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How to abolish Caste system in India?

How to abolish caste system ?

  • Promoting Inter-caste marriages

    Votes: 9 37.5%

  • Give reservations only to child of inter-caste marriages

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Don't talk about it, it would go away

    Votes: 8 33.3%

  • Appointment of Priest from lower castes (yes some state appoint priests)

    Votes: 7 29.2%

  • caste system is not a problem anymore, it is dead way back

    Votes: 7 29.2%
  • Total voters
    24
kakathiya said:
who told you that? hindus in kerala and tamil nadu eat beef so have they changed their faith? and you know nothing about hinduism, what if all hindus eat pork every day?
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Haha according to @by78 making muslims eat pork will stop terrorism!
 
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kakathiya said:
communist parties are run by christians in india, they are hard core christians and hindus at home and go to party office and act like communists:omghaha:

and just my friend christofer naidu requested me to search for a bride from the naidu community for his nephew who has converted to christianity
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You lie!!!
 
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Dr. Sen said:
I am an athiest, but if someone wants to worship so many Gods let themm who are we to tell them what to do.
And about coversion, yea but convert to what? Christianity same discrimination against sects, Islam the worst, they straight kill each other. Judaism? Maybe yes.



Yea true, but its not a problem due to different sects, its due to skin colour, everywhere its there, i have seen Pakistani calling us black dogs:omghaha:



Same thing here also. Rich city people marry intercaste like west europe. More rural areas have caste problem like eastern europe.

Haha, I myself an married to a Christian!
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Okay we can agree to disagree on this issue then


Ps :- since you are an atheist if you really want to know truth about Hinduism and how misguided hindus are check out zakir naiks site and his videos on Hinduism
 
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Rain said:
I am not indian hence no right to dpeak on it but just want yo share my idea.... intercast marriages.
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even if i convert to islam or christianity my cast will remain as it is, that's the reality and all the government applications both in state or central requires to mention caste, to which group i belong
Oldman1 said:
You lie!!!
Click to expand...
you dont know the reality on ground, do you know pastor anil gowda, even after he became a pastor he has not given up his caste, do roman catholics marry penta costals, do dooms day christians marry syrian catholics, can you bury a roman catholic in a protestant symmetry, if the situation in christianity itself and has hundreds of casts what to expect from the newly converts
 
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magudi said:
Okay we can agree to disagree on this issue then


Ps :- since you are an atheist if you really want to know truth about Hinduism and how misguided hindus are check out zakir naiks site and his videos on Hinduism
Click to expand...

I know many things in Hinduism which is misguided...i will check it out.

By the way, people here think I am a sanghi, actually I am a Nationalist.
 
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Different castes in christianity

Catholicism
Main article: Catholicism
Catholicism consists of the Catholic Church itself, as well as a number of independent churches and movements that self-identify as Catholic. They all claim continuity (based upon apostolic succession) with the early Church.

Catholic Church[edit]
Main article: Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is composed of 23 Churches: the Western or Latin Church and the 22 Eastern Catholic Churches.

The Latin Church[edit]
Main article: Latin Church
The Latin Church (not to be confused with the Roman Rite, which is one of the Latin liturgical rites, not a particular Church) is the largest and most widely known of the 23 sui iuris Churches that together make up the Catholic Church.

Eastern Catholic Churches[edit]
Main article: Eastern Catholic Churches
All of the following are Particular Churches of the Catholic Church. They are all in communion with the Bishop of Rome and acknowledge his claim of universal jurisdiction and authority. They have some minor distinct theological emphases and expressions (for instance, in the case of those that are of Greek/Byzantine tradition, concerning some non-doctrinal aspects of the Latin view of Purgatory).[6] The Eastern Catholic churches and the Latin church (which together compose the worldwide Catholic Church) share the same doctrine and sacraments, and thus the same faith.

The Catholic Church considers itself the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.[7] As such, the Catholic Church does not consider itself a denomination, but rather considers itself pre-denominational, the original Church of Christ.

Other churches and movements[edit]
Independent (self-identified as Catholic)[edit]
Main article: List of Catholic organizations not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church
See also: Sedevacantism
Eastern Orthodoxy[edit]
Main article: Eastern Orthodox Church
See also: Eastern Orthodox Church organization and Eastern Orthodox Christian theology
The Eastern Orthodox Church is organized as a communion of autocephalous (self-headed) jurisdictions, some of which also contain within them several autonomous (self-ruling) units. They are in full communion with each other and claim continuity (based upon apostolic succession) with the early Church.

In addition, there exist a number of churches or jurisdictions which consider themselves Eastern Orthodox but are not in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Eastern Orthodox Church[edit]
Main article: Eastern Orthodox Church
This is the main body of Eastern Orthodoxy, consisting of jurisdictions in communion with each other. Some of them have a disputed administrative status (i.e. their autonomy or autocephaly is only partially recognized), and are marked as such, but all remain in communion with each other as one Church. This list is provided in the official order of precedence. Indentation indicates autonomy rather than autocephaly.

The Eastern Orthodox Church considers itself to be the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded. As such, the Eastern Orthodox Church does not consider itself a denomination, but rather considers itself pre-denominational, the original Church of Christ.

Other churches[edit]
These are churches that consider themselves Eastern Orthodox but are not in communion with the main body of Eastern Orthodoxy.

Oriental Orthodoxy[edit]
Main article: Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy comprises those Christians who did not accept the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451). Other denominations often erroneously label these Churches "Monophysite"; however, as the Oriental Orthodox do not adhere to the teachings of Eutyches, they themselves reject this label, preferring the term Miaphysite.

Historically, many of the Oriental Orthodox Churches consider themselves collectively to be the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded. Some have considered the Oriental Orthodox communion to be a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, a view which is gaining increasing acceptance in the wake of the ecumenical dialogues.

Other Churches[edit]
The following Churches affirm a Miaphysite christological position but are not in communion with any of the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches for various reasons:

Church of the East[edit]
Main article: Church of the East
The Church of the East is said to have been formed by St Thomas. It has also been known as the Persian or Sassanid Church. The Church did not attend theCouncil of Ephesus (AD 431). Historically, it has often been incorrectly referred to as the Nestorian Church. Although at some points throughout their history, Assyrian Christians have been willing to accept the label of Nestorians, they now consider this term pejorative. Recent Christological agreements with the Roman Catholic Church and some of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches have substantially resolved this semantic debate permanently, clearing the way for ecumenical relations.

In the twentieth century, it was divided into two groups which have recently been working towards reunification:

The Church of the East considers itself to be a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.

Other early Christians[edit]
Christian groups appearing between the beginning of the Christian religion to the First Council of Nicaea in 325.

Main articles: Early Christianity, History of early Christianity and List of Gnostic sects
Medieval sects[edit]
Groups of Christians appearing between the First Council of Nicaea and the Protestant Reformation which are generally considered extinct as modern and distinct groups.

See also: History of Christianity during the Middle Ages
Protestantism[edit]
Main articles: Protestantism and Protestant Reformation
See also: Protestantism by country
These are the churches "which repudiated the papal authority, and separated or were severed from the Roman communion in the Reformation of the 16th century and of any of the bodies of Christians descended from them."[8]


Diagram showing major branches and movements within Protestantism
Proto-Protestant Groups[edit]
Lutheranism[edit]
Main article: List of Lutheran denominations
See also: Lutheran church bodies in North America
Anglicanism[edit]
Main article: Anglicanism
Anglican Communion[edit]
Main article: Anglican Communion
Anglicanism has referred to itself as the via media between Catholicism and Protestantism. It considers itself to be both Catholic and Reformed. Although the use of the term "Protestant" to refer to Anglicans was once common, it is controversial today, with some rejecting the label and others accepting it.

The Anglican Communion also includes the following united churches:

Other Anglican Churches[edit]
As secessionist churches, these churches are not in full communion with the Anglican Communion. A select few of these churches are, however, recognized by certain individual provinces of the Anglican Communion.

Calvinism[edit]
Main articles: Calvinism and List of Reformed denominations
Continental Reformed churches[edit]
Main article: Continental Reformed church
Presbyterianism[edit]
Main article: Presbyterianism
See also: List of Presbyterian denominations in North America
Congregationalist Churches[edit]
Main article: Congregational Church
Anabaptists and Schwarzenau Brethren[edit]
Main article: Anabaptists
See also: Subgroups of Amish
Plymouth Brethren and Free Evangelical Churches[edit]
Methodists[edit]
Main article: Methodism
Pietists and Holiness Churches[edit]
Main articles: Pietism and Holiness movement
See also: Higher Life movement, Holiness Tabernacles and Third Great Awakening
Baptists[edit]
Main article: Baptists
See also: Baptist beliefs, List of Baptist confessions and List of Baptist sub-denominations
Note: All Baptist associations are congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent. The most prominent Baptist organizations in the United States are the American Baptist Churches USA, tending to be more liberal, the National Baptist Convention, tending to be more moderate and the Southern Baptist Convention, tending to be more conservative.

Spiritual Baptists[edit]
Note: The Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of New York, Inc has congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent.

Apostolic Churches – Irvingites[edit]
Main article: Catholic Apostolic Church
Pentecostalism[edit]
Main article: Pentecostalism
See also: List of Christian denominations § Oneness Pentecostalism
Charismatics[edit]
Main article: Charismatic movement
See also: Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Neo-Charismatic Churches[edit]
Main article: Neo-charismatic churches
African Initiated Churches[edit]
Main article: African Initiated Church
Messianic Judaism / Jewish Christians[edit]
Main article: Messianic Judaism
See also: Messianic Movement and Messianic Jewish theology
United and uniting churches[edit]
Main article: United and uniting churches
Churches which are the result of a merger between distinct denominational churches. Churches are listed here when their disparate heritage marks them as inappropriately listed in the particular categories above.

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)[edit]
Main article: Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), is considered historically to be a Protestant Christian denomination. It has gone through a small number of doctrinalschisms in its history as a Christian church. Today, the Society exists as several distinct and separate Quaker branches, and it also has an emphasis on Christian belief which ranges from evangelical to liberal.

Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement[edit]
Main article: Restoration Movement
See also: Christian primitivism and Second Great Awakening
Southcottites[edit]
Main article: Southcottism
Millerites and comparable groups[edit]
Main article: Millerites
See also: List of Christian denominations § Bible Student groups
Adventist (Sunday observing)[edit]
Adventist (Seventh Day Sabbath/Saturday observing)[edit]
Church of God movements (Sunday observing)[edit]
Church of God movements (Seventh Day Sabbath/Saturday observing)[edit]
Sabbath-Keeping Movements, Separated from Adventists[edit]
Sacred Name groups[edit]
Main article: Sacred Name Movement
Movements not related to the Millerites but comparable to them[edit]
Sabbath-Keeping movements, predating the Millerites[edit]
Other[edit]
Nontrinitarian groups[edit]
Main article: Nontrinitarianism
Christians who do not believe in the traditional doctrine of the Trinity ("one God in three co-equal Persons")

Latter Day Saints[edit]
Main articles: Latter Day Saint movement and Mormonism
See also: List of sects in the Latter Day Saint movement and Mormonism and Christianity
Most Latter Day Saint denominations are derived from the Church of Christ established by Joseph Smith in 1830. The largest worldwide denomination, and the one publicly recognized as Mormonism, is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some sects, known as the "Prairie Saints", broke away because they did not recognize Brigham Young as the head of the church, and did not follow him West in the mid-1800s. Other sects broke away over the abandonment of practicingplural marriage after the 1890 Manifesto. Other denominations are defined by either a belief in Joseph Smith as a prophet or acceptance of the Book of Mormon asscripture.

Original denomination
"Prairie Saint" denominations
  • Community of Christ - formerly called the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS)
"Rocky Mountain" denominations
Other denominations
Oneness Pentecostalism[edit]
Main article: Oneness Pentecostalism
Unitarianism and Universalism[edit]
Main articles: Unitarianism and Christian Universalism
Bible Student groups[edit]
Main article: Bible Student movement
Swedenborgianism[edit]
Main article: The New Church
Christian Science[edit]
Main article: Christian Science
Other non-Trinitarians[edit]
New Thought[edit]
Main article: New Thought
The relation of New Thought to Christianity is not defined as exclusive; some of its adherents see themselves as solely practising Christianity, while adherents ofReligious Science says "yes and no" to the question of whether they consider themselves to be Christian in belief and practice, leaving it up to the individual to define oneself spiritually.

Esoteric Christianity[edit]
Main articles: Esoteric Christianity and Western esotericism
Racialist groups[edit]
Main article: Racialism
Syncretistic religions incorporating elements of Christianity[edit]
Main article: Syncretism
See also: Afro-American religion
The relation of these movements to other Christian ideas can be remote. They are listed here because they include some elements of Christian practice or beliefs, within religious contexts which may be only loosely characterized as Christian.

Other[edit]
Christian Movements[edit]
Main article: List of Christian movements
Internet Churches[edit]
Main article: Internet church
LGBT-affirming Christian denominations[edit]
Main article: LGBT-affirming Christian denominations
Interdenominational (ecumenical) churches and organizations[edit]
Main article: Ecumenism
 
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castes of islam
1024px-Islam_branches_and_schools.svg.png

800px-Branch_of_Shi%27a_Islam.png

Sunni Islam[edit]

Main article:Sunni Islam

Sunni Muslimsare the largestdenominationof Islam and are known asAhl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘hor simply asAhl as-Sunnah. The wordSunnicomes from the wordsunnah, which means the teachings and actions or examples of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Therefore, the term "Sunni" refers to those who follow or maintain thesunnahof the prophet Muhammad. In many countries, overwhelming majorities of Muslims are Sunnis, so that they simply refers to themselves as "Muslims" and do not use the Sunni label.

The Sunnis believe that Muhammad did not specifically appoint a successor to lead the Muslimummah(community) before his death, and after an initial period of confusion, a group of his most prominentcompanionsgathered and electedAbu Bakr Siddique, Muhammad's close friend and a father-in-law, as the firstcaliphof Islam. Sunni Muslims regard the first four caliphs (Abu Bakr,`Umar ibn al-Khattāb,Uthman Ibn AffanandAli ibn Abu Talib) as "al-Khulafā’ur-Rāshidūn" or "The Rightly Guided Caliphs". Sunnis also believe that the position of caliph may be attaineddemocratically, on gaining majority votes, but after the Rashidun, the position turned into a hereditarydynasticrule because of the divisions that started by theUmayyadsand others. After the fall of theOttoman Empirein 1923, there has never been another caliph as widely recognized in theMuslim world.

Schools of Sunni jurisprudence[edit]

Main article:Madh'hab

Madhhabis an Islamic term that refers to a school of thought or religiousjurisprudencewithin Sunni Islam. Several of theSahabahad a unique school of jurisprudence, but these schools were gradually consolidated or discarded so that there are currently four recognized schools. The differences between these schools of thought manifest in some practical and philosophical differences. Sunnis generally do not identify themselves with a particular school of thought, simply calling themselves "Muslims" or "Sunnis", but the populations in certain regions will often - whether intentionally or unintentionally - follow the views of one school while respecting others.

Hanafi[edit]

Main article:Hanafi

TheHanafischool was founded byAbu Hanifa an-Nu‘man. It is followed by Muslims in theLevant,Central Asia,Afghanistan,Pakistan,India,Bangladesh, WesternLower Egypt,Iraq,Turkey, theBalkansand by most ofRussia'sMuslim community. There are movements within this school such asBarelviAhle Sunnat wal Jama'at,Deobandisand theTablighi Jamaat, which are all concentrated inSouth Asiaand in most parts of India.

Maliki[edit]

Main article:Maliki

TheMalikischool was founded byMalik ibn Anas. It is followed by Muslims inNorth Africa,West Africa, theUnited Arab Emirates,Kuwait, in parts ofSaudi Arabiaand inUpper Egypt. TheMurabitun World Movementfollows this school as well. In the past, it was also followed in parts ofEurope under Islamic rule, particularlyIslamic Spainand theEmirate of Sicily.

