The following is a list of extinct unorthodox movements within
Shia Islam. These are movements that no longer have any living followers or practitioners. These movements were created around certain beliefs that were unorthodox and not held by the mainstream Shia Muslims. These movements eventually, after their very brief existence, had their followers fall into mainstream Islam.
Bayaniyya– the followers of Bayān al-Nahdi, who believed that
Abu Hashim was a prophet and would return to rule the world as
Mahdi. Bayān claimed
prophethood for himself after the demise of
Abu Hashim, as well.[1]: 83
Harbiyya– the followers of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Harb ibn al-Kindi, who initially taught
antinomianism then joined
Ibn Mu'awiya's party and later expressed many extremist views about him. Furthermore, Ibn al-Harb introduced some fundamental doctrines including
metempsychosis, cyclical history of eras and aeons into the radical branch of Shi'ism.[2]: 63 The group claimed that
Abu Hashim designated
Ibn Mu'awiya as his successor Imam of
Hashimiyya.
Riyahiyya– Harbiyya and pro-
AbbasidHashimiyya disputed over
Abu Hashim's will about the imamate and eventually the disputed parties agreed upon the arbitration of their respected leader Abu Riyah, who decided that the imamate should remain in
Abbasids. The most of the followers of Harbiyya, who had previously recognized
Ibn Mu'awiya as their imam, seceded and joined to the
Abbasid party and they had been called Riyahiyya. Those who stayed in Harbiyya and continued to recognize the imamete of
Ibn Mu'awiya subsequently called as Janahiyya.[2]
Mughiriyya– who were influenced by
Mandean and
Manichean doctrines and were founded by the first Shi'i gnostic al-Mughira, who claimed that God is a man of light with a crown of light on his head resembling Mandean doctrine of deity referred to as "king of light". Al-Mughira further added that God has limbs corresponding to the letters of Arabic alphabet reminiscent of the teaching of
Marcus the Gnostic.[4]: 72
Rawendis– who believed in the transmigration of souls. They asserted that the spirit that was in
Jesus was in
Ali, and the spirit of Adam was in
Othman ibn Nahik.
Ya’furiyya– who believed in reincarnation and that a man named Mu’ammar al-Kufi was their Lord.
Zaydi Shia sects
Mutrafya – A Hamdani-based sect of the Zaydi Shia led Mutraf bin Shihab that start gaining followers in Yemen after the fall of the Ismaili
Zurayids, they were weakened by Sunni
Ayyubids & later famously exterminated as heretics by the Zaydi imam
Al-Mansur Abdallah for calling for backing a
Hamdani imam
Dukayniyya– who believed Muhammad's followers fell into unbelief after his death because they did not uphold the Imamate of Ali.
Khalafiyya– who believed in a unique line of Imams after Zayd ibn Ali ibn Husayn Ibn 'Ali Ibn abu Talib, starting with a man named Abd al-Samad and continuing with his descendants.
Khashabiyya– who believed that the Imamate must remain only among the descendants of Hasan and Husayn, even if that Imam is ignorant, immoral and tyrannical.
Musha'sha'iyyah– founded and led by Muhammad ibn Falah, an Iraqi-born theologian who believed himself to be the earthly representative of Ali and the Mahdi.
Hafizi– who believed the Caliph of the Fatimid Caliphate,
Al Hafiz and his descendants were also the Imam of the Time.
Seveners–believed that
Isma'il ibn Jafar was the seventh and the last Imam (hereditary leader of the Muslim community in the direct line of Ali). They believed his son,
Muhammad ibn Isma'il, would return and bring about an age of justice as Mahdi.
Qarmatians– a sect of Seveners who believed in a world view where every phenomenon repeated itself in cycles, where every incident was replayed over and over again.