Why Shiaism?

WHY I BECAME A ‘SHIA’ MUSLIM?

Initially, it was very hard to accept or understand Shiaism. The first disagreeable concept I encountered during my earliest inquiry was that the First Caliph Abubakr was not supposed to be the first Leader/Caliph/Imam. To me, it is simply unbelievable. So I just shrugged off the thing about Shiaism. Perhaps there are some more other issues about Shiaism that I could not understand, but the Caliphate of Abubakr was enough for me to refrain from entertaining the explanation about Shiaism. I could not accept that the close friend of Rasulallah could have usurped the leadership of the Muslims after the death of the Prophet.
However, when I read the book of the foremost modern revolutionary thinker, Dr. Ali Shariati (Election or Selection), I happened to understand the conflict between the Shiites and the Sunnis. Consequently, I got interested to learn more about the issues of the Shia-Sunni differences. So I researched from both the books of the Shias and the Sunnis. The subjects I have come to understand and accept (then practiced) could not have been realized without my reading from the Sunni books itself.
For example, the combination of Zuhr and Asr prayers, and the Maghrib and Isha prayers. I have been a believer of Shiaism for some years before I performed the combining of prayers. It was because I have read from the Sahih al-Bukhari (the most authentic book of the Sunnis after the Holy Qur’an) that “the Prophet prayed Maghrib together with Isha without any reason at all.” This phrase is enough to convince me the truth of the Shia’s combining of prayers. “Without any reason at all” cannot be disputed anymore, regarding the combining of prayers.
The standing on prayers without the hands folded. Just the same with the combining of prayers, I did not practice the unfolding of hands years after I accepted the belief of Shiaism. I still followed the Sunni way. However, when I have read from the Qur’an itself that on praying, we have to stand straight, then it proved once again the claim of the Shiites. Straight means no folding of hands, just straight.
The Imamate. I have also read from the Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said that there will be 12 leaders after him from the family of Quraish. Now, if we think of 12 leaders from his family, there is no school of thought in Islam with12 leaders but the 12 Imams of Ithna Ashari Shiites, no more than 12 nor less. Moreover, I have also happened to read prophesized from the Bible that there would be 12 Princes from the seed of Ishmael. And that further strengthened my belief of Imamate.
The temporary marriage or mut’ah, The Awaited Mahdi, etc. will be dealt with in the future.