Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq, where Ali the first Sh--ah Imam is buried.

Shia Islam (Arabic: „“ Sh--ah, sometimes Shi'a or Shi'ite), is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. Sh--ah Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the populations in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq, as well as a plurality in Lebanon and Kuwait.

Shi'a Muslims attribute themselves to the Qur'an and teachings of the final Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and in contrast to other Muslims, believe that his family, the Ahl al-Bayt (the People of the House), including his descendants known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community^[1] and believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammad, and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs.^[2]

The Shi'a Islamic faith is vast and inclusive of many different groups. There are various Shi'a theological beliefs, schools of jurisprudence, philosophical beliefs, and spiritual movements. Shi'a Islam embodies a completely independent system of religious interpretation and political authority in the Muslim world. The Shi'a identity emerged during the lifetime of Muhammad, and Shi'a theology was formulated in the second century^[3] and the first Shi'a governments and societies were established by the end of the third century (After Hijra).

Shi'a Islam is divided into three branches. The largest and best known are the Twelver (- -- i„n--a“ariyya), named after their adherence to the Twelve Imams. They form a majority of the population in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq. The term Shi'a often refers to Twelver Shi'a only. Other smaller branches include the Ismaili and Zaidi, who dispute the Twelver lineage of Imams and beliefs.^[4]

Etymology

Main article: Shia etymology

Sh--ah, collectively, or Sh, singularly, means 'follower', 'associate' or 'faction'. It has been used in the Qur'an in singular or plural forms with both positive^{[Qur'an 37:83]} and negative^{[Qur'an 54:51]} connotations.

"Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase atu „Al“ (- ), meaning "the followers of Ali" or "the faction of Ali".

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Islam

As stated above, an estimate of approximately 10-15% of the world's Muslims are Shi'a, which corresponds to about 130-190 million Shi'a Muslims worldwide.^[5] Shi'a Muslims, though a minority in the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the populations in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq.

Shi'a Muslims also constitute over 30% of the population in Lebanon,^[6] over 45% of the population in Yemen,^[7] over 35% of the population in Kuwait,^[8], 20-25% of the population (primarily Alevi) in Turkey,^[9] 20% (primarily Bektashi) of the population in Albania,^[10] 20% of the population in Pakistan and 18% of population in Afghanistan. They also make up at least 15% of the Muslim populations in India, the UAE, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Serbia/Montenegro & Kosovo.

Significant Shi'a communities exist on the coastal regions of West Sumatra and Aceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik). The Shi'a presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis.

A significant syncretic Shi'a minority is present in Nigeria, centered around the state of Kano (see Shia in Nigeria). East Africa holds several populations of Ismaili Shia, primarily descendants of immigrants from South Asia during the colonial period, such as the Khoja.

According to Shi'a Muslim, one of the lingering problems in estimating Shi'a population is that unless Shi'a 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 Shi'a.^[11]

History

Origin

There are three theories about the emergence of Shi'a Islam. One of them emphasizes the political struggle about the succession of Muhammad after his death and especially during the First Fitna.^[12] According to this theory, early in the history of Islam, the Sh-a were a political faction (party of 'Al-) that supported caliphate of „Al“ ibn Ab- --lib and, later, of his descendants. Starting as a political faction, this group gradually developed into a religious movement. ^[13]

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 Muhammad as what the function and qualifications of such a person would be.^[14]

Concept of Imamah

The Holy Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Tomb of Muhammad in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Main article: Status of a Shia Imam

Most of the early Shia as well as Zaydis differed only marginally from mainstream Sunnis in their views on political leadership, but it is possible in this sect to see a refinement of Sh-a doctrine. Early Sunnis traditionally held that the political leader must come from the tribe of the Prophet-namely, the Quraysh. The Zayd-s narrowed the political claims of the Ali's supporters, claiming that not just any descendant of 'Al- would be eligible to lead the Muslim community (ummah) but only those males directly descended from Mu-ammad through the union of 'Al- and F--imah. But during Abbasid revolts, other Sh-a, who came to be known as im-miyyah (followers of the Imams) follow theological school of Ja'far al-Sadiq. They asserted a more exalted religious role for Imams and insisted that, at any given time, whether in power or not, a single male descendant of 'Al- and F--imah was the divinely appointed Imam and the sole authority, in his time, on all matters of faith and law. To those Sh--ites, love of the imams and of their persecuted cause became as important as belief in God-s oneness and the mission of Muhammad. ^[13]