Shafiʿi[edit]

Main article:Shafiʿi

TheShafiʿischool was founded byMuhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafiʿi. It is followed by Muslims inSaudi Arabia, EasternLower Egypt,Indonesia,Jordan,Palestine, thePhilippines,Singapore,Somalia,Thailand,Yemen,Kurdistan, and theMappilasofKeralaandKonkani Muslimsof India. It is the officially school followed by the governments ofBruneiandMalaysia.

Hanbali[edit]

Main article:Hanbali

TheHanbalischool was founded byAhmad ibn Hanbal. It is followed by Muslims inQatar, most ofSaudi Arabiaand minority communities inSyriaand Iraq. The majority of theSalafistmovement claims to follow this school.

Ẓāhirī[edit]

Main article:Ẓāhirī

TheẒāhirīschool was founded byDawud al-Zahiri. It is followed by minority communities inMoroccoandPakistan. In the past, it was also followed by the majority of Muslims inMesopotamia,Portugal, theBalearic Islands, North Africa and parts of Spain.


Green Domeand Prophet's Mosque at sunset.

Movements[edit]

Salafism

Salafismor Salafi sect[2]or movement follows a literal interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah (practise of the Prophet Muhammad). They are an offshoot of the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah group. They are called Salafees, Atharees, Ahlul-Hadeeth, Ahlul-Athar, or any other description, and claim to be the only ones whose true allegiance is to the Book and the Sunnah, according to the understanding of the Companions.

It is a movement recently revived by the 18th century teacherSheikhMuhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhabin the Arabian peninsula, and was instrumental in the rise of theHouse of Saudto power. Salafism is a puritanical and legalistic Islamic movement and is the dominant creed inSaudi Arabia. The terms "Wahhabi movement" and "Salafism" are often used interchangeably, although the word "Wahhabi" is specific for followers ofMuhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhabwho are the right wing of Salafi Islam.

In addition to the Qur'an andhadith, the works of earlier scholars likeIbn Taymiyya,Ibn al QayyimandMuhammad bin Abdul Wahhabare used for religious guidance. Salafism is, in general, opposed to Sufism (spiritual aspect of Islam) as well as sects outside of the Sunni fold, which they regard asheresies. They see their role as a movement to restore Islam from what they perceive to be innovations,superstitions, deviances, andidolatries.

Salafis view the first three generations of Muslims, Muhammad'scompanionsand the two succeeding generations after them, theTabi‘unand theTabi‘ al-Tabi‘in, and those who followed in their path as being the best sources in order to understand the foundational principles of Islam, this being the methodology of the salaf. From this they follow theAtharicreed with regards to their beliefs and regarding fiqh, as SheikhMuhammad ibn al Uthaymeenonce explained, the clearest path is for Muslims who are laymen to follow, dotaqlidto, a local scholar or teacher. However for those who wish to further their knowledge in fiqh then these Muslims are advised to take learning from a scholar well versed in a particularMadh'haband study it thoroughly.

The methodology predominates mainly in countries such as Saudi Arabia, and otherArabian Peninsulastates. There are also minority of adherents in theIndian subcontinent(known as theAhl al-Hadith),Egypt, and all over the Muslim world. The Salafis accuse the majority Sunni denomination of Shirk (associating partners with God) due to their practise of Waseela (intercession in prayers) of the Prophets and Saints.

Ahl al-Hadith

TheAhl al-Hadithis aSunniIslamic movement started in the mid-nineteenth century in Northern India. It refers to the adherent's belief that they are not bound bytaqlid(as areAhl al-Rai, literally "the people of rhetorical theology"), but consider themselves free to seek guidance in matters of religious faith and practices from the authentichadithwhich, together with theQur'an, are in their view the principal worthy guide forMuslim.[3][4]Followers call themselves as Ahl al-Hadith orSalafi. The termAhl al-Hadithis often used interchangeably with the termWahhabi,[5]or as a branch of the latter movement,[6][7]though the movement itself claims to be distinct fromWahhabism.[8]

Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun

The Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun, orMuslim Brotherhood, is an organisation that was founded by Egyptian scholarHassan al-Banna, a graduate ofDar al-Ulum. With its various branches, it is the largest Sunni movement in the Arab world, and an affiliate is often the largest opposition party in many Arab nations. The Muslim Brotherhood is not concerned with theological differences, accepting Muslims of any of the four Sunni schools of thought. It is the world's oldest and largestIslamistgroup. Its aims are to re-establish theCaliphateand in the mean time push for more Islamisation of society. The Brotherhood's stated goal is to instill the Qur'an andsunnahas the "sole reference point for... ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual, community... and state".[citation needed]

Jamaat-e-Islami

TheJamaat-e-Islamiis an Islamist political party in theIndian Subcontinent. It was founded in Lahore, British India, by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in 1941 and is the oldest religious party in Pakistan and India. Today, sister organizations with similar objectives and ideological approaches exist in India, (Jamaat-e-Islami Hind), Bangladesh (Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh), Kashmir,Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, and there are "close brotherly relations" with the Islamist movements and missions "working in different continents and countries", particularly those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood or Akhwan-al-Muslimeen. The JI envisions an Islamic government in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan governing by Islamic law. It opposes Westernization—including capitalism, socialism, or such practices as bank interest, and favours an Islamic economic order andCaliphate.[citation needed]

Jamaat-al-Muslimeen

TheJamaat ul-Muslimeenis a movement in Sunni Islam revived by the Imam SyedMasood Ahmadin the 1960s.[9]The present leader of this group isMuhammad Ishtiaq.[10]

Shia Islam[edit]

Main articles:Shi'itesandImamah (Shia doctrine)

Shia Islam(شيعةShia, sometimesShi'a; adjectiveShi'ite), is the second-largest denomination of Islam, comprising 10-20%[11][12][13]of the total Muslim population in the world.[14]Shia Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the populations inAzerbaijan,Bahrain,Iran, andIraq, as well as apluralityinLebanon.


Imam Ali ShrineinNajaf,Iraq, whereAlithe firstShia Imamis buried.

In addition to believing in the authority of theQur'anand teachings of Muhammad, Shia believe that his family, theAhl al-Bayt(the "People of the House"), including his descendants known asImams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community[15]and believe thatAli ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was therightful successorto Muhammad, and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs.[16]

The Shia Islamic faith is broad and includes many different groups. There are various Shia theological beliefs, schools of jurisprudence, philosophical beliefs, and spiritual movements. The Shia identity emerged soon after the martyrdom of Hussain son of Ali (the grandson of the prophet Muhammad) andShia theologywas formulated in the second century[17]and the first Shia governments and societies were established by the end of the ninth century.

Significant Shia communities exist on the coastal regions ofWest SumatraandAcehinIndonesia(seeTabuik). The Shia presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantlyShafi'iSunnis.

A significant syncretic Shia minority is present inNigeria, centered around the state ofKaduna(seeShia in Nigeria). East Africa holds several populations ofIsmailiShia, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as theKhoja.

According to Shia Muslims community,[18]one of the lingering problems in estimating Shia population is that unless Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni.[18]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 theHouse of Saudin Arabia brought official discrimination against Shia.[19]

Schools of Shia jurisprudence[edit]

Shia Islam is divided into three branches. The largest and best known are theTwelver(اثنا عشريةiṯnāʿašariyya), named after their adherence tothe Twelve Imams. They form a majority of the population inIran,Azerbaijan,BahrainandIraq. Other smaller branches include theIsmailiandZaidi, who dispute the Twelver lineage of Imams and beliefs.[20]

The Twelver Shia faith is predominantly found inIran(90%),Azerbaijan(85%),Bahrain(70%),Iraq(65%),Lebanon(40%),[21]Kuwait(25%),Albania(20%),Pakistan(25%),Afghanistan(20%).

The Zaidi dispute the succession of the fifth Twelver Imam,Muhammad al-Baqir, because he did not stage a revolution against the corrupt government, unlikeZaid ibn Ali. They do not believe in a normal lineage, but rather that any descendant ofHasan ibn AliorHusayn ibn Aliwho stages a revolution against a corrupt government is an imam. The Zaidi are mainly found inYemen.

TheIsmailidispute the succession of the seventh Twelver Imam,Musa al-Kadhim, believing his older brotherIsma'il ibn Jafaractually succeeded their fatherJa'far al-Sadiq, and did not predecease him like Twelver Shia believe.Ismailiform small communities inAfghanistan,Pakistan,Uzbekistan,Tajikistan, India,Syria, United Kingdom, Canada,Uganda, Portugal,Yemen, mainland China,BangladeshandSaudi Arabia[22]and have several sub-branches.


Branching of Shi'a Islam at a glance.

Twelver[edit]

Main articles:TwelversandImamah (Shia Twelver doctrine)

Twelversbelieve in twelve Imams. Thetwelfth Imamis believed to be inoccultation, and will appear again just before theQiyamah(Islamic view of the Last Judgment). The Shiahadithsinclude the sayings of the Imams. Many Muslims criticise the Shia for certain beliefs and practices, including practices such as theMourning of Muharram(Mätam). They are the largest Shia school of thought (93%), predominant inAzerbaijan,Iran, Iraq,LebanonandBahrainand have a significant population in Pakistan,India,AfghanistanKuwaitand theEastern province of Saudi Arabia. TheTwelver Shiaare followers ofeither theJaf'ariorBatiniyyahmadh'habs.

Ja'fari jurisprudence[edit]

Main article:Ja'fari jurisprudence

Followers oftheJaf'arimadh'habare divided into the following sub-divisions, although these are not considered different sects:

· Usulism – The Usuli form the overwhelming majority within the Twelver Shia denomination. They follow aMarja-i Taqlidon the subject oftaqlidand fiqh. They are concentrated in Iran, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iraq, and Lebanon.

· Akhbarism – Akhbari, similar to Usulis, however rejectijtihadin favor of hadith. Concentrated in Bahrain.

· Shaykhism – Shaykhism is an Islamic religious movement founded byShaykh Ahmadin the early 19th centuryQajar dynasty, Iran, now retaining a minority following in Iran and Iraq. It began from a combination of Sufi and Shia and Akhbari doctrines. In the mid 19th-century many Shaykhis converted to theBábíandBahá'íreligions, which regard Shaykh Ahmad highly.

Batini jurisprudence[edit]

Main article:Batiniyyah

On the other hand, the followers oftheBatiniyyahmadh'habconsist ofAlevisandNusayris, who developed their ownfiqhsystem and do not pursue theJa'fari jurisprudence.

Alawism

Main articles:Al-Khaṣībī,Ibn NusayrandAlawism

‘Alawi –Alawitesare also called Nusayris, Nusairis, Namiriya or Ansariyya. Theirmadh'habis established byIbn Nusayr, and theiraqidahis developed byAl-Khaṣībī. They followCillīaqidahof"Maymūn ibnAbu’l-Qāsim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn at-Tabarānīfiqh"of the‘Alawis.[23][24]Slightly over one million of them live in Syria and Lebanon.[25]

Alevism

Main articles:KızılbaşandAlevism

Alevi –Alevisare sometimes categorized as part of Twelver Shia Islam, and sometimes as its own religious tradition, as it has markedly different philosophy, customs, and rituals. They have manyTasawwufīcharacteristics and express belief in theQur'anandThe Twelve Imams, but rejectpolygamyand accept religious traditions predating Islam, like Turkishshamanism. They are significant in East-Central Turkey. They are sometimes considered a Sufi sect, and have an untraditional form of religious leadership that is not scholarship oriented like other Sunni and Shia groups. They number around 24 million worldwide, of which 17 million are inTurkey, with the rest in theBalkans,Albania,Azerbaijan,IranandSyria.

Anatolian Qizilbashism and Alevi Islamic School of Theology

Main articles:Safaviyya,Shaykh Haydar,Qizilbash,Imadaddin Nasimi,HurufismandBektashism and folk religion

In Turkey,Shia Muslimpeople belong to theJa'fari jurisprudenceMadhhab, which tracks back to the sixthShia ImamJa'far al-Sadiq(also known as Imam Jafar-i Sadiq),are called as the Ja'faris, who belong toTwelverShia. Although the AleviTurksare considered a part ofTwelverShiaIslam, their belief is different from theJa'fari jurisprudencein conviction.

· "The Alevi-Turks"has a unique and perplex conviction tracing back toKaysanites ShiaandKhurramiteswhich are considered asGhulatShia. According to Turkish scholar Abdülbaki Gölpinarli, theQizilbash("Red-Heads") of the 16th century - a religious and political movement in Azerbaijan that helped to establish theSafavid dynasty- were "spiritual descendants of theKhurramites".[26]

· Among the members of the "Qizilbash-Tariqah"who are considered as a sub-sect of the Alevis, two figures firstlyAbu Muslim Khorasaniwho assistedAbbasid Caliphateto beatUmayyad Caliphate, but later eliminated and murdered by CaliphAl-Mansur, and secondlyBabak Khorramdinwho incited a rebellion against theAbbasid Caliphateand consequently was killed by Caliphal-Mu'tasimare highly respected. This belief provides strong clues about theirKaysanites ShiaandKhurramitesorigins. In addition, the "SafaviyyaTariqah" leaderIsmail Iis a highly regarded individual in the belief of "Alevi-Qizilbash-Tariqah" associating them with theImamah (Shia Twelver doctrine)conviction of the "TwelverShi'aIslam".

· Theiraqidah(theological conviction)is based upon a syncreticfiqhsystem called as "Batiniyya-Sufism"[27]which incorporates someQarmatiansentiments,originally introduced by"Abu’l-Khāttāb Muhammad ibn Abu Zaynab al-Asadī",[28][29]and later developed by"Maymun al-Qāddāh"and his son"ʿAbd Allāh ibn Maymun",[30]and "Mu'tazila" with a strong belief inThe Twelve Imams.

· Not all of the members believe that the fasting inRamadanis obligatory although some Alevi-Turks performs their fasting duties partially inRamadan.

· Some beliefs ofShamanismstill are common amongst theQizilbashAlevi-Turkish peoplein villages.

· On the other hand, the members ofBektashi Orderhave a conviction of "BatiniyyaIsma'ilism"[27]and "Hurufism" with a strong belief in theThe Twelve Imams.

· In conclusion,Qizilbash-Alevis are not a part ofJa'fari jurisprudencefiqh, even though they can be considered as members of differentTariqaofShia Islamall looks like sub-classes ofTwelver. Their conviction includes "Batiniyya-Hurufism" and "Sevener-Qarmatians-Ismailism" sentiments.[27][31]

· They all may be considered as special groups not following theJa'fari jurisprudence, likeAlawiteswho are in the class ofGhulatTwelverShia Islam, but a specialBatiniyyabelief somewhat similar toIsma'ilismin their conviction.

· In conclusion,Twelverbranch ofShia IslamMuslimpopulation ofTurkeyis composed ofMu'tazilaaqidahofJa'fari jurisprudencemadhhab,Batiniyya-Sufismaqidahof Maymūn’al-Qāddāhīfiqhof the Alevīs, and Cillīaqidahof Maymūn ibnAbu’l-Qāsim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn at-Tabarānīfiqhof theAlawites,[23][32]who altogether constitutes nearly one third of the whole population of the country.(An estimate for the Turkish Alevi population varies between Seven and Eleven Millions.[33][34]Over 85% of the population, on the other hand, overwhelmingly constituteMaturidiaqidahof theHanafifiqhandAsh'ariaqidahof theShafi'ifiqhof theSunnifollowers.)

Further information:Al-Hallaj,Sevener,Qarmatians,Baba Ishak,Babai Revolt,Hassan II (imam)andNur al-Din Muhammad II

The Alevi ʿaqīdah

Main article:ʿAqīdah

· Some of their members (or sub-groups) claim thatGodtakes abode in the bodies of the human-beings (ḥulūl), believe inmetempsychosis(tanāsukh), and considerIslamic lawto be not obligatory (ibāḥa), similar toantinomianism.[35]

· Some of the Alevis criticizes the course ofIslamas it is being practiced overwhelmingly by more than 99% ofSunniandShiapopulation.

· They believe that major additions had been implemented during the time ofUmmayads, and easily refuse some basic principles on the grounds that they believe it contradicts with the holy book ofIslam, namely theQu'ran.

