Part of a series on Shī‘a Islam
Branches
Twelver Ismaili Zaidi
People of the House
Muhammad Ali ibn Abu Talib Fatima Zahra Hasan • Husayn
Beliefs
Light of Aql Succession of Ali Straying of the Sahaba View of the Qur'an Imamate of the Family Ghadir Khumm • Karbala
See Also
Views on Shia Islam History of Shia Islam Theology of Shia
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Shī‘a terms

Shi'a Islam Moderate Shi'a Real Shi'a Shi'a of Ali Shi'a of Uthman Shi'a of Mauwiyah

Shī‘a Islam, also Shi‘ite Islam or Shi‘ism (Arabic (Arabic: شيعة; šīʿa), is the largest minority denomination (10-20%) based on the Islamic faith after Sunni Islam. Shias claim to adhere to the teachings of Islamic prophet Muhammad and the religious guidance of his family (who are referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt) or his descendants known as Shi'a Imams, whom they consider to be infallible. Shia's assert the right of Ali ibn Abi Talib (Muhammad's cousin and husband of Fatimah) as successor to Muhammad, rejecting the legitimacy of the first three caliphs of Islamic history. The singular/adjective form is šīʿī (شيعي.) and refers to a follower of the faction of Ali according to the Shia ideology.

Shia Islam has at times been divided into many branches, however only three of these currently have a significant number of followers. Like wise Sunni Islam has divisions. The best known and the one with most adherents is the Twelvers (اثنا عشرية iṯnāʿašariyya) which have a large percentage in Azerbaijan and Iran 90% and Iraq 65%; the others are the Ismaili or Sevener, and Zaidiyyah. Alawites and Druzes consider themselves Shias, although this is sometimes disputed by mainstream Shias^[1]. The Sufi orders among the Shias are the Alevi, Bektashi, Kubrawiya, Noorbakhshi, Oveyssi, Qizilbashi, Hamadani and Fatimid orders and denominations. Ten percent of Turkey's population is Alevi while Lebanon and Syria have 20% to 30% of Shias.

Etymology

Main article: Shia etymology

"Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase šīʿat ʿAlī (شيعة علي), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali". Both Shia and Sunni sources trace the term to the years preceding the death of Muhammad; see Shia etymology.

Overview

Shia Muslims believe that the descendants from Muhammad through his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali (the Imams) were the best source of knowledge about the Qur'an and Islam, the most trusted carriers and protectors of Muhammad's Sunnah (traditions), and the most worthy of emulation.

In particular, Shia Muslims recognize the succession of Ali (Muhammad's cousin, son-in-law, the first man to accept Islam — second only to Muhammad's wife Khadija — the male head of the Ahl al-Bayt or "people of the [Prophet's] house") and the father of Muhammad's only bloodline as opposed to that of the caliphate recognized by Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims believe that Ali was appointed successor by Muhammad's direct order on many occasions, and that he is therefore the rightful leader of the Muslim faith.

This difference between following either the Ahl al-Bayt (Muhammad's family and descendants) or the Caliph Abu Bakr has shaped Shia and non-Shia views on some of the Qur'an, the Hadith (narrations from Muhammad) and other areas of Islam. For instance, the collection of Hadith venerated by Shia Muslims is centered on narrations by members of the Ahl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some Hadith by narrators not belonging to or supporting the Ahl al-Bayt are not included (those of Abu Huraira, for example). Ali was the third successor to Abu Bakr and, for the Shia, the first divinely sanctioned "imam," or male descendant of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE of Ali's son Hussein, who led an uprising against the "illegitimate" caliph (72 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). For the Shia, Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.

Regardless of the dispute about the Caliphate, the Shia recognize the religious authority of the Shia Imams, also called Khalifa Ilahi.

