AHSS 2360 Lecture 10: Islam: Contemporary Changes
28 Jun 2018
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Week 10: Islam: Contemporary Changes
Sunni-Shi’a Split
-Important division within Islam, occurring after the death of Muhammad
-Central issue is who is the Prophet’s legitimate heir in terms of political and spiritual authority
-For Sunnis, legitimate authority follows Muhammad’s example; for Shi’a, legitimate authority
must come from Muhammad’s family
-A Sunni is one who follows the Sunnah, the exaple of Muhammad, and accepts all 4 Rightly-
Guided Caliphs; a Shi’a is a “partisan” of Ali (and only accepts Ali’s authority of the early Caliphs)
Sunni-Shi’a Split
-Who should lead (be the caliph) the ummah after Muhammad’s death?
-Caliph is a political figure for Sunnis; for Shi’a, a political and religious figure—Shi’a also have
Imam (similar to the Pope). Shi’a much more messianic.
-For Sunnis, the legitimate successor was Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s father-in-law, and part of his
tribe (Quraysh)
-For Shi’a, the legitimate successor was Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, and part of his clan (Banu
Hashim)
-For Shi’a, Ali was divinely inspired, almost like Muhammad; believe there is a hadith that attests
to his authority
-Ali was Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law (he married Fatima, Muhammad’s daughter)
-Ali had two sons, Husayn and Hasan
-Umayyad caliph (Muawiyah) did not name Husayn successor (Yazid named successor)
-Ali was also opposed by the Kharijites, who believed he should not have negotiated with
Muawiyah. They were the first fundamentalists—no compromise with unbelievers (especially
Muslims who were not really Muslims, according to the Kharijirites)
Karbala
-Significant moment in this dispute (681CE). Husayn tried to raise a large army to fight Yazid, but
he and his small group were slaughtered
-Disparity in troop numbers
-Nurtures deep and lasting sense of Shi’a oppression
-Certainly oppressed under the Umayyads
-Ashura: a day of remembrance of the Battle of Karbala and Hussein’s martyrdom
Shi’a
-Sunni and Shi’a share common beliefs, especially regarding the 5 pillars
-Majority Shi’a countries: Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Lebanon
-Different Shi’a groups:
-Twelver (Ashari) – hidden Imam (an Imam is a charismatic religious authority, believed
to be free of theological error and sin, whose word was law); largest group. For twelver
Shi’a, the Mahdi is the hidden and final Imam, who will restore justice and God’s law. He
find more resources at oneclass.com
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is presently and since the 9th century in occultation (hiding), and will return at some
point to make the world Islamic
-Sevener – “Ismalis” – they maintain that the eldest son of the 6th Imam is the last and
hidden Imam
-Fiver – Zayd ibn Ali, grandson of Husayn, was the last full Imam – predominant in Yemen
Differences between Sunni and Shi’a
-Shi’a have been accused by some Sunni clerics of heresy, whereas Shi’a have accused Sunni of
extremism
-Shi’a reject the 4 Rightly-Guided Caliphs
-Choreography of prayer
-Shi’a are more likely venerate saints and visit shrines
-Shi’a believe that Imams intercede with God
-Temporary marriage
-Class dimension—Shi’a are often quite poor
-Worship in different mosques
-Taqiyya—concealment
Ottoman Dynasty (1289-1924)
-Founder: Osman Bey
-Istanbul the capital
-19th century, the Empire begins to Europeanize
-Sultan has greater importance than ulama (religious scholars)
-New ideas: public trials; individual rights; equality before the law; educational reform—that is,
state takes education over from religious institutions
-Modernization of Islamic Turkey
-Universal suffrage and freedom of religion
-Secularist in orientation
-Emancipation of women
-The military hero was Kemal Ataturk (1923-1938), the father of modern Turkey
-One of the great revolutionaries of the 20th century: new alphabet; women’s rights; removal of
a lot of public symbols of Islam; process of Westernization
-Symbol of modernity’s conflicts: how to negotiate between religion and secularity
-The end of WWI sees the collapse of the Ottoman order and the creation of the modern Middle
East, though the borders drawn up by the Europeans did not in any way reflect demographic or
religious reality
Wahhabi
-Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1792)
-Father of “fundamentalist” Islam
-Linked with the House of Saud (Saudi Arabia)
-Worried about moral decline and decadence in Islamic society (we live in a new “time of
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Important division within islam, occurring after the death of muhammad. Central issue is who is the prophet"s legitimate heir in terms of political and spiritual authority. For sunnis, legitimate authority follows muhammad"s example; for shi"a, legitimate authority must come from muhammad"s family. A sunni is one who follows the sunnah, the exaple of muhammad, and accepts all 4 rightly- Guided caliphs; a shi"a is a partisan of ali (and only accepts ali"s authority of the early caliphs) Caliph is a political figure for sunnis; for shi"a, a political and religious figure shi"a also have. For sunnis, the legitimate successor was abu bakr, muhammad"s father-in-law, and part of his tribe (quraysh) For shi"a, the legitimate successor was ali, his cousin and son-in-law, and part of his clan (banu. For shi"a, ali was divinely inspired, almost like muhammad; believe there is a hadith that attests to his authority. Ali was muhammad"s cousin and son-in-law (he married fatima, muhammad"s daughter)