· Regular dailysalatandfastingin the holy month ofRamadanare officially not accepted by all members ofAlevism.

· Furthermore, some of the sub-groups likeIshikistsandBektashis,who portrayed themselves asAlevis,neither comprehend the essence of the regular dailysalat(prayers)andfastingin the holy month ofRamadanthat is frequently accentuated at many times inQuran, nor admits that these principles constitute the ineluctable foundations of theDīnofIslamas they had been laid down byAllahand they had been practised in an uninterruptible manner during the period ofProphet Muhammad.

Ismā'īlīsm[edit]

Part ofa seriesonNizārī-IsmāʿīliBatiniyya,MustaaliTayyibisandDurziShī‘ism

Ismāʿīlism

Main articles:Ismā'īlīandImamah (Ismaili doctrine)

The Ismailis and Twelvers both accept the same initial Imams from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima Zahra and therefore share much of their early history. However, a dispute arose on the succession of the Sixth Imam,Ja'far al-Sadiq. The Ismailis are those who accepted Ja'far's eldest sonIsmā'īlas the next Imam, whereas the Twelvers accepted a younger son,Musa al-Kazim. Today, Ismā'īlīs are concentrated in Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. TheNizārī Ismā'īlīs, however, are also concentrated inBadakhshan(mainly,Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous RegionofTajikistan)[36][37]-Central Asia, Russia, China, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Australia, North America (including Canada), the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and in Africa as well. Their total population is around Thirteen to Sixteen Million excluding theDruzepopulation, nearly 1% of the overall World Muslim population, and gets closer to a total of Twenty MillionIsmā'īlīpopulation with the inclusion ofDruzes.

Tāiyebī Mustā'līyyah[edit]

Main articles:Al-Musta'li,Mustali,At-Tayyib Abi l-QasimandTaiyabi

Mustaali – The Mustaali group of Ismaili Muslims differ from the Nizāriyya in that they believe that the successor-Imām to the Fatimid caliph, al-Mustansir, was his younger son al-Mustaʻlī, who was made Caliph by the Fatimad RegentAl-Afdal Shahanshah. In contrast to the Nizaris, they accept the younger brother al-Mustaʻlī over Nizār as their Imam. The Bohras are an offshoot of theTaiyabi, which itself was an offshoot of the Mustaali. The Taiyabi, supporting another offshoot of the Mustaali, theHafizibranch, split with the Mustaali Fatimid, who recognizedAl-Amiras their last Imam. The split was due to the Taiyabi believing thatAt-Tayyib Abi l-Qasimwas the next rightful Imam afterAl-Amir. TheHafizithemselves however consideredAl-Hafizas the next rightful Imam afterAl-Amir. The Bohras believe that their 21st Imam, Taiyab abi al-Qasim, went into seclusion and established the offices of theDa'i al-Mutlaq(الداعي المطلق), Ma'zoon (مأذون) and Mukasir (مكاسر). The Bohras are the only surviving branch of the Mustaali and themselves have split into theDawoodi Bohra,Sulaimani Bohra, andAlavi Bohra.

The Twenty-OneImamsof
TheTayyibi-Ismāʿīlīs

· Ali("Asās" or "Wāsih" of "Nabi" Mohammad)

· 1. Hasan

· 2. Husayn

· 3. al-Sajjad

· 4. al-Baqir

· 5. al-Sādiq

· 6. Ismā'il

· 7. Muhammad

· 8. Abdullāh(Wāfi Ahmad)

· 9. Ahmad(Tāqi Muhammad)

· 10. Husayn(Rādhi Abdullāh)

· 11. ʿUbayd Allāh al-Mahdī b’il-Lāh

· 12. Muhammad al-Qā'im

· 13. Ismāʿīl al-Mansur

· 14. Ma'ādd al-Mu'izz

· 15. Nizār al-Aziz

· 16. Mansur al-Hākim

· 17. Ali az-Zāhir

· 18. Ma'ādd al-Mustansir

· 19. Ahmad al-Mustāʿli

· 20. Mansur al-Amir

· 21. Abu'l-Qāsim at-Tāyyib

· v

· t

· e

· Dawoodi Bohra – The Dawoodi Bohras are a denomination of the Bohras. After offshooting from the Taiyabi the Bohras split into two, theDawoodi Bohraand theSulaimani Bohra, over who would be the correctdaiof the community. Concentrated mainly in Pakistan and India.

· Sulaimani Bohra – The Sulaimani Bohra named after their 27thDa'i al-Mutlaq, Sulayman ibn Hassan, are a denomination of the Bohras. After offshooting from the Taiyabi the Bohras split into two, the Sulaimani Bohra and the Dawoodi Bohra, over who would be the correct dai of the community. Concentrated mainly inYemen.

· Alavi Bohra – Split from the Dawoodi Bohra over who would be the correct dai of the community. The smallest branch of the Bohras.

· Hebtiahs Bohra – The Hebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shia Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.[citation needed]

· Atba-i-Malak – The Abta-i Malak jamaat (community) are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shia Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 46thDa'i al-Mutlaq, under the leadership ofAbdul Hussain Jivaji. They have further split into two more branches, theAtba-i-Malak BadraandAtba-i-Malak Vakil.[38]

Nīzār'īyyah[edit]

Nizārī-IsmāʿīlīImams

· 1. Ali

· 2. Husayn

· 3. al-Sajjad

· 4. al-Baqir

· 5. al-Sādiq

· 6. Ismā'il

· 7. Muhammad

· 8. Abdullāh(Wāfi Ahmad)

· 9. Ahmad(Tāqi Muhammad)

· 10. Husayn(Rādhi Abdullāh)

· 11. ʿUbayd Allāh al-Mahdī b’il-Lāh

· 12. Muhammad al-Qā'im

· 13. Ismāʿīl al-Mansur

· 14. Ma'ādd al-Mu'izz

· 15. Nizār al-Aziz

· 16. Mansur al-Hākim

· 17. Ali az-Zāhir

· 18. Ma'ādd al-Mustansir

· 19. Nizār al-Mustafá

· 20. Al-Hādī

· 21. Al-Mutadī

· 22. Al-Qāhir

· 23. Hassan II ʻAlā Dhikrihi-s-Salām

· 24. Nūr-al-Dīn Muhammad II

· 25. Jalālu-d-Dīn Hassan III

· 26. ʻAlāʼ ad-Dīn Muhammad III

· 27. Ruknu-d-Dīn Khurshāh

· 28. Shamsu-d-Dīn Muhammad II

· 29. Qāsim Shāh

· 30. Islām Shāh

· 31. Muḥammad b. Islām Shāh

· 32. Al-Mustanṣir billāh II

· 33. ʻAbdu-s-Salām Shāh

· 34. Gharīb Mīrzā

· 35. Abū Dharr ʻAlī

· 36.Murād Mīrzā

· 37. Dhū-l-Fiqār ʻAlī

· 38. Nūru-d-Dīn ʻAlī

· 39. Khalīlullāh II ʻAlī

· 40. Nizār II

· 41. As-Sayyid ʻAlī

· 42. Ḥasan ʻAlī

· 43. Qāsim ʻAlī

· 44. Abū-l-Hasan ʻAlī

· 45. Shāh Khalīlullāh III

· 46. Hassan ʻAlī Shāh

· 47. Āqā ʻAlī Shāh

· 48. Muhammad Shāh

· 49. Karīmu-l-Hussaynī

· v

· t

· e

Main articles:Nizar (Fatimid Imam),Nizārī Ismā'īlīandImamah (Nizari Ismaili doctrine)

Nizārī –TheNīzār’īyyahare the largest branch (95%) ofIsmā'īlī, they are the only Shia group to be have their absolute temporal leader in the rank of Imamate, which is currently invested inAga Khan IV. Their present living Imam isMawlānāShah Karim Al-Husayniwho is the 49th Imam.Nizārī Ismā'īlīsbelieve that the successor-Imām to theFatimidcaliphMa'ad al-Mustansir Billahwas his elder sonal-Nizār. WhileNizārībelong to the "Imamijurisprudence" orJa'fāriyya Madhab(school of Jurisprudence), believed by Shias to be founded by ImamJa'far as-Sadiqthey adhere to sumpremacy of "Kalam", in the interpretation of scripture, and believe in the temporal relativism of understanding, as opposed tofiqh(traditionallegalism),which adheres to anabsolutismapproach torevelation.

Further information:Nizārī Ismā'īlī stateandHistory of the Shī‘a Imāmī Ismā'īlī Ṭarīqah

Durziyyah[edit]

Main articles:Durziandad-Darazi


Druze star.

Druze – The Druze are a small distinct traditional religion that developed in the 11th century. It began as an offshoot of the Ismaili sect of Islam, but is unique in its incorporation ofGnostic,neo-Platonicand other philosophies. Druze are considered heretical and non-Muslims by most other Muslims because they are believed to address prayers to the Fatimid caliphAl-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the third Fatimid caliph of Egypt, whom they regard as "a manifestation of God in His unity." The Druze believe that he had been hidden away by God and will return as theMahdion Judgement Day. Like Alawis, most Druze keep the tenets of their Faith secret, and very few details are known. They neither accept converts nor recognize conversion from their religion to another. They are located primarily in theLevant. Druze in different states can have radically different lifestyles. Some claim to be Muslim, some do not, though the Druze faith itself abides by Islamic principles.[citation needed]

Further information:Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah,Da‘wat at-tawḥīd,Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-Ahmad,Baha'uddin al-Muqtana,Rasa'il al-hikmahandAl-Sayyid al-Tanukhi

Zaidiyyah[edit]

Main articles:Zaidiyyah,Zayd ibn AliandZaydi Revolt

Zaidiyyahshistorically come from the followers ofZayd ibn Ali, the great-Grandson of 'Ali b. Abi Talib. They follow any knowledgeable and upright descendant of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and are less esoteric in focus thanTwelversandIsmailis.Zaidisare the most akin sect toSunni Islamamongst theShi'itemadh'habs. A great majority of them, more than Seven Million people who constitutes less than 1% of the World overall Muslim population, lives inYemen.[39]

See also:Religion in YemenandList of extinct Shia sects

Schools of theology[edit]

Main articles:AqidahandIslamic theology

Aqidahis an Islamic term meaning "creed" or "belief". Any religious belief system, or creed, can be considered an example ofaqidah. However, this term has taken a significant technical usage in Muslim history andtheology, denoting those matters over which Muslims hold conviction. The term is usually translated as "theology". Such traditions are divisions orthogonal to sectarian divisions of Islam, and aMu'tazilimay for example, belong to Jafari, Zaidi or even Hanafi school of jurisprudence.

Textualist approach[edit]

Athari[edit]

Main article:Athari

TheAtharischool derives its name from the Arabic wordAthar, meaning "narrations". The Athari creed is to avoid delving into extensive theological speculation. They use the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and sayings of the Sahaba - seeing this as the middle path where the attributes of Allah are accepted without questioning 'how' they are.Ahmad bin Hanbalis regarded as the leader of the Athari school of creed. Athari is generally synonymous withSalafi. The central aspect of Athari theology is its definition ofTawhid, meaning literally unification or asserting the oneness of Allah.[40][41][42][43]

Kalām[edit]

Main article:Kalam

Kalāmis theIslamic philosophyof seeking theological principles throughdialectic. InArabic, the word literally means "speech/words". A scholar ofkalāmis referred to as amutakallim(Muslim theologian; pluralmutakallimūn). There are many schools of Kalam, the main ones being theAsh'ariandMaturidischools in Sunni Islam.

Ash'ari[edit]

Main article:Ash'ari

Ash'ariis a school ofearly Islamic philosophyfounded in the 10th century byAbu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari. It was instrumental in drastically changing the direction of Islam and laid the groundwork to "shut the door ofijtihad" centuries later in the Ottoman Empire.[citation needed]The Asharite view was that comprehension of the unique nature and characteristics ofGodwere beyond human capability.

Maturidi[edit]

Main article:Maturidi

AMaturidiis one who followsAbu Mansur Al Maturidi's theology, which is a close variant of the Ash'ari school. Points which differ are the nature of belief and the place of human reason. The Maturidis state that belief (iman) does not increase nor decrease but remains static; it is piety (taqwa) which increases and decreases. The Ash'aris say that belief does in fact increase and decrease. The Maturidis say that the unaided human mind is able to find out that some of the more major sins such as alcohol or murder are evil without the help of revelation. The Ash'aris say that the unaided human mind is unable to know if something is good or evil, lawful or unlawful, without divine revelation.

Murji'ah[edit]

Main article:Murji'ah

Murji'ah(Arabic:المرجئة‎) is an early Islamic school whose followers are known in English as "Murjites" or "Murji'ites" (المرجئون). During the early centuries of Islam, Muslim thought encountered a multitude of influences from various ethnic and philosophical groups that it absorbed. Murji'ah emerged as a theological school that was opposed to theKharijiteson questions related to early controversies regarding sin and definitions of what is a true Muslim.

They advocated the idea of "delayed judgement". OnlyGodcan judge who is a true Muslim and who is not, and no one else can judge another as an infidel (kafir). Therefore, all Muslims should consider all other Muslims as true and faithful believers, and look to Allah to judge everyone during thelast judgment. This theology promoted tolerance ofUmayyadsand converts to Islam who appeared half-hearted in their obedience. The Murjite opinion would eventually dominate that of the Kharijites.

The Murjites exited the way of the Sunnis when they declared that no Muslim would enter thehellfire, no matter what his sins. This contradicts the traditional Sunni belief that some Muslims will enter the hellfire temporarily. Therefore the Murjites are classified asAhlul Bid'ahor "People of Innovation" bySunnis, particularlySalafis.

Mu'tazili[edit]

Main article:Mu'tazili

Mu'tazilitheology originated in the 8th century inal-BasrahwhenWasil ibn Ataleft the teaching lessons ofHasan al-Basriafter a theological dispute. He and his followers expanded on the logic and rationalism ofGreek philosophy, seeking to combine them with Islamic doctrines and show that the two were inherently compatible. The Mu'tazili debated philosophical questions such as whether the Qur'an was created or eternal, whetherevilwas created by God, the issue ofpredestinationversusfree will, whether God's attributes in the Qur'an were to be interpreted allegorically or literally, and whether sinning believers would have eternal punishment inhell.

Sufi Orders[edit]

Main articles:SufismandTariqa

Sufism is amystical-asceticform of Islam.It is not a sect, rather it is considered as the branch of Islamic teaching that deals with the purification of inner self.By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, Sufis strive to obtain direct experience of God by making use of "intuitive and emotional faculties" that one must be trained to use.[44]Tasawwuf is regarded as a science of Islam that has always been an integral part of Orthodox Islam.In his Al-Risala al-safadiyya, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya describes the Sufis as those who belong to the path of the Sunna and represent it in their teachings and writings.

Jurist and Hadith master Ibn Taymiyya's Sufi inclinations and his reverence for Sufis like 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani can also be seen in his hundred-page commentary on Futuh al-ghayb, covering only five of the seventy-eight sermons of the book, but showing that he considered tasawwuf essential within the life of the Islamic community.

In his commentary, Ibn Taymiyya stresses that the primacy of the Shari`a forms the soundest tradition in tasawwuf, and to argue this point he lists over a dozen early masters, as well as more contemporary shaykhs like his fellow Hanbalis, al-Ansari al-Harawi and `Abd al-Qadir, and the latter's own shaykh, Hammad al-Dabbas:The upright among the followers of the Path—like the majority of the early shaykhs (shuyukh al-salaf) such as Fudayl ibn `Iyad, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Ma`ruf al-Karkhi, al-Sari al-Saqati, al-Junayd ibn Muhammad, and others of the early teachers, as well as Shaykh Abd al-Qadir, Shaykh Hammad, Shaykh Abu al-Bayan and others of the later masters—do not permit the followers of the Sufi path to depart from the divinely legislated command and prohibition

Imam Ghazali narrates in Al-Munqidh min-al-dalal:

The vicissitudes of life, family affairs and financial constraints engulfed my life and deprived me of the congenial solitude. The heavy odds confronted me and provided me with few moments for my pursuits. This state of affairs lasted for ten years but wherever I had some spare and congenial moments I resorted to my intrinsic proclivity. During these turbulent years, numerous astonishing and indescribable secrets of life were unveiled to me. I was convinced that the group of Aulia (holy mystics) is the only truthful group who follow the right path, display best conduct and surpass all sages in their wisdom and insight. They derive all their overt or covert behaviour from the illumining guidance of the holy Prophet, the only guidance worth quest and pursuit.

