http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXOQVG7Pq5s Shia Islam (Arabic: شيعة‎, Shīʻah), is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'ites or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī (شيعة علي), meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali"
Similar to other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is based on the teachings of the Islamic holy book, the Qurʻān and the message of the final prophet of Islam,Muhammad. In contrast to other schools of thought, Shia Islam holds that Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"), and certain individuals among his descendants, who are known as Imams, have special spiritual and political authority over the community. Shia Muslims further believe that Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammadand thus reject the legitimacy of the first three caliphs.
Shias regard Ali as the second most important figure after Prophet Muhammad. According to them, Muhammad suggested on various occasions during his lifetime that Ali should be the leader of Muslims after his demise. According to this view, Ali as the successor of Muhammad not only ruled over the community in justice, but also interpreted the Sharia Law and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by God by divine decree (Nass) to be the first Imam.^[8] Ali is known as "perfect man" (al-insan al-kamil) similar to Muhammad according to Shia viewpoint.^[9] As a result, Shias use Hadiths attributed to Muhammad and Imāms, and credited to the Prophet's family and close associates, in contrast to the Sunni traditions where the sunnah is largely narrated by companions.^[10]^[11] Subsequently, the hadith contrasts between the Shias and Sunnis are one of the main reasons for friction between them, as Sunnis do not accept Shia hadith and vice versa.^[12]

Doctrine:-

The position of Ali is supported by numerous Hadith, including Hadith of the pond of Khumm, Hadith of the two weighty things, Hadith of the pen and paper, Hadith of the invitation of the close families, and Hadith of the Twelve Successors. In particular, the Hadith of the Cloak is often quoted to illustrate Muhammad's feeling towards Ali and his family by both Sunni and Shia scholars. Therefore, the Shi'a believe that the Family of the Prophet's hadiths are predominant over the others sources.

Although there were several Shia branches through history, nowadays Shi'a Islam is divided into three main branches. The largest Shia sect in the early 21st century is the Ithnā ʿAshariyyah,commonly referred to in English as the Twelvers, while smaller branches include the Ismaili and Zaidi, who dispute the Twelver lineage of Imams and beliefs.Twelvers constitute the majority of the population in Iran, Azerbaijan,Bahrain, and Iraq. Zaidiyyah constitute a considerible portion of Yemen. Other countries with a significant proportion of Shia are Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, south Turkey.
The Shia Islamic faith is vast and inclusive of many different groups.Shia theological beliefs, and religious practise such as prayers slightly differ from the Sunnis. While Sunnis pray 5 times daily, Shias have the option of praying certain prayers together into 3 prayers, as there are 3 distinct times mentioned in the Qur'an. Shi'a Islam embodies a completely independent system of religious interpretation and political authority in the Muslim world.The Shi'a identity emerged during the lifetime of Muhammad, and Shia theology was formulated in the second century.The first Shi'a governments and societies were established by the end of the third century (after Hijra). The fourth century AH /tenth century CE has been referred by Louis Massignon ‘the Shiite Ismaili century in the history of Islam’.

Whereas Sunnis believe the Mahdi will appear sometime in the future, Shias believe the Mahdi was already on earth, is currently the "hidden imam" who works through mujtahids to interpret Qur'an; and will return at the end of time.

Beliefs

The Investiture of Ali at Ghadir Khumm (MS Arab 161, fol. 162r, AD 1309/8 Ilkhanid manuscript illustration)

Shī‘ah Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by God alone, only God has the prerogative to appoint the successor to his prophet. They believe that God chose ‘Alī to be the successor, infallible and divinely chosen. Thus they say that Muhammad, before his death, appointed Ali as his successor.
Ali was Muhammad's first cousin and closest living male relative, as well as his son-in-law, having married his daughter Fatimah.‘Ali would eventually become the fourth Muslim caliph.

Shi'a Muslims believe that after the last pilgrimage, Muhammad ordered the gathering of Muslims at the pond of Khumm and it was there that Muhammad nominated Ali to be his successor.The Hadith of the pond of Khumm (Arabic: غدير خم‎) refers to the saying (i.e. Hadith) about a historical event of appointment, crucial to Islamic history. This event took place on 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah of 10 AH in the Islamic calendar( March 10, 632 AD) at a place called Ghadir Khumm, which is located near the city of al-Juhfah, Saudi Arabia.Shi'a Muslims believe it to be an appointment of Ali by Muhammad as his successor, while Sunni Muslims believe it to be a simple defense of Ali in the face of unjust criticism.

They further believe the wordings of sermon delivered by Muhammad was as follows;

"Oh people! Reflect on the Quran and comprehend its verses. Look into its clear verses and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah, none shall be able to explain to you its warnings and its mysteries, nor shall anyone clarify its interpretation, other than the one that I have grasped his hand, brought up beside myself, [and lifted his arm,] the one about whom I inform you that whomever I am his master (Mawla), this Ali is his master (Mawla); and he is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, my brother, the executor of my will (Wasiyyi), whose appointment as your guardian and leader has been sent down to me from Allah, the mighty and the majestic."
When Muhammad died, ‘Ali and Muhammad's closest relatives made the funeral arrangements. While they were preparing his body, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and Abu ‘Ubayda met with the leaders of Medina and elected Abu Bakr as khalifa ("caliph"). ‘Ali and his family were dismayed, but accepted the appointment for the sake of unity in the early Muslim community.

It was not until the murder of the third khalifa, ‘Uthman, that the Muslims in Medina invited ‘Ali to become the fourth khalifa.

