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DIALOGUE:.....................................................THE SHI'I AND SUNNI

I. STATISTICS OF MUSLIMS AS OF 1996 (by Prof. M'roueh)

A. Shi'a Constitute 22%: 282 Million

B. Sunni Constitute 78%: 954 Million consisting of: 1.) Hanafi, 2.) Maliki, 3.) Shafi'i, and 4.) Hanbali.

II.0 WHO IS SHI'I?

A. A Shi'i is a person devoted to the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) as registered and written by Imam Ali

after the Prophet had died.B. Thus the Shi'a branch of Islam claims that its Fiqh and other Islamic information are the pure teachings

and the Sunnah of Muhammad (pbuh). Thus the source of the Shi'a branch of Islam is specific.

III.0 WHO IS SUNNI?

A. A Sunni is a person who adheres to the various Sahabas and Tabi'in explanation of the Sunnah of the

Prophet (pbuh).

B. Thus the source of the Sunni branch of Islam is from Sahaaba, Tabi'in and some Imams, and they claim

that their Fiqh and other Islamic teachings are the authentic ones.

IV.0 ISLAM'S TEACHING

1. Iman (Faith)

2. Ibadat (Acts of worship)

3. Ethics and dealings

4. Hereafter (Eschatology)

IMANSUNNI VERSION SHI'A VERSION

000000001.00 Allah (Tawhid) A. Allah (Tawhid)

2. Prophethood B. Adl (Divine Justice)

3. Holy Books (see item C next column) C. Prophethood

i. Holy Books

ii. Angels

iii. Qadr

4.00 Angels (see item C next column) D. Imamah

5. Qadr (see item C next column)

6. Hereafter E. Hereafter

IBADATSUNNI VERSION SHI'A VERSION

1. Shahaada 1. Salat (with Shahaada included)

2. Salat 2. Zakat

3. Zakat 3 Khums

4. Saum 4. Saum

5. Haj 5. Haj

6. Jihad

7. Enjoining the Islamically Good

8. Prohibiting the Wicked and Evil

00000000I.00 THE NAMING OF:

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A. Shi'a:..................................................................................................................... Coined after the Prophet

B. Sunni:..............................................................................................................Coined in the 3rd Century H

1. First named as the Jamaa'ah...................................................................................... (1st Century H)

2. Then named as Ahlul Sunnah and Jamaa'ah ........................................................... (2nd Century H)

3. Finally shortened as Ahlul Sunnah........................................................................... (3rd Century H)

II.00 HADITH SOURCE

A. Hadith Sources: Sunni

1. Sihaah Sittah

2. Written in 3rd-4th CenturyB.0 Hadith Sources: Shi'a

1. The 4 Canonical Books, Al-Kaafi, Al-Toosi, and others

2. Quotes of the Prophet's Hadith as narrated by the Imams

III.00 IMAMAH

A. Prophet's Hadiths (mainly through the twelve Imams after him)

B. Belief in Twelve Imams, the descendants of the Prophet (pbuh)

C. Teaching the Sunnah of Muhammad (pbuh), by the 12 Imams

D. The 12 Imams carried on the teachings for 329 years after the Prophet (pbuh)

E. Al-Mahdi, as the Awaited one.

IV.0 SOURCES OF IMAM'S KNOWLEDGE

A. Corpus of Knowledge left by Imam Ali

B. Un-Erring Inspiration

1. Divine means: a) Hearing (Al-Naqr fil Asmaa') or b) Experiencing the Inspiration (Al-Naq'tu filQuloob)

2. The Divine means are not Revelations

V.00 CORPUS OF KNOWLEDGE (by Imam Ali)

A. Quran, Chronological Order

B. Saheefa of Ali (Hadith)

C. Mus'haf Fatima (Tafseer) (3 Volumes)

D. Al-Jaami'a (Al-Ah'Kaam, Islamic Laws)

E. Al-Jafr:

1. White (Accounts and information about the Prophets)

2. Red (Rules pertaining to warfare)

VI.00 ISMAH, SHI'A VIEW

A. Allah's shielding of the Prophets and Imams from:

1. Sin2. Religious Error

3. Forgetfulness

VII.00 DU'AA, SHI'A

A. Superb invocations of great beauty

B. Written or dictated by the Imams

C. Various occasions

D. Highest style

E. Extremely Appealing

VIII.0VARIATION of Shi'a from Sunni brothers

A. Imamah

B. Sources of Hadith

C. Pure Prophet's Sunnah

D. Ruler's (Khalifas) of the Ummah were invalid, since they misrepresented Islam

E. Khulafaa as temporal leaders

IX.0 DISTINCTIVE BOOKS pertaining to the Shi'a

A. Nahjul Balaaghah

B. Al-Saheefa Al-Sajjadiya

C. Epistle of Huqooq: Man's Rights and Obligations

D. Du'aa

E. Ziyarat (Visitations)