Later most of Shia, including Twelver and Ismaili, became Imami. Imamis Shia believe that Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad.^[13] Imams are human individual who not only rules over the community with justice, but also is able to keep and interpret the Divine Law and its esoteric meaning. The Prophet and Imams' words and deeds are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through the Prophet.^[15][16]

According to this view, there is always an Imam of the Age, who is the divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the Muslim community. „Al“ was the first Imam of this line, the rightful successor to the Prophet of Islam, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Zahra.^[13]

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). According to the Sunnis, Ali was the third successor to Abu Bakr however, the Shia maintain that Ali was the first divinely sanctioned "Imam," or successor of Muhammad. The seminal event in Shia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE at the Battle of Karbala of Ali's son Hussein, who led an non-allegiance movement against the defiant caliph (71 of Hussein's followers were killed as well). Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.

It is believed in Twelver and Ismaili Sh--ah Islam that -aql, divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the Prophets and Imams and gave them esoteric knowledge called -ikmah and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees.^[17][18][13] Although the Imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, he had a close relationship with God, through which God guides him, and the Imam in turn guides the people. Imamate, or belief in the divine guide is a fundamental belief in the Twelver and Ismaili Sh branches and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance.^[19]

The Occultation

Main article: The Occultation

The Occultation in Shi'a Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, the Mahdi, is an Imam who has disappeared and will one day return and fill the world with justice. Some Shi'a, such as the Zaidi and Nizari Ismaili, do not believe in the idea of the Occultation. The groups which do believe in it differ upon which lineage of imamate is correct, and therefore which individual has gone into the Occultation.

Branches

The Shi'a faith throughout its history split over the issue of imamate, with each branch supporting different imams. The largest branch are the Twelvers, to which over 85% of Shi'a belong. The only other surviving branches are the Zaidi and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.

Twelver Shi'a believe in the lineage of the Twelve Imams. The Twelver Shi'a faith is predominantly found in Iran (est. 90%) , Azerbaijan (est. 85%), Bahrain (est. 75%), Iraq (est. 65%), Yemen (est. 45%), Lebanon (est. 35%) ^[20], Kuwait (est. 35%), Turkey (est. 25%), Albania (est. 20%), Pakistan (est. 20%) and Afghanistan (est. 20%).^[21][22].

The Zaidi dispute the succession of the fifth Twelver Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir, because he did not stage a revolution against the corrupt government, unlike Zaid ibn Ali. They do not believe in a normal lineage, but rather that any descendant of Hasan ibn Ali or Husayn ibn Ali who stages a revolution against a corrupt government is an imam. The Zaidi are mainly found in Yemen.

The Ismaili dispute the succession of the seventh Twelver Imam, Musa al-Kadhim, believing his older brother Isma'il ibn Jafar actually succeeded their father Ja'far al-Sadiq, and did not predecease him like Twelver Shi'a believe. Ismaili form small communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Yemen, China and Saudi Arabia^[23] and have several subbranches.

Twelver

Main article: Twelvers

Twelver Shi'asm (- -- Ithn--ashariyyah) is the largest denomination within the Shi'a branch of Islam. An adherent of Twelver Shi'ism is most commonly referred to as a Twelver, which is derived from their belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, or Imams.

