i have discovered that most Muslims tend to associate themselves to a particular sect(shia and sunni)i know a lot will disagree with me that being a Muslim comes first,but when i look around and see how far these people are willing to go for their different sect,brings me to ask whats the difference between both sect and why are they at each others throat around the world.you'll see shia and sunni fighting in Iran and Iraq.even when i was in school, there was a fight in the school mosque and the school later had to intervene, and it boiled down to being a shia or sunni, so for the sake of knowledge,can you explain the difference between the two group and their doctrine.thanks for your response.

not2long: i have discovered that most Muslims tend to associate themselves to a particular sect(shia and sunni)i know a lot will disagree with me that being a Muslim comes first,but when i look around and see how far these people are willing to go for their different sect,brings me to ask whats the difference between both sect and why are they at each others throat around the world.you'll see shia and sunni fighting in Iran and Iraq.even when i was in school, there was a fight in the school mosque and the school later had to intervene, and it boiled down to being a shia or sunni, so for the sake of knowledge,can you explain the difference between the two group and their doctrine.thanks for your response.

undoubtedly,being a Muslim comes first.the commonalities between the Shia and Sunni branches are way to many than the differences.but it is just that a fundamental difference is the doctrine of imamate of divine successorship to the Prophet Muhammad (sa) which the Sunnis do not believe in for known historical reasons.and it is a wrong notion to say that Shia and Sunnis are at each other's throat.the Sunni and Shia (i am talking here about the populations) have co-existed fine for centuries.the main problem is really not with the genrality of Sunnis,even though there are exceptions among mainstream Sunnis.the main problem is with a poisonous ideological movement of hate,sectarian/religious intolerance and extremism promoted by wahhabism aka salafist movement within the Sunni branch.the majority of Sunnis do not take part in this movement but the harm and destrcution and terror this movement have perpetrated is cause for the bad image and reputation developing around Muslims and Islam the world over.the west itself have exploited this ideological movement called wahhabism to plant discord and hatred among Muslims for their own political gains and interests.alqaeda,taliban,boko haram e.t.c. are all affiliated with this movement.unfortunately the west have used the bad image caused by this movement to label a Sunni group like Hamas that is resisting legitimately zionist occupation of palestine as a "terrorist group".

Islam promotes tolerance and co-existence between religions and between Muslims of different schools of thought.at all times,you hear Shia Ashura processions,mosques,Hussainiyahs,and towns being attacked by wahhabi suicide bombers that are affiliated with those terrorist groups with wahhabi/salafist orientation or influence.just yesterday we saw a Shia leader in Kano killed by suspected boko haram gunmen because the man refused that they should use his motorcycle to carry out their so called "jihad" to perpetrate evil against innocent nigerians and northerners.

if you want to know of the differences between the two branches of Islam,Shia and Sunni,there is no harm.there also no harm in holding dialogues,discussing and debating in a peaceful and civilized manner.that does not mean we are fighting or we hate each other.it simply means we want to know more about what Islam is made up of.there are many threads on nairaland that discuss Shia-Sunni beliefs and differences.i will present them for your review.and if you have any questions you can present them after reviewing those threads.

"Umar's Admission The Caliphate Was Usurped From Imam Ali (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/897586/umars-admission-caliphate-usurped-imam

" Did The Prophet Muhammad (sa) Appoint Imam Ali (as) As His Successor?"
https://www.nairaland.com/741333/did-prophet-muhammad-sa-appoint

"The Enemies Of Islam As Depicted By Imam Ali (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/584352/enemies-islam-as-depicted-imam

"The Sermon Of Lady Fatima (as) To Abu Bakr"
https://www.nairaland.com/573841/sermon-lady-fatima-as-abu

"the Truth About The 12 Imams In Islam As Foretold By The Prophet Muhammad (sa)"
https://www.nairaland.com/653439/truth-about-12-imams-islam

"Sermon Of Tawheed (monotheism) By Imam Ali (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/565919/sermon-tawheed-monotheism-imam-ali

"Islamic Description Of God By Imam Ali (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/574308/islamic-description-god-imam-ali

"Separating The Qur'an From The Family (the Ahlul-bayt (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/639950/separating-quran-family-ahlul-bayt-as

"Ali And His Shia Shall Be The Saved Party"- Prophet Muhammad (sa)"
https://www.nairaland.com/718322/ali-shia-shall-saved-party

"The Land Of Karbala In The Words Of The Prophet Muhammad (sa)"
https://www.nairaland.com/715245/land-karbala-words-prophet-muhammad

"The Miraculous Crack On The Wall Of The Holy Ka'ba In Makkah"
https://www.nairaland.com/877518/miraculous-crack-wall-holy-kaba

"Saudi-wahhabi Propaganda On The Walls Of The Ka'bah"
https://www.nairaland.com/646078/saudi-wahhabi-propaganda-walls-kabah

"Saudi Wahhabis Name School In Honor Of Yazeed"
https://www.nairaland.com/868603/saudi-wahhabis-name-school-honor

