Is Shia Islam more Peaceful?

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I hope no one takes this question the wrong way. While Islam has it’s errors, based on my study of it, it is a religion that worships one God and condemns unjust violence.

However, I can’t fail to notice that in the world of “Islamic extremism” the worst atrocities by far are committed by Sunni terrorist groups (Taliban, Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, ISIS etc.)

I have noticed that while Shia clerics and militant groups commit and condone atrocities, they are not nearly on the scale or scope of Sunni militants. It appears to me that Shiite groups will mostly target the military installations and soldiers of “hostile” powers (as they have done to the U.S and Israel), but I sense that they do not seek to cause mass civilian casualties, do not condone rape or slavery, or over the top “moral” punishments.

Where for example is the Shia version of ISIS? There are Shia miliitas in Iraq (a 75% Shia nation I believe) but I have yet to hear of any truly heinous atrocities they’ve commited. I’m not saying they haven’t commited human rights violations, just it appears nothing on an ISIS scale.

By all accounts the Shia government in Baghdad is a fairly decent one. It likely has much to work on in terms of accountability/human rights but it seems a far more humane and progressive entity than the the one that preceded it:rolleyes:.

Furthermore… why are there never any “self radicalized converts” in the west who convert to Shia Islam? Any thoughts or ideas?
 
Furthermore… why are there never any “self radicalized converts” in the west who convert to Shia Islam? Any thoughts or ideas?
Shia are a much smaller community, divided among many sects. Where the Shia are dominant, like Iran and Iraq, there are some radical elements. However, converting into Shia is a bit more difficult than Sunni, as there is somewhat of a centralization within each community. There are also cultural divisions, and the fact that there requires an allegiance to a blood-descendant of Muhammad, makes it culturally harder to assimilate. There are some Western converts to Ismaili Islam, due to marriage, but this sect is considered non-Muslim by almost all Sunni and many Shia.
 
Perhaps. But take Hezbollah and the Shiite militias. They have commited crimes to be sure… by why is there no off the rails savagery from either in the ISIS/Taliban style?
 
Perhaps. But take Hezbollah and the Shiite militias. They have commited crimes to be sure… by why is there no off the rails savagery from either in the ISIS/Taliban style?
Might be because the Daesh, Taliban, Al Queda style militancy is an outgrowth of the Salafist/Wahhabi movement within Sunni Islam. I’m not aware of any comparable school of thought in Shia Islam.
 
The only one I can think of is Hezbollah.
Yeah Hezbollah is the closest Shia militant group I could think of as well to any of the Salafist radical movements in Sunni Islam. But even Hezbollah has a much more limited scope and goal compared to any of the Sunni groups. Hezbollah’s main goals are limited to Lebanon and issues with Israel and Syria. And despite their militancy they even have taken some steps toward legitimization by joining in the Lebanese government.

The Salafist Sunni radicals by comparison target Muslims and non-Muslims world wide, and in Daesh’s case are trying to even bring about the end of the world and a world wide Salafist Caliphate they demand all Muslims be a part of. And Hezbollah has nothing like the Salafist movement’s dedication to essentially regressive, and repressive, theology if I’m not mistaken.
 
Terrorism is not Islamic in general. It is wrong to say that terrorism has no religion, it has and the religion of terrorism is Salafi Wahhabism. Its origin in Saudi Arabia, created and implemented by the criminals Abdul Wahhab and al-Saud in 18th century. All groups in the world that are widely agreed to be terrorist are Salafi Wahhabi, such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, etc. It is not correct to say that they are Sunni because many Sunni scholars have declared that Wahhabis are outside of the fold of Islam, also Wahhabis declare Sunnis to be unbelievers and persecute Sunnis who don’t wish to follow their criminal teachings and religion. Wahhabis destroyed the shrine and tomb of Imam Hassan pbuh, our 2nd Shia Imam and grandson of Prophet Mohammed pbuhap, they also planned to destroy the tomb of the Prophet pbuhap a couple of years ago, they worship an idol Hubal as their God which they say is in the sky and which they say has 2 legs, 2 arms and sits on a throne in crosslegged position, this is what is written in the Wahhabi books, these are the Wahhabis who claim that everybody else is a Polytheist but the Polytheists are them.

This is who Imam Ali pbuh was and the name Shias comes from the term Shia’t Ali which means Followers of Ali: Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s statement on the fiftieth anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, delivered on 10 December 1997, at the University of Tehran.