The Twelve Imams

See also: Twelve Imams

The Twelve Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, in the Twelver or Ithna Ashariya branch of Shia Islam.^[13]

According to the theology of Twelvers, the successor of Muhammad is an infallible human individual who not only rules over the community with justice, but also is able to keep and interpret the Divine Law and its esoteric meaning. The Prophet and Imams' words and deeds are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through the Prophet.^[24][25] Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam, with the exception of Husayn ibn Ali, who was the brother of Hasan ibn Ali.^[13] The twelfth and final Imam is Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is believed by the Twelvers to be currently alive, and in hiding.^[19]

1. Ali ibn Abi Talib (600-661), also known as Ali, Amir-ul-Mu'mineen (commander of the faithful) and Shah-e Mardan Ali (King of men)
2. Hasan ibn al-Ali (625-669), also known as Al-Hasan al-Mujtaba
3. Husayn ibn al-Ali (626-680), also known as Al-Husayn ash-Shaheed
4. Ali ibn al-Husayn (658-713), also known as Ali Zayn-ul-'Abideen
5. Muhammad ibn al-Ali (676-743), also known as Muhammad al-Baqir
6. Jafar ibn al-Muhammad (703-765), also known as Ja'far as-Sadiq
7. Musa ibn al-Jafar (745-799), also known as Musa al-Kadhim
8. Ali ibnu al-Musa (765-818), also known as Ali ar-Ridha
9. Muhammad ibn al-Ali (810-835), also known as Muhammad al Jawad and Muhammad at Taqi or only Taqi
10. Ali ibn al-Muhamad (827-868), also known as Ali al-Hadi and Naqi
11. Hasan ibn al-Ali (846-874), also known as Hasan al Askari
12. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (868--), also known as Al-Hujjat ibn Al-Hasan, Mahdi, Imam-e-Asr

Principles of the Religion (Us-l al-D-n)

Five basic elements of Islam according to Twelver Shi'a beliefs are:

• Tawh-d (Oneness): The Oneness of God
• 'Adaalah (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" or "submission to God"). Prophets are Messengers which are appointed by Allah to bring the message of God to people and spread that message while the Imam (leader) is appointed by Allah to protect that message since ordinary people will fail to do so. Also, as Muhammad was the last messenger of God which means the message he brought was the last and final message to the people from Allah, none is supposed to bring a message from Allah after Muhammed, therefore, if people were left with the message alone, the true message could not survive long and would have undergone changes. Imams were therefore appointed to take care of the message and prevent people from going astray after the last prophet.
• Imaamah (Leadership): God has appointed specific leaders to lead and guide mankind - a prophet appoints a custodian of the religion before his demise. Shi'a Muslims believe in Twelve Imams, eleven of whom were killed, but they believe their twelfth Imam is still alive. Their history says that he disappeared after performing rituals of the eleventh Imam's (his father's) death. He is still under "ghaybat" or "occultation" and will appear on the face of the earth to raise the truth and bring an end to tyranny and oppression
• Qiyaamah (The Day of Judgment): After the annihilation of this world, God will raise mankind for Judgement.

Practices of the Religion (Fur- al-D-n)

Main article: Practices of the Religion

According to Twelver doctrine, what is referred to as pillars by Sunni Islam are called the practices or secondary principles. There are three additional practices. The first is jihad, which is also important to the Sunni, but not considered a pillar. The second is Commanding what is just (Arabic: „-“), which calls for every Muslim to live a virtuous life and to encourage others to do the same. The third is Forbidding what is evil (Arabic: -- -- -), which tells Muslims to refrain from vice and from evil actions and to encourage others to do the same.^[26][27][28] Twelvers have five Principles of the Religion which relates to Aqidah.^[29]

1. Salah (Prayer) - Performing the five daily prayers.
2. Sawm (Fast) - fasting during the Islamic holy lunar month of Ramadhan (Able to eat while the sun is hidden)
3. Hajj (Pilgrimage) - performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (once in a lifetime)
4. Zakah (Poor-rate) - paying the poor-tax (2.5% of your wealth every year should go to the poor)
5. Khums (One-fifth of savings) - paying tax to the Imam ( -) and poor/deserving saadat (descendents of Ahlul Bayt) - Saham-e-Saadat
6. 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 bi l-qalam) and speaking truth in front of an oppressor are also forms of Jihad.
7. Commanding what is just
8. Forbidding what is evil
9. Tawallá - loving the Ahlu l-Bayt and their followers
10. Tabarr-' - dissociating oneself from the enemies of the Ahlu l-Bayt

Ja'fari jurispudence

Main article: Ja'fari jurisprudence

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

The Ja'fari 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. There are three schools of Ja'fari jurispudence: Usuli, Akhbari, and Shaykhi. The Usuli school is by far the largest of the three. Twelver groups that do not follow Ja'fari jurisprudence include the Alawi, Alevi, Bektashi, and Ahl-e Haqq.