There are two interpretations about the emergence of Shia. One of them emphasizes on the political struggle about succession of Muhammad which happened after death of Muhammad and especially during the First Fitna.^[2] The other one emphasizes on different interpretation of Islam which led to different understanding about the role of caliphs and ulamas. Hossein Nasr has quoted:

Shi'ism was not brought into existence only by the question of the political succession to Muhammad as so many Western works claim (although this question was of course of great importance). The problem of political succession may be said to be the element that crystallized the Shi'ites into a distinct group, and political suppression in later periods, especially the martyrdom of Imam Husayn-upon whom be peace-only accentuated this tendency of the Shi'ites to see themselves as a separate community within the Islamic world. The principal cause of the coming into being of Shi'ism, however, lies in the fact that this possibility existed within the Islamic revelation itself and so had to be realized. Inasmuch as there were exoteric[Zaheri] and esoteric[Bateni] interpretations from the very beginning, from which developed the schools (madhhab) of the Sharia and Sufism in the Sunni world, there also had to be an interpretation of Islam which would combine these elements in a single whole. This possibility was realized in Shi'ism, for which the Imam is the person in whom these two aspects of traditional authority are united and in whom the religious life is marked by a sense of tragedy and martyrdom... Hence the question which arose was not so much who should be the successor of the Muhammad as what the function and qualifications of such a person would be.^[3]

Demographics

Main articles: Shia population and Demographics of Islam

By some estimates, approximately 10-15% of the world's Muslims are Shia. There are an estimated 130 to 190 million Shia Muslims^[4] (including Twelvers, Ismailis, Zaidis) throughout the world, with the largest representation in Iran (which has the highest Shia population), Pakistan, India, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan.^[5][6]

A large portion of the world's Shia live in the Middle East. The Shia Population of the Middle East^[7] constitutes a majority in Yemen, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Bahrain and especially Iran, where 90% of the population is Shia, giving it the highest percentage of Shia Muslims of any country in the world[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html]. In Lebanon Shia form a plurality, and they remain as significant minorities in Afghanistan, Syria, India, Pakistan, Turkey and Yemen. Among the smaller Persian Gulf states, Qatar, Kuwait (~30%) and the United Arab Emirates (~16%) also have significant Shia minorities, as does the (Eastern Province ~33%) of Saudi Arabia.

About 20% of India's Muslim population is Shia, and significant Shia communities exist on the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik). Shia presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis.

According to the Shia, one of the lingering problems in estimating the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. The reverse, however, has not held true, which may contribute to imprecise estimates of the size of each sect. For example, the 1926 rise of the House of Saud in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shia ^[8]. The Shia-majority areas of Al-Ahsa, Qatif and Hofuf on the Persian Gulf, and western Arabia provinces of Jazan, Asir and Hijaz, that had large Shia minorities, have officially been completely stripped of their religious identities. Some Shia claim that they endure much bigotry and other indignities from Wahabi authorities daily and that Shia pilgrims from other countries are often singled out for harassment (see Status of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia); in Saudi Arabia they are called akkaf (عكف) which means rejecters (رافضه).

Doctrines

Part of a on the Islamic creed: Aqidah

Five Pillars of Islam

Shahādah - Profession of faith Salah - Prayer Zakh - Paying of alms (giving to the poor) Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

Shi'a and Sunni Six articles of belief

Tawhīd - Oneness Nabi and Rusul - Prophets and Messengers Kutub - Divinely Revealed Books. Malā'ikah - Angels Qiymah - Judgment Day Qadr (Predestination) Shia belive in divine justice beside it

Shi'a Twelvers Principles of the Religion (Usul al-Din)

Tawhīd - Oneness Adalah - Justice Nubuwwah - Prophethood Imamah - Leadership

Shi'a Twelvers Practices of the Religion (Furu al-Din)

Salah - Prayer Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Zakh - Poor-rate Khums - One-fifth tax Jihad - Struggle Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf - Commanding good Nahi-Anil-Munkar - Forbidding evil Tawalla - Loving the Ahl al-Bayt Tabarra - Disassociating Ahl al-Bayt's enemies

Shi'a Ismaili 7 pillars

Walayah - Guardianship Taharah - Purity & cleanliness Salah - Prayers Zakh - Purifying religious dues Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Jihad - Struggle

