📂1: شیعه

in the broad sense, refers to the movement upholding a privileged position of the Family of the Prophet (ahl al-bayt [q.v.]) in the political and religious leadership of the Muslim Community.   The name is derived from shi'at 'Ali, i.e. the party or partisans of 'Ali,which was first used in the inter-Muslim war during 'Ali's caliphate distinguishing them from the shi'at 'Uthman, the partisans of the murdered caliph 'Uthman opposed to 'Ali. ...