Role of religious scholars

Main article: The Shia clergy

Twelver Shi'a 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 are given greater weight.

Guardianship of the Jurisprudent

Main article: Hokumat-e Islami : Velayat-e faqih (book by Khomeini)

Traditionally Twelver Shi'a Muslims consider -Ali ibn Abi Talib and the subsequent further eleven Imams not only religious guides but political leaders, based on a crucial hadith where the Prophet Muhammad passes on his power to command Muslims to Ali. Since the last Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, went into "occultation" in 939 AD and is not expected back until end times, this left Shi'a without religiously sanctioned governance. In contrast, the Ismaili Imams did successfully gain political power with the shortly lived Fatimid Empire. After the fall of the Fatimid Empire Ismaili Shi'asm started to lean towards secular thought.

The first Shi'a regime, the Safavid dynasty in Iran, propagated the Twelver faith, made Twelver law the law of the land, and patronized Twelver scholarship. For this, Twelver ulama "crafted a new theory of government" which held that while "not truly legitimate", the Safavid monarchy would be "blessed as the most desirable form of government during the period of awaiting" for the twelfth imam.^[30]

In general, the Shi'a adhere to one of three approaches towards the state: either full participation in government, i.e. attempting to influence policies by becoming active in politics, or passive cooperation with it, i.e. minimal participation, or else most commonly, mere toleration of it, i.e. remaining aloof from it.^[31] Historically, Zaidi and Ismaili Shi'a imams functioned as both religious and political leaders, but later after the fall of the Fatimid Empire the Ismaili imamate became a secular institution. In general, Twelver Shi'a historically remained secular.

This changed with Iranian Revolution where the Twelver Ayatollah Khomeini and his supporters established a new theory of governance for the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is based on Khomeini's theory of guardianship of the Islamic jurist as rule of the Islamic jurist, and jurists as "legatees" of the Prophet Muhammad.

While not all Twelver Shi'a accept this theory, it is uniquely Twelver and the basis of the constitution of Iran, the largest Shi'a Muslim country, where the Supreme Leader must be an Islamic jurist.

Ismaili

Main article: Ismaili

The Isml- (Arabic: - al-Ismliyy-n; Urdu: -- Isml-, Persian: - Esm„-iliy“n) branch of Islam is the second largest part of the Sh--ah community after the Twelvers. The Isml- get their name from their acceptance of Isml ibn Ja-far as the divinely-appointed spiritual successor (Im-m) to Ja-far a„--“diq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept M-sà al-K-zim, younger brother of Isml, as the true Im-m. The Isml- and the Twelvers both accept the same initial A'immah from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter F--imah az-Zahra and therefore share much of their early history.

After the death or Occultation of Im-m Mu-ammad ibn Isml in the 8th century, the teachings of Ismailism further transformed into the belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on the deeper, esoteric meaning (b--in) of the faith. With the eventual development of Twelverism into the more literalistic (zahir) oriented Akhbari and later U„-l“ schools of thought, Sh--ism developed in two separate directions: the metaphorical Isml- group focusing on the mystical path and nature of God and the divine manifestation in the personage of the "Imam of the Time" as the "Face of God", while the more literalistic Twelver group focusing on divine law (shar--ah) and the deeds and sayings (sunnah) of Mu-ammad and his successors (the Ahlu l-Bayt), who as A'immah were guides and a light to God.^[32]

Though there are several sub-groupings within the Isml-s, the term in today's vernacular generally refers to the Niz„r“ community who are followers of the Aga Khan and the largest group among the Ismliyyah. While many of the branches have extremely differing exterior practices, much of the spiritual theology has remained the same since the days of the faith's early Im-ms. In recent centuries Isml-s have largely been an Indo-Iranian community,^[33] but they are found in India, Pakistan, Syria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia,^[34] Yemen, China,^[35] Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa and South Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.^[36]

Isml- Im-ms

Main article: List of Ismaili Imams

After the death of Isml- ibn Ja-far, many Isml- believed the line of Im-mate ended and that one day the messianic Mahdi, whom they believed to be Mu-ammad ibn Isml, would return and establish an age of justice. One group included the violent Qarmatians, who had a stronghold in Bahrain. In contrast, some Isml-s believed the Im-mate did continue, and that the Im-ms were in hiding and still communicated and taught their followers through a network of ds "Missionaries".