"karbala : When The Skies Wept Blood"
https://www.nairaland.com/640685/karbala-when-skies-wept-blood

"Hadith Thaqalayn"
https://www.nairaland.com/365402/hadith-thaqalayn

"Shia-islam-what Do You Know Or Would Like To Know?"
https://www.nairaland.com/550269/shia-islam-what-do-you-know-would

"Hadith Al-Manzila and The Question of Succession to the Prophet Muhammad(s)"
https://www.nairaland.com/771991/hadith-al-manzila-question-succession-prophet

"Ashura:Commemorating The Matyrdom Of Imam Hussain (as) in the Month of Muharram"
https://www.nairaland.com/811368/ashura-commemorating-matyrdom-imam-hussain

"An Interview With A Shia Muslim"
https://www.nairaland.com/888380/interview-shia-muslim

"Matyrdom Of Lady Fatima,daughter Of The Prophet Muhammad (sa)"
https://www.nairaland.com/661419/matyrdom-lady-fatima,daughter-prophet-muhammad

"Ahlul-Bayt TV Nigerian Shia Presenter:Reveals Journey From Christianity To Islam"
https://www.nairaland.com/849316/ahlul-bayt-tv-nigerian-shia-presenter

"The Ahlul-Bayt (a):the "Arc Of Salvation" ("safinatun-najat" ) "
https://www.nairaland.com/772977/ahlul-bayt-arc-salvation-safinatun-najat

" Dua (supplication Of) Kumayl By Imam Ali (as) Recited On Thursday Evenings"
https://www.nairaland.com/765805/dua-supplication-kumayl-imam-ali

" Dua Al-iftitah: For Recitation Every Night During The Holy Month Of Ramadhan"
https://www.nairaland.com/731926/dua-al-iftitah-recitation-every-night

"In Praise Of God- From The "psalms Of Islam"
https://www.nairaland.com/574151/praise-god-psalms-islam

"Martyrdom Of Lady Ruqayya Bint Al-Hussain (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/841745/martyrdom-lady-ruqayya-bint-al-hussain

"Very Emotional Testimony By A Jordanian Sunni Sister Live On Tv"
https://www.nairaland.com/827659/very-emotional-testimony-jordanian-sunni

"Some Lessons From Karbala - Islam for Muslims"
https://www.nairaland.com/826248/some-lessons-karbala

"Ashura: How Reflecting On Hussein's Sacrifice Made Me Honest"
https://www.nairaland.com/821813/ashura-how-reflecting-husseins-sacrifice

"Karbala: The Everlasting Stand"
https://www.nairaland.com/849162/karbala-everlasting-stand

"The Women Of Karbala: Keeping Imam Hussain's Message Alive"
https://www.nairaland.com/836614/women-karbala-keeping-imam-hussains

"The Fourth Holy Imam From The Progeny Of Muhammad,Imam Ali Ibn Al-Hussain (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/829829/fourth-holy-imam-progeny-muhammad,imam

"The Miraculous Crack On The Wall Of The Holy Ka'ba In Makkah"
"https://www.nairaland.com/877518/miraculous-crack-wall-holy-kaba"

"Shia Muslims From The Igbo Race Mourn For Imam Hussain (as) On Ashura Day"
https://www.nairaland.com/819603/shia-muslims-igbo-race-mourn

"Pictures:Nigerians Visiting The Holy Cities Of Najaf And Karbala"
https://www.nairaland.com/856699/pictures-nigerians-visiting-holy-cities

"Commemorating The Martyrdom Of The Second Holy Imam,Imam al-Hassan Ibn Ali (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/851705/commemorating-martyrdom-second-holy-imam,imam

"Remembering The Demise Of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) On The 28th Of Safar"
https://www.nairaland.com/851980/remembering-demise-holy-prophet-muhammad

"Wahhabi Attack On Shia Mosque In Brussels,Belgium"
https://www.nairaland.com/893364/wahhabi-attack-shia-mosque-brussels,belgium

"Al-qaeda Orders Wahhabi Killing Of Saudi Shia And Armed Robbery Of Property"
https://www.nairaland.com/894062/al-qaeda-orders-wahhabi-killing-saudi

"Status Of Women In (Shia) Islam"
https://www.nairaland.com/886147/status-women-shia-islam

"Sayings And Teachings Of The Ahlul-Bayt (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/868127/sayings-teachings-ahlul-bayt-as

"Progress Of Iran Under An Islamic Regime (shariah)"
https://www.nairaland.com/908175/progress-iran-under-islamic-regime

"Christian Leader/elder Embraces (shia) Islam-a Must Watch!"
https://www.nairaland.com/617729/christian-leader-elder-embraces-shia

"Catholic Priest Lecture On Imam Hussain (as)"
https://www.nairaland.com/574080/catholic-priest-lecture-imam-hussain

"US Christian-Jewish Actor, Director Sean Stone Embraces Shia Islam"
https://www.nairaland.com/871478/us-christian-jewish-actor-director-sean