Sunnis

Sunnis are the largest denomination of Islam, comprising the majority of Muslims worldwide. The term Sunni derives from Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah, meaning the people of the Prophet’s tradition and the community. Sunnis emphasize following the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and they regard the community’s consensus (ijma) and analogical reasoning (qiyas) as key sources of guidance.

The Sunni tradition emerged in the first centuries of Islam after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Disputes over succession led to a split with the Shia. Sunnis supported leadership by the community and the Prophet’s companions, rather than hereditary rule, and recognized the first four caliphs—Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali—as legitimate successors.

Sunni jurisprudence developed through four major schools of law—Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali—whose methods differ in detail but share core principles. The central acts of worship include the Five Pillars: confession of faith, daily prayer, almsgiving, fasting in Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Qur'an and the Sunnah are complemented by the concept of ijma (consensus) and, to varying degrees, qiyas (analogy).

Geographically, Sunnis are the majority in much of the Muslim world, including North Africa, the Middle East, parts of South and Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, with communities in Europe and the Americas. The Sunni tradition exists alongside Shia and other currents, and within Sunni Islam diverse practices—such as Sufism—are present in many regions.