While ‘Ali was caliph, his capital was in Kufah, in current day Iraq.
‘Ali's rule over the early Muslim community was often contested, to the extent that wars were waged against him. As a result, he had to struggle to maintain his power against the groups who broke away after giving him allegiance, or those who wished to take his position. After Ali's murder in 661 CE, his main rival Mu‘awiya claimed the caliphate.While the rebels who accused ‘Uthman of nepotism affirmed ‘Ali's khilafa, they later turned against him and fought him.
‘Ali ruled from 656 CE to 661 CE, when he was assassinated. while prostrating (sujud) in prayer. Shī‘as add "و عليٌ وليُّ الله" "and Ali is the wali (chosen one) of God" (wa-‘Aliyun waliyu l-Lāh), to the adhan and shahada but this is not obligatory. Ali is regarded as the foremost authority on the Tafsir and hadith.

Imamate of the Ahl al-Bayt

Main article: Status of a Shia Imam

Most of the early Shia as well as Zaydis differed only marginally from mainstream Sunnis in their views on political leadership, but it is possible in this sect to see a refinement of Shīa doctrine. Early Sunnis traditionally held that the political leader must come from the tribe of Muhammad—namely, the Quraysh. The Zaydīs narrowed the political claims of the Ali's supporters, claiming that not just any descendant of 'Alī would be eligible to lead the Muslim community (ummah) but only those males directly descended from Muḥammad through the union of 'Alī and Fāṭimah. But during the Abbasid revolts, other Shīa, who came to be known as imāmiyyah (followers of the Imams), followed the theological school of Ja'far al-Sadiq. They asserted a more exalted religious role for Imams and insisted that, at any given time, whether in power or not, a single male descendant of 'Alī and Fāṭimah was the divinely appointed Imam and the sole authority, in his time, on all matters of faith and law. To those Shīʿites, love of the imams and of their persecuted cause became as important as belief in God’s oneness and the mission of Muhammad.

Later most of Shia, including Twelver and Ismaili, became Imami. Imamis Shia believe that Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad.Imams are human individual who not only rule over the community with justice, but also are able to keep and interpret the Divine Law and its esoteric meaning. Muhammad and Imams' words and deeds are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through Muhammad.
According to this view, there is always an Imam of the Age, who is the divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the Muslim community. ‘Alī was the first Imam of this line, the rightful successor to Muhammad, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Zahra.

Kalema at Qiblah of the Imam Mustansir Mosque in Cairo, Egypt]with phrase"Ali-un-Waliullah"

This difference between following either the Ahl al-Bayt (Muhammad's family and descendants) or the Caliph Abu Bakr has shaped Shia and non-Shia views on some of the Qur'an, the Hadith (narrations from Muhammad) and other areas of Islam. For instance, the collection of Hadith venerated by Shia Muslims is centered on narrations by members of the Ahl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some Hadith by narrators not belonging to or supporting the Ahl al-Bayt are not included (those of Abu Huraira, for example). According to Sunnis, Ali was the fourth successor to Abu Bakr while Shias maintain that Ali was the first divinely sanctioned "Imam," or successor of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE at the Battle of Karbala of Ali's son Hussein, who led a non-allegiance movement against the defiant caliph (71 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.
It is believed in Twelver and Ismaili Shī‘ah Islam that ‘aql, divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the prophets and imams and gave them esoteric knowledge called ḥikmah and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees. Although the imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, he had a close relationship with God, through which God guides him, and the Imam in turn guides the people. Imamate, or belief in the divine guide is a fundamental belief in the Twelver and Ismaili Shī‘ī branches and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance.
In Shia Islam, there is a third phrase of the Kalema, 'Ali-un-waliullah,' which depicts the importance of the Imamate.
- The fundamental first phrase "La- ilaha-ill-al-lah” is the foundation stone of Islam, the belief that “there is no god but Allah”. This is the confession of “Tauhid”.

- The second phrase, "Mohammad-ur –rasul-al-lah,” says ”Mohammad is Allah’s "Rasul", "Nabi", the Messenger, Apostle”. This is the acceptance of the “Nabuwat,” or prophethood, of Mohammad.

- According to Shia Islam, Mohammad declared Ali bin Abu Talib as his successor and said that "for whoever I am a 'Moula’ of them, Ali is his ‘Moula’”. Hence, they say the Kalema required further confession of the third phrase “Ali-un- wali-ul-lah,” meaning “Ali is his (Mohammad’s) “Wali", its care taker, stressing the need that for continuation of faith there is a requirement of Wali, the Imams which are the real care-takers of Islam.

The Kalema-tut-shahadat includes three Islamic teachings, "Tauhid", "Nabuwat" and "Imamate". In this belief, the Nabi, Mohammad and the Imams are so linked together that these cannot be viewed separately. One leads to the other and finally to God, "Allah", the Almighty.

In one of the Qiblah of Imam Mustansir of the Fatemi era, the masjid of Qahira (Mosque of Ahmed-ibn-tulun), was engraved his name and the phrase “kalema‐tut‐sahadat" (see image), giving specific importance to the third phrase Ali –un‐ wali ‐ ul –lah’ hence to the Imamate.

Ismah

Main article: Ismah

Ismah is the concept of infallibility or "divinely bestowed freedom from error and sin" in Islam.^[41] Muslims believe that Muhammad and other prophets in Islam possessed ‘iṣmah. Twelver and Ismaili Shī‘ah Muslims also attribute the quality to Imāms as well as to Fatima Zahra, daughter of Muhammad, in contrast to the Zaidi, who do not attribute ‘ismah to the Imāms.

According to Shī‘ah theologians, infallibility is considered a rational necessary precondition for spiritual and religious guidance. They argue that since God has commanded absolute obedience from these figures they must only order that which is right. The state of infallibility is based on the Shī‘ah interpretation of the verse of purification. Thus they are, the most pure ones, the only immaculate ones preserved from, and immune to, all uncleanness. It does not mean that supernatural powers prevent them from committing a sin, but it is due to the fact that they have an absolute belief in God so that they find themselves in the presence of God.They also have a complete knowledge of God's will. They are in possession of all knowledge brought by the angels to the prophets (nabi) and the messengers (Rasul). Their knowledge encompasses the totality of all times. They thus act without fault in religious matters.