Bektashi[edit]

Main article:Bektashi

The Bektashi Order was founded in the 13th century by the Islamic saintHaji Bektash Veli, and greatly influenced during its fomulative period by theHurufiAli al-'Ala in the 15th century and reorganized byBalım Sultanin the 16th century. Because of its adherence tothe Twelve Imamsit is classified underTwelverShia Islam. Bektashi are concentrated inTurkeyandAlbaniaand their headquarters are in Albania[citation needed].

Chishti[edit]

Main article:Chishti Order

The Chishti Order (Persian:چشتیہ‎) was founded by (Khawaja)Abu Ishaq Shami("the Syrian"; died 941) who brought Sufism to the town ofChisht, some 95 miles east ofHeratin present-day Afghanistan. Before returning to the Levant, Shami initiated, trained and deputized the son of the localEmir(Khwaja)Abu Ahmad Abdal(died 966). Under the leadership of Abu Ahmad’s descendants, theChishtiyyaas they are also known, flourished as a regional mystical order.

Kubrawiya[edit]

Main article:Kubrawiya

TheKubrawiyaorder is aSufiorder ("tariqa") named after its 13th-century founderNajmuddin Kubra. TheKubrawiyaSufiorder was founded in the 13th century byNajmuddin KubrainBukharain modernUzbekistan.[45]TheMongolshad captured Bukhara in 1221, they committedgenocideand killed nearly the whole population.Sheikh Nadjm ed-Din Kubrawas among those killed by the Mongols.

Mawlawiyya[edit]

Main article:Mawlawiyyah

TheMevlevi Orderis better known in the West as the "whirling dervishes".

Muridiyya[edit]

Main article:Muridiyya

Mourideis a large Islamic Sufi order most prominent inSenegalandThe Gambia, with headquarters in the holy city ofTouba, Senegal.[46]

Naqshbandi[edit]

Main article:Naqshbandi

The Naqshbandi order is one of the major Sufi orders of Islam. Formed in 1380, the order is considered by some to be a "sober" order known for its silentdhikr(remembrance of God) rather than the vocalized forms of dhikr common in other orders. The word "Naqshbandi" (نقشبندی) isPersian, taken from the name of the founder of the order,Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari. Some have said that the translation means "related to the image-maker", some also consider it to mean "Pattern Maker" rather than "image maker", and interpret "Naqshbandi" to mean "Reformer of Patterns", and others consider it to mean "Way of the Chain" or "Golden Chain".

As mentioned below, the conception of Naqshbandi may require more elaboration and clarity as the explanation to this effect creating ambiguity and complicity with in it. The meanings of "Naqshbandi" is to follow the pattern of head of the former. In other words, "Naqshbandi" may be taken as "followup or like a flow chart" of practices exercised by the head of this school of thought.

Nimatullahi[edit]

Main article:Nimatullahi

The Ni'matullāhī order is the most widespread Sufi order ofPersiatoday. It was founded byShah Ni'matullah Wali(d. 1367), established and transformed from his inheritance of theMa'rufiyyahcircle.[47]There are several suborders in existence today, the most known and influential in the West following the lineage ofDr. Javad Nurbakhshwho brought the order to the West following the1979 RevolutioninIran.

"Naqshbandi" does not meant for images or patterns followed by the followers of this school of thoughts. "Naqshbandi" manes the "flow chart" OR to follow the sayings and doings of former.

Nurbakshi[edit]

Main article:Noorbakshia Islam

The "Noorbakshia"[48](Arabic:ش‎) also calledNubakshiais an Islamic sect and the Sufi order[49][50]and way that claims to trace its direct spiritual lineage and chain (silsilah) to the Islamic prophetMuhammad, throughAli, by way of ImamAli Al-Ridha. This order became famous as Nurbakshi afterShah Syed Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistaniwho was attached withKubrawiyaorder Sufi order ("tariqa") .

Oveyssi (Uwaiysi)[edit]

Main article:Uwaisi

TheOveysi(or Uwaiysi) order claim to be founded 1,400 years ago byUwais al-Qarnifrom Yemen. Uways received the teachings of Islam inwardly through his heart and lived by the principles taught by him, although he had never physically met Muhammad. At times Muhammad would say of him, "I feel the breath of the Merciful, coming to me from Yemen." Shortly before Muhammad died, he directed Umar (second Caliph) and Ali (the first Imam of the Shia) to take his cloak to Uwais. "According toAli Hujwiri,Farid ad-Din AttarofNishapurand Sheikh Muhammad Ghader Bagheri, the first recipient of Muhammad's cloak was Uwais al-Qarni. The 'Original Cloak' as it is known is thought to have passed down the generations from the prophetAbrahamto Muhammad, to Uwais al-Qarni, and so on."[51]

The Oveyssi order exists today in various forms and in different countries. According to Dr. Alan Godlas of the University of Georgia's Department of Religion, a Sufi Order or tariqa known as the Uwaysi is "very active", having been introduced in the West by the 20th century Sufi, Shah Maghsoud Angha. The Uwaysi Order is a Shi'i branch of the Kubrawiya.

Godlas writes that there are two recent and distinct contemporary branches of the Uwaysi Order in the West:

Uwaiysi Tarighat, led by Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha's daughter, Seyyedeh Dr.Nahid Angha, and her husband Shah Nazar Seyed Ali Kianfar. Dr. Angha and Dr. Kianfar went on to found another the International Association of Sufism (IAS) which operates in California and organizes international Sufi symposia.

Now developed into an international non-profit organization, the Oveyssi order has over five-hundred thousand students with centers spanning five continents. With the use of modern technology and reach of the internet, weekly webcasts of the order's lecture and zekr sessions are broadcast live through the order's official website.[52]

Qadiri[edit]

Main article:Qadiriyyah

The Qadiri Order is one of the oldest Sufi Orders. It derives its name fromAbdul-Qadir Gilani(1077-1166), a native of the Iranian province ofGīlān. The order is one of the most widespread of the Sufi orders in the Islamic world, and can be found inCentral Asia, Turkey,Balkansand much of East andWest Africa. The Qadiriyyah have not developed any distinctive doctrines or teachings outside of mainstream Islam. They believe in the fundamental principles of Islam, but interpreted through mystical experience.

Senussi[edit]

Main article:Senussi

Senussi is a religious-political Sufi order established byMuhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi founded this movement due to his criticism of the Egyptianulema. Originally from Mecca, as-Senussi left due to pressure fromWahhabisto leave and settled inCyrenaicawhere he was well received.[53]Idris bin Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussiwas later recognized as Emir of Cyrenaica[54]and eventually becameKing of Libya. The monarchy was abolished byMuammar Gaddafibut, a third of Libyan still claim to be Senussi.

Shadiliyya[edit]

Main article:Shadhili

TheShadhiliis a Sufi order founded byAbu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili. Followers (muridsArabic: seekers) of the Shadhiliyya are often known as Shadhilis.[55][56]

Suhrawardiyya[edit]

Main article:Suhrawardiyya

The Suhrawardiyya order (Arabic:سهروردية‎) is a Sufi order founded byAbu al-Najib al-Suhrawardi(1097–1168).

Tijaniyya[edit]

Main article:Tijaniyyah

TheTijaniyyahorder attach a large importance to culture and education, and emphasize the individual adhesion of thedisciple(murīd).

Kharijiyyah Islam[edit]


This article appears to contradict the article Ibadi. Please see discussion on the linked talk page. Please do not remove this message until the contradictions are resolved. (June 2011)

Kharijite(literally, "those who seceded") is a general term embracing a variety of Muslim sects which, while originally supporting the Caliphate of Ali, later on fought against him and eventually succeeded in his martyrdom while he was praying in the mosque of Kufa. While there are few remaining Kharijite or Kharijite-related groups, the term is sometimes used to denote Muslims who refuse to compromise with those with whom they disagree.

Ibadi[edit]

The only surviving Kharijite sect is theIbadi. The sect developed out of the 7th century Islamic sect of the Kharijites. Nonetheless, Ibadis see themselves as quite different from the Kharijites. Believed to be one of the earliest schools, it is said to have been founded less than 50 years after the death of Muhammad.

It is the dominant form of Islam inOman, but small numbers of Ibadi followers may also be found in countries in Northern and Eastern Africa. The early medievalRustamiddynasty inAlgeriawas Ibadi.

Ibadis usually consider non-Ibadi Muslims as unbelievers, though nowadays this attitude has highly relaxed.[citation needed]They approve of the caliphates ofAbū BakrandUmar ibn al-Khattab, whom they regard as the "Two Rightly Guided Caliphs". Specific beliefs include:walāyah, friendship and unity with the practicing true believers and the Ibadi Imams;barā'ah, dissociation and hostility towards unbelievers and sinners; andwuqūf, reservation towards those whose status is unclear. While Ibadi Muslims maintain most of the beliefs of the original Kharijites, they have rejected the more aggressive methods.[citation needed]

Extinct groups[edit]

TheSufris(Arabic:سفريين‎) were a sect of Islam in the 7th and 8th centuries, and a part of the Kharijites. They believeSura 12(Yusuf) of the Qur'an is not an authenticSura.

TheHarūrīs(Arabic:الحرورية‎) were an early Muslim sect from the period of theFour Rightly-Guided Caliphs(632-661 CE), named for their first leader, Habīb ibn-Yazīd al-Harūrī.

Ahmadiyya Islam[edit]


Part ofa serieson:

Ahmadiyya

Beliefs and Practices

· Five Pillars of Islam

· Six articles of faith

· Quran

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Distinct views

· Prophethood

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· Evolution

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

· Prophecies

· Claims

· Writings

Literature

· Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya

· The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam

· Jesus in India

· Noor-ul-Haq

· Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth

· Victory of Islam

· Malfoozat

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· Haqā'iq al-Furqān

Organisational structure

· Successors of the Messiah:

· I

· II

· III

· IV

· V

· Jalsa Salana

· Mosques

· Jamia

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Miscellaneous

· Persecution

· Ahmadiyya by country

· Ahmadiyya and other faiths

· List of Ahmadis

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Main article:Ahmadiyya Islam

The Ahmadiyya movement in Islamwas founded in India in 1889 byMirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed to be the promisedMessiah("Second ComingofChrist") theMahdiawaited by the Muslims and a'subordinate' prophetto Muhammad whose job was to restore the Sharia given to Muhammad by guiding or rallying disenchantedUmmahback to Islam and thwart attacks onIslamby its opponents. The followers are divided into two groups, theAhmadiyya Muslim Communityand theLahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam, the former believing that Ghulam Ahmad was a non-law bearing prophet and the latter believing that he was only a religious reformer though a prophet in an allegorical sense. Ahmadis consider themselves Muslims and claim to practice the pristine form of Islam as re-established with the teachings of Ghulam Ahmad.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community[edit]

Main article:Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

It originated with the life and teachings ofMirza Ghulam Ahmad(1835–1908), who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies of the world's reformer during theend times, who was to herald theEschatonas predicted in the traditions of variousworld religionsand bring about the final triumph of Islam as per Islamic prophecy. He claimed that he was theMujaddid(divine reformer) of the 14thIslamic century, the promisedMessiahandMahdiawaited byMuslims.[57][58][59]The adherents of the Ahmadiyya movement are referred to as Ahmadis or Ahmadi Muslims.

Ahmadis thought emphasizes the belief that Islam is the final dispensation for humanity as revealed toMuhammadand the necessity of restoring to it its true essence and pristine form, which had been lost through the centuries. Thus, Ahmadis view themselves as leading the revival and peaceful propagation of Islam.[60]The Ahmadis were among the earliest Muslim communities to arrive inBritainand other Western countries.[60]

Ahmadiyya adherents believe thatGodsent Ghulam Ahmad, in the likeness ofJesus, to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. They believe that he divested Islam of fanatical beliefs and practices by championing what is in their view, Islam’s true and essential teachings as practised by the ProphetMuhammad.[61]The Ahmadiyya Community is the larger community of the two arising from the Ahmadiyya movement and is guided by the Khalifa (Caliph), currentlyKhalifatul Masih V, who is the spiritual leader of Ahmadis and the successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He is called theKhalifatul Masih(successor of the Messiah). .

Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement[edit]

Main article:Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam

The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement also known as theLahoris, formed as a result of ideological differences within theAhmadiyya Muslim Community, after the demise ofMaulana Hakim Noor-ud-Dinin 1914, the firstKhalifaafter its founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. The main dispute was based on differing interpretations of a verse[Quran 33:40]related to the finality of prophethood. Other issues of contention were theKalima, funeral prayers, and the suitability of the elected Khalifa (2nd successor)Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad(the son of the Founder). The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement is led by a President orEmir.

Other denominations and sects[edit]

African American Movements/Sects[edit]

Moorish Science[edit]

Main article:Moorish Science Temple of America

The Moorish Science Temple of America is an American organization founded in 1913 A.D by Prophet Noble Drew Ali, whose name at birth was Timothy Drew. He claimed it was a sect of Islam but he also drew inspiration from Buddhism, Christianity,GnosticismandTaoism. Its significant divergences from mainstream Islam and strong African-American ethnic character[62]make its classification as an Islamic denomination a matter of debate among Muslims and scholars of religion.

Its primary tenet was the belief that they are the ancient Moabites who inhabited the Northwestern and Southwestern shores of Africa. The organization also believes that their descendents after being conquered in Spain are slaves who were captured and held in slavery from 1779–1865 by their slaveholders.

Although often criticised as lacking scientific merit, adherents of the Moorish Science Temple of America believe that the Negroid Asiatic was the first human inhabitant of the Western Hemisphere. In their religious texts, adherents refer to themselves as "Asiatics",[63]presumably referring to the non-MongoloidPaleoamericans(seeLuzia Woman). These adherents also call themselves "indigenous Moors", "American Moors" or "Moorish Americans" in contradistinction to "AfricanMoors" or "African Americans".

Nation of Islam[edit]

Main article:Nation of Islam

The Nation of Islam was founded byWallace Fard MuhammadinDetroitin 1930,[64]with a declared aim of "resurrecting" the spiritual, mental, social and economic condition of theblack man and woman of Americaand the world. It is viewed by almost all Muslims as aheretical cult. The group believes Fard Muhammad was God on earth,[64][65]a belief viewed asshirkby mainstream Muslims. It does not see Muhammad as the final prophet, butElijah Muhammadas the "Messenger of Truth" and only allows people of black ethnicity and believes they are the original race on earth.

In 1975, the teachings were abandoned and the group was renamed theAmerican Society of MuslimsbyWarith Deen Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad.[66]He brought the group into mainstream Sunni Islam, establishing mosques instead of temples and promoting the Five pillars of Islam.[67][68]Thousands (estimated 2 million) of African Americans joined Imam Muhammad in mainstream Islam.[69]Some members were dissatisfied, includingLouis Farrakhan, who revived the group again in 1978 with the same teachings of the previous leaders. It currently has from 30,000 to 70,000 members.[70]

Five Percenter[edit]

Main article:Five-Percent Nation

TheFive-Percent Nationwas founded in 1964 in the United States.

Mahdavia[edit]

Main articles:MahdaviaandZikri

Mahdavi Islam (Arabic:مهدوي اسلام‎) is a sect within Islam founded bySyed Muhammad Jaunpuriin India in the 15th century CE. Jaunpuri declared himself to be theImam Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer in Islam, and the denomination takes its name from the termMahdi("guided"). Mahdi e Maud(The Promised Mehdi)is believed to have said 'Mazhab ma Kitab Allah ( Quran )wa Ittebah e Rasool Allah (Mohammad).

Mahdavi[edit]

TheMahdaviregard Jaunpuri as the Imam Mahdi, theCaliphof Allah and the second most important figure after the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Both the prophet and imam are considered to bemasum(معصوم"infallible")[71]Mahdavis follow the doctrine ofAhle Sunnat Wal Jamaat.

