Major Sects of Islam

• The Sunnis: from sunna (tradition or custom), those who adhere to the standard practice (understod to be of the Prophet). Sunnis are the majority of Muslims and follow four schools of jurisprudence: the Shafii, Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali. They accept the legitimacy of both the Umayyads and Abbasids.
• The Shiites: From shia (supporters), those who recognized Ali as the only legitimate imam (political and religious leader) after the Prophet, and rejected most other caliphs, especially the Umayyads. They developed into several sects which differed in the number of imams they recognized. Most important are:
  • The Twelvers Imamis: The majority of Shiites, they recognize twelve descendants of Ali. Most of Iran became Shiite in the sixteenth century under the Safavids.
  • The Ismailis: Recognize the first six imams, but differ with the Twelvers about the seventh, Ismail, hence their name.
    • The Fatimids: An Ismaili dynasty whose founder claimed descent from Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet and wife of Ali, and established a counter-caliphate in Ifriqiya (909-71), which was later expanded to include Egypt and southern Syria (969-1171).