Intercession

Main article: Tawassul

Shia in Arabic

Tawassul (Arabic: توسل‎) is an Islamic religious practice in which a Muslim seeks nearness to God. A rough translation would be: "To draw near to what one seeks after and to approach that which one desires." The exact definition and method of tawassul is a matter of some dispute within the Muslim community.
Muslims who practice tawassul point to the Qur'an, Islam's holy book, as the origin of the practice. Many Muslims believe it is a commandment upon them to "draw near" to God. Amongst Sufi and Barelwi Muslims within Sunni Islam, as well as Twelver Shi'a Muslims, it refers to the act of supplicating to God through a prophet, imam or Sufi saint, whether dead or alive.

Akhbaris versus Usūlīs

After Muhammad, Ali is credited as the first male to accept Islam

The Akhbari movement "crystalized" as a "separate movement" with the writings of Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi (d. 1627 A.D.) It rejected the use of reasoning in deriving verdicts, and believed only the Qur'an, aḥadīth, (prophetic sayings and recorded opinions of the Imāms) and consensus should be used as sources to derive verdicts (fatwas). Unlike Usūlīs, Akhbārīs did and do not follow marja‘s who practice ijtihad.

It achieved its greatest influence in the late Safavid and early post-Safavid era when it dominated Twelver Shi'a Islam.However, shortly thereafter Muhammad Baqir Behbahani (d. 1792), along with other Usuli mujtahids, crushed the Akhbari movement. and it remains now in the Shia Muslim world only as a small minority. One result of the resolution of this conflict was the rise in importance of the concept of ijtihad and the position of the mujtahid (as opposed to other ulema) in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was from this time that the division of the Shia world into mujtahid (those who could follow their own independent judgment) and muqallid (those who had to follow the rulings of a mujtahid) took place. According to author Moojan Momen, "up to the middle of the 19th century there were very few mujtahids (three or four) anywhere at any one time," but "several hundred existed by the end of the 19th century."

Majlisi

"One of the most powerful and influential Shi'i ulama of all time" also preached during this era. Working during the Safavid era, Muhammad Baqir Majlisi, worked diligently to rid Twelver Shi'ism of the influence of Sufiism (which had been closely linked to Shi'ism) and philosophy, and propagate strict adherence to obedience of Islamic law (sharia).Majlisi promoted specifically Shi'i rituals such as mourning for Imam Husayn ibn Ali and visitation (ziyarat) of the tombs of the Imams and Imamzadas; and stressed "the concept of the Imams as mediators and intercessors for man with God.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Islam

The largest Shia majority countries are Iraq and Iran, both coloured in dark red.

Shia majority regions are coloured dark red, while Zaydi majority regions are coloured pink

It is variously estimated that 10–20% of the world's Muslims are Shi'a, while the remaining larger percentage follow Sunni Islam.

"...Shias are about 10-to-15 percent of the entire Muslim world. We don't have accurate statistics because in much of the Middle East it is not convenient to have them, for ruling regimes in particular. But the estimates are that they are about 10-to-15 percent of the Muslim world, which puts them somewhere between 165-to-190 million people....The overwhelming majority of that population lives between Pakistan and Lebanon. Iran always had been a Shia country, the largest one, with about 60 million population. Pakistan is the second-largest Shia country in the world, with about 30 million population. And, potentially, there are as many Shias in India as there are in Iraq.

—Vali Nasr, October 18, 2006

They may number up to 200 million as of 2009.The Shia majority countries are Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Bahrain. They also constitute 36.3% of entire local population and 38.6% of local Muslim population of Middle East.
Shi'a Muslims constitute over 35% of the population in Lebanon,over 45% of the population in Yemen,20-40% of the population in Kuwait over 20% in Turkey,10–20% of the population in Pakistan, and 10-19% of Afghanistan's population.

Nations with populations of more than one million Shi'as include (in descending order): Iran, Pakistan, India, Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Nigeria, Lebanon, and Tanzania.

Saudi Arabia hosts a number of distinct Shia communities, including the Twelver Baharna in the Eastern Province, the Nakhawila of Medina, and the Ismaili Sulaymani and Zaidiyyah of Najran. Estimations put the Shiite number of citizen at 2-4 million accounting for roughly 15% of the local population.

Significant Shi'a communities exist on the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik). The Shi'a presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis.

A significant syncretic Shi'a minority is present in Nigeria, centered around the state of Kano (see Shia in Nigeria). East Africa holds several populations of Ismaili Shia, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as the Khoja.

According to Shi'a Muslims, one of the lingering problems in estimating Shi'a population is that unless Shi'a form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. The reverse, however, has not held true, which may contribute to imprecise estimates of the size of each sect. For example, the 1926 rise of the House of Saud in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shi'a.

List of nations with Shia population

Figures indicated in the first three columns below are based on the October 2009 demographic study by the Pew Research Center report, Mapping the Global Muslim Population.

