About this article. This site generally presents the mainstream Sunni perspective. This article is an exception in scope: it describes both the Sunni and Shia traditions as fairly and neutrally as possible, because understanding the two branches is part of understanding Islam.

What they share

By far the most important thing to know is how much Sunni and Shia Muslims hold in common. Both affirm the oneness of God (Tawhid), the Quran as God's word, Muhammad ﷺ as the final prophet, the five pillars, and the articles of faith.234 The Quran itself calls believers to unity:

"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided."

— Quran 3:103 (Saheeh International)1

How the division began

The split was not originally about doctrine but about leadership. When the Prophet ﷺ died in 632 CE, the community had to decide who should lead it:

  • Those who became known as Sunnis (from ahl al-sunnah, "people of the [Prophet's] practice") held that the community should follow the leadership of the caliphs it chose — beginning with Abu Bakr and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs.
  • Those who became known as Shia (from shi'at Ali, "the party of Ali") held that leadership rightly belonged to the Prophet's family, beginning with his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Over the following centuries these positions developed into two distinct traditions.234

Where they differ

The differences that grew from this starting point include views on religious authority — Shia Islam developed the concept of the Imams as divinely guided leaders from the Prophet's family — along with some differences in law, practice, and which collections of hadith are emphasized.23 These are real differences, but they sit atop a shared foundation of core belief and worship.

How many are there?

Sunni Muslims are the large majority of the world's Muslims — roughly 85–90% — while Shia Muslims make up roughly 10–15%, with significant populations in countries such as Iran and Iraq.523

In short

Sunni and Shia are the two main branches of Islam, divided originally by a question of leadership after the Prophet's death rather than by the fundamentals of faith. Both are Muslims who worship the one God, follow the Quran and the Prophet ﷺ, and observe the five pillars — sharing far more than divides them.