Question

The ____ believe the caliph should always be elected, not conferred by heredity. The ____ created the office of the "Imam" or leader/guide.

1. Shiite 2. Sunni

Answer 1

2. Sunni.

1. Shiite.

This is one of the main differences between the two strands of Islam. For Shiites, religious authority is passed on in a hereditary way, and so can be traced all the way back to Muhamad himslef. Accordingly, the position of Imams in Shiite faith is very important and powerful. For Sunnis on the other hand, the figure of the imam is elected and acts as a spiritual and moral leader of his Mosque.

Answer 2

The Sunni believe the caliph should always be elected, not conferred by heredity. The Shiite created the office of the "Imam" or leader/guide.

In the history of Islam, both the Sunni and the Shiites have different points of view regarding how a caliph (the spiritual leader) should be elected. On the one hand, Sunnis believe that the caliph must be elected. On the other hand, Shiites state that a caliph must be appointed by hereditary.