Islam is a faith that over 1.6 billion people worldwide practice. This religion is based on the belief in one God and the revelations that were given to the prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last of a line of prophets that includes Abraham and Jesus. The Quran is the sacred text of Islam.
Islam is generally divided into three main sects: Sunni, Shia, and Sufism. Sunni Muslims make up the largest Islamic sect, and they accept the first four caliphs as Muhammad’s rightful successors. Shia Muslims believe that Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, was the rightful first caliph. Sufism is a more mystical branch of Islam that emphasizes inner cleansing and spiritual growth.
The three main sects of Islam are the Sunni, Shia, and Sufi.
What are the 4 types of Islam?
The four main Sunni schools of thought are the Hanbali, Hanafi, Maliki and Shafei. Each school is named after its founder, and each has its own distinct approach to jurisprudence. Egypt is traditionally Maliki, but there is a significant minority of Hanafis.
Sunni Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad’s successor should be chosen by consensus of the Muslim community. Shia Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad’s successor should be Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law.
The split between Sunni and Shia Muslims occurred in the year 632 CE, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. At the time, there was a dispute over who should succeed the Prophet as the leader of the Muslim community. The majority of Muslims, who became known as Sunni Muslims, believed that the Prophet’s successor should be chosen by consensus of the Muslim community. The minority of Muslims, who became known as Shia Muslims, believed that the Prophet’s successor should be Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law.
Today, there are approximately 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, with the vast majority being Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims make up a minority of Muslims, accounting for approximately 10-15% of the Muslim population.
How are Sunni and Shia different
Since the 1970s, there has been growing tension between Sunni and Shi’a communities in parts of the Middle East. This is largely due to the different focus of each community. Sunnis focus on following the Prophet’s example, while Shi’a focus on the lineage of Muhammad’s family through a series of Imams.
The Iranian Revolution in 1979 was a major turning point, as the new Shi’a government in Iran began to support Shi’a communities in other countries. This has led to Sunni governments feeling threatened, and has resulted in increased tensions and conflict.
Sunni:
The largest sect of Islam, Sunni Muslims believe that the first four caliphs were the rightful successors to the Prophet Muhammad.
Shi’a:
A smaller sect, Shi’a Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad’s rightful successor was Ali, the fourth caliph.
Ahmadiyya:
A minority sect, Ahmadiyya Muslims believe that Muhammad was not the final prophet.
Ibadi:
The smallest sect of Islam, Ibadi Muslims are found primarily in Oman. They reject the idea of the caliphate and believe that any Muslim can be a leader.
Sufism:
Sufism is a mystic tradition within Islam that emphasizes the inner spiritual life of Muslims.
Why did Sunni and Shia split?
In 632, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, there was a disagreement over who should succeed him. This disagreement led to the split of Muslims into two main sects: Sunni and Shia. Both sects have different beliefs and practices, but they are united in their belief in Allah and the Prophet Muhammad.
There are two main branches of Islam: Sunni and Shiite. Sunnis make up the majority of Muslims, while Shiites are a minority.
Shiites believe that the Prophet Mohammed should have been succeeded by his son-in-law, Imam Ali. They believe that the leadership of the Muslim world should pass through the prophet’s descendants.
Sunnis, on the other hand, don’t believe that the leadership of the Muslim world should necessarily pass through hereditary succession.
When did Sunni and Shia split?
The death of the prophet Muhammad left a power vacuum in the Muslim community, which was quickly filled by the caliph Abu Bakr. However, not everyone was happy with this arrangement, and a faction of Muslims led by Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, disputed Abu Bakr’s claim to the caliphate. This led to the first major rift in the Muslim community, between the Sunni, who supported Abu Bakr, and the Shia, who supported Ali.
The Sunni-Shia divide has been a major source of conflict in the Muslim world ever since, and shows no signs of abating anytime soon.
Sunni Muslims follow the sunnah, or the oral traditions and interpretations of the Koran. They believe that the position of Caliph, the leader of the Islamic community, should be an elected position, not one that is passed down through direct lineage from Mohammed.
Are there more Sunni or Shia
Sunnis are the largest group of Muslims in the world and are estimated to make up between 74-90% of the Muslims population. The term Sunni comes from the word sunnah, which means “tradition” or “way”. The Sunni tradition is based on the belief that the Prophet Muhammad was the supreme leader of the Muslim community and that his teachings (the sunnah) should be followed. The Sunni tradition is also founded on the four legal schools of thought (madhhab), which are used to interpret the sunnah and to make decisions on religious matters. Shia Muslims are a minority group within Islam, estimated to make up between 10-13% of the Muslim population. Shia comes from the Arabic word shia, which means “follower”. The Shia tradition is based on the belief that the Prophet Muhammad’s nephew and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, was the rightful heir to the Prophet Muhammad and the first Imam (leader) of the Muslim community. The Shia tradition is also founded on the concept of the Imamate, which is the belief that certain individuals have been divinely ordained to lead the Muslim community.
Afghanistan is a Muslim country with a Sunni majority. Shia Muslims make up a quarter of the population. There has been religious intolerance and sectarian conflict in recent years, but there are also some people of other religions living in Afghanistan.
Is Egypt Sunni or Shia?
Islam is the predominant religion in Egypt, with around 90% of the population following the faith. The vast majority of Muslims in the country are Sunni, with a small minority of Shia Muslims also present. The Sunni Muslims in Egypt generally follow the Maliki school of jurisprudence, though all legal schools are represented.
There are a few key differences between Shia and Sunni Muslims, one of which is how often they pray. Sunni Muslims pray five times a day, whereas Shia Muslims can combine prayers to pray three times a day. Shia prayers can often be identified by a small tablet of clay, from a holy place (often Karbala), on which they place their forehead while bowing in prayer.
What are the largest sects of Islam
A group in Islam is a collection of individuals who share common beliefs and practices. Groups may be numerous, with the largest branches being Shīʿas and Sunnīs, or relatively small in size, like Ibadis, Zaydīs, and Ismāʿīlīs.
Of the Turkish people who practice Islam, approximately 80% are Sunni, belonging mostly to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. The other 20% practice a form of Shia Islam, mostly the Alevi faith.
What are Shiite Muslims?
A Shiite is a Muslim who follows specific religious traditions that are different from those of other Muslims. Shiites are the second-largest branch of Islam, after Sunnis. A Shiite believes that Mohammed’s son-in-law, Ali, was his legitimate successor as political and religious leader. Ali was the fourth caliph, or leader of the Muslim community, but was not recognized as such by all Muslims. This disagreement led to the split between Shiites and Sunnis.
Although Iraq is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, it is both religiously and ethnically diverse. More than 95 percent of the population is Muslim, but this total is divided between Shiites who constitute about 55-60 percent and Sunnis who represent 35-40 percent. Christians and other minorities make up the remaining 5 percent.
Final Words
Sunni, Shia, and Sufi
In conclusion, there are three main sects of Islam: Sunni, Shia, and Sufism. Each sect has different beliefs and practices, but allMuslims share the same core beliefs.