**Nations with over 100,000 Shi'a**
Country	Shi'a population	Percent of Muslim population that is Shi'a	Percent of global Shi'a population	Maximum estimate/claim
Iran	66,000,000 – 70,000,000	90–95	37–40
Pakistan	17,000,000 - 26,000,000	10–15	10–15	43,250,000 – 57,666,666
India	16,000,000 - 24,000,000	10–15	9–14	40,000,000 – 50,000,000.
Iraq	19,000,000 – 22,000,000	65–70	11–12
Turkey	7,000,000 – 11,000,000	10–15	4–6
Yemen	8,000,000 – 10,000,000	35–40	5
Azerbaijan	5,000,000 – 7,000,000	65–75	3–4
Afghanistan	3,000,000 – 4,000,000	10 - 15	<2	15–19% of total population
Syria	3,000,000 - 4,000,000	15 - 20	<2
Saudi Arabia	2,000,000 - 4,000,000	10 - 15	1 - 2
Nigeria	<4,000,000	<5	<2	5-10 million
Lebanon	1,000,000 - 2,000,000	30 - 40	<1
Tanzania	<2,000,000	<10	<1
Kuwait	500,000 - 700,000	20 - 25	<1	35 - 40% of total population
Germany	400,000 - 600,000	10 - 15	<1
Bahrain	400,000 - 500,000	65 - 75	<1
Tajikistan	400,000	7	<1
United Arab Emirates	300,000 - 400,000	10	<1
United States	200,000 - 400,000	10 - 15	<1
Oman	100,000 - 300,000	5 - 10	<1	948,750
United Kingdom	100,000 - 300,000	10 - 15	<1
Bulgaria	100,000	10 - 15	<1
Qatar	100,000	10	<1

Persecution

Main article: Persecution of Shia Muslims

Main article: Shi'a–Sunni relations

The dispute over the right successor to Muhammad resulted in the formation of two main sects, the Sunni and the Shia. The Sunni, or followers of the way, followed the caliphate and maintained the premise that any devout Muslim could potentially become the successor to Muhammad if accepted by his peers. The Shia, however, maintain that only the person selected by God and announced by the Prophet could become his successor, thus Ali became the religious authority for the Shia people. Militarily established and holding control over the Umayyad government, many Sunni rulers perceived the Shia as a threat – both to their political and religious authority.

The Sunni rulers under the Umayyads sought to marginalize the Shia minority and later the Abbasids turned on their Shia allies and further imprisoned, persecuted, and killed Shias. The persecution of Shias throughout history by Sunni co-religionists has often been characterized by brutal and genocidal acts. Comprising only about 10–15% of the entire Muslim population, to this day, the Shia remain a marginalized community in many Sunni Arab dominant countries without the rights to practice their religion and organize.
At various times Shi'a groups have faced persecution.

Calendar

Main article: Shia days of remembrance

Shi'a Muslims in Bahrain hitting their chests during the time of Muharram in remembrance of the hardships Imam Hussein went through.

Sunni, and Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a, celebrate the following annual holidays:

Eid ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر), which marks the end of fasting during the month of Ramadan and falls on the first day of Shawwal.
Eid ul-Adha, which marks the end of the Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca, starts on the 10th day of Dhul Hijja.

The following holidays are observed by Twelver and Mustaali Shi'a only, unless otherwise noted:

The Remembrance of Muharram and Ashurah (عاشوراء) for Shia commemorates Imam Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom. Imam Husayn was grandson of Muhammad, who was killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, Ashurah is a day of deep mourning which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Sunnis also commemorate Ashurah, but give it a different meaning (see Ashurah). On January 19, 2008, 2 million Iraqi Shia pilgrims marched through Karbala city, Iraq to commemorateAshura. 20,000 Iraqi troops and police guarded the event amid tensions due to clashes between Iraqi troops and the population which left 263 people dead (in Basra and Nasiriya).
Arba'een commemorates the suffering of the women and children of Imam Husayn's household. After Husayn was killed, they were marched over the desert, from Karbala (central Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus, Syria). Many children (some of whom were direct descendants of Muhammad) died of thirst and exposure along the route. Arba'een occurs on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah.
Milad al-Nabi, Muhammad's birth date, is celebrated by Shia on the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, which coincides with the birth date of the sixth imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq^.
Mid-Sha'ban is the birth date of the 12th and final imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. It is celebrated by Shi'a Muslims on the 15th of Shaban. Many Shia fast on this day to show gratitude.
Eid al-Ghadeer celebrates Ghadir Khum, the occasion when Muhammad announced Ali's imamate before a multitude of Muslims. Eid al-Ghadeer is held on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah.
Al-Mubahila celebrates a meeting between the household of Muhammad and a Christian deputation from Najran. Al-Mubahila is held on the 24th of Dhil-Hijjah. The Quran refers to this event in Surah Aal-E-Imran Verse No. 61.

Holy cities

Main article: Holiest sites in Islam (Shia)

Imām Husayn Mosque in Karbalā. Two tall minarets of Al-‘Abbās Mosque are also seen in the picture.

Both Shia and Sunni Muslims share a certain veneration and religious obligations towards certain shrines and holy sites, such as Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) and Medina (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi) but Imam Ali Mosque and Imam Husayn Shrine are also highly revered by Shia.

Branches

The Shi'a faith throughout its history split over the issue of imamate, with each branch supporting different imams. The largest branch are the Twelvers, to which over 85% of Shi'a belong. The only other surviving branches are the Zaidi and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.
Twelver Shi'a believe in the lineage of the Twelve Imams. The Twelver Shi'a faith is predominantly found in Iran (est. 90%), Azerbaijan (est. 65%), Bahrain (est. 70%), Iraq (est. 60%), Lebanon (est. 24%), Kuwait (est. 33%), Turkey (est. 15%), Albania (est. 10%), Pakistan (est. 10–15%) and Afghanistan (est. 15%). The Zaidi Shi'a are predominantly found in Yemen (est. 40%).
The Zaidi dispute the succession of the fifth Twelver Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir, because he did not stage a revolution against the corrupt government, unlike Zaid ibn Ali. They do not believe in a direct lineage, but rather that any descendant of Hasan ibn Ali or Husayn ibn Ali who stages a revolution against a corrupt government is an imam. The Zaidi are mainly found in Yemen.
The Ismaili dispute the succession of the seventh Twelver Imam, Musa al-Kadhim, believing his older brother Isma'il ibn Jafar actually succeeded their father Ja'far al-Sadiq Ismailis believe that Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq thought his son, Ismā‘īl ibn Ja‘far "al-Mubārak", would be heir to the Imamate. However, Ismā‘īl predeceased his father. Some of the Shī‘ah claimed Ismā‘īl had not died, but rather gone into occultation, but the proto-Ismā‘īlī group accepted his death and therefore that his eldest son, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl, was now Imām. Muḥammad remained in contact with this "Mubārakiyyah" group, most of whom resided in Kūfah.^[91] Ismaili form small communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Yemen, China and Saudi Arabia and have several subbranches.