In 909, „Ubaydall“h al-Mahdi bil-L-h, a claimant to the Isml- Im-mate, established the Fatimid Empire, a political power where Isml- Im-ms would rule for centuries. Egypt became the center of an empire that included at its peak North Africa, Sicily, Palestine, Syria, the Red Sea coast of Africa, Yemen and the Hejaz. Under the Fatimids, Egypt flourished and developed an extensive trade network in both the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, which eventually determined the economic course of Egypt during the High Middle Ages.

During this period, three lineages of Im-ms formed. The first branch, known today as the Druze, occurred with the Im-m al-H-kim bi-Amrall-h. Born in 386 AH (985), he ascended as ruler at the age of eleven and was feared for his eccentricity and believed insanity. The typical religiously tolerant Fatimid Empire saw much persecution under his reign. When in 411 AH (1021) his mule returned without him, soaked in blood, a religious group that was even forming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream Ismlism and refused to acknowledge his successor. Later to be known as the Druze, they believe al-H-kim to be the incarnation of God and the prophecized Mahdi, who would one day return and bring justice to the world.^[37] The faith further split from Ismlism as it developed very unique doctrines which often classes it separately from both Ismliyyah and Islam.

The second split occurred following the death of Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah in 487 AH (1094). His rule was the longest of any Caliph in any Islamic empires. Upon his passing away his sons, the older Niz-r and the younger al-Musta„l“ fought for political and spiritual control of the dynasty. Niz-r was defeated and jailed, but according to Niz-ri tradition, his son to escaped to Alamut where the Iranian Isml- had accepted his claim.^[38]

The Musta„l“ line split again between the „ayyib“ and the „-fiz“, the former claiming that the 21st Im-m and son of al-Am-r went into Occultation and appointed a D al-Mu-laq to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Isml- had lived after the death of Mu-ammad ibn Isml. The latter claimed that the ruling Fatimid Caliph was the Im-m, and they died out with the fall of the Fatimid Empire.

The Pillars of the Isml-

Main article: Seven Pillars of Islam (Ismaili)

The Isml- Seven Pillars of Islam, including the Niz„r“, Druze and Bohra (Musta„l“) have three doctrines that are not included in the Five Pillars of Islam: Walayah, Taharah and Jihad. This would raise the total to eight, but the Bohra do not include shah-dah, lowering it to seven. The shah-dah is a prominent part of other Isml- traditions, with the added inclusion of -Aliyun Am-ru l-Mu'min-n Wal- All-h Arabic: „“ "„Al“, the Master of the Believers, is the wal- of God", at the end of the standard shah-dah as recited by the rest of the Muslim Ummah.^[39]

