The Importance of Martyrs in Defining Shi’a Islam Today 10-20% of the world’s Muslim population is Shi’a Muslim . Shi’a Muslims have always been the minority within the Muslim community. The Shi’a Muslims believe that the bloodline of Muhammad should have determined who led the Muslim community. They believe that Ali, the prophet’s cousin should have led the Muslim population after Muhammad’s death. Shi’a Muslims follow the leadership of the imams. Imams are the leaders of the Islamic population. Shi’a Muslims see imams as the true successors of Muhammad because they are all blood descendants of Muhammad. The Sunni Muslims see Shi’a Muslims as heretics because they follow a different linage of leadership, a linage of blood not merit.
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Martyrs are not unique to Shi’a Islam; they can be seen in Sunni Islam as well. The fighters of the Battle of Badr and the Battle of Uhud, both battles fought against the Quraysh tribe, were seen as martyrs to both sects of Islam . They were men who had died fighting for their religion, for Allah, and thus earned their martyrdom. Despite the fact that Sunni Islam also has martyrs, they hold a greater significance to Shi’a Muslims. The martyrs of Sunni Islam are often the average soldiers, whereas for Shi’a Muslims the martyrs are often powerful figures in their religion. This stems from the fact that the Sunni leadership often targeted the ‘heretical’ Shi’a Muslims and the best way to attempt to destroy the Shi’a religion was to kill the …show more content…
He faced the Umayyad soldiers even though he knew it would almost certainly lead to his death. With this act he takes on the role of the first true Shi’a martyr, in fact he became the shahid al-shuhada, the martyr of martyrs. He died trying to regain the caliphate that the Shiites believe they should have had all along. He is significant because he refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid, he did not recognize the unjust rule of the Umayyad family. Hussein is a symbol for his people, the person who took on the suffering of mankind despite having done nothing wrong. He becomes a hero for his people, the
Martyrs are not unique to Shi’a Islam; they can be seen in Sunni Islam as well. The fighters of the Battle of Badr and the Battle of Uhud, both battles fought against the Quraysh tribe, were seen as martyrs to both sects of Islam . They were men who had died fighting for their religion, for Allah, and thus earned their martyrdom. Despite the fact that Sunni Islam also has martyrs, they hold a greater significance to Shi’a Muslims. The martyrs of Sunni Islam are often the average soldiers, whereas for Shi’a Muslims the martyrs are often powerful figures in their religion. This stems from the fact that the Sunni leadership often targeted the ‘heretical’ Shi’a Muslims and the best way to attempt to destroy the Shi’a religion was to kill the …show more content…
He faced the Umayyad soldiers even though he knew it would almost certainly lead to his death. With this act he takes on the role of the first true Shi’a martyr, in fact he became the shahid al-shuhada, the martyr of martyrs. He died trying to regain the caliphate that the Shiites believe they should have had all along. He is significant because he refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid, he did not recognize the unjust rule of the Umayyad family. Hussein is a symbol for his people, the person who took on the suffering of mankind despite having done nothing wrong. He becomes a hero for his people, the