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Shia Muslims form a distinct majority of the population in two countries of the Muslim world: Iran and Azerbaijan. Shia Muslims constitute 36.3% of the entire population (and 38.6% of the Muslim population) of the Middle East.
Sunni and Shia Muslims share core Islamic beliefs, but their division stems largely from political disagreements over leadership after Prophet Muhammad's death and led to differing practices and spiritual positions.
Shi’i, member of the smaller of the two major branches of Islam, the Shi’ah, distinguished from the majority Sunnis and characterized especially by the belief that the spiritual and political leadership of the Muslim community was designated to pass through the lineage of Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law.
Today, about 85 percent of the approximately 1.6 billion Muslims around the world are Sunni, while 15 percent are Shia, according to an estimate by the Council on Foreign Relations.
Shi‘a Islam, also known as Shi‘ite Islam or Shia, is the second largest branch of Islam after Sunni Islam. Shias adhere to the teachings of Muhammad and the religious guidance of his family (who are referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt) or his descendants known as Shia Imams.
Here is a primer on the basic differences between Sunni and Shia Islam. What caused the split? A schism emerged after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, and disputes arose over who...
The division between Sunnis and Shi'a is the largest and oldest in the history of Islam. This article compares the similarities and differences between the two.
