Shi'a Islam
Ali's followers' faith
Shi'a Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam, comprising about 10-15% of Muslims worldwide.
Shi'a Muslims believe that leadership of the Muslim community should have passed directly from the Prophet Muhammad to his cousin and son-in-law Ali, and then to Ali's descendants.
This succession dispute with Sunni Islam dates to the 7th century.
Shi'a Islam predominates in Iran, Iraq, and Bahrain, with significant populations in Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere.
The Iranian Revolution established a Shi'a Islamic republic.
Also spelled Shia.
- ImamateState ruled by imam
- Husayn ibn AliThird Shia imam
- FatimahMuhammad's youngest daughter
- successionFollowing in order
caliphate · designation · allegiance · lineage · descendants · household · veneration
State ruled by imam
- infallibilityIncapacity for mistakes
- occultationCelestial body blocking another
- MahdiIslam's foretold deliverer
- AyatollahSenior Shia clerical title
Wilayat al-Faqih · intercession · Qur'an · Hadith · jurisprudence · eschatology · resurrection · prophethood
Islamic day of fasting
- MuharramOpening Islamic calendar month
- lamentationPassionate expression of grief
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
tragedy · suffering · redemption · testimony · steadfastness · martyrdom · passion play · elegies
Senior Shia clerical title
- KhameneiIran's highest authority
- clericalOf office duties
- seminaryClergy training college
- religious authorityGoverning force in faith
Ostentatious self-aggrandizement
- processionFormal moving line
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
Formal organizational fracture
- Iranian Revolution1979 regime change establishing theocracy
- BahrainIsland monarchy, Arabian Gulf
- LebanonMideast coastal nation
- IraqMiddle Eastern republic
constitutionalism · persecution · minority · diaspora · Hezbollah · sectarianism · conflict · coexistence
Levantine esoteric religion
- subsectsDivisions within denominations
- denominationsNamed values or faiths
Ghadir Khumm
- ImamateState ruled by imam
- Husayn ibn AliThird Shia imam
- FatimahMuhammad's youngest daughter
succession · caliphate · designation · allegiance · lineage · descendants · household · veneration
Imamate
State ruled by imam
- infallibilityIncapacity for mistakes
- occultationCelestial body blocking another
- MahdiIslam's foretold deliverer
Ayatollah · Wilayat al-Faqih · intercession · Qur'an · Hadith · jurisprudence · eschatology · resurrection · prophethood
Ashura
Islamic day of fasting
- MuharramOpening Islamic calendar month
- lamentationPassionate expression of grief
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
persecution · tragedy · suffering · redemption · testimony · steadfastness · martyrdom · passion play · elegies · grief
Ayatollah
Senior Shia clerical title
chest-beating
Ostentatious self-aggrandizement
- processionFormal moving line
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
schism
Formal organizational fracture
- Iranian Revolution1979 regime change establishing theocracy
- BahrainIsland monarchy, Arabian Gulf
- LebanonMideast coastal nation
Iraq · constitutionalism · persecution · minority · diaspora · Hezbollah · sectarianism · conflict · coexistence
Druze
Levantine esoteric religion
- subsectsDivisions within denominations
- denominationsNamed values or faiths
Shi'a IslamChristianity
Faith based on Jesus
Judaism · Hinduism · Buddhism · Sikhism · Zoroastrianism
Islam, Islamic, Shia, Islamist, Shi'ism, Islamism, Shi'a, Islamists, Shias