[Sissy]

TEN HORNS


In Islam, when Mohammed died, 10 successors were chosen.
These were called “calipfs”, which means “successor”.

(Another similarity to the Catholic Church – chose a successor to be leader of the spiritual kingdom.
All cults have a physical leader who they feel has some sort of “closer” relationship than anyone else to their god.)


While we can probably find “10” in any theory, there is something specific that occurs with the “10” horns of the beast.

A horn will rise among the 10, and pluck up the first 3 horns.

Daniel 7
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.


Here’s the story of the 10 caliphs (successors) of Mohammed (founder of the Islamic faith).
These caliphs are also called “Imans” by many Muslims. Iman means belief.
They are also referred to as “the Ten Blessed Companions”.

1) Abu Bakr
2) Omar
3) `Uthman
4) Ali
5) Talha
6) al-Zubair
7) Saad bin Abi Waqqass
8) Saeed bin Zaid
9) Abdulrahman bin `Awf and
10) Abu `Ubaida binal-Jarrah

Of the 10 caliphs (or Imans), the first 3 were not related to Mohammed. All others were.
When the 4th of the 10 caliphs (or Iman) came, he declared that only a blood relation to Mohammed could rightly be a caliph (or Iman). Therefore, he declared that the first 3 caliphs were invalid. And all other caliph after that were related.

So, we have one who came up among the 10 and deposed the first 3.

This caused a division among the faithful.
And this spiritual kingdom was divided into 2 sects of Islam – the Sunni and the Shia.
Shia (or Shi'ite) derives from a shortening of Shiat Ali or partisans of Ali (party of Ali).

The Battle of Karbala was the defining line that the split was complete – Sunni and Shia, and a united Islam has not existed to this day.

So we have 2 sects of Islam, the Sunni who believe that the first 3 caliphs are legit, and the Shia who believe that the first 3 caliphs are not legit.
But both are loyal to Mohammed, the Quran, and Allah.

The Muslim world is dominantly Sunni. Shias comprise about 16-percent of the Muslim population. (One sect stronger/dominate than the other smaller/weaker sect.)

(Yet another similarity to the Catholic Church – division because of who the rightful leader should be which resulted in the split between the Western Roman Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.)


Which brings us to another characteristic of the beast – it was divided with a stronger and weaker.

Daniel 2
40 And the fourth kingdom (called 4th beast in Daniel 7) shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.



Now, this has been the cause of many conflicts between the Muslims.
Neither the Sunni or the Shia sects believe the other to be in full submission to Allah.

One characteristic of the difference is that the Sunni are more political in nature, and the Shia are more of a spiritual nature.
The Shia are appauled that a Sunni would even consider cooperation or alliance with anyone outside of the Islamic religion. (This is not to say that all Sunnis would consider doing this.)

As far as territory, Affganistan would problaby be more Shia, and Saudi Arabia (along with most other Muslim territory) more Sunni.

So, one thing that should be asked of any Muslim you are having a discussion with, would be it they consider themselves Sunni or Shia.

When it comes to a discussion between a Shia Muslim and a Sunni Muslim, think Hatfield & McCoy! They are rivals.