Islam is a relatively young religion; in any case, it arose later than Christianity and, especially, Buddhism. However, it was Islam that was subjected to serious tests over the centuries in the process of spread and development.

First of all, we are talking about a fundamental split in the teaching itself, as a result of which a multitude arose. Today, thanks to the Internet and the media, everyone knows that there are Sunnis and Shiites. But who are the Sunnis, what is their difference from the Shiites, and why is this branch of Islam considered dominant - due to its prevalence or something else?

A Brief History of the Origin of Sunnism

Sunnis call themselves “ahl al-sunnah wal-jamaa,” which translated means “inheriting the path of the prophet and the mission of his followers.” Such a complex name can be explained, but there is no way to briefly talk about this current. The dominant word in this definition is “sunna”, which is what gave the name to the religious movement. Translated from Arabic, “sunnah” is a road, a path.

The path of the Sunnis was truly missionary and not easy. Islam arose in the 7th century and began to spread quite quickly in Arab countries. Under the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the Islamic community looked whole, but a split occurred in it in 656, after the Righteous Caliph Abu Amr Uthman ibn Affan al-Umawi al-Qurashi, the third Righteous Caliph, was killed.

After the Caliphate began to expand, the division became even more pronounced as certain groups tried to return Islam to its roots. As a result, sects and radical movements began to emerge everywhere. People who adhere to a certain liberal view of Islam tried to resist all this.

Supporters of moderation were the Islamic theologian Abu Hanifa an-Numan ibn Sabit al-Kufi, theologian Abu Imran Ibrahim ibn Yazid an-Nahai and other equally respected followers. Thus began the history of the Sunnis, which divided the entire Islamic world into two main camps and many side movements.

One of the first convinced followers of Sunniism was the theologian Hassan al-Basri, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, who was able to build all Sunni views into a coherent system of religious positions. He proposed banning support for those authorities who act contrary to the teachings.

He made his proposal based on the hadith of the Prophet, where he called not to obey people who incline to sin that is contrary to Allah himself. The fact is that Sunnis initially considered the Sunnah and the Koran to be the fundamental principles of the Muslim faith. Al-Basri called for humility, opposed radicalism and believed that resistance should be passive.

The same theologian outlined for his followers a path that is based on boundless faith without resistance and independence. This is exactly what Islam was originally, in his view. The call turned out to be very attractive, after which Sunnism began to spread everywhere.

Some time later, another theologian AbuBakr Muhammad ibn Sirin al-Basri introduced the term “ahl al-sunnah”. This concept became common to the overwhelming majority of Muslim society, which rejected any manifestations of sectarianism. In Islam, Sunnis abandoned various religious innovations, maintaining the unity of the community. Even today they are of the opinion that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) predicted the emergence of various sects and warned against schisms. According to legend, the Prophet said that among the many Muslims there will be only one true group of those saved in Allah, who will follow.

The Sunnis were ideologically opposed not only by the Shiites, but also by representatives of other theological schools. Polemics have been carried out throughout all centuries of the existence of Islam. However, on the basis of these disputes, Sunni beliefs only clearly formed and strengthened. Several schools of thought have emerged, each supporting the ideas of Sunni Islam.

Religious directions and principles of faith

Modern, like traditional, Sunnism is a religious movement built on complete subordination to the community and the provisions of the Sunnah and the Koran. Today, Sunnis make up the overwhelming majority of devout Muslims around the world. Only in some countries do Shiites occupy a predominant position (Iran, Bahrain, Lebanon, etc.).

The principles of the movement were formed back in the Middle Ages, at the stage of formation of the doctrine. They haven't changed since then. The main provisions of Sunnism are recognitions:

1. The legality of the rule of the caliphs.
2. Authenticity of six sets of hadiths.
3. Dogmatic schools.
4. Schools of Sharia law - madhhabs.

The Rightly Guided Caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali were the first four rulers who ruled the Great Caliphate. Sunnis believe that all supreme power should be concentrated in the hands of caliphs elected by the community.

As you know, Sunni Muslims claim that Islam rests on two foundations - the Koran and the Sunnah, which is a set of hadiths - these are stories about the Prophet Muhammad. About his actions and words concerning the life of the community in a legal, social or religious context.

Initially, such legends were spread only orally - they were told to each other without writing them down. The compilation of written hadith began later, during the early emergence of Sunnism. And the main sets of rules based on hadiths appeared no less than 200 years after the death of the Prophet.

