Shi’ite and Sunni
Divisions within Islam
The Dividing Issue
• Sunni and Shi’ite
Muslims share the
same Islamic beliefs.
• The division is
political and revolves
around the
succession of
Muhammad.
• Should the successor
be of “bloodline…or
leaders most likely to
follow the tenets of
the faith,” is the
question and conflict.
Sunni
• Sunnis believe that the
first four caliphs Muhammad's successors
- should be close advisors
or companions of
Muhammad.
• “Sunnis chose Abu Bakr,
the prophet’s adviser, to
become the first
successor to lead the
Muslim state.”
Shi’ite
• Shia Muslims believe
leadership should be
based on bloodline and
“passed directly to
Muhammad’s cousin/sonin-law, Ali.”
• “Ali and his successors
are called imams,” and are
considered to be
descendants of
Muhammad.
• “Ali was martyred during
Ramadan, the Islamic
month of fasting.”
How did the violence start?
• “In 656, Ali’s supporters killed the third caliph.
Soon after, the Sunnis killed Ali’s son Husain.
• Fighting continued but Sunnis emerged
victorious over the Shiites.”
Populations and Spatial Distribution
• Sunnis account for about 85 percent of the
world's Muslims.
• The Taliban are fundamentalist Sunni Muslims.
• Shi’ites account for about 15 percent of the
world's Muslims.
• Shiites are dominant in Iran and are also the
largest sect in Iraq.
• Pockets of Shiite Islam also exist in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Tajikistan.
Sources
• http://hnn.us/articles/934.html
• http://islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_s
unni.htm
• http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/art/news/
nation_world/sept_11/understandingthecri
sis/islammap.pdf
• http://www.google.com/imgres (Life
Magazine: Unforgettable Photos