Twelver

Main article: Twelvers

[hide] Part of a series on Shī‘ah Islam Twelvers
The Fourteen Infallibles Muhammad · Fatimah · and The Twelve Imams: Ali · Hasan · Husayn al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq al-Kadhim · al-Rida · al-Taqi al-Naqi · al-Askari · al-Mahdi
Concepts Fourteen Infallibles Occultation (Minor · Major) Akhbar · Usul · Ijtihad Taqleed · 'Aql · Irfan Mahdaviat
Principles Monotheism Judgement Day · Justice Prophethood · Imamate
Practices Prayer · Fasting · Pilgrimage Charity · Taxes · Jihad Command Justice · Forbid Evil Love the family of Muhammad Dissociate from their Enemies
Holy cities Mecca · Medina Najaf · Karbala · Mashhad Samarra · Kadhimayn
Groups Usuli · Akhbari · Shaykhi Nimatullahi · Safaviya Qizilbash · Alevism · Alawism Bektashi · Tabarie
Scholarship Marja · Ayatollah · Allamah Hojatoleslam · Mujtahid List of marjas · List of Ayatollahs
Hadith collections Peak of Eloquence · The Psalms of Islam · Book of Fundamentals · The Book in Scholar's Lieu · Civilization of Laws · The Certainty · Book of Sulaym ibn Qays · Oceans of Light · Wasael ush-Shia · Reality of Certainty · Keys of Paradise
Related topics Criticism
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Twelver Imami Shia Islam or the Ithnā‘ashariyyah' (الإثنى عشرية) is the largest branch of Shī‘ī Islam. An adherent of Twelver Shī‘ism is most commonly referred to as a Twelver, which is derived from their belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as The Twelve Imams. Twelvers are representing the largest branch of the Shīa, and the term Shia Muslim usually refers to Twelver Shia Muslims only.
The Twelvers are also known by other names, each connoting some aspect of the faith.

"The Shī‘ah" is commonly used as a synonym for "Twelvers" since this branch comprises the majority group of Shī‘ī Islam.
Ja‘farī refers to Twelvers to the exclusion of the Ismā‘īlī and Zaydī ("Fivers"). This term refers to the majority Twelver school of jurisprudence (a minority school, the Akhbarī, also exists). It is attributed to Ja‘far aṣ-Ṣādiq, who the Twelvers consider to be their Sixth Imām. The founders of the Sunni Hanafi and Maliki schools of jurisprudence narrated hadith from Ja‘far.
Imāmī is a reference to the Twelver belief in the infallibility of the Imāms. Though the Ismā‘īlī also accept the concept of Imāms, this term is used specifically for the Twelvers.

The Twelver faith is predominantly found in Iran (90%), Iraq (65%), Azerbaijan (85%), Lebanon (35%), Kuwait (35%), Turkey (25%), Saudi Arabia (10–15%), Bahrain (80%) and forms a large minority in Pakistan (10–15%) and Afghanistan (18%). Pakistan has the second largest Shia Twelver population after Iran.
Twelvers believe that the descendants of Muḥammad through his daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law ‘Alī are the best source of knowledge about the Qur'an and Islam, the most trusted carriers and protectors of Muḥammad's traditions and the most worthy of emulation.
In particular, Twelvers recognize the succession of ‘Alī, Muḥammad's cousin, son-in-law and the first man to accept Islam (second only to Muḥammad's wife Khadījah), the male head of the Ahl al-Bayt or "people of the [Muhammad's] house" (and the father of Muḥammad's only bloodline) as opposed to that of the caliphate recognized by Sunni Muslims. Twelvers also believe that ‘Alī was appointed successor by Muḥammad's direct order on many occasions, and that he is therefore the rightful leader of the Muslim faith.
‘Alī was the third successor to Abu Bakr and, for the Shī‘ah, the first divinely sanctioned "Imām," or male descendant of Muḥammad. The seminal event in Shī‘ah history is the martyrdom in 680 CE of ‘Alī's son Husayn, who led an uprising against the "illegitimate" caliph. For the Shī‘ah, Husayn came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.
Regardless of the dispute about the caliphate, Twelvers recognize the religious authority of the Twelve Imams, also called Khalīfah Ilāhi.

The Twelve Imams

Ancillaries of the Faith (Furū al-Dīn)

Main article: Practices of the Religion

According to Twelver doctrine, what are referred to as pillars by Sunni Islam (which are five in number) are called the practices or secondary principles; there are three additional practices, for a total of eight. The first is jihad, which is also important to the Sunni, but not considered a pillar. The second is Commanding what is just (Arabic: امر بالمعروف‎), which calls for every Muslim to live a virtuous life and to encourage others to do the same. The third is Forbidding what is evil (Arabic: النهي عن المنكر‎), which tells Muslims to refrain from vice and from evil actions and to encourage others to do the same.Twelvers have five Principles of the Religion which relates to Aqidah.

