| The War within Islam | |
| 10 Jan 2012, NewAgeIslam.Com | |
| Shia-Sunni: A Deadly Ancient Schism in the Islamic World | |
By Palash R. Ghosh |
Essentially, those who became Sunni believed that the heir to Mohammad should be determined by the community of elder Muslim clerics. To the contrary, those who became Shias (a distinct minority), felt Mohammad’s successor should come from the Prophet's own family, namely Ali, his son-in-law -- since Mohammad had no sons who survived into adulthood. Soon after, the Sunnis got their way and chose another successor as the first caliph. Ali eventually became the fourth caliph -- but by then it was too late, the cracks had already formed. In fact, Ali's selection prompted a war leading to his own death in 661 in Kufa, present-day Iraq. The relationship between the Shia and Sunni would forever be ruptured. Moreover, it was Ali's son Hussein who perhaps became the most potent symbol to Shia Muslims. -- Palash R. Ghosh | ||
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