What is the difference between Shia and Sunni? (Opinion)

The divisions between the two sects are ancient, going back to the leadership dispute which arose after the death of Prophet Muhammad in the early 7th Century.

Some Muslims called for his son-in-law, Ali, to succeed him, while the majority backed his father-in-law, Abu Bakr.
The dispute continued to rage long after the deaths of both and supporters of Ali eventually became known as Shia, creating what remains the oldest and biggest schism in Islam.

For Sunni Muslims, Abu Bakr and the rest of the Prophet Muhammad’s disciples are pious role models, while many Shia – though not all – see them as traitors and apostates.

The differences between the two sects continue to dominate religious life, and spill over into other aspects as well. In Nigeria for example, it is extremely rare to hear of a Sunni and Shia marrying each other.

So why has the government banned the IMN?

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s office said the IMN had been banned because it had been “taken over by extremists who didn’t believe in peaceful protests and instead employed violence” to achieve its objectives.

The IMN accuses Nigeria’s security forces of overreacting to peaceful protests.

(Credit: BBC)