Salat (Prayer)
Sawm (Fast)
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
Zakāh (2.5% of savings to the poor)
Khums (20% of savings of which the first half (Sihmu 'l-Imam) must be given to the Imam of Ahlul-Bayt or his representatives ^[98]^[99])
Jihād (Struggle)
Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf (Enjoining what is good)
Nahi-Anil-Munkar (Forbid what is evil)
Tawallá (To love Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt)
Tabarrā' (To hate, curse and disassociate from the enemies of Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt)

Day of Ashura

Day of Ashura
Shi'a Muslims in Bahrain strike their chests during the mourning
Official name	Arabic: عاشوراء (ʻĀshūrā’); Turkish: Aşure Günü
Also called	Hosay, Tabuik, Tabot
Observed by	mostly Shi'a Muslims, and some Sunni Muslims
Type	Islamic and national (In some countries such as India, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan and Lebanon)
Significance	Marks the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali;
Date	10 Muharram
2010 date	December 16
Observances	Mourn and derive messages from Husayn's Sacrifice; In addition Sunni: Prayer,

A series of articles on Imam of Islam Husayn
Life Family tree · Battle of Karbala Remembrance Maqtal Al-Husayn · Mourning of Muharram · Day of Ashura · Arba'een · Imam Husayn Shrine · Hussainia · Majlis-e-Aza · Marsia · Noha · Soaz · Ta'zieh · Tabuik · Hosay · Chehel Minbari · Chup Tazia · Tatbeer Perspectives The Twelve Imams · The Fourteen Infallibles v · d · e

The Day of Ashura (Arabic: عاشوراء‎ ʻĀshūrā’, Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings; Turkish: Aşure Günü) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.
It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 2, 680 CE). According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.^[2]^[3] Sunni Muslims also remember the day claiming that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberating the Israelites from Egypt.
In some shia regions of Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Bahrain, the Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it. Even in predominantly Hindu country like India, Ashura (often called Moharram) is a public holiday. India is home to more than 40 to 55 million Shiites.

Etymology of Ashura

The word ashura simply means tenth in Arabic language; hence the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means "the tenth day". The day is indeed the tenth day of the month, although some Islamic scholars offer up different etymologies.
In his book Ghuniyatut Talibin, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani writes that the Islamic scholars have a difference of opinion as to why this day is known as Ashura, with some scholars suggesting that this day is the tenth most important day that God has blessed Muslims with.

Commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali

Mourning of Muharram
Events
Battle of Karbala
Figures
Imam Husayn Ali Akbar ibn Husayn Ali Asghar ibn Husayn al-Abbas ibn Ali Zaynab bint Ali Sukayna bint Husayn Muslim ibn Aqeel
Places
Imam Husayn Shrine Hussainia
Times
Day of Ashura Arba'een

Main article: Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali

History of the commemoration by Shi'a

Significance of Ashura for Shi'a Muslims

Taziya procession carried out by Shiite Muslims in Indian town of Hallaur on the Day of Ashura.

Shi'a devotees congregate outside the Sydney Opera House, Australia to commemorate Husayn.

This day is of particular significance to Shi'a and Alawite Muslims, who consider Husayn (the grandson of Muhamad) Ahl al-Bayt the third Imam and the rightful successor of Muhammad. Shi'as make pilgrimages on Ashura, as they do forty days later on Arba'een, to the Mashhad al-Husayn, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq that is traditionally held to be Husayn's tomb. On this day Shi'a are in remembrance, and mourning attire is worn. They refrain from music, since Arabic culture generally considers music impolite during death rituals. It is a time for sorrow and respect of the person's passing, and it is also a time for self-reflection, when one commits oneself to the mourning of the Husayn completely. Weddings and parties are also never planned on this date by Shi'as. Shi'as also express mourning by crying and listening to poems about the tragedy and sermons on how Husayn and his family were martyred. This is intended to connect them with Husayn's suffering and martyrdom, and the sacrifices he made to keep Islam alive. Husayn's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression.

Shi'a Muslims in Malir, Pakistan performing zanjeer--ritual flagellation.

Shi'as believe the Battle of Karbala was between the forces of good and evil with Husayn representing good while Yazid represented evil. Shi'as also believe the Battle of Karbala was fought to keep the Muslim religion untainted of any corruptions and they believed the path that Yazid was directing Islam was definitely for his own personal greed.

Shia Imams strongly insist that the day of Ashura should not be taken as a day of joy and festivity. According to a hadith which is reported from Ali some people fabricated a hadith claiming it was on that day the God forgave Adam, Noah's Ark rested on dry land, The Israelites were saved from Pharaoh's army, etc. The day of Ashura, according to Eighth Shia Imam, Ali al-Rida, must be observed as a day of inactivity, sorrow and total disregard of worldly cares.

Some of the events associated with Ashura are held in special congregation halls known as "Imambargah" and Hussainia.
As suffering and cutting the body with knives or chains (matam) have been prohibited by Shi'a marjas like Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, some Shi'a observe mourning with blood donation which is called "Qame Zani"and flailing.Yet some Shi'ite men and boys, considered heretics by some Muslim scholars, slash themselves with razors (zanjeer) or swords (talwar) and allow their blood to run freely.

Certain rituals like the traditional flagellation ritual called Talwar zani (talwar ka matam) using a sword or zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain with blades) are also performed.These are religious customs that show solidarity with Husayn and his family. People mourn the fact that they were not present at the battle to fight and save Husayn and his family.

Shia commonly believe that taking part in Ashura is to be absolved of sin^[ A popular Shia saying has it that, `a single tear shed for Husayn washes away a hundred sins.

Popular customs

Indian Shia Muslims take out a Ta'ziya procession on day of Ashura in Bareilly India, Jan, 2009.

Shia Muslims take out a Al'am procession on day of Ashura in Barelly, India, Jan, 2009.