All these rules were combined into six collections, collectively called Qutub al-Sitta. However, it should be noted that religious and theological disagreements are so great that even on this issue, the views of researchers regarding the acts of the Prophet and all of Islam do not always agree. Not all hadiths included in this collection are considered authentic.

Today there are three known dogmatic schools. These include:

• Asarites;
• Asharites;
• Maturidites.

The Asarites adhere to rigid traditions in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. For them, the very idea that the Koran can be interpreted in any allegorical way is considered impossible. If any provisions in them remain unclear, then the Asarites do not seek to understand their meaning. However, they do not take them literally.

If any place in the Sunnah or the Quran remains not too clear for them, they do not explain it and do not look for any separate meaning in the message, leaving this to the discretion of Allah. In the eyes of the Asarites, the Almighty knows everything, but as for people, they should simply take revelations for granted.

Asharism is the second direction of Sunnism, it deviates somewhat from the views professed by the Asarites. Ash'arites believe that religious dogmas should not be followed thoughtlessly, and the approach to interpreting their truth is quite rational. At the same time, they believe that there cannot be a cause-and-effect relationship between various phenomena. Unlike the Asarites, they do not recognize authoritarianism in their faith, approaching religious positions philosophically and trying to comprehend them.

The Maturidites are in many ways similar in views to the Ash'arites. This current formed later than the others. Its founder is Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, who called for a reasonable attitude towards various phenomena and to comprehend them. However, the Maturids, like the Asarites, believe that the commands of Allah cannot be rationalized and must be obeyed without hesitation.

Another principle of Sunni teaching is the presence of four theological and legal schools. These are the so-called madhhabs:

• Shafi'i;
• Hanbali;
• Maliki;
• Hanafi.

Each of them is based on the dogmas of the Koran and Sunnah, but the Hanbali madhhab firmly takes the position of not accepting innovations in Islam, and the source of law here, in addition to the holy books, is also the decisions of the companions of the Prophet.

The Hanafi madhhab, in addition to the Sunnah, the Koran and the decisions of the Companions, also recognizes local customs. Thus, many Sunnis living in Russia (mainly in) are Hanafis - these are Circassians, Nogais, Kabardians, Bashkirs, Tatars.

Causes of disagreement between Shiites and Sunnis

One of the main problems of modern Islam is the conflict between Shiites and Sunnis. Their differences in views have become even more noticeable against the backdrop of events taking place in the Middle East today.

The main difference between these two movements is the difference in views on issues related to the sources of power. Sunnis around the world believe that rulers should be chosen by the Muslim community, based on traditional approaches. As for the Shiites, they stand in positions of choosing power based on the principle of kinship and heritage.

According to the first, the community must follow the instructions included in the Sunna and the Koran, and proceed from them when choosing rulers. In contrast, Shiites believe that power should be inherited, and the will of Allah Almighty comes not so much from the Holy Scriptures, but through the imam, who is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. At the same time, Shiite theologians today await the coming of the last 12 imam, and in anticipation of him they represent the authorities in the community.

Another difference between Sunnis and Shiites concerns the issue of power sharing. Followers of Sunnism believe that secular and spiritual power should be separated, while according to Shiites, all power should be concentrated in the hands of the divine heir (for example, in Iran - the Ayatollah).

The problem of differences is so deep that even the question of separate prayers of the two movements is raised, although theologians are sure that it should be one. Differences in prayer are observed in the position of the hands, and the madhhabs themselves cannot decide on the question of how exactly to hold the hands during prayer. In addition, Shiites practice self-flagellation, while Sunnis do not accept such a tradition.

Statistics show how many Sunnis there are in the world today. Sunnism is professed by almost 90% of all devout Muslims, which is over 1.5 billion people. How large their numbers can be judged by where they currently live. Their settlement is observed almost throughout the Middle East and Arab countries. In some countries, representatives of the two main movements live approximately equally - these are Yemen, Iraq and Syria.

The confrontation between the main directions of Islam today has turned out to be so great that issues of religious dogma are once again becoming relevant. This once again proves that Islam, as one of the dominant world religions, continues to transform and develop.

DIFFERENCES between Sunnis and Shiites

There are a number of disagreements between Sunnis and Shiites, which today have lost their significance. In other words, history itself has de facto annulled these differences - newspaper columnist Zaman Ali Bulach continues to examine the topic of confrontation between Sunnis and Shiites.

