The Division of Islam

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The Division of Islam
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Muslims

• There are more than a billion people who are
  Muslims
• Islam is the majority religion in more than 50
  countries
• Islam is the youngest of the 3 great monotheistic
  religions.

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Is Islam a violent religion?

• Many Muslims oppose the Taliban and terrorist
  attacks
• Many Muslims do not believe these acts are
  representative of true Islam. (This would be like
  saying all Christians bomb abortion clinics).

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Muhammad

• Muhammad was the founder of the Islam religion.
• He was born a merchants son in Saudi Arabia
  about 570.
• When he was about 40, he said he was visited by
  the angel Gabriel and two years later he claimed
  to receive messages from God, which continued
  through his life.
• Many of the messages were closely related to the
  teachings of both Judaism and Christianity.

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Muhammad

• When Muhammad died, he did not appoint a
  successor, or replacement to lead the Muslim
  community.
• This led to a period of confusion over who would
  be the leader
• Islam followers could not agree on a leader, and
  Islam became divided into two major sects, Sunni
  Shia

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Sunni Shia

• 85 of the worlds Muslims are Sunni
• 15 are Shia
• The two sects share the same basic beliefs they
  both accept the Koran and adhere to the 5
  pillars.
• Some differences, however, are quite significant.
  
• Shia have political control in ONE country Iran
  but they are the majority in several other Gulf
  Region countries.

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Who would lead Islam?

• A minority of Muslims supported the claim of
  Muhammads cousin son in law Ali to be the
  right leader.
• They became known as the partisans of Ali also
  called Shiat Ali or Shia
• They felt the succession of leaders known as
  imans, would be considered more legitimate
  because of their connection to the prophet
  Muhammad.

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Shia

• The Shia believed that the new caliph must be
  chosen by Allah.
• They believe that Ali was the true successor.
• He was the husband of Muhammads daughter,
  Fatimah.

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Sunni

• The Sunni felt the new leader should be elected
  from among those capable of the job
• Muhammads close friends elected Abu Bakr to be
  the new Caliph.
• He was the Father of Muhammads wife.
• A Caliph is a spiritual leader of Islam.

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Divisions of Islam
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Percentage of Total Muslims

• The total number of Sunni Muslims is 85.
• The total number of Shia Muslims is 15.
• Sunni Islam is the largest sect of the religion.

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Sunni is Green, Shia is Blue
Sunnis live in most Muslim countries, but Shiites
live primarily in Iran, Iraq, and Yemen.