• Walayah „Guardianship“ denotes love and devotion to God, the prophets, the im-m and the du--t "missionaries". In Isml- doctrine, God is the true desire of every soul, and he manifests himself in the forms of prophets and im-ms; the appointed Missionaries lead believers to the right path. The Druze refer to this pillar as Tasl-m "Submission".
• Taharah „Purity“: The Druze
• Shah-dah "Profession of Faith": The Bohra do not list this as a Pillar and hence have only seven pillars.^[39] the Druze do not add the typical Isml- phrase to the basic profession of faith.
• Salah "Prayer": Unlike Sunni and Twelver muslims, Nizari Ismliyya reason that it is up to the current im-m to designate the style and form of prayer, and for this reason the current Nizari practices resemble dua and pray them three times a day. These three times have been related with the three times that have been mentioned in the Qur'-n: sunrise, before sunset, and after sunset. In contrast, the Musta„l“ maintain five prayers and their style is generally closely related to that of the Twelvers. The Druze believe that the meaning of prayer is sidqu l-lis-n "speaking Truth (to/about God)" and do not believe in five daily prayers. They do sometimes attend prayers, which is the practice of the "uninitiated" (juhh-l) and historically was also done for reasons of taqiyya.
• Zakah "Charity": with the exception of the Druze, all Isml- madh-hab have practices resembling that of Sunni and Twelver Muslims with the addition of the characteristic Sh--ah khums: payment of 1/8^th of one's unspent money at the end of the year to the Im-m. In addition to khums, Isml-s pay 12.5% of their monthly gross income to the im-m, which goes to the central accounts and then spent on welfare of the humankind like education and health projects. One of the major examples of these projects is the Aga Khan Development Network, that is one of the biggest welfare networks of the world. Thus, Isml-s believe that as Mu-ammad was designated to take zak-t from believers in the past, it is now the duty to pay the Im-m or his representative. The Druze practice -ifzu l-Ikhw-n "Protection of One's Brothers" instead of paying a fee, a culturally complex practice of interdependence.
• Sawm „Fasting“: Niz-ri and Musta„l“ believe in both a metaphorical and literal meaning of fasting. The literal meaning is that one must fast as an obligation, such as during Rama--n, and the metaphorical meaning being that one is in attainment of the Divine Truth and must strive to avoid worldy activities which may detract from this goal. In particular, Isml-s believe the real and esoteric meaning of fasting is avoiding devilish acts and doing the good deeds. Not eating during the month of Rama„da“n has been considered as a metaphorical implementation of fasting and is not compulsory. The Druze emphasise the esoteric meaning, which they call tark „ib“dat al-awth-n "deserting idol-worship": that which detracts from communion with God is an idol (wathan).
• Hajj „Pilgrimage“: For Isml-s, this means visiting the Im-m or his representative and that this is the greatest and most spiritual of all pilgrimages. The Bohra maintain also the practice of going to Mecca. The Druze interpret this completely metaphorically as "fleeing from devils and oppressors" and rarely go to Mecca.^[40]
• Jihad "Struggle": The definition of jihad is controversial as it has two meanings: "the Greater Struggle" and the "The Lesser Struggle", the latter of which means a confrontation with the enemies of the faith. The Niz„r“ are pacifist and interpret "adversaries" of the faith as personal and social vices (i.e. wrath, intolerance, etc.) and those individuals who harm the peace of the faith and avoid provocation and use force only as a final resort only in self-defense. It is unclear what the Bohra believe. The Druze have a long history of military and political engagement, but refer to this pillar solely as R-da "Contentment" - the war to fight that which removes you from the ease of the Divine Presence, a meaning similar to that of the Niz„r“. In addition, the „Uqq“l "Wise Ones", the religious cadre of the Druze, are pacifists.

Contemporary leadership

For Niz„r“s, there has been less of a scholarly institution because of the existence of a present Im-m. The Im-m of the Age defines the jurisprudence, and may differ with Im-ms previous to him because of different times and circumstances.

However, divine leadership has continued in the Bohra branch through the institution of the "Unrestricted Missionary". According to Bohra tradition, before the last Im-m, -ayyib Abi l-Q--im, went into seclusion, his father, the 20th Im-m Mansur al-Amir Bi-Ahkamillah had instructed Queen Al-Hurra Al-Malika in Yemen to appoint a vicegerent after the seclusion - the Unrestricted Missionary, who as the Im-m's vicegerent has full authority to govern the community in all matters both spiritual and temporal while he is in the Occultation. The three branches of the Musta„l“, the Alavi Bohra, Sulaimani Bohra and Dawoodi Bohra, differ on who the current Unrestricted Missionary is.

Zaidi

Main article: Zaidi

The Zaidi are a branch of Shi'a Islam named after the Im-m Zayd ibn „Al“. Followers of the Zaidi fiqh are called Zaidis (or occasionally, Fivers by Sunnis). However, there is also a group called the Zaidi Was„t“s who are Twelvers (see below).

Since the earliest form of Zaidism was of the