Zikri[edit]

TheZikriis claimed to be based around the teachings of Muhammad Jaunpuri. In religious practice, the Zikris differ greatly from mainstream Muslims and the Mahdavis. A main misconception that Zikris perform prayers calleddhikrfive times a day is a major one, in which sacred verses are recited, as compared to the orthodox practice ofsalat. Most Zikris live inBalochistan, but a large number also live inKarachi, theSindhinterior, Oman and Iran.

Muwahhid Muslim[edit]

AMuwahhid Muslimis a Muslim who gives emphasis to the concept oftawhid. Their beliefs insinuate that the oneness of God is the most important Muslim creed. They view deviation from tawhid whether in the form of the trinity, materialism or idolatry as very sinful.

Nondenominational Muslim[edit]

Nondenominational Muslimsare Muslims who do not adhere to any specific branch of Islam. Such Muslims may visit any mosque regardless of its sectarian affiliation. Their beliefs may overlap with those of multiple Muslims.

Quranism[edit]

Main article:Quranism

Quranism(Arabic:قرآنيون‎Quraniyoon) is an Islamic branch that holds theQur'anto be the only canonical text inIslam. Quranists reject the religious authority ofHadithand oftenSunnah, libraries compiled by later scholars who catalogued narratives of what theProphet Muhammadis reported to have said and done. This is in contrast to orthodox Muslims,ShiasandSunnis, who consider hadith essential for the Islamic faith.[72]

Ahle Qur'an[edit]

"Ahle Qur'an" is an organisation formed byAbdullah Chakralawi,[73][74]rely entirely on the chapters and verses of theQur'an.

Tolu-e-Islam[edit]

Main article:Tolu-e-Islam

Tolu-e-Islam ("Resurgence of Islam") is an organization based in Pakistan, with followers throughout the world.[75]The movement was initiated byGhulam Ahmed Pervez, a Qur'anic scholar.

Submitters[edit]

Main article:United Submitters International

The United Submitters International (USI) is a branch of Quranism, founded byRashad Khalifa. Submitters considers themselves to be adhering to "true Islam", but prefer not to use the terms "Muslim" or "Islam", instead using the English equivalents: "Submitter" or "Submission". Submitters consider Khalifa to be a Messenger of God. Specific beliefs of the USI include: the dedication of all worship practices to God alone, upholding the Qur'an alone with the exception of two rejected Qur'an verses,[76]and rejecting the Islamic traditions of hadith and sunnah attributed to Muhammad. The main group attends "Masjid Tucson"[77]inArizona, USA.

Hanif Islam[edit]

Hanif Islam is a set of Muslim beliefs and teachings based on the Qur'an alone. Hanif Muslims argue that the Qur'an is valid in every language and that anyone is capable of interpreting and understanding the Qur'an without assistance. Hanif Muslims also maintain that only two daily prayers are mandated by the Qur'an, those being the morning (fajr) and night (isha) prayers, and that Muslims should cease all activities to perform them. Additionally, Hanif Muslims reject circumcision as an Islamic practice and believe that covering the head is not a necessary part of women's hijab. Hanif Islam should not be confused with the termhanif.[78]

Related concepts[edit]

Islamism[edit]

Main article:Islamism

Islamism is a term that refers to a set of politicalideologies, derived from variousfundamentalistviews, which hold that Islam is not only a religion but apolitical systemthat should govern the legal, economic and social imperatives of the state. Many Islamists do not refer to themselves as such and it is not a single particular movement. Religious views and ideologies of its adherents vary, and they may be Sunni Islamists or Shia Islamists depending upon their beliefs. Islamist groups include groups such asAl-Qaeda, the organizer of theSeptember 11, 2001 attacksand perhaps the most prominent; and theMuslim Brotherhood, perhaps the oldest. Although violence is often employed by some organizations, not all Islamist movements are violent.

Liberal Islam[edit]

Main articles:Liberal movements within IslamandIjtihad

Liberal and progressive movements have in common a religious outlook which depends mainly onIjtihador re-interpretations ofscriptures. Liberal Muslims believe in greater autonomy of the individual in interpretation of scripture, a critical examination ofreligious texts, gender equality, human rights, LGBT rights and a modern view of culture, tradition, and other ritualistic practices in Islam.[citation needed]

 
.
Dr. Sen said:
I know many things in Hinduism which is misguided...i will check it out.

By the way, people here think I am a sanghi, actually I am a Nationalist.
Click to expand...


Zakir naik is a God send person to show Hindus the mirror and awaken them from their false beliefs do watch and tell me whether you still think a billion people should be made to follow false faith or have them convert for good of all.
 
.
magudi said:
Zakir naik is a God send person to show Hindus the mirror and awaken them from their false beliefs do watch and tell me whether you still think a billion people should be made to follow false faith or have them convert for good of all.
Click to expand...

'God sent person'....yar I said I am athiest....

To me all beliefs are false beliefs......

kakathiya said:
castes of islam
1024px-Islam_branches_and_schools.svg.png

800px-Branch_of_Shi%27a_Islam.png

Sunni Islam[edit]

Main article:Sunni Islam

Sunni Muslimsare the largestdenominationof Islam and are known asAhl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘hor simply asAhl as-Sunnah. The wordSunnicomes from the wordsunnah, which means the teachings and actions or examples of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Therefore, the term "Sunni" refers to those who follow or maintain thesunnahof the prophet Muhammad. In many countries, overwhelming majorities of Muslims are Sunnis, so that they simply refers to themselves as "Muslims" and do not use the Sunni label.

The Sunnis believe that Muhammad did not specifically appoint a successor to lead the Muslimummah(community) before his death, and after an initial period of confusion, a group of his most prominentcompanionsgathered and electedAbu Bakr Siddique, Muhammad's close friend and a father-in-law, as the firstcaliphof Islam. Sunni Muslims regard the first four caliphs (Abu Bakr,`Umar ibn al-Khattāb,Uthman Ibn AffanandAli ibn Abu Talib) as "al-Khulafā’ur-Rāshidūn" or "The Rightly Guided Caliphs". Sunnis also believe that the position of caliph may be attaineddemocratically, on gaining majority votes, but after the Rashidun, the position turned into a hereditarydynasticrule because of the divisions that started by theUmayyadsand others. After the fall of theOttoman Empirein 1923, there has never been another caliph as widely recognized in theMuslim world.

Schools of Sunni jurisprudence[edit]

Main article:Madh'hab

Madhhabis an Islamic term that refers to a school of thought or religiousjurisprudencewithin Sunni Islam. Several of theSahabahad a unique school of jurisprudence, but these schools were gradually consolidated or discarded so that there are currently four recognized schools. The differences between these schools of thought manifest in some practical and philosophical differences. Sunnis generally do not identify themselves with a particular school of thought, simply calling themselves "Muslims" or "Sunnis", but the populations in certain regions will often - whether intentionally or unintentionally - follow the views of one school while respecting others.

Hanafi[edit]

Main article:Hanafi

TheHanafischool was founded byAbu Hanifa an-Nu‘man. It is followed by Muslims in theLevant,Central Asia,Afghanistan,Pakistan,India,Bangladesh, WesternLower Egypt,Iraq,Turkey, theBalkansand by most ofRussia'sMuslim community. There are movements within this school such asBarelviAhle Sunnat wal Jama'at,Deobandisand theTablighi Jamaat, which are all concentrated inSouth Asiaand in most parts of India.

Maliki[edit]

Main article:Maliki

TheMalikischool was founded byMalik ibn Anas. It is followed by Muslims inNorth Africa,West Africa, theUnited Arab Emirates,Kuwait, in parts ofSaudi Arabiaand inUpper Egypt. TheMurabitun World Movementfollows this school as well. In the past, it was also followed in parts ofEurope under Islamic rule, particularlyIslamic Spainand theEmirate of Sicily.

Shafiʿi[edit]

Main article:Shafiʿi

TheShafiʿischool was founded byMuhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafiʿi. It is followed by Muslims inSaudi Arabia, EasternLower Egypt,Indonesia,Jordan,Palestine, thePhilippines,Singapore,Somalia,Thailand,Yemen,Kurdistan, and theMappilasofKeralaandKonkani Muslimsof India. It is the officially school followed by the governments ofBruneiandMalaysia.

Hanbali[edit]

Main article:Hanbali

TheHanbalischool was founded byAhmad ibn Hanbal. It is followed by Muslims inQatar, most ofSaudi Arabiaand minority communities inSyriaand Iraq. The majority of theSalafistmovement claims to follow this school.

Ẓāhirī[edit]

Main article:Ẓāhirī

TheẒāhirīschool was founded byDawud al-Zahiri. It is followed by minority communities inMoroccoandPakistan. In the past, it was also followed by the majority of Muslims inMesopotamia,Portugal, theBalearic Islands, North Africa and parts of Spain.


Green Domeand Prophet's Mosque at sunset.

Movements[edit]

Salafism

Salafismor Salafi sect[2]or movement follows a literal interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah (practise of the Prophet Muhammad). They are an offshoot of the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah group. They are called Salafees, Atharees, Ahlul-Hadeeth, Ahlul-Athar, or any other description, and claim to be the only ones whose true allegiance is to the Book and the Sunnah, according to the understanding of the Companions.

It is a movement recently revived by the 18th century teacherSheikhMuhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhabin the Arabian peninsula, and was instrumental in the rise of theHouse of Saudto power. Salafism is a puritanical and legalistic Islamic movement and is the dominant creed inSaudi Arabia. The terms "Wahhabi movement" and "Salafism" are often used interchangeably, although the word "Wahhabi" is specific for followers ofMuhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhabwho are the right wing of Salafi Islam.

In addition to the Qur'an andhadith, the works of earlier scholars likeIbn Taymiyya,Ibn al QayyimandMuhammad bin Abdul Wahhabare used for religious guidance. Salafism is, in general, opposed to Sufism (spiritual aspect of Islam) as well as sects outside of the Sunni fold, which they regard asheresies. They see their role as a movement to restore Islam from what they perceive to be innovations,superstitions, deviances, andidolatries.

Salafis view the first three generations of Muslims, Muhammad'scompanionsand the two succeeding generations after them, theTabi‘unand theTabi‘ al-Tabi‘in, and those who followed in their path as being the best sources in order to understand the foundational principles of Islam, this being the methodology of the salaf. From this they follow theAtharicreed with regards to their beliefs and regarding fiqh, as SheikhMuhammad ibn al Uthaymeenonce explained, the clearest path is for Muslims who are laymen to follow, dotaqlidto, a local scholar or teacher. However for those who wish to further their knowledge in fiqh then these Muslims are advised to take learning from a scholar well versed in a particularMadh'haband study it thoroughly.

The methodology predominates mainly in countries such as Saudi Arabia, and otherArabian Peninsulastates. There are also minority of adherents in theIndian subcontinent(known as theAhl al-Hadith),Egypt, and all over the Muslim world. The Salafis accuse the majority Sunni denomination of Shirk (associating partners with God) due to their practise of Waseela (intercession in prayers) of the Prophets and Saints.

Ahl al-Hadith

TheAhl al-Hadithis aSunniIslamic movement started in the mid-nineteenth century in Northern India. It refers to the adherent's belief that they are not bound bytaqlid(as areAhl al-Rai, literally "the people of rhetorical theology"), but consider themselves free to seek guidance in matters of religious faith and practices from the authentichadithwhich, together with theQur'an, are in their view the principal worthy guide forMuslim.[3][4]Followers call themselves as Ahl al-Hadith orSalafi. The termAhl al-Hadithis often used interchangeably with the termWahhabi,[5]or as a branch of the latter movement,[6][7]though the movement itself claims to be distinct fromWahhabism.[8]

Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun

The Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun, orMuslim Brotherhood, is an organisation that was founded by Egyptian scholarHassan al-Banna, a graduate ofDar al-Ulum. With its various branches, it is the largest Sunni movement in the Arab world, and an affiliate is often the largest opposition party in many Arab nations. The Muslim Brotherhood is not concerned with theological differences, accepting Muslims of any of the four Sunni schools of thought. It is the world's oldest and largestIslamistgroup. Its aims are to re-establish theCaliphateand in the mean time push for more Islamisation of society. The Brotherhood's stated goal is to instill the Qur'an andsunnahas the "sole reference point for... ordering the life of the Muslim family, individual, community... and state".[citation needed]

Jamaat-e-Islami

TheJamaat-e-Islamiis an Islamist political party in theIndian Subcontinent. It was founded in Lahore, British India, by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in 1941 and is the oldest religious party in Pakistan and India. Today, sister organizations with similar objectives and ideological approaches exist in India, (Jamaat-e-Islami Hind), Bangladesh (Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh), Kashmir,Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, and there are "close brotherly relations" with the Islamist movements and missions "working in different continents and countries", particularly those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood or Akhwan-al-Muslimeen. The JI envisions an Islamic government in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan governing by Islamic law. It opposes Westernization—including capitalism, socialism, or such practices as bank interest, and favours an Islamic economic order andCaliphate.[citation needed]

Jamaat-al-Muslimeen

TheJamaat ul-Muslimeenis a movement in Sunni Islam revived by the Imam SyedMasood Ahmadin the 1960s.[9]The present leader of this group isMuhammad Ishtiaq.[10]

Shia Islam[edit]

Main articles:Shi'itesandImamah (Shia doctrine)

Shia Islam(شيعةShia, sometimesShi'a; adjectiveShi'ite), is the second-largest denomination of Islam, comprising 10-20%[11][12][13]of the total Muslim population in the world.[14]Shia Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the populations inAzerbaijan,Bahrain,Iran, andIraq, as well as apluralityinLebanon.


Imam Ali ShrineinNajaf,Iraq, whereAlithe firstShia Imamis buried.

In addition to believing in the authority of theQur'anand teachings of Muhammad, Shia believe that his family, theAhl al-Bayt(the "People of the House"), including his descendants known asImams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community[15]and believe thatAli ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was therightful successorto Muhammad, and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs.[16]

The Shia Islamic faith is broad and includes many different groups. There are various Shia theological beliefs, schools of jurisprudence, philosophical beliefs, and spiritual movements. The Shia identity emerged soon after the martyrdom of Hussain son of Ali (the grandson of the prophet Muhammad) andShia theologywas formulated in the second century[17]and the first Shia governments and societies were established by the end of the ninth century.

Significant Shia communities exist on the coastal regions ofWest SumatraandAcehinIndonesia(seeTabuik). The Shia presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantlyShafi'iSunnis.

A significant syncretic Shia minority is present inNigeria, centered around the state ofKaduna(seeShia in Nigeria). East Africa holds several populations ofIsmailiShia, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as theKhoja.

According to Shia Muslims community,[18]one of the lingering problems in estimating Shia population is that unless Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni.[18]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 theHouse of Saudin Arabia brought official discrimination against Shia.[19]

Schools of Shia jurisprudence[edit]

Shia Islam is divided into three branches. The largest and best known are theTwelver(اثنا عشريةiṯnāʿašariyya), named after their adherence tothe Twelve Imams. They form a majority of the population inIran,Azerbaijan,BahrainandIraq. Other smaller branches include theIsmailiandZaidi, who dispute the Twelver lineage of Imams and beliefs.[20]

The Twelver Shia faith is predominantly found inIran(90%),Azerbaijan(85%),Bahrain(70%),Iraq(65%),Lebanon(40%),[21]Kuwait(25%),Albania(20%),Pakistan(25%),Afghanistan(20%).

The Zaidi dispute the succession of the fifth Twelver Imam,Muhammad al-Baqir, because he did not stage a revolution against the corrupt government, unlikeZaid ibn Ali. They do not believe in a normal lineage, but rather that any descendant ofHasan ibn AliorHusayn ibn Aliwho stages a revolution against a corrupt government is an imam. The Zaidi are mainly found inYemen.

