Shia Islam

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

Shia Islam (Arabic: شِيعَةٌ, Persian: شعِهٌّ) is a sect of Islam which believes that Prophet Muhammad was commanded by Allah to choose Ali as caliph, his successor, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and his descendants, and that Muhammad publicly declared it during his last sermon after the Hajj at Ghadir Khumm.^[1] The belief is seen as supported by the Qur'an and Islamic history, with Shia scholars citing verses that highlight the special status of the family of certain prophets, including Ali.^[1]

Shi'a Muslims believe in the teachings of the Qur'an and of Muhammad's family, whom they call the Ahl al-Bayt. They consider the first three ruling caliphs to have little importance in their faith. The Arabic singular/adjective form is Shī'ī (شِيعِيٌّ) and means a follower. The term "Shia" comes from the Arabic phrase "Shīʿat ʿAlī," meaning "followers of Ali."^[2]^[3]

The 1979 Iranian Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini propelled Shia Islam from a marginalized sect to a powerful geopolitical and ideological force worldwide.^[4]^[5]

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

References

1 2 Vaezi, Ahmad (2004). Shia political thought. London: Islamic Centre of England. Islamic Centre of England. pp. 56. ISBN 978-1-904934-01-1.
↑ Foody, Kathleen (2015). "Interiorizing Islam: Religious Experience and State Oversight in the Islamic Republic of Iran". Journal of the American Academy of Religion. pp. 599–623. doi:10.1093/jaarel/lfv029. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
↑ Ferguson, Duncan S. (2010-08-24). Exploring the Spirituality of the World Religions: The Quest for Personal, Spiritual and Social Transformation. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 192. ISBN 978-1-4411-4645-8.
↑ "Amid Mideast Turmoil, the Shiites Have Risen in Recent Decades". NPR. 13 February 2007.
↑ "The Emerging Shia Crescent Symposium: Implications for U.S. Policy in the Middle East | Council on Foreign Relations". 5 June 2006.

[:0-1] 1 2 Vaezi, Ahmad (2004). Shia political thought. London: Islamic Centre of England. Islamic Centre of England. pp. 56. ISBN 978-1-904934-01-1.

[2] Foody, Kathleen (2015). "Interiorizing Islam: Religious Experience and State Oversight in the Islamic Republic of Iran". Journal of the American Academy of Religion. pp. 599–623. doi:10.1093/jaarel/lfv029. Retrieved 2024-11-27.

[3] Ferguson, Duncan S. (2010-08-24). Exploring the Spirituality of the World Religions: The Quest for Personal, Spiritual and Social Transformation. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 192. ISBN 978-1-4411-4645-8.

[4] "Amid Mideast Turmoil, the Shiites Have Risen in Recent Decades". NPR. 13 February 2007.

[5] "The Emerging Shia Crescent Symposium: Implications for U.S. Policy in the Middle East | Council on Foreign Relations". 5 June 2006.

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