At their head is the constant of the Shiite doctrine - the doctrine of the Imamate. This teaching has three main components. According to Shia beliefs:

A) The final authority on the interpretation of the Koran and the leader of the political community is the imam. The Imam is established by Allah and is the successor of the Prophet (pbuh). It is not the responsibility of the Islamic Ummah to appoint or select anyone for this position.

B) Because of his delicate and important position, the Imam is also sinless like the Prophet (pbuh) and is under the protection of Allah from all kinds of sins, mistakes and delusions. This position is the same for all 12 imams.

C) The Imam comes from the pure family of the Prophet (pbuh), i.e. from Ahl al-Bayt. The 12th Imam hid himself (260 AH) and is the awaited Mahdi. He will appear by the will of Allah at a time when unrest, injustice and oppression on Earth will reach their highest point and will save the ummah. All political regimes and worldly authorities ruling before the advent of the Mahdi are considered illegitimate, but necessary in the current political climate.

Undoubtedly, there are other issues that deserve special attention. For example, from a historical point of view, this is the separation of the Shiites from the main part of the ummah, self-isolation and the associated development of the principle of “taqiyya” (prudent concealment of one’s faith). From a theological perspective, this is close to the views of the Mu'tazilites, the idea of ​​“mabda and maad”, the question of the return of the expected imam (raj'a). In usul this is the non-recognition of comparison by analogy (qiyas), but instead judgment from the position of reason (aql) and in fiqh - differences in practical law. Although in Sunni usul, qiyas can be called a product of the mind, despite the fact that its verbal difference from aql is emphasized. On the other hand, it should be noted that in Sunni fiqh there are also differences between madhhabs in legal practice. Therefore, the differences between Shiites and Sunnis that fall under this category are not related to the fundamentals of law (usul) but to its practical application (furu). I did not analyze them in a separate category, because... I consider these differences not “determining”, but simply “having an influence”

If we consider the Imamate and early political conflicts as fundamental differences, we can come to the conclusion that modern Shiites and Sunnis do not attach much importance to them, and they have ceased to be “irreconcilable differences” with the passage of history. Let's try to figure it out.

1. We all know the scale of disagreements that arose after the death of the Prophet (pbuh). Let's divide them into two categories. The first concerns the question of who should have become the first caliph of the faithful, Abu Bakr or Ali. This issue has lost its practical value in the eyes of Muslims. The Shiites say that Ali had the right to the imamate, but this right was transferred to Abu Bakr in the Banu Thaqifa quarter. According to the Sunnis, Ali in no way claimed this right. We know that Ali, who feared no one but Allah, submitted to the three righteous caliphs of his own free will. If we examine this issue in the light of Ali's biography, it becomes clear that Ali's voluntary submission makes the power of the first three caliphs legitimate. This is recognized today by some Shiite theologians. Ali not only swore allegiance to Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman, but also acted as their adviser in political and legal matters, supported them and was by their side in difficult times. For example, in wars with apostates, during the Muslim discovery of Iraq, in determining the status of the lands of al-Sawad, etc. Then why wouldn’t Ali’s actions and decisions become an example for his followers?! Although we Sunnis do not recognize the sinlessness of the 12 imams, we treat all 12 with deep respect, because they are the descendants of the Prophet (pbuh) and all transmissions received from them through reliable transmitters are sources of knowledge for us.

2. Conflict between Ali and Muawiya. In this matter, the Sunni world, in general, is on Ali’s side. There is not a single authentic Islamic theologian who would consider Muawiyah and his son Yazid, who turned the caliphate into a sultanate, to be right. Moreover, you will not meet a single Muslim who would name his child after them. There is no need to pick at wounds healed by history.

Shi'ism and Sunnism are the two largest movements in Islam. Over the centuries, they have repeatedly been drawn into confrontation with each other, and not only because of religious differences.

According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, Islam is professed by 1.188 billion people (19.6% of the world's population); of these, Sunnis – 1 billion (16.6%); Shiites - 170.1 million (2.8%); Kharijites - 1.6 million (0.026%).

Two branches

A schism in Islam occurred shortly after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, when a wave of apostasy swept the Muslim East. The Arabs plunged into the abyss of unrest and discord. A dispute arose among the followers of the prophet over who should have spiritual and political power in the Arab Caliphate.