The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are deeply rooted in the history of humankind. They can be found in the teachings of all the world’s great cultural and religious traditions. Imam Ali pbuh instructed the governor of Egypt to rule with mercy and tolerance towards all his subjects: “Let the dearest of your treasuries be the treasury of righteous action… Infuse your heart with mercy, love and kindness for your subjects. Be not in the face of them a voracious animal, counting them as easy prey, for they are of two kinds: either they are your brothers in religion or your equals in creation.”

Kofi Anan quotes Letter #53 from Nahjul Balagha

This is why Shia Islam is peaceful and there are no extremist reverts, etc. because Shias follow the teachings and morals of the Divinely appointed Imams from the progeny of Prophet Mohammed (pbuhap) which he mentioned in his Will at the night of his death. However Shia militias, political leaders, etc. can make mistakes and sin because they are humang beings with their shortcomings and as we are warned by our Imams pbut, any banner before the banner of the Mahdi pbuh is a banner of opressor, so these militas although Shia they have their own banner than the banner of the progeny of Muhammad (pbuhap), so Shia Islam is not defined by them. Muhammad ibn Yahya by Ahmad ibn Muhammad by Al-Hussein ibn Sa’eed by Hamad ibn Al-Mukhtar by Abi Baseer by Aba Abdullah a.s he says:"Every banner that will be raised before the rising of the Riser a.s, the companion of it is an oppressor who is worshipped instead of Allah"Al-Kafi 8/295. Gaibat Al Numani p.110

Shia Islam is defined by the Infallable Imam of the time, mentioned in Prophet’s Will, and he is Ahmed, the First Mahdi who is already born and physically present amongst us, who is calling mankind towards the worship of the One God.

Will of the Prophet Muhammad pbuhap on the night of his death:
The Prophet Muhammad pbuhap said to Ali bin Abi Talib on the night of his death,

“O Father of Al-Hassan, bring me a pen and a paper”, and he dictated his will until he came to a position where he said, “O Ali, there will be twelve Imams after me and after them there will be twelve Mahdis. You, O Ali, are the first of the twelve Imams, Allah has named you in his heavens Ali Al- Mortatha, The Prince of the Believers, the Grand Truthful, the Bright Differentiator between truth and falsehood, the trusted, and the Mahdi (the rightly guided). These names may not to be truly attributed to other than you. O Ali, you are my successor over my family, their living and their deceased, and over my women. Whomever you affirm shall find me tomorrow, and whomever you reject I am innocent of her. I will not see her and she will not see me on the Day of Resurrection. And you are the successor (Khalifa) upon my nation after me. If death approaches you, hand it over to my son Al-Hassan the very beneficial. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to my son Al- Hussein, the martyr, the pure, the assassinated. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, the master of the worshippers, Ali. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, Muhammed Al-Baqir. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, Jafar Al-Sadiq. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, Musa Al-Kathum. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, Ali Al-Retha. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son Muhammad, the trustworthy, the pious. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son Ali, the advisor. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son Al-Hassan, the virtuous. Then if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, Muhammad the Entrusted of the Holy Family of Muhammad peace be upon them. So these are the twelve Imams. Then after him, there will be twelve Mahdis. So if death approaches him, let him hand it over to his son, the first of the close ones, he has three names, one like mine and my father’s: Abdullah (servant of Allah), Ahmad and the third name is The Mahdi (rightly guided). He is the first of the believers.” —Sheikh Al-Toosi, Al-Ghayba p.150

And Ahmed pbuh, the First Mahdi is Ahmed al-Hassan and this is how his method of spreading Islam is: youtube.com/watch?v=pDcbJFpenJk&
 
My experience has been that the vast majority of Muslims in my community are model citizens and shun violence… We have Muslim doctors and hygienists and professors in our town who are exemplary people.

Unfortunately a couple in our community who acquired weapons illegally attacked innocent people at a holiday gathering over a year ago last December…in San Bernardino. The couple lived around the block from my house…

Since that incident our inter-faith community has worked hard to try to reduce the anger and trauma from this incident by showing our support to peaceful law abiding Muslims and also urging that refugees from Syria etc. be accepted and assisted.

I would say by far that Muslims themselves are more victimized by “terrorists” than any other group…

We also need I think to realize how much has changed in our country since the last election and how various groups are treated by our own government. Unfortunately I believe our government is spreading seeds of anger and rejection of various groups which will only cause more reactions from terrorists groups…😦
 
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