The holiest day for Shi'a Muslims is celebrated on the 10th day,
or 'Ashurah, of the Muslim month of Muharram. This year that
equates to Saturday, February 19. The story - Shi’a Muslims make
up almost 20 percent of the of the world’s second largest
religion. The difference between the sects is as old as the
religion itself and revolved around the issue of succession –
who would follow Muhammad as the leader of the faithful? The
Arabic word for “one who follows or succeeds,” - khalifah
(Caliph) - was adopted as the title. Many believed that the
successor to Muhammad should be a family member, someone in the
bloodline of the Prophet. However, Muhammad had no son, so there
was no male heir to the caliphate. Muhammad did have a daughter,
Fatima, who was married to Muhammad’s cousin ‘Ali bin Abu Talib.
The people who favored the selection of ‘Ali as the caliph were
called the Shi’at ‘Ali, the “partisans of ‘Ali,” and hence the
name Shi’a. The other school of thought, held by many prominent
Muslims of the day, was