Campusalam

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Amongst the Shi‘a, the descendents of the Prophet (pbuh) are known as Imams, meaning ‘leaders’, twelve in number for the 'Twelvers' or Ithna'asheri, seven for the Ismaili and five for the Zaidi. They have immense religious significance for Shi’a, who believe they were appointed by God to continue the Prophet's (pbuh) message, and are to be particularly revered and followed. (Sunnis use the word ‘imam’ in a very different, more ordinary sense as any religious leader of the community.) Sunnis reject the claim that the descendents of the Prophet (pbuh) should be given special religious significance, as Muhammad (pbuh) was the last Prophet and the Qur’an is the final source of guidance after the death of the Prophet (pbuh). The concept of leadership, especially religious or spiritual leadership, is a major difference between the two branches.

Sunni and Shi'a do not differ in the fundamentals of Islamic belief or aqidah, such as the oneness of God (tawhid), Muhammad (pbuh) as his prophet, the status of the Qur'an and so on. Differences emerge in the use of ijtihad or interpretation; sources of law and the practice of jurisprudence, and the use of Hadith. Because of the tragic origin of the separation, different narratives or at least emphases are sometimes placed on some historical events, and different attitudes to figures in the story such as the Prophet's (pbuh) wife Aishah. Different theological and political schools arose, even where opinions might be shared, such as the use of reason: a case in which both Sunni and Shi'a have schools emphasising and schools rejecting the use of rational argument.

At times the gulf between Shi’as and Sunnis has been so wide that Muslims amongst both branches have accused the other of corruption of Islam and disbelief, sometimes resulting in violence and death. There have, however, been attempts to bridge the Sunni-Shi’a gap. Al-Azhar University, in Cairo, Egypt attempted in 1959 to bring about a consensus on which schools of thought are religiously legitimate. Mahmud Shaltoot, the then head of al-Azhari University, stated that the Shi’a al-Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah (The Twelver Imami Shi'ites) who are the majority Shi’a, are Muslims and are as legitimate as the four Sunni schools of thought.