The key figure in the division of Muslims was Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, the righteous caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib. After his assassination, some believers believed that only Ali’s descendants had the right to become hereditary caliphs, since they were connected by blood ties with the Prophet Muhammad. As a result, the majority, which supported the elected caliphs, won.

Since then, the first have been assigned the name “Shiites” (“followers of Ali”). The latter began to be called “Sunnis” (following the sacred tradition - “Sunnam”).

This radically affected the distribution of power: the Sunnis dominated the Arab East for centuries, while the Shiites were forced to remain in the shadows.

Sunnis are primarily the history of such powerful states as the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, as well as the Ottoman Empire. The Shiites are their eternal opposition, subject to the principle of “taqiya” (“prudence” and “prudence”). Until the end of the 20th century, relations between the two branches of Islam managed without serious armed clashes.

Controversies

The differences between Sunnis and Shiites primarily relate not to dogma, but to religious law. The discrepancies in the positions of the two Islamic movements affect norms of behavior, the principles of some legal decisions, and are reflected in the nature of holidays and attitudes towards non-believers.

The Koran is the main book for any Muslim believer, but for Sunnis, the Sunnah is no less important - a set of norms and rules based on examples from the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

According to Sunnis, strict adherence to the instructions of the Sunnah is the credo of a devout Muslim.

However, some Sunni sects take this literally. Thus, for the Afghan Taliban, every detail of their appearance is strictly regulated, right down to the size of their beard.

Shiites do not accept Sunni dogmatism. From their point of view, this gives rise to various radical movements, such as Wahhabism. In turn, Sunnis consider the tradition of Shiites to call their ayatollahs (a religious title) messengers of Allah as heresy.

Sunnis do not accept the infallibility of people, while Shiites believe that imams are infallible in all matters, principles and faith.

If the main Muslim holidays of Eid al-Adha and Kurban Bayram are celebrated by all Muslims according to the same traditions, then on the day of Ashura there are differences. For Shiites, the day of Ashura is a memorial event associated with the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of Muhammad.

Currently, in some Shiite communities, the practice has been preserved when, accompanied by mourning chants, believers inflict bleeding wounds on themselves with a sword or chains. For Sunnis, this day is no different from any other day of mourning.

Sunnis and Shiites also differ in their assessment of temporary marriage. Sunnis believe that temporary marriage was permitted by the Prophet Muhammad during one of his military campaigns, but he soon abolished it. But Shiite preachers, referring to one of the verses, recognize temporary marriages and do not limit their number.

Currents

Each of the two main Islamic movements is heterogeneous within itself and has many currents that differ markedly from each other.

Thus, Sufism, which arose in the bosom of Sunnism, due to its dilution with Hindu and Christian traditions, is considered by devout Muslims to be a distortion of the teachings of Muhammad. And certain practices - the veneration of dead teachers - or the concept - the dissolution of the Sufi in God - are completely recognized as contrary to Islam.

Wahhabis are also against pilgrimages to the graves of saints. In 1998, as part of a campaign to destroy idols, Wahhabis razed the grave of the mother of the Prophet Muhammad, which caused a wave of protests throughout the Islamic world.

Most Muslim theologians call Wahhabism the radical wing of Islam. The latter’s struggle to cleanse Islam of “alien impurities” often goes beyond the scope of true teaching and takes on an openly terrorist character.

Shiism could not do without radical sects. However, unlike Wahhabism, they do not pose any serious threat to society. For example, the Ghurabis believe that the cousins ​​Muhammad and Ali were similar in appearance to each other, and therefore the angel Jibril mistakenly gave a prophecy to Muhammad. And the Damiyats even claim that Ali was a god and Muhammad was his messenger.

A more significant movement in Shiism is Ismailism. His followers adhere to the concept that Allah infused his divine essence into the earthly prophets - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. The coming of the seventh messiah, according to their beliefs, will bring universal justice and prosperity to the world.

The Alawites are considered one of the distant branches of Shiism. Their dogmas are based on a variety of spiritual traditions - pre-Islamic religions, Gnostic Christianity, Greek philosophy, astral cults. The family of the current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad belongs to the Alawites.

Conflict escalation

The Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran radically affected the relationship between Sunnis and Shiites. If in the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, after the Arab countries gained independence, a course was set for their rapprochement (for example, marriages between Sunnis and Shiites were considered the norm), but now the Arabs found themselves drawn into open armed confrontation.

