Can a Muslim person explain to me in rational language why Sunni and Shites hate each other so much?

I can, but I'm not a Muslim.

After Mohammed died, his followers argued about who should take his place as leader. One group said an older, non-related "teacher" should; another group said it should be a kind of "familial inheritance," like a monarchy. They couldn't resolve the issue, they split into the two groups, and they've hated each other ever since.

Yeah, the "religion of peace." Sure.

I am not a Muslim but i can explain.

Most Sunni and Shia get along however

Extremist Sunnis don't consider Shia or Shiite true Muslims they are considered "infidels" so to speak. Sunni and Shia Islam although follow the same God and Prophet there are differences in traditions prayers and rituals ect.

Another Important factor is the treatment of Shiite Muslims under Saddam Hussein. while Saddam Hussein was a Sunni himself treated the Sunnis in Iraq with privileges . Many Shiite where 2nd class citizens and were killed and tortured under the Saddam Hussein this figure goes into the hundreds of thousands and when the Iraqi dictator was removed after 30 odd years in power the Shiites were out for revenge and started campaigns againsed the Sunnis in Iraq and it all spread to other regions in the middle east ect.

The conflict is politically generated... not religiously. The difference between the Shia and the Sunni, is that they believe differently about the current message of Allah. The Shia believe that the prophet must be a direct descendant of Allah, whereas the Sunni believe a 'worthy successor' is a valid leader.

It is a situation the Christians know full well. Roman Catholics have fundamental beliefs that differ from those of the Presbyterians.

If you question was intended to further vilify the Muslim faith by ridiculing it with an ignorant supposition?... Sorry. I can't help you.

What killing would that be then? Like that in Northern Ireland? Like that in the Falkland Islands? Were they not Christians killing Christians??

It is sort of hard to explain. I'm not specifically sure why, but all I know is, Sunni and Shites have been fighting for hundreds of years. Sometimes religion just get's over people's heads. For example, Iran hates Saudi Arabia. Iran is Persian and Shia Islam and Saudi Arabia is Arabic and Sunni Islam and those religions do not get a long very well. Most Shite countries hate Sunni Islamic countries. Most of those countries in the Middle East hate one another. Saudi Arabia hates Syria and Syria is Sunni like them too! O_O Look at how they fight with Israel? It is crazy over there. All they do is fight with each other over there. It is crazy and this is unlikely to change. Thank god I do not live there! I hope this answers your questions! Good luck to you and have a good day! :) From Zach.

You're right no one has given you a valid answer as such! I hope this may be of use..........

There were no Shia during the time of the prophet. The Shiites came into existence after his death. The origins of the shiites are from a man by the name of Abdullah ibn Saba, a yemenite jew who led a revolt against the caliph Uthman.

The Shiites have gone to extremes in their supposed 'love' for the caliph Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet. Some even declare that it was Ali who was meant to be the prophet but Muhammad 'cheated' him. Others even regard Ali as a divine being. They declare almost all of the companions of the prophet as apostates and disbelievers. They have severe hatred for Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman who were the best of people after the prophet in that order. They slander Aishah and speak evil of her. They say the Quran is incomplete. They make temporary marriage (mu'tah) permissible when the prophet forbade it. (They even have a principle that whoever performs mu'tah 4 times then he will reach a status higher than the prophets).

These are just some of their farfetched beliefs and to believe in these things is to disbelieve in the Message of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). That is why they are not muslims as their beliefs have clearly taken them out of the fold of Islam.

So the reality is that there is no such thing as 'Shia Islam'. Islam is just one, which the prophet came with and called to.

Hope that answered your question.

@Argon: Fair point about "Christians killing Christians" in Northern Ireland (they are a deeply weird lot), but the Falkland Islands war was nothing to do with religion.

It's all the same tin of paint, we just all brought our own paintbrushes.

They will - just as soon as you explain the Protestant/Catholic wars.