Shiism and Sunnism Comparative Analysis - Essay Example

Module Module ID: Shi’ism and Sunnism Introduction: The present paper aims to make a comparative analysis of the concept of succession of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) according to two major sects of the Islamic faith i.e. Shiites and Sunnis, and the nature of differences in their claims regarding the authority of the Shiite Imam and Sunni caliph. The main objective behind making a comparative analysis of the differences of issues includes the age-old rivalry between both these sects that first appeared after the departure of the Holy Prophet from this mortal world to his eternal abode in high heavens in 11 A.H. (632 A.D) in respect of his real successor. The followers of Islam explicitly split after the Battle of Karbala (AP/HUMA 289-90), where Hussain Ben Ali and his companions and family members were brutally martyred, and the House of the Holy Prophet was plundered by the cruel Umayyad ruler yazid. The paper looks for comparing and contrasting the authority acclaimed by the two, which has been constructed in an absolutely different way and maintaining completely divergent approaches in their nature and scope. The Sunni caliphs, according to the Sunni doctrine, are elected by consensus of community called ijma, in the light of which the first caliph Abu Bakr was elected; whereas the Shiite claim that the imams are appointed from Almighty Lord and explicit designation made by his predecessor through the statutes of holy sayings or statements called nass from the House of the Prophet; it is therefore Hazrat Ummey Salma was not included under the mantle, and only the progeny of Ali and Fatima was entitled to be the members of the House of the Holy Prophet (AP/HUMA 297). In order to illustrate these differences in authorities, 1) the paper will discuss the issues of succession to the Prophet; 2) the election of caliphs as political elected leader and the imam as divinely guided leader, 3) and lastly, the scope of their religious knowledge. Issue of the Prophet’s Succession: The succession of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) serves as one of the most contradictory issues of Islamic history, which has divided its followers into two major sects. Hence, like its predecessor Abrahamic faiths, i.e. Judaism and Christianity, Islam has also witnessed division of its followers into groups and factions in the name of religion. The majority Sunni sect of Muslims, views the four righteous caliphs as the successors of the Holy Prophet, which appeared at the helm of the governmental affairs turn by turn after the departure of the Holy Prophet from the world. On the contrary, the Shiite Muslims regard the Imam as the person to be the successor of the knowledge and spiritual powers attributed to the Holy Prophet. Since imamate, like the prophet-hood, is a divine blessing, which cannot be declared to be achieved one in nature, no one can take this position by himself and out of the divine commandments altogether. The Sunnis regard the righteous caliph as an administrative successor of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), who would administer the affairs of the Muslim state in the light of the commandments of the Holy Qur’an as well as the noble traditions attributed to the Holy Prophet. Consequently, the office of the Islamic caliph was political in the eyes of the Sunni Muslims, where the most righteous and pious individuals would be elected through ijma by the community. Somehow, the Shiite sect of Muslims declares the successor of the Prophet to be more spiritual in nature instead of political one only. Since the Shiite sect claims the certain need of a spiritual guide that could lead the humanity after the demise of the Last Prophet in the same manner as it was attributed to the prophets sent by God from Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all). Since the chain of prophet-hood had come to an end after the Holy Prophet passed away, the tradition of guidance could not observe its end in the aftermath of the cessation of the series of prophet-hood. It is therefore the institute of imamte was introduced in order to carry out the tradition of providing guidance and regulation to the entire humanity till the arrival of the Day of Resurrection. Ibne Khaldun in his famous Muqaddimah has explained the concepts of imam and caliph. The name imam according to him, is derived from the comparison (of the caliph) with the leader (imam) of prayer, since (the caliph) is followed and taken as a model like the prayer leader; while the term khalifah is given to the caliph, because he "represents" (kh-l f) the Prophet in Islam. It is therefore the term caliph of the Messenger of God was applied during the initial years of the election of first caliph (Chapter 3 1). Elections of Caliph and Appointment of Imam: The Sunni doctrine claims that the Holy Prophet had not nominated anyone as his successor in his life. It is therefore Umer had urged the Muslim community to elect Abu Bakr as the successor of the Holy Prophet through voting during a gathering at Saqeefa Bani Sa’ad. The men, according to Ibne Khaldun, around him proceeded to render the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr and to entrust him with the supervision of their affairs. On the other hand, Shiites cite the famous sayings of the Holy Prophet made at the Pond of Khumm on his way to return from the Last Pilgrim of Makkah, which manifestly states that “those who consider me their guide, mentor and spiritual leader, Ali is also their guide and spiritual leader i.e. mawla.” Since the Prophet had announced his successor in his life, adopting some other way for choosing his successor, and denouncing his command was actually the violation of Islamic law, according to the Shiite Muslims. The appointment of the first caliph i.e. Abu Bakr was made through voting called allegiance; while the second caliph i.e. Umer was nominated by Abu Bakr at his death bed. Since Umer was not nominated or elected by the Muslims; on the contrary, he had sought the allegiance of the people after being appointed as the successor of Abu Bakr by the first caliph, it does not fulfil the criteria aptly cited by the Sunni doctrine. The same was also the case at the eve of the elections of the third caliph Usman. The elections of the third caliph were made in the wake of the nomination of a six-members committee that was to decide the name of the caliph after the death of second caliph Umer. Umer had nominated these six personalities best suited for the position in his eyes, and the Muslims were bound to elect one of these six members. Thus, the election of caliph not only witnessed different schemes and strategies, but