Others

Kharijite Sixth pillar of Islam. This box:  •  • [ edit]

Main doctrines

The Shia believe in the five pillars of Islam, as do Sunnis, but categorize them differently. Shia beliefs include the following:

Theology of Shia (Usūl al-Dīn)

• Tawhīd (Oneness): The Oneness of God
• Adalah (Justice): The Justice of God
• Nubuwwah (Prophethood): God has appointed perfect and infallible prophets and messengers to teach mankind the religion (that is, a perfect system of how to live in "peace" ("submission to God"))
• Imamah (Leadership): God has appointed specific leaders to lead and guide mankind — a prophet appoints a custodian of the religion before his demise
• Qiyamah (The Day of Judgment): God will raise mankind for Judgment

Aspects of Religion (Furū al-Dīn)

• Salat — called "Namaaz" in Persian — (Prayer) – Performing the five daily prayers (Prayers can be made up for at night)
• Sawm — called "Roozeh" in Persian — (Fast) – fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan (Able to eat after the sun goes down)
• Hajj (Pilgrimage) – performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (once in a lifetime)
• Zakat (Poor-rate) – paying the poor-tax (2.5% of your wealth every year should go to the poor)
• Khums (One-fifth of savings) – paying tax to the Imam (سهم امام)
• Jihad (Struggle) – struggling to please the Almighty. The greater, or internal Jihad is the struggle against the evil within one's soul in every aspect of life. The lesser, or external, Jihad is the struggle against the evil of one's environment in every aspect of life. This is not to be mistaken with the common modern misconception that this means "Holy War". Writing the truth (jihad bil qalam) and speaking truth in front of an oppressor are also forms of Jihad.
• Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf – commanding what is good
• Nahi-Anil-Munkar – forbidding what is evil
• Tawalla – loving the Ahlul Bayt and their followers
• Tabarra – dissociating oneself from the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt

Additional doctrines

Main article: Additional Shia doctrines

Shia have many other doctrines that are shared with other Muslims, such as wearing of the Hijab. However, some are seen as more predominantly used by Shias, such as Dissimulation (Arabic: Taqiyya), which is the dissimulation of one’s religious beliefs when one fears for one's life and the lives of one's family members.

Denominations

• Most Shia are Twelvers (Isna Asharai) and they recognize twelve Imams.

1. Ali ibn Abu Talib (600–661), also known as Ali, Amir al-Mo'mineen (commander of the faithful), also known as Shah-e Mardan Ali (King of men)
2. Hasan ibn Ali (625–669), also known as Hasan al Mujtaba
3. Husayn ibn Ali (626–680), also known as Husayn al Shaheed, also known as Sah Hüseyin
4. Ali ibn Husayn (658–713), also known as Ali Zainul Abideen
5. Muhammad ibn Ali (676–743), also known as Muhammad al Baqir
6. Jafar ibn Muhammad (703–765), also known as Jafar as Sadiq
7. Musa ibn Jafar (745–799), also known as Musa al Kazim
8. Ali ibn Musa (765–818), also known as Ali ar Ridha
9. Muhammad ibn Ali (810–835), also known as Muhammad al Jawad (Muhammad at Taqi), also known as Taki
10. Ali ibn Muhamad (827–868), also known as Ali al-Hadi, also known as Naki
11. Hasan ibn Ali (846–874), also known as Hasan al Askari
12. Muhammad ibn Hasan (868–?), also known as Hojjat ibn al Hasan, also known as Mahdi

• There are a few groups of Ismaili Shia, which include Nizari Ismailis, Dawoodi Bohras, Alavi Bohras, and the Seveners. Nizaris are small in numbers, though they are the biggest non-Twelver Shia group. They accept Jafar as Sadiq's eldest son Ismail as the next Imam. Seveners do not recognize any further of the Twelvers' Imams beyond Jafar. The only major non-Twelver and non-Ismaili group are Zaidis.

