ASALAAM ALAIKUM EVERYONE. RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A SCHOOL OF THOUGHT TO FOLLOW. I HAVE BEEN RAISED SUNNI BUT I NOW WANT TO STUDY THE SHIA APPROACH TO AL-ISLAM. MY REASONS BEING BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES, SOME SLIGHT, SOME MAJOR IN THE WAY DIFFERENT GROUPS APPROACH THIS RELIGION SO I HAVE DECIDED THAT I WANT TO DO RESEARCH (WITH THE HELP OF Allah) AND FOLLOW THE ONE THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE QURAN AND THE CHARACTER OF RASULULLAH (pbuh). THEREFORE I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ALL COULD POINT ME TO SOME GOOD AND WELL KNOWN SCHOLARS WHO CAN EXPLAIN SOME OF YOUR DIFFERING BELIEFS AND BACK UP THEIR VALIDITY USING STRONG SOURCES. THIS ONE GUY TOLD ME TO LOOK UP STUFF FROM A SHEIKH NAMED YASSIR HABIB AND THE GUY SEEMED LIKE A HATE MONGER- SO PLEASE DO NOT POINT ME TOWARDS ANYONE WHO CURSES AND DISRESPECTS SUNNI AND SAHABAH. ALTHOUGH LIKE ALL SUNNI'S, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE AHLUL BAYT (EVEN THOUGH I DO ADMIT THAT OUR SCHOLARS OFTEN NEGLECT TO TEACH US THEIR KNOWLEDGE, WITH AN EXCEPTION TO FATIMAH(RA) AND ALI(RA) OF COURSE, AND MENTION HOW MANY OF THEM WERE KILLED AND MISTREATED OVER TTHE YEARS), I WANT TO SEE THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE CLAIMS THAT THE PROPHET APPOINTED THEM TO BE LEADERS OF THE UMMAH. SO PLEASE HELP ME IN MY QUEST FOR A BALANCED UNDERSTANDING GUYS! JAZAKALLAH KHAIR!