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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Wahhabis Fitna Exposed This is Shi’ism Meaning & Origin Of Shi’ism The Shi’a school of thought has been depicted by many non-Muslim writers as a “heretical sect” of Islam as opposed to the “orthodox” Islam. Thus implying that Shi’ism is a later deviation from Islam. Is this really true or just a labelling campaign to discredit Shi’ism? Here is given documented proof from the Sunni sources that Shi’ism is actually the original Islam.

The Meaning of Shi‘a The word “Shi‘a - شيعۃ ” is derived from Arabic word at-tashayyu’ التشیع ا( which means “to follow’) According to major dictionaries like al-Qamûs and Lisanu ’l-‘Arab , the friends and followers of a person are his Shi‘a. According to Taju ’l-‘urus , a group of persons showing unanimity over an issue may be called “Shi‘a”. This word is equally used for singular and plural as well as for masculine and feminine genders.

[^2] Arabic dictionaries, after giving the literal meaning of the word, Shi‘a, usually add: “This name is generally used for those who love and follow ‘Ali and the people of his house, and it has become their proper name”.[^3] Shaykh al-Mufid (d 413 A.H./1022 C.E.) has explained that when the word Shi‘a is used with the definate article “al” ( al-Shi‘a = the Shi‘a) it only means “the group which follows ‘Ali (blessings of Allah be upon him) with love and the belief that he was the Imam after the Prophet (s.a.w.w) without any gap...”[^4] In short, the Shi‘a got this name because they follow ‘Ali and his sinless progeny, and reject the claims of others to the office of Imamate (leadership after the Prophet).

As will be explained later, it was the Prophet himself who gave this name to the followers of ‘Ali. The Origin of Shi‘ism The origin of Shi‘ism is the same as that of Islam. The main difference between the Sunnis and the Shi‘as is about the successor ship of the Prophet of Islam.