The key postulate of Shiism, which caused the split and division of Muslims into Shiites and Sunnis, is the recognition of Ali and his descendants as the sole legitimate successors of the Prophet Muhammad.
This disagreement arose in the second half of the seventh century, when the struggle for power in the Caliphate intensified and the question of Muhammad’s successor became acute. The Shiites insisted on the transfer of power to Ali, who was the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law. The Sunnis were of the opinion that the leader was chosen and did not share the thesis about the divine nature of Ali and his descendants.
The result of this confrontation was the de facto military defeat of the Shiites, which put them on the margins of political life. In the middle of the eighth century, Shiism split into two currents – extreme and moderate. The first included the “extreme” (Gulat) and the Ismailis; the second included the Zeidites and the Imamites. Other, less mainstream directions of Shiism are also known: Druzes, Alawites, and Qaisanites.
Followers of Shiism are found practically in all Islamic countries, but most of them are found in Iran and Azerbaijan. A significant part of the population is Shiite in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain.
Shiism has played a large role as a banner for various popular movements using its ideas during uprisings. The common people were close to the postulate of Shiism about the infallibility of the Imam, with whose arrival the kingdom of justice is to be established.
According to Shiite legend, the last 12th Imam disappeared at the age of 9, this event happened no later than 878. There is a version that he did not die but is under the patronage of Allah and must return. The Shiites call the last Imam – “The Hidden Imam” or Sahib azzaman (the lord of time, muntazar (the expected Mahdi Messiah)). It should be noted that in Shiism, unlike Sunnism, the Imam is a mediator between God and man, a kind of bearer of divine substance. Shiites believe that the Imam is infallible, has supernatural abilities and possesses occult knowledge.
Supporters of Shiism adhere to a certain hierarchy of religious figures, at the head of which stands the ayatollah. He is subordinated to the mujtahids, who may express their opinions on religious matters.
It is important to note that there have been recent attempts to reduce tensions between Sunnis and Shiites. This is facilitated by providing Muslims with reliable information about adherents of the opposite direction. For example, among Sunnis there are many erroneous views of Shiites, that they supposedly have a different Koran, worship Ali as God (in Islam worship of anyone except Allah is not allowed), do not recognize the first three caliphs (who ruled before Ali), replace the five obligatory daily prayers (namaz) with one, do not pay zakat (2.5% of savings for the poor), etc. It is easy to see that these perceptions are untrue, and debunking them will make it possible to establish a dialogue between Shiites and Sunnis within the framework of their common faith in Islam.