The revolution in Iran contributed to the growth of the religious and national consciousness of the Shiites, who significantly strengthened their positions in Lebanon, Iraq and Bahrain.

In recent years, the Middle East has become the scene of significant world events. The Arab Spring, the collapse of dictatorships, wars and the ongoing confrontation between influential players in the region have become the most important topics in international relations. Recently it became known that the largest losses of the Arab coalition since the beginning of hostilities in Yemen. Political and military battles often overshadow one of the main aspects of centuries-old contradictions - religious strife. Lenta.ru tried to find out what impact the split between Sunnis and Shiites has on the situation in the region and what its reasons are.

Shahada

“I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah,” this is the shahada, “testimony,” the first pillar of Islam. These words are known to every Muslim, no matter what country in the world he lives in and no matter what language he speaks. In the Middle Ages, saying the Shahada three times “with sincerity in the heart” in front of an official meant accepting Islam.

The contradictions between Sunnis and Shiites begin with this brief declaration of faith. At the end of their shahada, Shiites add the words “...and Ali is a friend of Allah.” The Orthodox Caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib is one of the first leaders of the young Islamic state, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. The murder of Ali and the death of his son Hussein became the prologue to a civil war within the Muslim community, which split the single community - the ummah - into Sunnis and Shiites.

Sunnis believe that the caliph should be elected by the vote of the umma among the most worthy men of the Quraysh tribe, from which Muhammad came. Shiites, in turn, advocate the imamate - a form of leadership in which the highest leader is both a spiritual and political leader. According to Shiites, only relatives and descendants of the Prophet Muhammad can be imams. In addition, according to the president of the Institute of Religion and Politics, Alexander Ignatenko, Shiites consider the Koran, used by Sunnis, to be falsified. In their opinion, the verses (verses) that speak of the need to appoint Ali as Muhammad's successor were removed from there.

Photo: Unknown / Brooklyn Museum / Corbis / EastNews

“In Sunnism, images in mosques are prohibited, and in the Shiite “Husseinyahs” there are a lot of images of Hussein, the son of Ali. There are even movements in Shiism whose followers are forced to worship themselves. In their mosques, instead of walls and a mihrab (a niche that indicates the direction to Mecca - approx. "Tapes.ru") mirrors were installed,” said Ignatenko.

Echoes of schism

Religious divisions are superimposed on ethnic ones: Sunnism is primarily the religion of the Arabs, and Shiism of the Persians, although there are many exceptions. More than once murders, robberies and pogroms were explained by the desire to punish heretics. In the 18th century, for example, Sunni Wahhabis captured the holy Shiite city of Karbala and carried out massacres there. This crime has not yet been forgiven or forgotten.

Photo: Morteza Nikoubazl / Zuma / Global Look

Today, the stronghold of Shiism is Iran: the ayatollahs consider it their duty to protect Shiites around the world and accuse the Sunni countries of the region of oppressing them. The 20 Arab countries - with the exception of Bahrain and Iraq - are predominantly Sunni. Sunnis are also mainly representatives of numerous radical movements fighting in Syria and Iraq, including militants of the Islamic State.

Perhaps if Shiites and Sunnis lived compactly, the situation would not be so confusing. But in Shiite Iran, for example, there is the oil-bearing region of Khuzestan, inhabited by Sunnis. It was there that the main battles took place during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war. The Arabian monarchies call this region nothing more than “Arabistan” and are not going to stop fighting for the rights of the Sunnis of Khuzestan. On the other hand, Iranian leaders sometimes publicly call Arab Bahrain a province of Iran, hinting that Shiism is practiced by the vast majority of the population there.

Yemen crisis

But the hottest point on the line of Sunni-Shiite confrontation remains Yemen. When the Arab Spring began, dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh voluntarily resigned and Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi became president. The peaceful transition of power in Yemen became a favorite example of Western politicians who argued that authoritarian regimes in the Middle East could be replaced overnight with democracies.

However, it soon became clear that this calm was imaginary: in the north of the country, the Houthi Shiites, whom they forgot to take into account when concluding the deal between Saleh and Hadi, became more active. Previously, the Houthis repeatedly fought with President Saleh, but all conflicts invariably ended in a draw. The new leader seemed to the Houthis too weak and unable to resist the radical Sunnis from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who were active in Yemen. The Shiites decided not to wait for the Islamists to take power and slaughter them as apostate apostates, and to strike first.

