This article will examine the differences and similarities between Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims prayer.
The first thing to acknowledge is that there are differences. Sunni and Shia have different collections of hadiths and therefore have different understandings of Islam. The other important point to note is that there are differences within each school, especially within the Sunni school of thought.
Traditionally, the Sunni Muslims are divided into 4 schools of law. These are named after the scholars who championed that methodology, they are :
- Hanafi – Named after Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān (699 – 767 AD / 80 – 150 AH)
- Maliki – Named after Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik ibn Abī ‘Āmir al-Asbahī (711–795 CE / 93–179 AH)
- Sha’afi Named after Abū ʿAbdullāh Muhammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī (767 — 820 CE / 150 — 204 AH)
- Hanbali Named after Aḥmad bin Muḥammad bin Ḥanbal Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shaybānī (780–855 CE / 164–241 AH)
Differences within the Sunni school for Prayer
- The Malikis pray with their arms by their side.
- Hanfi’ men should place his hands below the navel in prayer and the woman upon her chest. Other Sunni schools have variable opinions.
- The Sha’afi say “Bismillah” out loud in the loud salah, the others do not.
The Hanafis observe: It is wajib upon a woman to cover the back of her hands and the soles of her feet as well, and upon a man to cover his knees in addition to the area between the navel and the knees. The Shafi’is and Malikis say: It is permissible for a woman to keep her face and both the palms and the back of her hands uncovered during salat. The Hanbalis state: It is not permissible for her to expose any part except the face.
- There are many other subtle differences, but not significant ones.
Differences between Sunni and Shia Prayer
The Sunnis are the ones with the hands crossed, the Shia have their arms to the sides.
– Sunnis have arms folded in various position, from below navel to the chest, right over left. Shia keep arms straight by the sides.
– Shias usually raise their hands for each Allahu Akbar in the salah.
– Words in Ruku and Sajda are the same.
– When Sunnis getting up from Ruku they usually say Rabbanaa wa la kal-hamd, shia do not.
– Sunni Say Ameen after Surah al Hamd, where as Shias usually say Alhamdolillahi Rabil Alameen.
– In the sitting position Shias usually say Astaghfirullahi Rabii Wa Atoobu Ilaihi, Sunni usually say Rabbighfirli wa irhamni (don’t have to say either)
– Sunnis don’t have qunoot in the 2nd rakat, shia do.
– In the 2nd rakah the wording of the Tahashud is different.
– Shias usually recite Subhaaanallahi wal Hamdolillahi wa laa ilaaha illallahu Allahu Akbar in the 3rd/4th rakah, the Sunni recite surah Fateha.
– After sajda Sunni get up straight into qiyam. Shia sit down and then get up into qiyam position and say Bihawlillahi ta’aala wa quwatai hi wa aqoomo wa aqud.
– Shia Salah ends with Assalamuallaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu whlie in the sitting position and as mustahab we say Takbir 3 times. Sunni do not have takbir at the end.
– Shia recite Bismillah loudly in every Salah.
– In Fajar, Maghrib and Isha namaz, Shia read everything aloud (sajda, ruku, tashahud, qunoot) except in the 3rd and 4th rakah while in qiyam.
– In Zuhar and Asar Shia recite everything aloud (like above) except Sruah fatiha and selected surahs and 3rd/4th rakah qiyam (but Shia recite Bismillah aloud)
– Sunni can recite a surah after Surah Fatiha in the first rakah and read half of it and continue it in the 2nd rakah, for Shia it’s highly recommended to read surah Ikhlaas in the 2nd rakah, and it’s the only surah Shia can read both in the first and 2nd rakah in the same Salah.
References
https://www.al-islam.org/shiite-encyclopedia-ahlul-bayt-dilp-team/prayer-salat-according-five-islamic-schools-law-part-1
http://www.muftisays.com/forums/76-the-true-salaf-as-saliheen/5046-placement-of-the-hands-in-salah-prayer.html
Do you know any other differences? Please use the comments box below to let us know.
Prayer timings are a bit different
This is true. The fajr and maghrib times are different, however its not a significant thing. There is also almost as much intra school variation, hence why I dont feel its a primary difference.