For Shi'as, commemoration of Ashura is not a festival, but rather a sad event, while Sunni Muslims view it as a victory God has given to his prophet, Moses. This victory is the very reason, as Sunni Muslims believe, Muhammad mentioned when recommending fasting on this day. For Shi'as, it is a period of intense grief and mourning. Mourners, congregate at a Mosque for sorrowful, poetic recitations such as marsiya, noha, latmiya and soaz performed in memory of the martyrdom of Husayn, lamenting and grieving to the tune of beating drums and chants of "Ya Hussain." Also Ulamas give sermons with themes of Husayn's personality and position in Islam, and the history of his uprising. The Sheikh of the mosque retells the Battle of Karbala to allow the listeners to relive the pain and sorrow endured by Husayn and his family. In Arab countries like Iraq and Lebanon they read Maqtal Al-Husayn. In some places, such as Iran, Iraq and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Ta'zieh, passion plays, are also performed reenacting the Battle of Karbala and the suffering and martyrdom of Husayn at the hands of Yazid.

Tabuiks being lowered in to the sea in Pariaman, Indonesia, by Shia Muslims.

For the duration of the remembrance, it is customary for mosques and some people to provide free meals (Niazz) on certain nights of the month to all people. People donate food and Middle Eastern sweets to the mosque^]. These meals are viewed as being special and holy, as they have been consecrated in the name of Husayn, and thus partaking of them is considered an act of communion with God, Hussain, and humanity.

Participants congregate in public processions for ceremonial chest beating (matham/latmiya) as a display of their devotion to Husayn, in remembrance of his suffering and to preach that oppression will not last in the face of truth and justice. Others pay tribute to the time period by holding a Majilis, Surahs from the Quran and Maqtal Al-Husayn are read.

Today in Indonesia, the event is known as Tabuik (Minangkabau language) or Tabut/Tabot (Indonesian). Tabuik is the local manifestation of the Shi'a Muslim Remembrance of Muharram among the Minangkabau people in the coastal regions of West Sumatra, particularly in the city of Pariaman. The festival includes reenactments of the Battle of Karbala, and the playing of tassa and dhol drums.

In countries like Turkey, there is the custom of eating Noah's Pudding (Ashure) as this day in Turkish is known as Aşure.

Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali by non-Muslims

A tadjah at Hosay in Port of Spain during the 1950s

In some countries other religious communities commemorate this event.
In Trinidad and Tobago^[ and Jamaica all ethnic and religious communities participate in this event, locally known as "Hosay" or "Hussay", from "Husayn".

Significance of Ashura for Sunni Muslims

Not related to Ashura and Karbala, some Sunni Muslims fast on this day of Ashura based on narrations attributed to Prophet Muhammad. The fasting is to commemorate the day when Moses and his followers were saved from Pharaoh by Allah by creating a path in the Red Sea. The Jews used to fast on the 10th day (see Yom Kippur). So Muhammad recommended to be different from the Jews and recommended fasting two days instead of one.9th and 10th or the 10th and 11th day of Muharram.

According to Hadith record in Sahih Bukhari, Ashura was already known as a commemorative day during which some Meccans used to observe customary fasting. In hijrah event when Muhammad led his followers to Medina, he found the Jews of that area likewise observing fasts on the day of Ashura. At this, Muhammad affirmed the Islamic claim to the fast, and from then the Muslims have fasted on combinations of two or three consecutive days including the 10th of Muharram (e.g. 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th).

A companion of Muhammed, Ibn Abas reports Muhammed went to Medina and found the Jews fasting on the tenth of Muharram. Muhammed inquired of them, "What is the significance of this day on which you fast?" They replied, "This is a good day, the day on which God rescued the children of Israel from their enemy. So, Moses fasted this day." Muhammed said, "We have more claim over Moses than you." Muhammed then fasted on that day and ordered Muslims too.

The Ashura is commemorated for the following occasions which may have occurred on the 10th Day of the Muharram in different years:

God had mercy on Adam
The deliverance of Noah from the flood
Abraham was saved from Nimrod's fire
Jacob's blindness was healed after Joseph's shirt was brought to him on this day (Quran)
Job was healed from his illness
The Israelites were saved from Pharaoh's army.
Jesus was brought up to heaven after attempts by the Romans to capture and crucify him failed.

Not all of the above incidents are confirmed to have taken place on Ashura in the Quran, nor by any strong Hadith. These have been reported in the weaker Hadith, but are nevertheless regarded possible by some of the Sunni Muslims. However many Islamic scholars like Mufti Taqi Uthmani^[who?] rebuke such beliefs saying that "there are some legends and misconceptions with regard to 'Ashura' that have managed to find their way into the minds of the ignorant, but have no support of authentic Islamic sources".
The narrations of Muhammad mentioning the Children of Israel being saved from Pharaoh are indeed confimed by authentic hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Today, some Sunnis regard fasting during Ashura as recommended, though not obligatory, having been superseded by the Ramazan fast.
Sunnis in Egypt customarily eat a pudding (also known as Ashura) after dinner on the Day of Ashura; it is a wheat pudding with nuts, raisins, and rose water, and it is also known in Turkish as Aşure.

Battle of Karbala

Hussein bin Ali with his infant son in his hand, as he addressed Yazid's army.

Date	10 Muharram 61, October 10, 680 AD
Location	Karbala
Result	Umayyad victory

Belligerents

Umayyads

Family of Muhammad

Commanders and leaders

Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad
Umar ibn Sa'ad
Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan
Hurr ibn Yazid (left his army and joined Husain during the battle) †^[a]

Husain ibn Ali †
Abbas ibn Ali †
Habib ibn Muzahir †

Strength

4,000 or 5,000(at least) - 30,000or 100,000(at most)

72 including 6 months old baby boy Ali al Asghar

Casualties and losses

Unknown

Hurr was originally one of the commanders of Ibn Ziyad's army but changed allegiance to Hussain along with his son, slave and brother on 10 Muharram 61, October 10, 680 AD

How many Shia are there in the world?