Photo: Khaled Abdullah Ali Al Mahdi / Reuters

Their operations progressed successfully: Houthi troops united with troops loyal to Saleh and quickly crossed the country from north to south. The capital of the country, Sana'a, fell, and battles broke out for the southern port of Aden, the last stronghold of Hadi. The president and government fled to Saudi Arabia. The Sunni authorities of the Gulf oil monarchies saw an Iranian trace in what was happening. Tehran did not deny that it sympathizes with the Houthi cause and supports them, but at the same time said that it does not control the actions of the rebels.

Frightened by the successes of the Shiites in Yemen, Riyadh, with the support of other Sunni countries in the region, launched a large-scale air campaign against the Houthis in March 2015, simultaneously supporting forces loyal to Hadi. The goal was to return the fugitive president to power.

By the end of August 2015, the technical superiority of the Arab coalition allowed it to take part of the captured lands from the Houthis. The Hadi government's foreign minister said the offensive on the capital would begin within two months. However, this forecast may turn out to be too optimistic: so far, the successes of the Sunni coalition have been achieved mainly due to significant numerical and technical superiority, and if Iran seriously decides to help its coreligionists with weapons, the situation may change.

Of course, it would be wrong to explain the conflict between the Houthis and the Yemeni authorities solely for religious reasons, but they play a significant role in the new “great game” in the Gulf - the clash of interests of Shiite Iran and Sunni countries of the region.

Reluctant allies

Another place where Sunni-Shiite tensions largely define the political landscape is Iraq. Historically, in this country, where the majority of the population is Shiite, ruling positions have been occupied by people from Sunni circles. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, the country was finally led by a Shiite government that did not want to make concessions to the Sunnis, who found themselves in the minority.

It is not surprising that when Sunni radicals from the Islamic State (IS) appeared on the political scene, they managed to capture the Anbar province, populated mainly by their Sunni co-religionists, without any problems. To recapture Anbar from IS, the army had to resort to the help of Shiite militias. This was not to the taste of local Sunnis, including those who had previously remained loyal to Baghdad: they believed that the Shiites wanted to seize their lands. The Shiites themselves are not particularly worried about the feelings of the Sunnis: for example, the militia called the operation to liberate the city of Ramadi “We serve you, Hussein” - in honor of the son of the righteous caliph Ali, who was killed by the Sunnis. After criticism from Baghdad, it was renamed “We Serve You, Iraq.” There were often cases of looting and attacks on local Sunnis during the liberation of populated areas.

The United States, which provides air support to Iraqi units, is not particularly enthusiastic about participation in the operations of the Shiite militia, insisting on its full control by the Baghdad authorities. The US fears Iran's growing influence. Although Tehran and Washington find themselves on the same side of the barricades in the fight against IS, they diligently pretend that they have no contact with each other. Nevertheless, American planes striking IS positions have earned the nickname “Shiite aviation” among Sunnis. And the idea that the United States is on the side of the Shiites is actively used in Islamist propaganda.

It is significant that until the American invasion of Iraq, religious affiliation played a secondary role in the country. As Veniamin Popov, director of the Center for Partnership of Civilizations at the Institute of International Studies of MGIMO (U), notes, “during the Iran-Iraq war, Shiite soldiers actually fought with each other; the issue of citizenship, not faith, came first.” After the Sunni officers of Saddam Hussein's army were banned from serving in the armed forces of the new Iraq, they began en masse to join the ranks of the Islamists. “Until this time, they didn’t even think about whether they were Sunnis or Shiites,” Popov emphasized.

Middle Eastern tangle

The complexity of the politics of the Middle East is not limited to the confrontation between Sunnis and Shiites, but it has a significant impact on what is happening, and without taking this factor into account it is impossible to get a complete picture of the situation. “We can talk about the interweaving of contradictions - religious, political, historical and geopolitical conflicts,” notes Ignatenko, “the initial thread cannot be found in them, and it is impossible to resolve them.” On the other hand, opinions are often voiced that religious differences are just a screen to cover up true political interests.

While politicians and spiritual leaders are trying to unravel the tangle of Middle Eastern problems, the region’s conflicts are spilling out beyond its borders: on September 7, it became known that up to four thousand IS militants (the terrorist group “Islamic State,” whose activities are prohibited in Russia) have fled to Europe under the guise of refugees.

