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The Three Major Sects of Islam
by Grady L. Davis
BD, MSM, PhD
Chairman of Directed Individualized Studies
Golden State School of Theology, Oakland, CA
©1983,2003-2025 [SOURCE]
1. Wahhabi: This group tends to be the most strict and “puritanical.” Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Wahhab founded the sect in the eighteenth century by preaching strict adherence to the Qur’an. Saudi Arabia’s moralistic, authoritarian rule is an example of Wahhabi devotion.
2. Shi’ites: Their name means “partisans.” They believe that only descendants of Mohammad’s family are the rightful heirs to spiritual leadership. Found mainly in Iran, Yemen, Algeria, and Iraq, Shi’ites tend to revere the Shari’a (thought not as fervently as the Wahhabi). About ten percent of all Muslims belong to this branch of Islam. Their leaders, Imams, wield dogmatic spiritual authority, as in the case of the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran. Some Shi’ites believe that a twelfth Imam who disappeared in A.D. 882 will return someday as a messiah, the Madhi (guided one), to establish a kingdom on earth. The sub-sect Ismailis believe that an Imam of sinless perfection with the power to perform miracles always dwells on earth. They are firmly entrenched today as a merchant class in India and East Africa. The Aga Khan is their Imam.
3. Sunnites: Those who follow the tradition of the prophet are called Sunnites. They compose ninety percent of all Muslims. Since Mohammad left no clear instructions concerning his successor, Sunnites decided their Islamic leader should be nominated by representatives of the community. The “ulama” Sunnite religious scholars have less authority than the Imam and are considered to be teachers and wise sages. Sunnites accept the line of successions as passing through the four caliphs: Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman, and Ali.
Evangelical Christians should not be resentful of the seeming arrogance displayed by the present Arabic spiritual descendants of Mohammad. God did promise to make of Ishmael’s offspring a great nation (Gen. 16:9-11; Gen. 17:20; Gen 21:13,18; Gen 25:12-18). Their ascent might be viewed as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
