Please do not be insulted by anything I ask as these are genuine questions and they are aimed at all Islamic sects except Sunni as I will explain below. Although there should be no sects within Islam as the religion is very clear in my eyes and the Quran should be followed along with authentic hadiths as these showed Prophet Muhammad's way of life. From my understanding 'Sunnis' only exist because we have to call ourselves something as there are so many deviations from the route Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) showed us, ie it just means we follow the Sunnah, the Prophet's way. So we all believe in Allah (SWT), the one God and nobody is worthy of worship except Him. We all believe Muhammed (pbuh) is His Messenger. We all know the best example to follow is that of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). So why do Shia people carry out the following practices? Place just as much importance on Hazrat Ali and Imam Mahdi as one might on Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? Wait for Imam Mahdi like another prophet is coming, when the Mahdi is only paving the way of Hazrat Isa (AS)? The Mahdi is a very special person chosen by Allah (SWT) but he should not be borderline worshipped as many Shias do- the attention paid to Hazrat Ali ( a very important person as one of ther Caliphate) and Imam Mahdi is almost shirk (equivalent to worshipping them as well as Allah). Muhammad (pbuh) is loved as our final prophet and loved as Allah (SWT) has placed great importance on him but he is by no means worshipped as God's equivalent. Why do Shias do ashura (beating yourselves up)? Did Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) do this? Did his friends? Is it in accordance with the Quran, which teaches us to look after our bodies which belong to God? No, this practice appears to be sadomasochistic and an act of repentance for a wrong committed by Shia people themselves ie the murder of Hassan. Why do Shia people add in bits to the Kalimah to include Hazrat Ali's name? Why do you curse the Sahaabah? Did the Prophet curse anyone let alone hisown friends? Why do some Shia people partake in disgusting sexual rituals held once a year which include turning the lights off and sleeping with anyone they come across? Be it sister, mother, daughter? By the way, all the above have been confirmed by many Shia people I have met and who have admitted if not to me but other people I know that all these rituals take place but are hidden and rarely admitted. There is no point denying that these occur as for every 100 Shia people whoi deny these happen, 1 person will admit to certain practices. These are not just rumour...I just want to understand the logic behind why people deviate from the path Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) took? And how it could possibly be justified. I know Shia people don't like following authentic hadith, maybe because they don't incorporate such practice. No one is saying Sunnis don't commit sin, Im not talking about individual people but the general foundations of a faith. Sunnis follow certain rules and if some go off tangent by eg drinking alcohol etc that is their problem but I am talking about actual practices which form part of the faith.