Shiites

Shiites, or Shia Muslims, are one of the two main branches of Islam. They share core beliefs with Sunni Muslims but differ on questions of religious authority and leadership after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE. Shiism holds that Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, was the rightful successor and that leadership should proceed through a divinely designated line of Imams from the Prophet’s family.

Central to Shiite belief is the imamate, the idea that Imams possess spiritual and political authority recognized by God. The largest group, the Twelvers (Ithna ’Ashariyyah), believe in twelve Imams, culminating in the hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is in occultation and will return as the Mahdi. Other branches include the Ismailis, who diverged over the succession after Jafar al-Sadiq, and the Zaidi branch, which recognizes a different line of Imams.

Geographically, Shia communities are concentrated in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Lebanon, with substantial populations in Pakistan, India, Bahrain, and parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. Common religious practices include special mourning rituals during Muharram, particularly Ashura, which commemorates Husayn ibn Ali’s martyrdom at Karbala. Shiite communities also venerate Imams and maintain shrines and pilgrimage sites, with a clerical leadership structure that can include senior scholars known as Grand Ayatollahs in some regions.

In the modern era, Shia groups have played varied roles in politics and society, ranging from religious scholarly authority to participation in state governance and regional movements, reflecting a wide spectrum of beliefs and practices within Shiism.