TheIsmailidispute the succession of the seventh Twelver Imam,Musa al-Kadhim, believing his older brotherIsma'il ibn Jafaractually succeeded their fatherJa'far al-Sadiq, and did not predecease him like Twelver Shia believe.Ismailiform small communities inAfghanistan,Pakistan,Uzbekistan,Tajikistan, India,Syria, United Kingdom, Canada,Uganda, Portugal,Yemen, mainland China,BangladeshandSaudi Arabia[22]and have several sub-branches.


Branching of Shi'a Islam at a glance.

Twelver[edit]

Main articles:TwelversandImamah (Shia Twelver doctrine)

Twelversbelieve in twelve Imams. Thetwelfth Imamis believed to be inoccultation, and will appear again just before theQiyamah(Islamic view of the Last Judgment). The Shiahadithsinclude the sayings of the Imams. Many Muslims criticise the Shia for certain beliefs and practices, including practices such as theMourning of Muharram(Mätam). They are the largest Shia school of thought (93%), predominant inAzerbaijan,Iran, Iraq,LebanonandBahrainand have a significant population in Pakistan,India,AfghanistanKuwaitand theEastern province of Saudi Arabia. TheTwelver Shiaare followers ofeither theJaf'ariorBatiniyyahmadh'habs.

Ja'fari jurisprudence[edit]

Main article:Ja'fari jurisprudence

Followers oftheJaf'arimadh'habare divided into the following sub-divisions, although these are not considered different sects:

· Usulism – The Usuli form the overwhelming majority within the Twelver Shia denomination. They follow aMarja-i Taqlidon the subject oftaqlidand fiqh. They are concentrated in Iran, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iraq, and Lebanon.

· Akhbarism – Akhbari, similar to Usulis, however rejectijtihadin favor of hadith. Concentrated in Bahrain.

· Shaykhism – Shaykhism is an Islamic religious movement founded byShaykh Ahmadin the early 19th centuryQajar dynasty, Iran, now retaining a minority following in Iran and Iraq. It began from a combination of Sufi and Shia and Akhbari doctrines. In the mid 19th-century many Shaykhis converted to theBábíandBahá'íreligions, which regard Shaykh Ahmad highly.

Batini jurisprudence[edit]

Main article:Batiniyyah

On the other hand, the followers oftheBatiniyyahmadh'habconsist ofAlevisandNusayris, who developed their ownfiqhsystem and do not pursue theJa'fari jurisprudence.

Alawism

Main articles:Al-Khaṣībī,Ibn NusayrandAlawism

‘Alawi –Alawitesare also called Nusayris, Nusairis, Namiriya or Ansariyya. Theirmadh'habis established byIbn Nusayr, and theiraqidahis developed byAl-Khaṣībī. They followCillīaqidahof"Maymūn ibnAbu’l-Qāsim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn at-Tabarānīfiqh"of the‘Alawis.[23][24]Slightly over one million of them live in Syria and Lebanon.[25]

Alevism

Main articles:KızılbaşandAlevism

Alevi –Alevisare sometimes categorized as part of Twelver Shia Islam, and sometimes as its own religious tradition, as it has markedly different philosophy, customs, and rituals. They have manyTasawwufīcharacteristics and express belief in theQur'anandThe Twelve Imams, but rejectpolygamyand accept religious traditions predating Islam, like Turkishshamanism. They are significant in East-Central Turkey. They are sometimes considered a Sufi sect, and have an untraditional form of religious leadership that is not scholarship oriented like other Sunni and Shia groups. They number around 24 million worldwide, of which 17 million are inTurkey, with the rest in theBalkans,Albania,Azerbaijan,IranandSyria.

Anatolian Qizilbashism and Alevi Islamic School of Theology

Main articles:Safaviyya,Shaykh Haydar,Qizilbash,Imadaddin Nasimi,HurufismandBektashism and folk religion

In Turkey,Shia Muslimpeople belong to theJa'fari jurisprudenceMadhhab, which tracks back to the sixthShia ImamJa'far al-Sadiq(also known as Imam Jafar-i Sadiq),are called as the Ja'faris, who belong toTwelverShia. Although the AleviTurksare considered a part ofTwelverShiaIslam, their belief is different from theJa'fari jurisprudencein conviction.

· "The Alevi-Turks"has a unique and perplex conviction tracing back toKaysanites ShiaandKhurramiteswhich are considered asGhulatShia. According to Turkish scholar Abdülbaki Gölpinarli, theQizilbash("Red-Heads") of the 16th century - a religious and political movement in Azerbaijan that helped to establish theSafavid dynasty- were "spiritual descendants of theKhurramites".[26]

· Among the members of the "Qizilbash-Tariqah"who are considered as a sub-sect of the Alevis, two figures firstlyAbu Muslim Khorasaniwho assistedAbbasid Caliphateto beatUmayyad Caliphate, but later eliminated and murdered by CaliphAl-Mansur, and secondlyBabak Khorramdinwho incited a rebellion against theAbbasid Caliphateand consequently was killed by Caliphal-Mu'tasimare highly respected. This belief provides strong clues about theirKaysanites ShiaandKhurramitesorigins. In addition, the "SafaviyyaTariqah" leaderIsmail Iis a highly regarded individual in the belief of "Alevi-Qizilbash-Tariqah" associating them with theImamah (Shia Twelver doctrine)conviction of the "TwelverShi'aIslam".

· Theiraqidah(theological conviction)is based upon a syncreticfiqhsystem called as "Batiniyya-Sufism"[27]which incorporates someQarmatiansentiments,originally introduced by"Abu’l-Khāttāb Muhammad ibn Abu Zaynab al-Asadī",[28][29]and later developed by"Maymun al-Qāddāh"and his son"ʿAbd Allāh ibn Maymun",[30]and "Mu'tazila" with a strong belief inThe Twelve Imams.

· Not all of the members believe that the fasting inRamadanis obligatory although some Alevi-Turks performs their fasting duties partially inRamadan.

· Some beliefs ofShamanismstill are common amongst theQizilbashAlevi-Turkish peoplein villages.

· On the other hand, the members ofBektashi Orderhave a conviction of "BatiniyyaIsma'ilism"[27]and "Hurufism" with a strong belief in theThe Twelve Imams.

· In conclusion,Qizilbash-Alevis are not a part ofJa'fari jurisprudencefiqh, even though they can be considered as members of differentTariqaofShia Islamall looks like sub-classes ofTwelver. Their conviction includes "Batiniyya-Hurufism" and "Sevener-Qarmatians-Ismailism" sentiments.[27][31]

· They all may be considered as special groups not following theJa'fari jurisprudence, likeAlawiteswho are in the class ofGhulatTwelverShia Islam, but a specialBatiniyyabelief somewhat similar toIsma'ilismin their conviction.

· In conclusion,Twelverbranch ofShia IslamMuslimpopulation ofTurkeyis composed ofMu'tazilaaqidahofJa'fari jurisprudencemadhhab,Batiniyya-Sufismaqidahof Maymūn’al-Qāddāhīfiqhof the Alevīs, and Cillīaqidahof Maymūn ibnAbu’l-Qāsim Sulaiman ibn Ahmad ibn at-Tabarānīfiqhof theAlawites,[23][32]who altogether constitutes nearly one third of the whole population of the country.(An estimate for the Turkish Alevi population varies between Seven and Eleven Millions.[33][34]Over 85% of the population, on the other hand, overwhelmingly constituteMaturidiaqidahof theHanafifiqhandAsh'ariaqidahof theShafi'ifiqhof theSunnifollowers.)

Further information:Al-Hallaj,Sevener,Qarmatians,Baba Ishak,Babai Revolt,Hassan II (imam)andNur al-Din Muhammad II

The Alevi ʿaqīdah

Main article:ʿAqīdah

· Some of their members (or sub-groups) claim thatGodtakes abode in the bodies of the human-beings (ḥulūl), believe inmetempsychosis(tanāsukh), and considerIslamic lawto be not obligatory (ibāḥa), similar toantinomianism.[35]

· Some of the Alevis criticizes the course ofIslamas it is being practiced overwhelmingly by more than 99% ofSunniandShiapopulation.

· They believe that major additions had been implemented during the time ofUmmayads, and easily refuse some basic principles on the grounds that they believe it contradicts with the holy book ofIslam, namely theQu'ran.

· Regular dailysalatandfastingin the holy month ofRamadanare officially not accepted by all members ofAlevism.

· Furthermore, some of the sub-groups likeIshikistsandBektashis,who portrayed themselves asAlevis,neither comprehend the essence of the regular dailysalat(prayers)andfastingin the holy month ofRamadanthat is frequently accentuated at many times inQuran, nor admits that these principles constitute the ineluctable foundations of theDīnofIslamas they had been laid down byAllahand they had been practised in an uninterruptible manner during the period ofProphet Muhammad.

Ismā'īlīsm[edit]

Part ofa seriesonNizārī-IsmāʿīliBatiniyya,MustaaliTayyibisandDurziShī‘ism

Ismāʿīlism

Main articles:Ismā'īlīandImamah (Ismaili doctrine)

The Ismailis and Twelvers both accept the same initial Imams from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima Zahra and therefore share much of their early history. However, a dispute arose on the succession of the Sixth Imam,Ja'far al-Sadiq. The Ismailis are those who accepted Ja'far's eldest sonIsmā'īlas the next Imam, whereas the Twelvers accepted a younger son,Musa al-Kazim. Today, Ismā'īlīs are concentrated in Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. TheNizārī Ismā'īlīs, however, are also concentrated inBadakhshan(mainly,Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous RegionofTajikistan)[36][37]-Central Asia, Russia, China, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Australia, North America (including Canada), the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and in Africa as well. Their total population is around Thirteen to Sixteen Million excluding theDruzepopulation, nearly 1% of the overall World Muslim population, and gets closer to a total of Twenty MillionIsmā'īlīpopulation with the inclusion ofDruzes.

Tāiyebī Mustā'līyyah[edit]

Main articles:Al-Musta'li,Mustali,At-Tayyib Abi l-QasimandTaiyabi

Mustaali – The Mustaali group of Ismaili Muslims differ from the Nizāriyya in that they believe that the successor-Imām to the Fatimid caliph, al-Mustansir, was his younger son al-Mustaʻlī, who was made Caliph by the Fatimad RegentAl-Afdal Shahanshah. In contrast to the Nizaris, they accept the younger brother al-Mustaʻlī over Nizār as their Imam. The Bohras are an offshoot of theTaiyabi, which itself was an offshoot of the Mustaali. The Taiyabi, supporting another offshoot of the Mustaali, theHafizibranch, split with the Mustaali Fatimid, who recognizedAl-Amiras their last Imam. The split was due to the Taiyabi believing thatAt-Tayyib Abi l-Qasimwas the next rightful Imam afterAl-Amir. TheHafizithemselves however consideredAl-Hafizas the next rightful Imam afterAl-Amir. The Bohras believe that their 21st Imam, Taiyab abi al-Qasim, went into seclusion and established the offices of theDa'i al-Mutlaq(الداعي المطلق), Ma'zoon (مأذون) and Mukasir (مكاسر). The Bohras are the only surviving branch of the Mustaali and themselves have split into theDawoodi Bohra,Sulaimani Bohra, andAlavi Bohra.

The Twenty-OneImamsof
TheTayyibi-Ismāʿīlīs

· Ali("Asās" or "Wāsih" of "Nabi" Mohammad)

· 1. Hasan

· 2. Husayn

· 3. al-Sajjad

· 4. al-Baqir

· 5. al-Sādiq

· 6. Ismā'il

· 7. Muhammad

· 8. Abdullāh(Wāfi Ahmad)

· 9. Ahmad(Tāqi Muhammad)

· 10. Husayn(Rādhi Abdullāh)

· 11. ʿUbayd Allāh al-Mahdī b’il-Lāh

· 12. Muhammad al-Qā'im

· 13. Ismāʿīl al-Mansur

· 14. Ma'ādd al-Mu'izz

· 15. Nizār al-Aziz

· 16. Mansur al-Hākim

· 17. Ali az-Zāhir

· 18. Ma'ādd al-Mustansir

· 19. Ahmad al-Mustāʿli

· 20. Mansur al-Amir

· 21. Abu'l-Qāsim at-Tāyyib

· v

· t

· e

· Dawoodi Bohra – The Dawoodi Bohras are a denomination of the Bohras. After offshooting from the Taiyabi the Bohras split into two, theDawoodi Bohraand theSulaimani Bohra, over who would be the correctdaiof the community. Concentrated mainly in Pakistan and India.

· Sulaimani Bohra – The Sulaimani Bohra named after their 27thDa'i al-Mutlaq, Sulayman ibn Hassan, are a denomination of the Bohras. After offshooting from the Taiyabi the Bohras split into two, the Sulaimani Bohra and the Dawoodi Bohra, over who would be the correct dai of the community. Concentrated mainly inYemen.

· Alavi Bohra – Split from the Dawoodi Bohra over who would be the correct dai of the community. The smallest branch of the Bohras.

· Hebtiahs Bohra – The Hebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shia Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.[citation needed]

· Atba-i-Malak – The Abta-i Malak jamaat (community) are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shia Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 46thDa'i al-Mutlaq, under the leadership ofAbdul Hussain Jivaji. They have further split into two more branches, theAtba-i-Malak BadraandAtba-i-Malak Vakil.[38]

Nīzār'īyyah[edit]

Nizārī-IsmāʿīlīImams

· 1. Ali

· 2. Husayn

· 3. al-Sajjad

· 4. al-Baqir

· 5. al-Sādiq

· 6. Ismā'il

· 7. Muhammad

· 8. Abdullāh(Wāfi Ahmad)

· 9. Ahmad(Tāqi Muhammad)

· 10. Husayn(Rādhi Abdullāh)

· 11. ʿUbayd Allāh al-Mahdī b’il-Lāh

· 12. Muhammad al-Qā'im

· 13. Ismāʿīl al-Mansur

· 14. Ma'ādd al-Mu'izz

· 15. Nizār al-Aziz

· 16. Mansur al-Hākim

· 17. Ali az-Zāhir

· 18. Ma'ādd al-Mustansir

· 19. Nizār al-Mustafá

· 20. Al-Hādī

· 21. Al-Mutadī

· 22. Al-Qāhir

· 23. Hassan II ʻAlā Dhikrihi-s-Salām

· 24. Nūr-al-Dīn Muhammad II

· 25. Jalālu-d-Dīn Hassan III

· 26. ʻAlāʼ ad-Dīn Muhammad III

· 27. Ruknu-d-Dīn Khurshāh

· 28. Shamsu-d-Dīn Muhammad II

· 29. Qāsim Shāh

· 30. Islām Shāh

· 31. Muḥammad b. Islām Shāh

· 32. Al-Mustanṣir billāh II

· 33. ʻAbdu-s-Salām Shāh

· 34. Gharīb Mīrzā

· 35. Abū Dharr ʻAlī

· 36.Murād Mīrzā

· 37. Dhū-l-Fiqār ʻAlī

· 38. Nūru-d-Dīn ʻAlī

· 39. Khalīlullāh II ʻAlī

· 40. Nizār II

· 41. As-Sayyid ʻAlī

· 42. Ḥasan ʻAlī

· 43. Qāsim ʻAlī

· 44. Abū-l-Hasan ʻAlī

· 45. Shāh Khalīlullāh III

· 46. Hassan ʻAlī Shāh

· 47. Āqā ʻAlī Shāh

· 48. Muhammad Shāh

· 49. Karīmu-l-Hussaynī

· v

· t

· e

Main articles:Nizar (Fatimid Imam),Nizārī Ismā'īlīandImamah (Nizari Ismaili doctrine)

Nizārī –TheNīzār’īyyahare the largest branch (95%) ofIsmā'īlī, they are the only Shia group to be have their absolute temporal leader in the rank of Imamate, which is currently invested inAga Khan IV. Their present living Imam isMawlānāShah Karim Al-Husayniwho is the 49th Imam.Nizārī Ismā'īlīsbelieve that the successor-Imām to theFatimidcaliphMa'ad al-Mustansir Billahwas his elder sonal-Nizār. WhileNizārībelong to the "Imamijurisprudence" orJa'fāriyya Madhab(school of Jurisprudence), believed by Shias to be founded by ImamJa'far as-Sadiqthey adhere to sumpremacy of "Kalam", in the interpretation of scripture, and believe in the temporal relativism of understanding, as opposed tofiqh(traditionallegalism),which adheres to anabsolutismapproach torevelation.

