Why did Muslims divide after Muhammad died?

Answer 1

After the death of Muhammad in 632, two faction rose: the majority Sunni and minority Shia. The Sunni wanted to elect or choose their own leader. The Shia wanted a member of the Prophet's family to lead and chose Imam Ali, the cousin of the Prophet and husband of Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.

The Sunni faction won out and elected the first caliph. Ali was eventually chosen as the fourth caliph, but two of his predecessors were murdered, and nearly endless war has brewed between Sunni and Shiites since Muhammad's passing. Ali, as the fourth caliph, fell and died in battle near the town of Kufa in 661.

Ali's son Hussein took leadership of the Shia faction after the death of his father, and continued the war with the Sunnis. He fell in battle with 71 of his family members at Karbala, his head was taken in tribute to the caliph in Damascus and his body was interred on the battlefield.

The greatest schism perhaps between Shia and Sunni is the almost divination of Shia leaders, known as Imam. Many Sunni believe that Shia place their Imam almost on a level with God, perhaps the greatest sin of all. This becomes most supportable with the story of the Hidden Imam.

In the tenth century, the Twelfth Shiite Imam rose to power. The legend goes that God took Madhi (the Messiah) and put him into hiding. This Madhi is said will return in the end days and make the Koran fully manifest (sound familiar Apocalyptic Christians?)

Fighting between the factions continued for centuries after the passing of Muhammad, as well as with Christian Crusaders, and the Mongols. Ottoman Turkey spread it further, but by 1500 Sunni power was set in Persia where it was met by the Azeri conquerors, shifting Persia (modern day Iran and Iraq) to Shia control. The Safavid Dynasty established Persia as its center of power and distinguished itself from Sunni controlled Ottoman Turkey and Mughal India.

The fighting continues today, nearly unabated since 632.

Shiite Perspective

Hazrat Muhammad have learned from Gabriel (an angel who serves to God as a messenger) that Imam Ali must his successor. After Muhammad's death, when his family was entombing him, some groups that were Muhammads helpers (also know as 'Ansar Group' and 'Mohajer Group') were ready to choose the successor! But somebodies told them "the successor is Imam Ali!" but they didn't recognize to their words.

So, they chose 'Abu Bakr' as their king and leader while it belonged to Imam Ali.

As what Imam Ali said in 'Nahj Al-balaghe' (a book about his own quotes and mails) that have told "I thought hard, but I understand if I want to get what belongs to me, Islam will destroy under the War will happen" so he wait and wait a long time ago...

So, after 25 years, three leaders come and go until people were under the sin and oppression, so people, who want a good leader, came to Imam Ali and wanted him to be their leader. Imam Ali didn't accept so people wanted more. At last, Imam Ali accept it but he said to all of them 'If I be your leader I will do the right work and will never help to the ones that want to command people and bother people '

In the end, Those who wanted that Imam Ali be their leader, killed him while Imam Ali knew.

So why he didn't do anything to survive? Cause that was his time to go to God and this accident MUST happened.

Answer 2

Prophet's companions felt a big loss "as we do now" but the get over it and knew that this was the will of Allah and the accepted this.

As for muslims who came after his death, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, we feel a great loss and wish that we could see him but knowing that this the will of Allah that we come after he left this life, we are contented. We always look forward to see him on the Day of Resurrection and drink from his resovoir inshallah a dirnk that we will never feel thursty after that.

We are also happy that prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) told his companion, may Allah be pleased with them, one day that he missed his brothers. They enquired? Are'nt we your brothers? the prophet answered: you are my companions, my brothers are thos who believe in me without seeing me.

Answer 3

The martyrdom of the grandson of Hazrat Muhammad (May peace and blessings of Almighty Allah be upon him) was the most unfortunate incident. A breach had already occurred among the Muslim. This incident further widened hat breach. Most of the Muslims condemned this ruthless killing.

Answer 4

It was not the division among the Muslims soon after he death of he Prophet (SAW). Some ambitious person falsely claimed prophet-hood. The Muslims fought against them and defeated them. It was during the last days of the third Rightful Caliph Hazrat Usman (RAU) that some rebels martyred him and their was a split.

Answer 5

The main reason for the split here was: Disagreements over Succession after Mohammed's death.

The Muslim community was united while Mohammed was the leader of this community. Most Muslims hold, however, that he never specifically chose a successor to his leadership. There was a minority in the community that supported the candidacy of 'Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law, this political faction became known as the "Supporters of 'Ali" which in Arabic is Shiat 'Ali (where the modern term "Shiite" comes from). They derived their support from specific hadiths and events that they claimed showed that God had revealed to Mohammed that 'Ali would succeed him. The majority of Muslims held that these hadiths and events showed nothing more than that 'Ali was very pious, something they did not deny. Therefore they gave power to the man who was Mohammed's second-in-command and father-in-law Abu Bakr. This majority were called the People of the Customs [of the Prophet] which in Arabic is Ahl Sunna (from where the modern term "Sunni" comes from.)

Answer 6

The assassination of Hussein ibn Ali (Muhammad's grandson) signaled that Umayyad Caliphate would be the unchallenged ruler of the Islamic World and that the Shiites were to remain a disenfranchised minority. It is after this moment that the Sunnis and the Shiites became irreconcilable.