| Answer: In my opinion, the basic difference between the
Shī`ah and the Sunni schools of thought is that in the Shī`ah school the imams
(their religious and spiritual leaders) are granted a unique status. It is
held these imams cannot err (ma`sūm `ani’l khatā), they are chosen by Allah (mansūs
mina’l Allāh) and that they must be followed like Prophets of Allah (muftaridhu’l
tāah). It is also believed that their imams receive a revelation of a certain
kind.
In other words, though the Prophet (sws) is apparently
regarded as the last of the messenger of Allah, yet in reality this fact is
virtually denied.
All other differences are offshoots or corollaries of
this basic difference. |