SunniShia

Sunni and Shia Islam are the two largest branches of the Muslim faith. The split arose in the 7th century over who should lead the Muslim community after the Prophet Muhammad's death. Sunnis, whose name derives from ahl al-sunna wa'l-jama'a (the people of the sunna and the community), emphasize communal consultation and the authority of elected or accepted leaders. Shias, from the phrase shi'atu Ali (the partisans of Ali), hold that leadership should come from the Prophet's family, beginning with Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Both groups share core beliefs: the oneness of God (Tawhid), the prophethood of Muhammad, the authority of the Qur'an, the Five Pillars of Islam, and the Day of Judgment. They differ in jurisprudence and ecclesiastical structure. Sunni Islam incorporates several legal schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali) that rely on the Qur'an, hadith, consensus (ijma), and analogy (qiyas). Shia Islam primarily follows Ja'fari jurisprudence, with greater emphasis on reasoning (ijtihad) and the authority of the Imams, particularly in Twelver Shiism, which recognizes a line of twelve Imams starting with Ali.

Historically, the divergence led to political factions and regional dynasties, shaping much of Islamic history. Today, Sunnis constitute the majority of Muslims worldwide; Shias form the majority in Iran and parts of Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, and Lebanon, with substantial communities elsewhere. In many regions Sunnis and Shias live side by side, sharing worship spaces and cultural traditions, while in others sectarian tensions have influenced politics and conflict. Intersecting identities—ethnicity, nationalism, and geography—also shape how Sunni and Shia communities relate to one another.