SHIITES is the name of a sect among the Mohammedans. The word comes from abiah," a faction, party, or set of men who separate themselves from the rest of the community," and who entertain religious opinions contrary to those of the .Sunnites, or people who belong to any of the four orthodox sects of Mohammedanism. The name of Shiites is principally used to designate the sectaries or ad herents of All Ibn Abi Ttilib, who maintain him to be the lawful khalif and immtua, and that supreme authority, both in spiritual and temporal matters, belongs to his descendants.
The Shiites are divided into numerous sects, of which the principal are : the Imdmians, or those who believe that the office of initial, or head of the church, is not dependent on the will of the people, and that religion consists solely in knowing who is the true imdm ; the Zcydians, so called from the name of their founder, Zeyd, son of Ali, surnamed 7,qm-fair:Ain (the ornament of the servants of God) ; the laat labia rt., or disciples of Abil-I-Khattab, who maintain that paradise is no other thing than the pleasures of this world, which God grants to those with whom he Is pleased: hence their indulgence in wine, music, and other things forbidden by the prophet. The Persians are Shiites,
and the Turks Sunnitea : hence the cause of tho schism still subsisting between them, which has been maintained on both sides with ardent zeal and implacable luared. The chief points wherein they differ may be reduced to three :-1. The Shiites reject ALI I3ekr, Omar, and Othrretn, the first three khalifs, as usurpers and intruders ; whereas the Sonnites respect them as rightful imfme. 2. The Shiites prefer Ali to 3Iuluumned, or at least look upon him as his equal in every respect; whilst the Sunnites adroit neither Ali nor even any of the prophets to be equal to Mohammed. 3. The Sunnitea receive the Saline, or body of traditions concerning the prophet, as of canonical authority ; the Shiites reject it as apocryphal and unworthy of credit.