Further information:Nizārī Ismā'īlī stateandHistory of the Shī‘a Imāmī Ismā'īlī Ṭarīqah

Durziyyah[edit]

Main articles:Durziandad-Darazi


Druze star.

Druze – The Druze are a small distinct traditional religion that developed in the 11th century. It began as an offshoot of the Ismaili sect of Islam, but is unique in its incorporation ofGnostic,neo-Platonicand other philosophies. Druze are considered heretical and non-Muslims by most other Muslims because they are believed to address prayers to the Fatimid caliphAl-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the third Fatimid caliph of Egypt, whom they regard as "a manifestation of God in His unity." The Druze believe that he had been hidden away by God and will return as theMahdion Judgement Day. Like Alawis, most Druze keep the tenets of their Faith secret, and very few details are known. They neither accept converts nor recognize conversion from their religion to another. They are located primarily in theLevant. Druze in different states can have radically different lifestyles. Some claim to be Muslim, some do not, though the Druze faith itself abides by Islamic principles.[citation needed]

Further information:Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah,Da‘wat at-tawḥīd,Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-Ahmad,Baha'uddin al-Muqtana,Rasa'il al-hikmahandAl-Sayyid al-Tanukhi

Zaidiyyah[edit]

Main articles:Zaidiyyah,Zayd ibn AliandZaydi Revolt

Zaidiyyahshistorically come from the followers ofZayd ibn Ali, the great-Grandson of 'Ali b. Abi Talib. They follow any knowledgeable and upright descendant of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and are less esoteric in focus thanTwelversandIsmailis.Zaidisare the most akin sect toSunni Islamamongst theShi'itemadh'habs. A great majority of them, more than Seven Million people who constitutes less than 1% of the World overall Muslim population, lives inYemen.[39]

See also:Religion in YemenandList of extinct Shia sects

Schools of theology[edit]

Main articles:AqidahandIslamic theology

Aqidahis an Islamic term meaning "creed" or "belief". Any religious belief system, or creed, can be considered an example ofaqidah. However, this term has taken a significant technical usage in Muslim history andtheology, denoting those matters over which Muslims hold conviction. The term is usually translated as "theology". Such traditions are divisions orthogonal to sectarian divisions of Islam, and aMu'tazilimay for example, belong to Jafari, Zaidi or even Hanafi school of jurisprudence.

Textualist approach[edit]

Athari[edit]

Main article:Athari

TheAtharischool derives its name from the Arabic wordAthar, meaning "narrations". The Athari creed is to avoid delving into extensive theological speculation. They use the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and sayings of the Sahaba - seeing this as the middle path where the attributes of Allah are accepted without questioning 'how' they are.Ahmad bin Hanbalis regarded as the leader of the Athari school of creed. Athari is generally synonymous withSalafi. The central aspect of Athari theology is its definition ofTawhid, meaning literally unification or asserting the oneness of Allah.[40][41][42][43]

Kalām[edit]

Main article:Kalam

Kalāmis theIslamic philosophyof seeking theological principles throughdialectic. InArabic, the word literally means "speech/words". A scholar ofkalāmis referred to as amutakallim(Muslim theologian; pluralmutakallimūn). There are many schools of Kalam, the main ones being theAsh'ariandMaturidischools in Sunni Islam.

Ash'ari[edit]

Main article:Ash'ari

Ash'ariis a school ofearly Islamic philosophyfounded in the 10th century byAbu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari. It was instrumental in drastically changing the direction of Islam and laid the groundwork to "shut the door ofijtihad" centuries later in the Ottoman Empire.[citation needed]The Asharite view was that comprehension of the unique nature and characteristics ofGodwere beyond human capability.

Maturidi[edit]

Main article:Maturidi

AMaturidiis one who followsAbu Mansur Al Maturidi's theology, which is a close variant of the Ash'ari school. Points which differ are the nature of belief and the place of human reason. The Maturidis state that belief (iman) does not increase nor decrease but remains static; it is piety (taqwa) which increases and decreases. The Ash'aris say that belief does in fact increase and decrease. The Maturidis say that the unaided human mind is able to find out that some of the more major sins such as alcohol or murder are evil without the help of revelation. The Ash'aris say that the unaided human mind is unable to know if something is good or evil, lawful or unlawful, without divine revelation.

Murji'ah[edit]

Main article:Murji'ah

Murji'ah(Arabic:المرجئة‎) is an early Islamic school whose followers are known in English as "Murjites" or "Murji'ites" (المرجئون). During the early centuries of Islam, Muslim thought encountered a multitude of influences from various ethnic and philosophical groups that it absorbed. Murji'ah emerged as a theological school that was opposed to theKharijiteson questions related to early controversies regarding sin and definitions of what is a true Muslim.

They advocated the idea of "delayed judgement". OnlyGodcan judge who is a true Muslim and who is not, and no one else can judge another as an infidel (kafir). Therefore, all Muslims should consider all other Muslims as true and faithful believers, and look to Allah to judge everyone during thelast judgment. This theology promoted tolerance ofUmayyadsand converts to Islam who appeared half-hearted in their obedience. The Murjite opinion would eventually dominate that of the Kharijites.

The Murjites exited the way of the Sunnis when they declared that no Muslim would enter thehellfire, no matter what his sins. This contradicts the traditional Sunni belief that some Muslims will enter the hellfire temporarily. Therefore the Murjites are classified asAhlul Bid'ahor "People of Innovation" bySunnis, particularlySalafis.

Mu'tazili[edit]

Main article:Mu'tazili

Mu'tazilitheology originated in the 8th century inal-BasrahwhenWasil ibn Ataleft the teaching lessons ofHasan al-Basriafter a theological dispute. He and his followers expanded on the logic and rationalism ofGreek philosophy, seeking to combine them with Islamic doctrines and show that the two were inherently compatible. The Mu'tazili debated philosophical questions such as whether the Qur'an was created or eternal, whetherevilwas created by God, the issue ofpredestinationversusfree will, whether God's attributes in the Qur'an were to be interpreted allegorically or literally, and whether sinning believers would have eternal punishment inhell.

Sufi Orders[edit]

Main articles:SufismandTariqa

Sufism is amystical-asceticform of Islam.It is not a sect, rather it is considered as the branch of Islamic teaching that deals with the purification of inner self.By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, Sufis strive to obtain direct experience of God by making use of "intuitive and emotional faculties" that one must be trained to use.[44]Tasawwuf is regarded as a science of Islam that has always been an integral part of Orthodox Islam.In his Al-Risala al-safadiyya, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyya describes the Sufis as those who belong to the path of the Sunna and represent it in their teachings and writings.

Jurist and Hadith master Ibn Taymiyya's Sufi inclinations and his reverence for Sufis like 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani can also be seen in his hundred-page commentary on Futuh al-ghayb, covering only five of the seventy-eight sermons of the book, but showing that he considered tasawwuf essential within the life of the Islamic community.

In his commentary, Ibn Taymiyya stresses that the primacy of the Shari`a forms the soundest tradition in tasawwuf, and to argue this point he lists over a dozen early masters, as well as more contemporary shaykhs like his fellow Hanbalis, al-Ansari al-Harawi and `Abd al-Qadir, and the latter's own shaykh, Hammad al-Dabbas:The upright among the followers of the Path—like the majority of the early shaykhs (shuyukh al-salaf) such as Fudayl ibn `Iyad, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Ma`ruf al-Karkhi, al-Sari al-Saqati, al-Junayd ibn Muhammad, and others of the early teachers, as well as Shaykh Abd al-Qadir, Shaykh Hammad, Shaykh Abu al-Bayan and others of the later masters—do not permit the followers of the Sufi path to depart from the divinely legislated command and prohibition

Imam Ghazali narrates in Al-Munqidh min-al-dalal:

The vicissitudes of life, family affairs and financial constraints engulfed my life and deprived me of the congenial solitude. The heavy odds confronted me and provided me with few moments for my pursuits. This state of affairs lasted for ten years but wherever I had some spare and congenial moments I resorted to my intrinsic proclivity. During these turbulent years, numerous astonishing and indescribable secrets of life were unveiled to me. I was convinced that the group of Aulia (holy mystics) is the only truthful group who follow the right path, display best conduct and surpass all sages in their wisdom and insight. They derive all their overt or covert behaviour from the illumining guidance of the holy Prophet, the only guidance worth quest and pursuit.

Bektashi[edit]

Main article:Bektashi

The Bektashi Order was founded in the 13th century by the Islamic saintHaji Bektash Veli, and greatly influenced during its fomulative period by theHurufiAli al-'Ala in the 15th century and reorganized byBalım Sultanin the 16th century. Because of its adherence tothe Twelve Imamsit is classified underTwelverShia Islam. Bektashi are concentrated inTurkeyandAlbaniaand their headquarters are in Albania[citation needed].

Chishti[edit]

Main article:Chishti Order

The Chishti Order (Persian:چشتیہ‎) was founded by (Khawaja)Abu Ishaq Shami("the Syrian"; died 941) who brought Sufism to the town ofChisht, some 95 miles east ofHeratin present-day Afghanistan. Before returning to the Levant, Shami initiated, trained and deputized the son of the localEmir(Khwaja)Abu Ahmad Abdal(died 966). Under the leadership of Abu Ahmad’s descendants, theChishtiyyaas they are also known, flourished as a regional mystical order.

Kubrawiya[edit]

Main article:Kubrawiya

TheKubrawiyaorder is aSufiorder ("tariqa") named after its 13th-century founderNajmuddin Kubra. TheKubrawiyaSufiorder was founded in the 13th century byNajmuddin KubrainBukharain modernUzbekistan.[45]TheMongolshad captured Bukhara in 1221, they committedgenocideand killed nearly the whole population.Sheikh Nadjm ed-Din Kubrawas among those killed by the Mongols.

Mawlawiyya[edit]

Main article:Mawlawiyyah

TheMevlevi Orderis better known in the West as the "whirling dervishes".

Muridiyya[edit]

Main article:Muridiyya

Mourideis a large Islamic Sufi order most prominent inSenegalandThe Gambia, with headquarters in the holy city ofTouba, Senegal.[46]

Naqshbandi[edit]

Main article:Naqshbandi

The Naqshbandi order is one of the major Sufi orders of Islam. Formed in 1380, the order is considered by some to be a "sober" order known for its silentdhikr(remembrance of God) rather than the vocalized forms of dhikr common in other orders. The word "Naqshbandi" (نقشبندی) isPersian, taken from the name of the founder of the order,Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari. Some have said that the translation means "related to the image-maker", some also consider it to mean "Pattern Maker" rather than "image maker", and interpret "Naqshbandi" to mean "Reformer of Patterns", and others consider it to mean "Way of the Chain" or "Golden Chain".

As mentioned below, the conception of Naqshbandi may require more elaboration and clarity as the explanation to this effect creating ambiguity and complicity with in it. The meanings of "Naqshbandi" is to follow the pattern of head of the former. In other words, "Naqshbandi" may be taken as "followup or like a flow chart" of practices exercised by the head of this school of thought.

Nimatullahi[edit]

Main article:Nimatullahi

The Ni'matullāhī order is the most widespread Sufi order ofPersiatoday. It was founded byShah Ni'matullah Wali(d. 1367), established and transformed from his inheritance of theMa'rufiyyahcircle.[47]There are several suborders in existence today, the most known and influential in the West following the lineage ofDr. Javad Nurbakhshwho brought the order to the West following the1979 RevolutioninIran.

"Naqshbandi" does not meant for images or patterns followed by the followers of this school of thoughts. "Naqshbandi" manes the "flow chart" OR to follow the sayings and doings of former.

Nurbakshi[edit]

Main article:Noorbakshia Islam

The "Noorbakshia"[48](Arabic:ش‎) also calledNubakshiais an Islamic sect and the Sufi order[49][50]and way that claims to trace its direct spiritual lineage and chain (silsilah) to the Islamic prophetMuhammad, throughAli, by way of ImamAli Al-Ridha. This order became famous as Nurbakshi afterShah Syed Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistaniwho was attached withKubrawiyaorder Sufi order ("tariqa") .

Oveyssi (Uwaiysi)[edit]

Main article:Uwaisi

TheOveysi(or Uwaiysi) order claim to be founded 1,400 years ago byUwais al-Qarnifrom Yemen. Uways received the teachings of Islam inwardly through his heart and lived by the principles taught by him, although he had never physically met Muhammad. At times Muhammad would say of him, "I feel the breath of the Merciful, coming to me from Yemen." Shortly before Muhammad died, he directed Umar (second Caliph) and Ali (the first Imam of the Shia) to take his cloak to Uwais. "According toAli Hujwiri,Farid ad-Din AttarofNishapurand Sheikh Muhammad Ghader Bagheri, the first recipient of Muhammad's cloak was Uwais al-Qarni. The 'Original Cloak' as it is known is thought to have passed down the generations from the prophetAbrahamto Muhammad, to Uwais al-Qarni, and so on."[51]

The Oveyssi order exists today in various forms and in different countries. According to Dr. Alan Godlas of the University of Georgia's Department of Religion, a Sufi Order or tariqa known as the Uwaysi is "very active", having been introduced in the West by the 20th century Sufi, Shah Maghsoud Angha. The Uwaysi Order is a Shi'i branch of the Kubrawiya.

Godlas writes that there are two recent and distinct contemporary branches of the Uwaysi Order in the West:

Uwaiysi Tarighat, led by Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha's daughter, Seyyedeh Dr.Nahid Angha, and her husband Shah Nazar Seyed Ali Kianfar. Dr. Angha and Dr. Kianfar went on to found another the International Association of Sufism (IAS) which operates in California and organizes international Sufi symposia.

Now developed into an international non-profit organization, the Oveyssi order has over five-hundred thousand students with centers spanning five continents. With the use of modern technology and reach of the internet, weekly webcasts of the order's lecture and zekr sessions are broadcast live through the order's official website.[52]

Qadiri[edit]

Main article:Qadiriyyah

The Qadiri Order is one of the oldest Sufi Orders. It derives its name fromAbdul-Qadir Gilani(1077-1166), a native of the Iranian province ofGīlān. The order is one of the most widespread of the Sufi orders in the Islamic world, and can be found inCentral Asia, Turkey,Balkansand much of East andWest Africa. The Qadiriyyah have not developed any distinctive doctrines or teachings outside of mainstream Islam. They believe in the fundamental principles of Islam, but interpreted through mystical experience.

Senussi[edit]

Main article:Senussi

Senussi is a religious-political Sufi order established byMuhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi founded this movement due to his criticism of the Egyptianulema. Originally from Mecca, as-Senussi left due to pressure fromWahhabisto leave and settled inCyrenaicawhere he was well received.[53]Idris bin Muhammad al-Mahdi as-Senussiwas later recognized as Emir of Cyrenaica[54]and eventually becameKing of Libya. The monarchy was abolished byMuammar Gaddafibut, a third of Libyan still claim to be Senussi.

Shadiliyya[edit]

Main article:Shadhili

TheShadhiliis a Sufi order founded byAbu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili. Followers (muridsArabic: seekers) of the Shadhiliyya are often known as Shadhilis.[55][56]

Suhrawardiyya[edit]

Main article:Suhrawardiyya

The Suhrawardiyya order (Arabic:سهروردية‎) is a Sufi order founded byAbu al-Najib al-Suhrawardi(1097–1168).

Tijaniyya[edit]

Main article:Tijaniyyah

TheTijaniyyahorder attach a large importance to culture and education, and emphasize the individual adhesion of thedisciple(murīd).

Kharijiyyah Islam[edit]


This article appears to contradict the article Ibadi. Please see discussion on the linked talk page. Please do not remove this message until the contradictions are resolved. (June 2011)

Kharijite(literally, "those who seceded") is a general term embracing a variety of Muslim sects which, while originally supporting the Caliphate of Ali, later on fought against him and eventually succeeded in his martyrdom while he was praying in the mosque of Kufa. While there are few remaining Kharijite or Kharijite-related groups, the term is sometimes used to denote Muslims who refuse to compromise with those with whom they disagree.

