Originally Posted by
diggy
From your reply, I get the implication that the major split came about for political reasons ( who is going to assume power? ) and some different interpretations of Quran.
it aint even an interpretation of the Quran, it's all a power thing. the Shia (and not Ali) werent ok for lettin Abu Bakr, then Omar ibn Al Khattab and then Othman ibn Affan be the khalife. they wanted Ali so they split ang fight the others. Muawiya wanted the kalifat after Ali.
So why should people divide their religion because of mainly political power?
I think it's because ahl el Bait (the people of the house [of the prophet]) were a big family that has an important effect on the society back then, so the people follow them because they think that they cant be wrong.
Are the people who claim to be of those different sects really believing in the teachings in their book or do they strive for political domination?
I think the firsts generations of the two "sects" dont have alot of differences regardin religion. these new behaviours appears later.
And if a religious group is founded on maily political strife and division, why would anybody want to be in that group and how can u justify the division it creates?
because they assume that it's the truth after years of practicin that religion. you know what i mean? when you're born in a place where people practice a certain religion in a certain way and you hear thats the truth since your a baby and grow with it, you assume you're right and the others are wrong. it's the same as if it was a completely different religion, for exemple it's like you say to a christian that he's wrong followin his religion, he wont believe you. the shia wont believe that they're doin wrong and that the split were mainly political.
And why do people feel the need to affiliate themselves with divisive group claiming to be the only rightly guided and calling everyone else wrong?
see above
How can anyone justify to God why one is apart of "sunni" or "shia" sect?
He cant, he better study his history and the Quran. you arent obligated to class yourself in one of these two. but if you study history I think you will be able to make the difference and choose your path. if we assume that the Sunnis are those who follow the way of muhammed PBUH so they could be the right one coz one of the rules of islam is to believe that theres no god but allah and that muhammed is his prophet and messenger.
And of the two groups which is right/wrong and why?
