Sunni And Shia Reading Comprehension Worksheet printable pdf download

Sunni And Shia Reading Comprehension Worksheet

ame: ______________________________________ Date: ____ Period: ________

Sunni and Shia

AOI: Human Ingenuity

IB Unit? Why is religion important to the world?

GPS Standard

SS7GS8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in Southwest Asia (Middle East).

d. Explain the origin of the division between Sunni and Shia Muslims.

After Muhammad died, there was disagreement

about who should lead the Muslim community, or the

ummah. This question was settled for a time by agreeing

to place power in the hands of men who had been friends

of Muhammad’s in his lifetime. They ruled one after the

other, and they were known as the “Four Rightly Guided

Caliphs.” When the last of these men died, a new

argument arose over who should lead the Muslim

community. One group thought leadership should go to whoever was most able to

keep the community together. These people came to be known as the Sunni

Muslims, those who saw themselves closely following Muhammad’s example. The

second group felt leadership should go to a direct descendant of Muhammad. They

wanted to choose one of Muhammad’s grandsons, the children of his son-in-law

Ali, for leadership. They became known as the Shia-Ali, or “supporters of Ali.”

This name has been shortened to Shia. A battle for control soon followed, resulting

in the death of one of Muhammad’s grandsons and the transfer of

power to the Umayyad family and the Sunni supporters. These

divisions in the Muslim community remain even today, though

there is little difference in their basic religious beliefs. The Sunni

Muslims have always been in the majority, making up about 85

percent of those who call themselves Muslims today. The Shia

Muslims have always been a minority, but they are a major

portion of the populations of a number of countries today including Iran, Iraq, and

Lebanon. Iran is over 90 percent Shia.

1. What happened after Muhammad died?

______________________________________________________________

2. Who are the “Four Rightly Guided Caliphs?”

______________________________________________________________

3. Who did Sunni’s think should run Islam?

______________________________________________________________

Sunni And Shia Reading Comprehension Worksheet