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Afghanistan
Sunni and Shia Islam
Afghanistan
Sunni and Shia Islam
The historical divide of Islam into Sunni, or so-called
orthodox Islam, and Shia, was caused more by political dispute
over successors than doctrinal differences, although differences
gradually assumed theological and metaphysical overtones. Despite
the split, within centuries Islam reached far into Africa,
eastward to the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia, as well
as northward into Central Asia. This expansion was accomplished
by traders and missionaries as much as by conquest.
Sunni constitute 85 percent of the world's Muslims; Shia about
15 percent. Each division has four major Shariah or schools of
theological law. The Sunni: Hanafi, dominant in the Arab Middle
East, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan; Maleki, in north, central
and west Africa and Egypt; Shafii, in east Africa, Indonesia and
southeast Asia; Hanbali, in Saudi Arabia. The Shia: Ithna
Ashariya or Imami, the state religion in Iran, dominant in Iraq
and also found in Afghanistan; Nizari Ismaili, present throughout
the Muslim world, including Afghanistan, led by the Aga Khan;
Zaidiya, in Yemen; Mutazila, in Syria and Lebanon.
Data as of 1997
