Imamah (Shi'a Doctrine) - Sects

Sects

Within Shi'a Islam (Shi'ism) the various sects came into being because they differed over their Imams' successions just as the Shi'a - Sunni separation within Islam itself had come into being from the dispute that had arisen over the succession to Prophet Mohammad. Each succession dispute brought forth a different tariqa (literal meaning 'path'; also means 'sect') within Shi'a Islam. Each Shi'a tariqa followed its own particular Imam's dynasty thus resulting in different numbers of Imams for each particular Shi'a tariqa. When the dynastic line of the originally separating Imam ended with no heir to succeed the last Imam then either the last Imam or his unborn successor was believed to have gone into concealment, that is, The Occultation.

The Shi'a tariqa with a majority of adherents are the Twelvers who are commonly known as the "Shi'a". After that come the Nizari Ismailis commonly known as the "Ismailis"; and then come those commonly known as the "Bohras" with further schisms within their tariqa. The Druze (very small in number today) are (or were initially) Shi'a and separated from the Ismailis just before the Bohras after the death of the Fatimid Imam and Caliph Hakim. The Shi'a Sevener sect no longer exists. Another small sect is the Shi’a Zaidi also known as the Fivers and which does not believe in The Occultation .

Although these different tariqas are all under the Shi'a banner there are some major doctrinal differences between them and especially between all the different Shi'a tariqas with their last Imams in The Occultation and the Shi'a Ismailis who by definition have to have a present and living Imam until the end of time. Thus, if any living Ismaili Imam fails to leave behind a successor to his Imamat then Ismailism’s cardinal principle is broken and it’s very raison d'être comes to an end.