As a 2018 convert to Islam who was first introduced and initially accepted Islam at a Hanafi Sunni Turkish mosque, I was fortunate to have been exposed to mainly non-sectarian, non-bigoted Muslims (although most I met were primarily South Asian/Desi Sunni) through Sunni Sufism (tasawuf). The Sufis I met were men and women who, while Sunni, tended to have a deep and personal love for the Ahl-ul-Bayt (as), much more than the average Sunni believer in a typical mosque today, where, while lip service of love to the Ahl-ul-Bayt (as) is nominally there, one finds far greater emphasis on the Companions (Sahaba), especially the first two caliphs.
While I was initially received into Sunnism, and I live next door to the mosque at which I converted (I did not live there at the time), I always had a predominantly ‘Alid spirituality. A student of history and philosophy, I was soon convinced of the particular truth claims of Shi’a Islam (insofar as it differs from Sunnism on theological and political issues). I have always found that I have been “too Shi’a” to identify as a Sunni, but I am more “Sunni” than many Shi’a in other respects.
As someone who initially prayed in the Hanafi Sunni tradition, but who was also in a Maliki Sunni tariqa (Sufi order), and ultimately followed Jafari/Twelver Usuli praxis, I found this list to be very accurate. I would point out that the wording in the rukhu (bowing) and the sajda (prostration) is actually slightly different between Sunni and Shi’a madhahhib (jurisprudential schools). It is important to note that there are innumerable minor differences within both traditions as well, from the exact timing of when a set canonical prayer (salah/namaz) is to be offered (Hanafis are closer to the Shi’a timing than the other Sunni schools), to whether one makes any hand gestures (small takbirat) along with saying the takbir aloud during the movements between the stations of the prayer (Iraqi Shi’as tend to do this, while Iranian Shi’as do not as often), to how one holds one’s hands in front of oneself (in Sunnism) to exactly how to place the turbah/mohr (in Shi’ism). In rukhu, as well as the etiquette surrounding the use and disposal of turbat.
One difference in the wording of the prayers themselves is that Sunni Muslims will say “Subhana Rabbi al-Adhim”, (Glory to my Lord the Most Mighty”) either once or (most often) three times (with additional odd numberings being permitted), whereas Twelver Shi’a Muslims will follow the same formula of once or thrice (with the option for additional odd numberings), but they will add immediately after “Subhana Rabbi al-Adhim” “wa bihamdihi (and Praise to Him”. Likewise, for the wording in the sajda, Sunni Muslims will say “Subhana Rabbi al-‘Ala” (Glory to my Lord the Most High”), in the same formula as before, while Shi’a Muslims will say the same thing as the Sunnis but add “wa bihamdihi”.
The most striking difference in the order and substance of the wording of the prayers is the sitting recitation itself. Given the different word ordering and content, Sunnis call the beginning of this ‘at-tahiyat’, (the salutation/greeting) whereas Shi’as call it “at-tashahud’ (the testification/witnessing).
Upon raising their head from the second prostration in their second (for fajr), second and third (for maghrib), or second and fourth (for isha) rakaa (movement cycle), Sunnis sit in a rather unnatural position (based in ahadith judged as sahih/authentic in their books) upon the curled right foot (Shi’as do not do this, but let the feet fold naturally) and then say the following, the first line of which is not recited in the canonical Shi’a prayers, while Shi’as would of course agree with the spirit of the wording. The ‘tahiyat’ (greetings/salutations) is mentioned in the Sunni hadith corpuses of Bukhari and Muslim, and is absent from Shi’a hadith sources.
I would love to examine, from a historical perspective, how exactly these two different wordings developed in time—when, from a Shi’a perspective, Sunnis added the tahiyyat line, or when, from a Sunni perspective, Shi’as stopped saying it.
(1) At tahiyyatu lilahi wa salawatu wa tayibat — “all best salutation and greeting are due to God, and all prayer, and all good things”
(2) As’salaamu alayka ayuhan nabbiyu wa rahmtullahi wa barakatuhu—-“Peace be upon you, o great Prophet, and the Mercy of God and His blessings”
(3) As’salamau alayna wa ala ibadil lahis salihin— “Peace be upon us, and upon all righteous worshipers of God”
Following this, Sunnis then pronounce the shahadatayn (two shahadas). They must then recite
4) the long salawat (“Allahuma sali ala Muhammad wa ali Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim wa ali Ibrahim…”),
following which may then optionally recite any other dua (with certain ones much more common according to different madhabs/schools) before saying (4) (twice), looking to the right and then the left over the shoulder as they do so, ‘As-Salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh’.
