Interpretations of Islam: Sunni, Shia, and Sufi

Islam developed out of the revelations that Muhammad received, and out of the community he developed that expressed the ideal way of living to submit to God. As Islam spread, it became important to be able to interpret the law to accommodate various situations. The following three groups, Sunni, Shia, and Sufi all take a slightly different approach to settling disputes and interpreting the Quran and hadith teachings.

Sunni

The Sunnis are the largest sect of Muslims, with about 80% of the world’s Muslim population identifying as Sunni. The dispute over succession did not actually create a doctrinal or practical difference at first, but within 300 years, Sunni scholars had developed an approach to community and doctrine.

The Sunnis follow the model of Muhammad through the Quran and the approved hadith. The name “Sunni” refers to the sunna, the model of Muhammad as a person who truly submitted to God. Sunni legal questions are settled through consensus, based on Muhammad’s saying that “My community will never agree on an error.” In other words, the community itself will find the correct path, even though individuals may disagree.

Shia

The Shia, or members of the party of Ali, are predominant in Iran and Iraq. They also form a minority in Pakistan and India. Shia believe that the blood relationship to the Prophet Muhammad was significant, and that he passed on secret religious knowledge to his relatives. For this reason, they argue that only those with this family lineage should lead Islam.

Religious authority is centered on the Shia imam. In Shia Islam, imam is a title for a religious and political leader of the community. Based on the idea that leadership and special religious knowledge go together in Shia, the imam is considered to be an individual whose decisions are without error. This idea that a single individual is without error contrasts with the Sunni idea that the community itself is without error.

Sufi

Sufi are the mystics of Islam, seeking to become close to God through their love for Him. Fairly early in Islamic history, during the Omayyad Dynasty (651-750 CE), some Muslims felt that there was too much emphasis on the law. They saw Muhammad as one who was close to God, and that the religion should help one draw close to God as well. In other words, the success of Islam in the political, social, and financial realms appeared as worldly, not Godly. They argued that submission to God should be a matter of love, not laws.

As with other Muslim groups, the Sufi look to Muhammad as a model of the ideal person who submits to God. Early Sufi especially adopted an ascetic life style, controlling their diet and wearing rough clothing to imitate Muhammad’s simple style. Muhammad’s revelations, especially his more visionary revelations, became a special focus for Sufi.