Both Sunni and Shia law schools use the Quran and the Sunna as the basis of the Islamic legal system. Shiism is very strict, where there is a strong belief in that “God teaches and guides his people through his imams. Authority flows from above to below.” (Denny, p.197) Shia legal system does differ more broadly because more faith is placed in their imams. There are three branches of Shiism which include Zaydis, Ismailis, and Ithna-asharis or Twelvers. The Zaydis are similar to Sunnis because they don’t place a title on their imams being a divine figure. The Ismailis focus their respect on the seventh imam, Ismail. The Ithhna-asharis believe that there were twelve imams, where the last imam is still alive, but in occultation. An important difference between …show more content…
The Shia community allows a temporary marriage where a man and woman may be married for a specific period of time. This is a private contract that may be done verbally or through written documentation; this is more specifically allowed in Twelver Shia, and not in Zaydi, Ismaili, or Sunni Islam. Another example of a belief shared by Shia Muslims and not by Sunnis is fasting on the ninth day of the month of Muharram. Shia Muslims will fast on the ninth day, because on the tenth day of Muharram Hussein Ibn Ali, Prophet Muhammed’s grandson, was killed in the battle of Karbala. They fast on the ninth day, and celebrate the death of Hussein on the tenth day. Men and women may morn Hussein’s death by performing poetic readings. Shia Muslims also visit Hussein’s grave on the tenth day of Muharram. Through this the Shias have established Karbala as a Shia graveyard. This also introduces how Shia Muslims visit graves and turn them into places of worship. Prophet Muhammed