There are many profound differences between the different sects of Islam. While all of the various sects of Islam follow the words of the Prophet Muhammad, there are a number of issues that create a distinctive difference between the groups. Najam Haider examines three key issues to determine the difference between the early Shi’ites and the proto-Sunni in Kūfa in the eighth century. These issues are the basmala, the qunūt, and the prohibition of alcohol. In each of these issues, Haider compares the shared authorities, transmitters and narrative style used by six different branches of Islamic law, four Sunni and two Shi’ite. Each of these comparisons are important to understanding the many different viewpoints. Firstly, the comparison of the legal …show more content…
Each of the six schools of Islamic school examined in The Origins of the Shi’a have different beliefs in this matter. While recognizing the differences, it is noticeable that the two Shi’a mostly do not share the same views. The Imamis place special significance on the basmala, while the views of the majority of the Zaydi are more in line with the Sunni Shafi’i tradition. This is significant in the recognition that the Zaydis were initially closer to the Sunnis as the Batris, but began a steady evolution away from Sunni beliefs as Jarudi influence took over. By analyzing over one hundred Kūfan traditions regarding the basmala, Haider finds that, even at this early point in the history of Islam, the Imamis have clearly separated themselves from the other Islamic sects. Examining the shared legal authorities, we see that the “Imami traditions do not exhibit any substantive overlap with Sunni traditions, and only intersect with those of the Zaydis on a limited number of historically important ‘Alids”. This same result is found when comparing shared transmitters, where the Imami tradition has no