Shiah
- noun
- /ˈʃiːə/
:
chiíta
- The division between Shiah and Sunni Muslims dates back to the early days of Islam.
Examples
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Most Iranians identify as Shiah Muslims, following the teachings of Ali.
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As a Shiah, he observes different religious practices than many of his Sunni friends.
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As a Shiah, he observes different religious practices than many of his Sunni friends.
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The Shiah community in Iran is quite large.
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Many Shiahs celebrate Ashura with great devotion.
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Most Iranians identify as Shiah Muslims, following the teachings of Ali.
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The division between Shiah and Sunni Muslims dates back to the early days of Islam.
Synonyms
40
7.9
A Muslim who follows the group that accepts Ali as Muhammad's successor
5
4.9
A Muslim who believes Ali was the rightful leader after Muhammad
2
7.2
A person who follows the branch of Islam that sees Ali as Muhammad's next leader
1
4.1
A follower of Islam who believes Ali should have been leader after Muhammad and rejects the first three leaders
A Muslim who believes Ali was the rightful leader after Muhammad
Compounds
A branch of Islam that believes leaders should come from Ali's family, common in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word Shiah comes from the Arabic Shīʿah, meaning 'party' or 'followers'. So a Shiah is a member of the group that believes Ali and his family were the rightful leaders after Muhammad, which is why the name means 'followers'.