In the Shi’a tashahud, upon raising the head from the second prostration, one first recites the shahadatayn
(1) Ashadu’an la illaha il’Allah wa ashadu ana’ Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasulu,
following which they immediately say the shorter salawat on the Prophet and his family,
(2) Allahumma sali ala Muhammad wa ali Muhammad (O God, send thy blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad),
before wishing their salams and the peace and mercy of God to the Prophet Muhammad (S) (#2 and #3 above) before saying the Salam once, without looking right or left, but keeping one’s face toward the qiblah. A mustahhab (highly recommended but not obligatory) act after the salam is to offer a triple takbirat (three times aloud “Allahu akbar”).
Yes this is true also sometimes shias read some of their prayers earlier
I was born Sunni but Alhamdulillah I’m glad to just say that I’m. A Muslim who submits who full will to Allah. I’ve prayed with both my Sunni and Shia brothers. I’ve prayed at Sunni mosques and Shia mosques. Some would say I follow the Maliki fiqh but Imam Malik was a student of Imam Jaffar As Sadiq (RA). I apply some Shia techniques to my prayers such as the wordings to my ruku and sajud. I also say the qunut duas in all 5 of my prayers after the 2nd rakat. Even my tashahud is different than the Sunni. I prefer the Shia tashahud. Even in the Maliki fiqh when we say salaam they don’t turn their heads I don’t turn my head as well I just face towards the qibla when I say the salaam and just like my Shia brothers I do say takbir 3 times as it was reported in bukhari that the prophet would end his prayer with a takbir. It’s also sunna to pray on wood or a clay tablet. I’ll be the only Sunni Muslim praying on a clay tablet, and I also don’t fold my arms either. I have deep sincere love for the ahlul bayt but the only thing I’m against in the Shia teachings is praying to the imams to get closer to Allah when I can get closer to Allah directly. I don’t believe in the infallibility of the Shia imams either but I do respect it. That’s why I’m neither Sunni or Shia I’m just a Muslim who devoted my will to Allah swt may Allah guide all of the Muslims together because together we are all One Ummah! Shia tul-Ummah Ahlal Ummah we are all Muslims at the end of the day
Bunch of misguided people here ,May Allah guide you. Sufism and Shia religion is what destroyed the Ottomans and it’s not from Islam neither from Prophet Mohammed Salla Alayhi Salam or any prophet of Allah. Only One practice of Islam is accepted by Allah and it’s the way of prophet Mohammed and it’s called the sunna of prophet Muhammad therefore Muslims are called “sunni “. Turks became misguided because they refused to learn Arabic ,so how are they going to understand what is written in the Quran… Shia is not a madhab of Islam, Shia is a different religion totally different belief and a different aqeeda.We have nothing against Shia ,as long they stop calling themselves Muslim.
I hope you came back to the religion of Allah and to the right path of prophet Muhammad which is the tradition of prophet Muhammad: it’s called the sunna of prophet Muhammad therefore real Islam of all prophets of Allah is being a sunna of Allah & his prophet followers. Ahl Sunna are the true followers & lovers of Ahl Bayt ,quit your lies. Shia sect insult Aisha ,Abu Bakr, Omar! They insult & curse these people who are the most important of Ahl Bayt!?? Shia cult isn’t from Islam.In the book the path of Islam our prophet Mohammed say who insult my friends are not from us or me ” . Speaking of ahl bait . Shia worship shrines & Imams. They call upon Ali & Hussein! Instead of Allah. Ali radiya Anhu killed a guy who told Ali you are God in front of him. If Allah Ra was alive today he would have made jihad the Shia or at least tried to correct their wrong beliefs,wrong way of praying ,peacefully first then if they refuse to listen….
Salam, Mashallah to you brother Mohammad .. I think you need to do more research..the things you are quoting sound like videos of other people telling you vs you actually looking and reading for yourself. May Allah guide you, a true Shia won’t curse Sahaba, nor worship shrines as you claim… now there are people who take it to the extreme (ghulu or exaggerated beliefs) …yes and that is with any madhab wether it be Sunni or Shia sufi etc….but a true sincere Shia Muslim isn’t of what you describe..I honestly feel like you should READ instead of watching shorts or YouTube videos. There is a whole Shia encyclopedia online that you can reference…and yes Imam Ali did kill Abdullah ibin saba who most salad is claim is the creator of Shia islam even though in Shia books he is a cursed person.