also violated its own procedures that had previously been observed by the first and second caliphs as well. The tradition also took drastic change at the eve of the selection of Ali as the fourth caliph, where he unwillingly accepted the position at the insistence of the people in the wake of chaos and disorder that was present everywhere in the then Muslim state after the assassination of the third caliph. Actually during his reign, the third caliph Usman had appointed his inefficient and incompetent kinsmen at the key posts, which had put the administrative affairs of the vast state into grave jeopardy. The imamate was transferred to Hassan Ben Ali from his father Ali, and then Hussain Ben Ali and his progeny. (AP/HUMA 289-90).There also appeared other claimants including Al-Zakiya from Hassan’s progeny, though Imam Ja’fer Al Sadiq turned down such claims. Like his predecessor Imams, Imam Ja’fer also had to undergo the severe opposition from the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers. Since Abbasids had also taken the political and religious matters in their hands, they left no stone unturned in crushing the House of the Holy Prophet. However, since the chain of Imamate was to remain at the hands of most pious, knowledgeable and religious person of his time, no one could take the place of the Shiite Imam altogether (AP/HUMA 291). Jafar al-Sadiq appears to have been the pivotal figure through whom the Shia actually came into existence as a religious movement (Rippins 2005 126). Scope of the religious knowledge of Caliph and Imam: Khaldun has described four qualities for Imamate that includes knowledge, probity, competence, and freedom of the senses and limbs from any defect (Chapter 3 p.3). All the twelve Shiite Imams fulfil the criteria described by Khaldun. Records of Islamic history reveal that the first three caliphs used to consult Ali for the religious and legal matters; consequently, they explicitly admitted the spiritual superiority of Imam over the caliph throughout their regimes and tenures as political leaders. In addition, Ali was not only spiritually superior to the caliphs, but also was matchless in bravery and courage on the one side, and wisdom, foresight and knowledge on the other. As a result, the Holy Prophet appointed him as the commander of all troops in the holy wars fought by the Muslims against the infidels, Jews and other opponents of Islam. It was Ali, who accepted the challenges made by the strongest and most powerful warriors, and killed them eventually. Besides, Ali was unanimously considered to be the source of wisdom and the heir to the spiritual knowledge of the Holy Prophet. It is therefore, all companions of the Prophet used to consult him to seek his precious opinion at the eve of being incapable of making a decision out of their own. It is because of Ali’s outstanding valour, exceptional wisdom and unconditional commitment that the Prophet’s most dedicated companions of earliest days of Islam revered Ali and admitted him as the legal successor of the Prophet appointed from God. Moreover, Abu Bakr was also regarded as one of the closest companions of the Holy Prophet, who had rendered services during the initial years of Islam. He was viewed to be pious and intelligent man, and had obtained the support of the majority of the migrated Muslims. Since he was thought to be a neutral person, having administrative and management qualities; it is therefore, Umer supported him as the most suitable person that could be elected as the political successor of the Holy Prophet. Hence, the caliph was attributed to be the political position rather than spiritual one in nature and scope, which would be replaced by the capable persons with political point of view. On the contrary, Shiite doctrine of Imamate remained as valid as it was in vogue at the time of Ali’s appointment as the first Imam and spiritual successor of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in the wake of divine commandments. The position of imam, according to Khaldun, is a necessary one. The consensus of the men around Muhammad and the men of the second generation shows that (the imamate) is necessary according to the religious law (Chapter 3 p.1). It is particularly because of the very reason that the Divine tradition of favouring the humanity with the blessings of spiritual guidance would never witness an ending. It is therefore, Almighty Lord appointed Imamate after the departure of the Last Prophet from the world, so that the people could consult a divine figure for the solution of their spiritual, religious and worldly problems and difficulties. This understanding of the development of authority, Rippin argues, makes sense of what is the most prominent and distinct element in the Shia, and that is the person of the Imåm. Designated by Muhammad, Ali was the first Imåm for the Shia; this was seen as the designation of a spiritual position, not one of temporal power, and thus the inability of the Imåms in later times to seize power within the community was of no particular concern to their followers (2005 124). It is therefore, Hassan Ben Ali replaced his father Ali Ben Abu Talib after the latter’s martyrdom, and then Hussain became the spiritual leader of Imam after Hassan was assassinated. The same chain of Imamate carried on with the twelve successors of the Holy Prophet, and no one challenged their spiritual position due to their divine knowledge, gifted wisdom, glorious character and noblest religious performances and magnificence. To conclude, it becomes evident that the concepts of Sunni caliph and Shiite Imam are sharply contrasted with each other, where the former is a somewhat worldly and political position, acquired and achieved by the people’s choice and elections. On the contrary, the imamate is a spiritual position, which is actually an outcome of the Divine commandment, and is bestowed upon the person containing highest spiritual traits and characteristics essential for a spiritual guide appointed by God. It is therefore, the Shiite doctrine vehemently supports the office of imamate by declaring the twelve imams as the successors of the Prophet of God. Works Cited Khaldun, Ibne The differences of Muslim opinion concerning the laws and conditions governing the caliphate Retrieved from http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ik/Muqaddimah/Chapter3/Ch_3_24.htm Rippin, Andrew. Muslims : Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (3rd Edition) Florence, KY, USA: Routledge 2005 Pp. 130-38 Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/oculyork/Doc?id=10162747&ppg=142 Debates over the Succession and Islamic Governance: The Emergence of the Caliphate Chapter 11 Doctrine of Imamate AP/HUMA 289-99 Read More