Status of a Shia Imam

Main article: Status of a Shia Imam

The Ahlul Bayt are the perfect example for mankind, and like the prophets, they should be emulated in acts and deeds. The Shia believe that the Imams of Ahlul Bayt carry the divinely appointed responsibility of protecting Islam and enacting the example of the pure Sunnah of Muhammad. The Imams of Ahlul Bayt have guided Muslims throughout history, in many cases under the most horrible circumstances and under the most severe forms of discrimination due to the cruel policies of the reigning governments of the time. They are seen as incorruptible and infallible role models for Muslims that have shown the way of goodness and prosperity in this world and the next in the best way until their martyrdom or occultation.

Jurisprudence

Main article: Ja'fari jurisprudence

Ja'fari jurisprudence or Ja'fari Fiqh is the name of the jurisprudence of the Shia Twelvers Muslims, derived from the name of Ja'far al-Sadiq, the 6th Shia Imam.

The Ja'ffari Shia consider Sunnah to be the oral traditions of Muhammad and their implementation and interpretation by the Imams who were all scholars and descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband, the first Imam, Ali.

Role of religious scholars

Main article: The Shia clergy

Shia Muslims believe that the study of Islamic literature is a continual process, and is necessary for identifying all of God's laws. Sunni Muslims also believe that they can interpret the Qur'an and hadith with the same authority as their predecessors - that the door to ijtihad was never closed. However, the opinion of the 1st and 2nd Century (7th and 8th century Gregorian calendar) scholars Hanbali, Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafii are given greater weight.

Differences of Shia and Sunni traditions

Because Islamic law is based partly on the hadith, Shia rejection of some Sunni hadith and Sunni rejection of some Shia hadith means that the versions of the law differ somewhat. For example, while both Shia and Sunni pray five times each day, some of the prayer times differ. Shia pray the As'r and Ish'a because its likely to be done like that and it can be prayed as the Sunni do, and therefore, they are prayed together with the Thu'hur and Maghrib prayers, respectively. Shia do not perform non-obligatory prayers in congregation, like Tar'raweeh, which Sunnis pray during Ramadaan.

Also, another issue of difference between the sects is that Nikah Mut‘ah or "temporary marriage" which is not forbidden for the Shia because it is found in a number of Shia traditions that the practice is permitted. There are Sahih Shia traditions which maintain that mut'ah is forbidden but these are dismissed as they contradict other narrations on mut'ah which were deemed more acceptable.^[9] Many Shia discourage the practice of Mut'ah, but maintain that it is permissible.

The 50 Differences Between Shia and Sunni Islam

Religious calendar

All Muslims, Sunni or Shia, celebrate the following annual holidays:

• Eid ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر), which marks the end of fasting during the month of Ramadan and falls on the first day of Shawwal.
• Eid ul-Adha, which marks the end of the Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah, starts on the 10th day of Dhul Hijja.

The following holidays are observed by Shia only, unless otherwise noted:

• The Remembrance of Muharram and Ashurah (عاشوراء) for Shia commemorates Imam Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom. Imam Husayn was grandson of Muhammad, who was killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Sunnis' 6th Khalif. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Sunnis also celebrate Ashurah, but give it a different meaning (see Ashurah).
• Arba'een commemorates the suffering of the women and children of Imam Husayn's household. After Husayn was killed, they were marched over the desert, from Karbala (central Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus, Syria). Many children (some of whom were direct descendants of Muhammad) died of thirst and exposure along the route. Arba'een occurs on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah.
• Milad al-Nabi, Muhammad's birth date, is celebrated by the Shia on the 17th of Rabbi al-Awwal, which coincides with the birth date of the sixth imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq.
• Middle of Shaban is the birth date of the 12th and final imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. It is celebrated by Twelvers on the 15th of Shaban. Many Shia fast on this day to show gratitude.
• Eid al-Ghadeer celebrates Ghadir Khum, the occasion when Muhammad announced Ali's imamate before a multitude of Muslims. Eid al-Ghadeer is held on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah.
• Al-Mubahila celebrates a meeting between the household of Muhammad and a Christian deputation from Najran. Al-Mubahila is held on the 24th of Dhil-Hijjah.

