Culture may simply be described simply as that which makes life worth living. (T.S. Eliot)
Sunni and the Shia, just what is the difference?
What exactly is the difference between the Sunni and the Shia is a question I can asked often enough. It is a complex issue involving civil wars, murder, matyrdom, family loyalties, political and theological issues, as you can imagine I really don't feel like going through all of that, so the following is the whole thing in a nut shell (just bear in mind it is more complex than this, the follow is just a basic explanation). This schism (divide of Sunni and Shia) came to dominate early Islam, and yet it did not spring at first from a deep theological disagreement, but rather from a dispute about who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad, and on what grounds. The supporters of the Prophet's cousin Ali argued for the hereditary principle (passed down through the family); their opponents championed systems of selection (somelike how the Pope is chosen). Ali's followers were to become the Shia; the supporters of selection were to become Sunnis. So there you go, you can now enjoy the News with a little bit more understanding.
more Culture to come soon...
