Shi'a Islam
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shi'a Islam, also Shi'ism (Arabic:شيعة, Persian:شیعه) is a denomination of the Islamic faith. It is short for Shī'at 'Ali ("the party of 'Ali"). Shi'a Muslims believe in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and of his family whom they call the Ahl al-Bayt. The Shi'as think that the first three ruling Sunni caliphs had no importance to the development of the faith. The singular/adjective form is Shī'ī (شيعي.) and means a follower of the Household of Muhammad and of Ali ibn Abi Talib (Imam Ali).
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 (Ithnāˤashariyya), the others are Ismaili and Zaidiyyah. Alawites and Druzes call themselves Shi'as, but mainstream Shi'as do not agree on this.
[edit] External links
- SHIACODE -The Shia Islamic Guide
- List of Shi'a websites
- Alshiatalk Worldwide Discussion Forum
- IslamTutor
- Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission
- Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project
- Al-Shia Website (al-shia.com)
- Shia Search Website
- AlMujtaba Islamic Network
- Bay Area Shiite-Muslims Association
- Institute for Interreligious Dialogue, Tehran
- Imam Ali commemorative website
- Contemporary issues, philosophical issues, and tafsir from a shia perspective
- Marafi Hussainiah - Online Library - Kuwait
- Who are the Shia? by Paul Sullivan, History News Network
- Momin-A Message for Shitte!, Karachi
- Sunni-Shia difference