History of Shia-Sunni relations

Main article: Historical Shia-Sunni relations

The Shia believe that the split between the Shia and Sunni began with Muhammad's death, when Abu Bakr was accepted as the successor to Muhammed by the majority of Muslims, then Umar and Uthman. "They believe that the successorship was given to Ali at Ghadir Khum (a hadith accepted by Shi’a scholars), and that the testimony that can be traced back to reliable sources is to be trusted, while traditions that cannot be fully verified are suspect.

Shia and Sunni historians record that many Shia have been persecuted, intimidated, and killed, through what Shia consider a coup d'état against Ali's caliphate. Many prominent Salafi Sunni scholars are known to have openly considered the Shia as "kufar" (disbelievers). Imam Ash-Shafi'i, one of the most prominent early scholars of his time said in regards to the Shia "I have not seen among the heretics a people more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi’ites."^[10] Such statements stem mainly from differences in beliefs regarding Ali, Umar, and other companions, and in the Shia's use of various concepts, such as Muta.

The renowned al-Azhar university of theology in Egypt, originally founded by the Shia during the reign of the Fatimid caliphate in 988^[11], considers Shia philosophy to be an indivisible part of the body of Islamic jurisprudence. Today, both Sunni and Shia students graduate from the Al-Azhar university which also teaches regarding both doctrines and uses certain Shia material in its courses. (See List of Shia books). On July 6, 1959, Shaikh Mahmood Shaltoot -the head of the al-Azhar Theological school- announced the al-Azhar Shia Fatwa

1) Islam does not require a Muslim to follow a particular Madh'hab (school of thought). Rather, we say: every Muslim has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in its books. And, everyone who is following such Madhahib [schools of thought] can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so.

2) The Ja'fari school of thought, which is also known as "al-Shia al-Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah" (i.e., The Twelver Imami Shi'ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought.

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has made differing statements on the matter, and seems to have changed his stance on Shi'aism as he acquired more knowledge on the topic:

"Let it be known to all that the Shi`ah are Muslims who believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes, there is no doubt that the Shi`ah have their beliefs and dogmas which we condemn as heresy but this doesn’t make them non-Muslims." (August 17, 2006)^[12]

"He pointed out that he travelled to Iran around 8 years ago and met with former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and was received enthusiastically. And he told the Shia scholars there that if there is to be a true discussion and unity amongst us it is necessary for a number of things to be fully stopped, such as your saying that the Quran in our hands is altered and that the Mushaf Faatemah is an addition to this Quran, and the constant insults upon the Sahaabah, May Allah be pleased with them . And it is beyond imagination that I would say Abu Bakr, Radhia Allahu Anhu, and you say, La'anahu Allah, this is totally unacceptable. Also to stop consistently talking about Ali's higher right to Khilaphah, for all of them have died and the matter is finished, and that Umar bin Abdul Aziz was asked on the past conflict between Ali and Muawiyah and the blood in this conflict, he said that Allah has cleansed our hands from this blood so why should we soil our tongues with it." (September 3, 2006)^[13]

Similar fatwas (promoting the acceptance of Shi'as into mainstream Islam) have not been issued by some Sunni scholars or universities. A number of contemporary Sunni scholars such as Shaykh Dr Khaalid ibn ‘Ali al-Mushayqih (who released a fatwa regarding praying with the Shia) maintain that Shia are not considered as Muslims, unless they deny certain beliefs found in a number of Shia hadith books like al-kafi that are accepted by the majority of twelver Shia:

The Shia and Sunnis differ in their view of Aisha (one of the wives of the Muhammad). The Shia have a dim view of her character whereas the Sunnis consider her an exemplary woman. The differences stem primarily from the Shia claim of dishonourable behaviour with Muhammad and her taking a position opposed to the position of the fourth Caliph Ali regarding how to handle the prosecution of the assassinators of the third Caliph Uthman. For more details, please refer to Sunni and Shia views of Aisha.