Ibadi[edit]

The only surviving Kharijite sect is theIbadi. The sect developed out of the 7th century Islamic sect of the Kharijites. Nonetheless, Ibadis see themselves as quite different from the Kharijites. Believed to be one of the earliest schools, it is said to have been founded less than 50 years after the death of Muhammad.

It is the dominant form of Islam inOman, but small numbers of Ibadi followers may also be found in countries in Northern and Eastern Africa. The early medievalRustamiddynasty inAlgeriawas Ibadi.

Ibadis usually consider non-Ibadi Muslims as unbelievers, though nowadays this attitude has highly relaxed.[citation needed]They approve of the caliphates ofAbū BakrandUmar ibn al-Khattab, whom they regard as the "Two Rightly Guided Caliphs". Specific beliefs include:walāyah, friendship and unity with the practicing true believers and the Ibadi Imams;barā'ah, dissociation and hostility towards unbelievers and sinners; andwuqūf, reservation towards those whose status is unclear. While Ibadi Muslims maintain most of the beliefs of the original Kharijites, they have rejected the more aggressive methods.[citation needed]

Extinct groups[edit]

TheSufris(Arabic:سفريين‎) were a sect of Islam in the 7th and 8th centuries, and a part of the Kharijites. They believeSura 12(Yusuf) of the Qur'an is not an authenticSura.

TheHarūrīs(Arabic:الحرورية‎) were an early Muslim sect from the period of theFour Rightly-Guided Caliphs(632-661 CE), named for their first leader, Habīb ibn-Yazīd al-Harūrī.

Ahmadiyya Islam[edit]


Part ofa serieson:

Ahmadiyya

Beliefs and Practices

· Five Pillars of Islam

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· Quran

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Distinct views

· Prophethood

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Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

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· Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth

· Victory of Islam

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· Haqā'iq al-Furqān

Organisational structure

· Successors of the Messiah:

· I

· II

· III

· IV

· V

· Jalsa Salana

· Mosques

· Jamia

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Miscellaneous

· Persecution

· Ahmadiyya by country

· Ahmadiyya and other faiths

· List of Ahmadis

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Main article:Ahmadiyya Islam

The Ahmadiyya movement in Islamwas founded in India in 1889 byMirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed to be the promisedMessiah("Second ComingofChrist") theMahdiawaited by the Muslims and a'subordinate' prophetto Muhammad whose job was to restore the Sharia given to Muhammad by guiding or rallying disenchantedUmmahback to Islam and thwart attacks onIslamby its opponents. The followers are divided into two groups, theAhmadiyya Muslim Communityand theLahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam, the former believing that Ghulam Ahmad was a non-law bearing prophet and the latter believing that he was only a religious reformer though a prophet in an allegorical sense. Ahmadis consider themselves Muslims and claim to practice the pristine form of Islam as re-established with the teachings of Ghulam Ahmad.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community[edit]

Main article:Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

It originated with the life and teachings ofMirza Ghulam Ahmad(1835–1908), who claimed to have fulfilled the prophecies of the world's reformer during theend times, who was to herald theEschatonas predicted in the traditions of variousworld religionsand bring about the final triumph of Islam as per Islamic prophecy. He claimed that he was theMujaddid(divine reformer) of the 14thIslamic century, the promisedMessiahandMahdiawaited byMuslims.[57][58][59]The adherents of the Ahmadiyya movement are referred to as Ahmadis or Ahmadi Muslims.

Ahmadis thought emphasizes the belief that Islam is the final dispensation for humanity as revealed toMuhammadand the necessity of restoring to it its true essence and pristine form, which had been lost through the centuries. Thus, Ahmadis view themselves as leading the revival and peaceful propagation of Islam.[60]The Ahmadis were among the earliest Muslim communities to arrive inBritainand other Western countries.[60]

Ahmadiyya adherents believe thatGodsent Ghulam Ahmad, in the likeness ofJesus, to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. They believe that he divested Islam of fanatical beliefs and practices by championing what is in their view, Islam’s true and essential teachings as practised by the ProphetMuhammad.[61]The Ahmadiyya Community is the larger community of the two arising from the Ahmadiyya movement and is guided by the Khalifa (Caliph), currentlyKhalifatul Masih V, who is the spiritual leader of Ahmadis and the successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He is called theKhalifatul Masih(successor of the Messiah). .

Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement[edit]

Main article:Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam

The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement also known as theLahoris, formed as a result of ideological differences within theAhmadiyya Muslim Community, after the demise ofMaulana Hakim Noor-ud-Dinin 1914, the firstKhalifaafter its founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. The main dispute was based on differing interpretations of a verse[Quran 33:40]related to the finality of prophethood. Other issues of contention were theKalima, funeral prayers, and the suitability of the elected Khalifa (2nd successor)Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad(the son of the Founder). The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement is led by a President orEmir.

Other denominations and sects[edit]

African American Movements/Sects[edit]

Moorish Science[edit]

Main article:Moorish Science Temple of America

The Moorish Science Temple of America is an American organization founded in 1913 A.D by Prophet Noble Drew Ali, whose name at birth was Timothy Drew. He claimed it was a sect of Islam but he also drew inspiration from Buddhism, Christianity,GnosticismandTaoism. Its significant divergences from mainstream Islam and strong African-American ethnic character[62]make its classification as an Islamic denomination a matter of debate among Muslims and scholars of religion.

Its primary tenet was the belief that they are the ancient Moabites who inhabited the Northwestern and Southwestern shores of Africa. The organization also believes that their descendents after being conquered in Spain are slaves who were captured and held in slavery from 1779–1865 by their slaveholders.

Although often criticised as lacking scientific merit, adherents of the Moorish Science Temple of America believe that the Negroid Asiatic was the first human inhabitant of the Western Hemisphere. In their religious texts, adherents refer to themselves as "Asiatics",[63]presumably referring to the non-MongoloidPaleoamericans(seeLuzia Woman). These adherents also call themselves "indigenous Moors", "American Moors" or "Moorish Americans" in contradistinction to "AfricanMoors" or "African Americans".

Nation of Islam[edit]

Main article:Nation of Islam

The Nation of Islam was founded byWallace Fard MuhammadinDetroitin 1930,[64]with a declared aim of "resurrecting" the spiritual, mental, social and economic condition of theblack man and woman of Americaand the world. It is viewed by almost all Muslims as aheretical cult. The group believes Fard Muhammad was God on earth,[64][65]a belief viewed asshirkby mainstream Muslims. It does not see Muhammad as the final prophet, butElijah Muhammadas the "Messenger of Truth" and only allows people of black ethnicity and believes they are the original race on earth.

In 1975, the teachings were abandoned and the group was renamed theAmerican Society of MuslimsbyWarith Deen Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad.[66]He brought the group into mainstream Sunni Islam, establishing mosques instead of temples and promoting the Five pillars of Islam.[67][68]Thousands (estimated 2 million) of African Americans joined Imam Muhammad in mainstream Islam.[69]Some members were dissatisfied, includingLouis Farrakhan, who revived the group again in 1978 with the same teachings of the previous leaders. It currently has from 30,000 to 70,000 members.[70]

Five Percenter[edit]

Main article:Five-Percent Nation

TheFive-Percent Nationwas founded in 1964 in the United States.

Mahdavia[edit]

Main articles:MahdaviaandZikri

Mahdavi Islam (Arabic:مهدوي اسلام‎) is a sect within Islam founded bySyed Muhammad Jaunpuriin India in the 15th century CE. Jaunpuri declared himself to be theImam Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer in Islam, and the denomination takes its name from the termMahdi("guided"). Mahdi e Maud(The Promised Mehdi)is believed to have said 'Mazhab ma Kitab Allah ( Quran )wa Ittebah e Rasool Allah (Mohammad).

Mahdavi[edit]

TheMahdaviregard Jaunpuri as the Imam Mahdi, theCaliphof Allah and the second most important figure after the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Both the prophet and imam are considered to bemasum(معصوم"infallible")[71]Mahdavis follow the doctrine ofAhle Sunnat Wal Jamaat.

Zikri[edit]

TheZikriis claimed to be based around the teachings of Muhammad Jaunpuri. In religious practice, the Zikris differ greatly from mainstream Muslims and the Mahdavis. A main misconception that Zikris perform prayers calleddhikrfive times a day is a major one, in which sacred verses are recited, as compared to the orthodox practice ofsalat. Most Zikris live inBalochistan, but a large number also live inKarachi, theSindhinterior, Oman and Iran.

Muwahhid Muslim[edit]

AMuwahhid Muslimis a Muslim who gives emphasis to the concept oftawhid. Their beliefs insinuate that the oneness of God is the most important Muslim creed. They view deviation from tawhid whether in the form of the trinity, materialism or idolatry as very sinful.

Nondenominational Muslim[edit]

Nondenominational Muslimsare Muslims who do not adhere to any specific branch of Islam. Such Muslims may visit any mosque regardless of its sectarian affiliation. Their beliefs may overlap with those of multiple Muslims.

Quranism[edit]

Main article:Quranism

Quranism(Arabic:قرآنيون‎Quraniyoon) is an Islamic branch that holds theQur'anto be the only canonical text inIslam. Quranists reject the religious authority ofHadithand oftenSunnah, libraries compiled by later scholars who catalogued narratives of what theProphet Muhammadis reported to have said and done. This is in contrast to orthodox Muslims,ShiasandSunnis, who consider hadith essential for the Islamic faith.[72]

Ahle Qur'an[edit]

"Ahle Qur'an" is an organisation formed byAbdullah Chakralawi,[73][74]rely entirely on the chapters and verses of theQur'an.

Tolu-e-Islam[edit]

Main article:Tolu-e-Islam

Tolu-e-Islam ("Resurgence of Islam") is an organization based in Pakistan, with followers throughout the world.[75]The movement was initiated byGhulam Ahmed Pervez, a Qur'anic scholar.

Submitters[edit]

Main article:United Submitters International

The United Submitters International (USI) is a branch of Quranism, founded byRashad Khalifa. Submitters considers themselves to be adhering to "true Islam", but prefer not to use the terms "Muslim" or "Islam", instead using the English equivalents: "Submitter" or "Submission". Submitters consider Khalifa to be a Messenger of God. Specific beliefs of the USI include: the dedication of all worship practices to God alone, upholding the Qur'an alone with the exception of two rejected Qur'an verses,[76]and rejecting the Islamic traditions of hadith and sunnah attributed to Muhammad. The main group attends "Masjid Tucson"[77]inArizona, USA.

Hanif Islam[edit]

Hanif Islam is a set of Muslim beliefs and teachings based on the Qur'an alone. Hanif Muslims argue that the Qur'an is valid in every language and that anyone is capable of interpreting and understanding the Qur'an without assistance. Hanif Muslims also maintain that only two daily prayers are mandated by the Qur'an, those being the morning (fajr) and night (isha) prayers, and that Muslims should cease all activities to perform them. Additionally, Hanif Muslims reject circumcision as an Islamic practice and believe that covering the head is not a necessary part of women's hijab. Hanif Islam should not be confused with the termhanif.[78]

Related concepts[edit]

Islamism[edit]

Main article:Islamism

Islamism is a term that refers to a set of politicalideologies, derived from variousfundamentalistviews, which hold that Islam is not only a religion but apolitical systemthat should govern the legal, economic and social imperatives of the state. Many Islamists do not refer to themselves as such and it is not a single particular movement. Religious views and ideologies of its adherents vary, and they may be Sunni Islamists or Shia Islamists depending upon their beliefs. Islamist groups include groups such asAl-Qaeda, the organizer of theSeptember 11, 2001 attacksand perhaps the most prominent; and theMuslim Brotherhood, perhaps the oldest. Although violence is often employed by some organizations, not all Islamist movements are violent.

Liberal Islam[edit]

Main articles:Liberal movements within IslamandIjtihad

Liberal and progressive movements have in common a religious outlook which depends mainly onIjtihador re-interpretations ofscriptures. Liberal Muslims believe in greater autonomy of the individual in interpretation of scripture, a critical examination ofreligious texts, gender equality, human rights, LGBT rights and a modern view of culture, tradition, and other ritualistic practices in Islam.[citation needed]
Click to expand...

I keep saying all religions have the same problem!
 
.
Caste system..Hindus are marrying based on money and personality today but in cities only....New age India is emerging next in 20 years caste system will be dead...
 
. .
Veer Saverkar said:
Caste system..Hindus are marrying based on money and personality today but in cities only....New age India is emerging next in 20 years caste system will be dead...
Click to expand...

True. Recently I have also noted the rise of athiesm in India, also the rise of the 'logical Indian'.

By the way, religion is on a downward slope everywhere in the world. Some predicts the practical vanishing of religion in around 200 years. Rise of science will be the leading factor.
 
.
kakathiya said:
castes of islam
1024px-Islam_branches_and_schools.svg.png

800px-Branch_of_Shi%27a_Islam.png
Click to expand...

There are only 2 sects which are further divided into sub sects but its not like caste system.

A person can be Arab, Iranian, Kurd, Afghan, Indian telugu, Indian tamil, Indian bengali, Indian punjabi but will follow sunni school of thought or shia school of thought .

Dr. Sen said:
True. Recently I have also noted the rise of athiesm in India, also the rise of the 'logical Indian'.

By the way, religion is on a downward slope everywhere in the world. Some predicts the practical vanishing of religion in around 200 years. Rise of science will be the leading factor.
Click to expand...


Its there in all the religious books about the modern age be it Rig Vedas, Bible and Quran etc.
 
.
Yaduveer said:
However marriages is strictly within it's caste in both rural and urban India though some exceptions are there.It is the marriages which is holding this regressive system alive.
Click to expand...

Yaduveer said:
You should read it ...

Just 5% of Indian marriages are inter-caste: survey - The Hindu
Click to expand...


Bang Galore said:
That's a big number in real terms. Give it one more generation. As India urbanises, old prejudices will gradually give way. Caste has been around for over 3000 years, can't expect it to vanish overnight. However the change is now picking up speed.
Click to expand...


I for one do not understand why people equate inter-caste marriages with abolishing of caste system.

Most of marriages in India are arranged marriages, and it is natural in case of arranged marriages that people would look for match from his/her community which in case of India is represented by caste.

Only a fraction of love marriages are inter-caste thus the figure of 5% denotes much greater societal change that a cursory reading would denote.

One can complain about caste system if it pro-actively and overwhelmingly suppress inter-caste marriages which though it historically did but no longer does at least in big cities. One could not complain if arrange marriages are majorly within caste.


Saying that intercaste marriages are required for ending caste system is equivalent to saying that unless all marriages are inter-racial, racism would not be eliminated.


Another thing that people should not is that caste system exist in every society. Even in west, A surgeon would not marry a garbage collector.



Oldman1 said:
Bring Communism.
Click to expand...


Communism did not eradicated racism.
 
Last edited:
.
Hindustani78 said:
There are only 2 sects which are further divided into sub sects but its not like caste system.

A person can be Arab, Iranian, Kurd, Afghan, Indian telugu, Indian tamil, Indian bengali, Indian punjabi but will follow sunni school of thought or shia school of thought .


Its there in all the religious books about the modern age be it Rig Vedas, Bible and Quran etc.
Click to expand...

you should know

and hindus what ever they are they follow vishnavist school of thought os shiva school of thought

hindiism also has only two sects namely vishnavism and shivism and all others are sub sects, in the same way this castes are nothing but tribes, and we are proud of our tribe, let me tell you if you are a fair punjabi will you marry an African which you have nothing to do with, each tribe has its own culture and tradition, india is not a single country its a conglomeration of many countries and traditions, i am a south Indian i have nothing to do with the north Indian culture the only thing which binds me to them is Hinduism

you know nothing, have you heard of labbi muslims or the stone cutters, the domari muslims, and the list goes on and will a sunni muslim marry a ahamdi, or an ahamdi marry a salafi, will ismailis marry a hanafi, wiil a european muslim marry an african black muslim, and there are hundreds of castes in islam you dont know that. so will a kashmiri muslim marry kalai muslims of tamil nadu.
 
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