It represented a single and integral teaching that knew no factions or sects. The first split in Islam occurred at the end of the reign of Caliph Osman, when a group of Ali's Shiite supporters began to insist on the exclusive right of the descendants of the prophet - the Alids (i.e., the heirs of Ali and Fatima) to the highest spiritual and secular power. Since then, Islam has been divided into orthodox - Sunnis and oppositional - Shiites.

Already in the 7th century. Shiites divided into two directions - moderate and radical. After the tragic death of Ali, who fell under the dagger of his former supporter, a Kharijite, in 661, supporters of the movement advocated for his descendants to retain exclusive rights to supremacy in the Islamic community-state. The peculiarities of the religious teachings of the Shiites took shape by the middle of the 8th century. It was based primarily on the holy book of all Muslims - the Koran, on which the ideological sources of the Shiites were based: the collection of sayings of Caliph Ali “The Way of Eloquence” and the works of the creators of Shiite dogmatics. Like all Muslims, Shiites recognize the Sunnah as the second source of doctrine, but reject those Sunnah traditions compiled by Ali's opponents. Shiites believe that during the fixation of the Koran, several verses were removed from a number of chapters and the entire chapter “Two Luminaries”, in which Ali’s special rights to the caliphate were substantiated. They compiled their memories of the prophet Muhammad and Ali and called them Akhbars. Shiites believe that the soul of the Prophet Muhammad lived in the bodies of 12 imams (community leaders) named Ali. After the death of the 11th Imam Hasan al-Askari in 873, his young son became the new Imam, who became the 12th Imam. Muhammad disappeared in a cave near the city of Samarra in Iraq, but he is still present invisible to everyone on earth and will return to people in the form of the Messiah - the Mahdi, who will establish the kingdom of justice on earth, reveal the true meaning of the Koran and monotheism and overthrow the usurpers.

IN Shiism The cult of martyrdom became widespread, associated with the tragic fate of a number of Shiite imams, starting with Ali and his sons Hassan and Hussein, who were killed by supporters of the ruling party. In the practice of Shiism, the principle of taqiyya (prudence, prudence) has found wide application - prudent concealment of one’s faith, i.e. the right to say and do things that are contrary to faith, for reasons of personal safety or in the name of the interests of the community of fellow believers, while remaining in the soul devoted to one’s religion. This principle was due to the fact that throughout their history, Shiites often remained in the minority and were the target of persecution.

In the 16th century Shiism was proclaimed the state of Iran, as which it exists to this day. Shiites make up almost half of the population of Iraq, their communities live in Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Afghanistan and other countries where Islam spreads.

Directions of Shiism

According to one of the widespread classifications, Shiism is divided into five large sects, which over time were fragmented into smaller entities: Kaysanites, Zaydis, Imamis, extreme Shiites and Ismailis.

Another direction in Islam is closely connected with the Shiite trend - the Kharijites (who came out, came out). This movement is considered the first to separate from orthodox Islam. The Kharijites supported Ali in his struggle for power, but when Ali expressed indecision and went to negotiate with the enemy, 12 thousand people separated from his army and refused to support him. The Kharijites contributed to the development of issues related to the theory of power in Islam. They believed that the caliph should receive supreme power from the community only by election. If he does not meet his purpose, the community has the right to depose him or even kill him. Any believer can become a caliph, regardless of origin, social status and ethnicity. The main requirements for the contender for power were a strong commitment to the Koran and Sunnah, fair treatment of members of the Muslim community and the ability to defend its interests with arms in hand. The caliph was considered as the main authorized person of the community and military leader; no sacred significance was attributed to him. If communities are far from one another, then each can elect a caliph for itself. In religious terms, the Kharijites acted as irreconcilable champions of the “purity” of Islam and strict adherence to rituals. Currently, small Kharijite communities remain in Oman. Algeria and Libya.

Sunnism

Sunnism- the largest direction in. Almost 90% of Muslims in the world profess Sunni Islam. The full name of the Sunnis is “people of the Sunnah and the harmony of the community.” The main signs of belonging to Sunnism include: recognition of the legitimate authority of the four “righteous caliphs”; no doubt about the authenticity of the six canonical collections of hadith; belonging to one of the four legal schools of Sunni Islam. Sunnis reject the idea of ​​mediation between Allah and people after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and do not accept the idea of ​​​​the divine nature of Ali and the right of his descendants to spiritual power. Chronologically, Sunnism took shape as a negative reaction to the development of Shiism. No special sects arose within Sunnism.