Notable Shia Muslims

Sahaba

(According to Asad-ul-gaba fe marfatiy sahaba by ibny Kasser,Tariq ibny Asser ,Book of Sulaym ibn Qays & many more)

• Salman the Persian
• Miqdad ibn Aswad
• Abu Dharr al-Ghifari
• Ammar ibn Yasir
• Malik al-Ashtar
• Habib ibn Mazahir
• Meesam Tammar
• `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas
• Uthman ibn Hunaif
• Sulaym ibn Qays
• Bilal ibn Ribah
• Owais Qarni
• `Abd Allah ibn `Masood

Scholars

• Muhammad Ya'qub Kulainy
• Shaikh Saduq
• Sheikh al-Mufid
• Sayyed Murtaza
• Sayyed Razi
• Abu Ja'far al-Tusi
• Nasir al-Din Tusi
• Baqir Majlisi
• Allama Hili
• Qazi Noor Ullah Shoostri

Contemporary Scholars

Iraq

• Ali al-Sistani
• Bashir Hussain Najafi
• Muhammed Saeed Al-Hakeem
• Mohammad Ishaq Al-Fayyad
• Sayed Muhsin al-Hakim (late)
• Abul-Qassim Khoei (late)
• Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (late)

Iran

• Waheed Khorasani
• Ali Khamenei
• Taqi Bahjat
• Naser Makarem Shirazi
• Hossein Noori Hamedani
• Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani
• Ruhollah Khomeini (late)
• Sheikh Mirza Jawad Tabrizi (late)

Lebanon

• Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah

Pakistan

• Ali Alhari (Allama Hindi)(late)
• Hamid Ali Mosvi
• Muhammad Hussain Najafi
• Sayyad Iejaz Kazmi
• Mohsin Najfi
• Safdar Najfi (late)
• Talib Johri
• Naseem Abbass Razvi
• Al-Ahammad Bilgrami
• Irfan Haider Abdi(late)
• Najmul Hassan Kararvi(late)
• Allama Farman Ali(late)
• Allama Ghazanfer Abbas Tonsvi
• Syed Baqir Nisar Zaidi
• Molana Hafiz Mohammad Ismail(late)
• Janab AbdulKarim Mushtaq shaheed(late)
• Allama Syed Naveed Asghar Shamsi

India

• Maulana Kalbe Abid(late)
• Maulana Kalbe Sadiq
• Maulana Kalbe Jawaad
• Maulana Athar
• Shaik Ahmad Mohammadi,, president islamia scholl KARGIL j&k
• Ayatollah Syed Ali Naqi Naqvi(late)

See also

• Islam
• Misconceptions about the Shia
• Shia population
• Shia Crescent
• List of Shia books
• List of Marjas
• List of Ayatollahs
• Shia clergy
• Alevis
• Ismaili
• Succession to Muhammad
• Historical Shia-Sunni relations
• Usuli

Notes

References

• Holt, P. M.; Bernard Lewis (1977a). Cambridge History of Islam, Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521291364. 
• Lapidus, Ira (2002). A History of Islamic Societies, 2nd, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521779333. 
• Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn; Seyyed Hossein Nasr (translator) (1979). Shi'ite Islam. Suny press. ISBN 0-87395-272-3. 

External links

• Shi'ite an article in Encyclopedia Britannica online
• Shi'ite Doctorine by MOHAMMAD ALI AMIR-MOEZZI an article in Encyclopedia Iranica
• ALShiatalk Discussion Forums
• Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project
• Aalulbayt Global Information Center
• Imam Al-Khoei Foundation
• Shia Search Website
• Rafed Network For Cultural Development
• SHIACODE.COM -Shia Islamic Guide
• Online Community Portal For Sunni -Shia
• Shia YouTube
• List of Shia websites
• IslamTutor
• Institute for Interreligious Dialogue, Tehran
• Imam Ali commemorative website
• Who are the Shia? by Paul Sullivan, History News Network
• Sunni-Shia agreements and similarities
• Shia Islam
• Imamia Mission: Bury
• Islamic Insights -- News, lifestyle, and spirituality online
• Jageer-e-AliAkbar Networks