Many people mistakenly think that Muslims are divided into two halves: Sunnis and Shi'it. In reality Shia are between 7.5% to 11%. All the rest (93.5%) are Sunnis (ignoring the fact the Shi'ism is a totally different religion than Islam). The word Shia includes all kinds of Shi'it Sects such as (Twelvers Imami Rafidi Shia, Isma'ili Shia, Alawi (Nusairi) Shia, Druze Shia, Zaidi Shia).

The first statistic was all taken from the British Encyclopedia for the year 1997. However, we feel that it has some incorrect numbers for some countries such as Iran. Their number is compared to the total number of Muslims which is 1,482,596,925

Country Name	Total Population	Percentage of Shia	Number of Shia	Sect
Afghanistan	22,664,136	15%	3,399,620	Imami
Azerbaijan	7,676,953	75%	5,757,715	Imami
Bahrain	590,042	61.3%	361,696	Imami
India	952,107,694	3%	28,563,231	Isma'ili, Imami
Iran	66,094,264	93.4%	61,732,043	Imami
Iraq	21,422,292	62.5%	13,388,933	Imami
Kuwait	1,950,047	30%	585,014	Imami
Lebanon	3,776,317	41%	1,548,290	Imami, Druze
Oman	2,186,548	2%	43,731	Imami
Pakistan	129,275,660	20%	25,855,132	Imami
Qatar	547,761	5%	27,388	Imami
Saudi Arabia	19,409,058	3.3%	640,499	Imami
Syria	15,608,648	15.3%	2,388,123	Nusairi, Druze
Turkey	62,484,478	20%	12,496,896	Nusairi
United Arab Emirates	3,057,337	16%	489,174	Imami
Yemen	13,483,178	46.9%	6,323,610	Zaidi

Total		11.0%	163,601,094

This statistic was all taken from many independent sources for the year 1999. It is more accurate than the previous one. It is important to remember that Shia have a high birth rate since their religion allows adultery (Mut'a). The percentage of Shia this time is relative to the percentage of Muslims.

Country Name	Total Population	Percentage of Muslims	Number of Muslims	Percentage of Shia to Muslims	Number of Shia
Afghanistan	22,664,136	100	22,664,136	15	3,399,620
Azerbaijan	7,676,953	93.4	7,170,274	80	5,736,219
Bahrain	590,042	100	590,042	65	383,527
India	952,107,694	14	133,295,077	10 - 2	13,329,507
Iran	66,094,264	99	65,433,321	70	45,803,324
Iraq	21,422,292	97	20,779,623	65 - 30	13,506,755
Kuwait	1,950,047	89	1,735,542	30	520,662
Lebanon	3,776,317	70	2,643,422	65	1,718,224
Oman	2,186,548	100	382,000	2	7,640
Pakistan	129,275,660	97	125,397,390	15 - 2	18,809,608
Qatar	547,761	100	547,761	15	82,164
Saudi Arabia	19,409,058	100	19,409,058	5	970,452
Syria	15,608,648	90	14,047,783	15 - 9	2,107,167
Turkey	62,484,478	99.8	62,359,509	6	3,741,570
United Arab Emirates	3,057,337	96	2,935,044	15	440,256
Yemen	13,483,178	99	13,348,346	15	2,002,251

Total				7.58%	112,558,954

Shia Muslim Dynasties in India

Shiite Islam has deep rooted influence in present and history of India from North to South with various Shia Muslim dynasties rulingIndian provinces from time to time.

Few prominent ones of the Indian Shia Muslim dynasties are as follows:

Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527 AD)

The Bahmani Sultanate also called the Bahmanid Empire or Bahmani Kingdom was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms.^[35] Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic and Shi'ite Kingdom in South India.^[36]

Sharqi Dynasty (1394 CE to 1479 CE)

The Sharqi sultanate was an independent medieval Shia Muslim dynasty of North India, one of the many kingdoms that came up following the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate. Between 1394 CE to 1479 CE, Sharqi dynasty ruled from Jaunpur in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh.

Berar Sultanate (1490–1572 AD)

On the establishment of the Bahmani Sultanate in the Deccan (1348), Berar Sultanate was constituted one of the five provinces into which their kingdom was divided, being governed by great nobles, with a separate army. The perils of this system becoming apparent, the province was divided (1478 or 1479) into two separate provinces, named after their capitals Gawil and Mahur.

Bidar Sultanate (1489–1619 AD)

Bidar Sultanate was one of the Deccan sultanates of late medieval India. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia. He joined the service of the Bahmani sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a Sar-Naubat but later became the Mir-Jumla(prime minister) of the Bahmani sultanate.

Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687 AD)

The Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turkic dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis). They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu.

Adil Shahi dynasty (1527–1686 AD)

The Adil Shahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1518), before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire on 12 September 1686, after its conquest by the Emperor Aurangzeb.^[37]

Nawab of Awadh (1722–1858 AD)

Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire, Awadh had the newest royal family, the Nawabs of Awadh. They were descended from a Persian adventurer called Sa'adat Khan, originally from Khurasan in Persia.

Najafi Nawabs of Bengal (1757–1880)

The Najafi Dynasty of Nawabs of Bengal were Sayyids and were descendants of Prophet Muhammad through Al Imam Hasan ibn Ali, ruling from 1757 until 1880.

Nawab of Rampur

Rampur, former princely state of British India. Previously ruled by Shiite Muslim Nawabs of Rampur, it was incorporated into the state ofUttar Pradesh in 1949.

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