib the first imâm shî `ite.

Centers of religious studies major

Bahrain
India: Lucknow
Iran: Isfahan, Mashhad, Qom, Ray, Tabriz, Teheran
Iraq: Al-Mada' in, Al-Hilla, Karbala, Koufa, Nadjaf, Samarra
Lebanon: Jabal Amil Hawzah, Saida, On
Pakistan: Karachi
Saudi Arabia: Qatif, Al-Hasa, Najran
Syria: Damas, Halab

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