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The religion of Islam has many divisions, Sect s, schools, traditions, and related faiths. This page attempts to record and summarize these various beliefs. MAJOR BRANCHES Sunni See Also: Sunni Islam Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam. They are also referred to as ''Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h'' or ''Ahl as-Sunnah''. The word ''Sunni'' comes from the word '' Sunnah '', which means the teachings and actions or examples of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad . Therefore, the term Sunni refers to those who follow or maintain the Sunnah of the Prophet, Muhammad. Unlike the Shi`a, Sunni believe that Muhammad died without appointing any successor to lead the Muslim community. After an initial period of confusion, a group of his most prominent companions gathered and elected Abu Bakr , the Prophet's close friend and father-in-law, as the first Caliph . Sunnis regard the first four caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab , Uthman Ibn Affan and Ali Ibn Abi Talib as the "Rashidun" or " The Rightly Guided Caliphs ". Sunnis believe that the position of Caliph may be democratically chosen, but after the first four Rightly Guided Calliphs the position turned into a hereditary Dynastic rule. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1923 , there has never been another widely recognized Caliph. Shi`a See Also: Shi`a Islam Shi`a Islam is the second largest denomination of Islam. Shi`a Muslims believe that similar to the appointment of prophets (over 124,000 in total), Imams or Caliphs after Prophet Muhammad are also chosen by God and not humans. According to Shias, Ali was chosen by Allah and thus appointed by Muhammad to be the direct successor and leader of the Muslim community. They regard him as the first Imam , which continued as a hereditary position through Fatima and Ali's descendants. The largest group of Shi`a Muslims believe in a total of Twelve Imams . The twelfth Imam is believed to be in occultation, and will appear again just before the End Times . The Shi`a Hadith s include the sayings of the Imams. Many Muslims criticise the Shia for certain beliefs and practices, including practices such as the Mätam . Kharijite See Also: Kharijite The smallest of the major branches of Islam, the Kharijite movement was extremely active during its early years. They accepted the caliphate of Abu Bakr , Umar , and supported the caliphate of Ali until he agreed with a peaceful arbitration with Muawiya over the rule of the Ummah. They created many kingdoms in history. The last living group associated with the Kharijite movement are the Ibadi , though they themselves reject this label totally. Sufi See Also: Sufism Not strictly a denomination, Sufism is a mystical-ascetic form of Islam. By focusing on the more spiritual aspects of religion, Sufis strive to obtain direct experience of God by making use of "intuitive and emotional faculties" that one must be trained to use.Trimingham (1998), p.1 Sufism is usually considered to be complementary, although Sufism has been criticized by many Muslims for being an unjustified " Bid‘ah " or Religious Innovation . The Sufi orders, or '' Tarīqas '', are associated with Sunni Islam. One starts with Islamic Law , the exoteric or mundane practice of Islam and then is initiated onto the mystical path of a Tarīqah. Most Sufi followers consider themselves as Sunni, while there are others who consider themselves as just 'Sufi'. SUNNISM Schools of Fiqh See Also: Madhhab Madhhab is an Islamic term that refers to a school of thought or religious jurisprudence, or Fiqh , within Sunni Islam . Each of the Ashaab had a unique school of jurisprudence, but these schools were gradually consolidated or discarded so that there are currently four recognized schools. The differences between these schools of thought manifest in minor practical differences, as most Sunni Muslims consider them all fundamentally the same. Hanafi See Also: Hanafi Founded by Imam Abu Hanifa , Hanafi is considered to be the school most open to modern ideas. It is predominant among Sunni Muslims in northern Egypt, the Indian subcontinent, Iraq, Turkey, Balkans and in many western countries. =Deobandi See Also: Deobandi One of the two major divisions of the Hanafi school of thought on the Indian Subcontinent . Deobandi are Muslims of South Asia and Afghanistan , and have more recently spread to other countries such as South Africa and the United Kingdom . Deobandis follow the Fiqh of Imam Abu Hanifa . The Taliban are reputed to follow the teachings of the Deoband school, although a strict and simplistic version of the school's teachings. =Barelwi See Also: Barelwi One of the two major divisions of the Hanafi school of thought on the Indian Subcontinent . The Barelwis are followers of a movement within Sunni Islam that started in India , who follow the Fiqh of Imam Abu Hanifa . They perform several acts of invention such as visiting graves, limited veneration the Prophet or saints/walis, Milad, etc., all of which are held to be correct by Barelwis. The fiercest opponents of the Barelwis are Sunni reformationist movements such as Deobandism in India, and Wahabbism in Saudi Arabia. Generally Barelwis call themselves the ''Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaah'', or often, simply ''Sunnis''. The Barelwis have been criticised by many Muslims for their attitudes and actions such as, in 2006, Mufti Abdul Mannan Karimi announced that they had annulled the Marriage s of 200 Barelwi adherents for attending Prayers led by a Deobandi Cleric . Hanbali See Also: Hanbali Hanbali is considered to be the most conservative of the four schools and the one that relies on Hadeeth the most. The school was started by the students of Imam Ahmad, whose name was Ahmad bin Hanbal (d. 855). Hanbali jurisprudence is predominant among Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula Maliki See Also: Maliki The Maliki school derives from the work of Imam Malik . Maliki is practiced in North Africa and West Africa. It is the second-largest of the four schools, followed by approximately 25% of Muslims. Shafi'i See Also: Shafi'i Shafi'i was founded by Imam Shafi'i , and has adherents among many high ranking Islamic scholars. It is practiced throughout the Ummah , but is most prevalent in Egypt, Somalia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, and is the school of thought officially followed by the government of Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia. It is followed by approximately 15% of Muslims world-wide. Schools of Kalam See Also: Kalam Kalam is one of the 'religious sciences' of Islam. In Arabic the word means "speech" or "discourse", and refers to the Islamic tradition of seeking theological principles through dialectic. The term is usually translated as 'theology'. Ash'ari See Also: Ash'ari Ash'ari is a school of Early Muslim Philosophy founded in the tenth century. It was instrumental in drastically changing the direction of Islam and laid the groundwork to "shut the door of Ijtihad " centuries later in the Ottoman Empire . The Asharite view was that comprehension of unique nature and characteristics of God were beyond human capability. Maturidi See Also: Maturidi A Maturidi is one who follows Abu Mansur Al Maturidi 's theology, which is a close variant of the Ash'ari school. Points which differ are the nature of belief and the place of human reason. The Maturidis state that belief (iman) does not increase nor decrease but remains static; it is piety (taqwa) which increases and decreases. The Ash'aris say that belief does in fact increase and decrease. The Maturidis say that the unaided human mind is able to find out that some of the more major sins such as alcohol or murder are evil without the help of revelation. The Ash'aris say that the unaided human mind is unable to know if something is good or evil, lawful or unlawful, without divine revelation. Murjite See Also: Murji'ah Mu'tazili See Also: Mu'tazili Mu'tazili theology originated in the 8th Century in Al-Basrah when Wasil Ibn Ata left the teaching lessons of Al-Hasan Al-Basri after a theological dispute. He and his followers expanded on the logic and rationalism of Greek Philosophy , seeking to combine them with Islamic doctrines and show that the two were inherently compatible. The Mu'tazili debated philosophical questions such as whether the Qur'an was created or eternal, whether Evil was created by God , the issue of Predestination versus Free Will , whether God's attributes in the Qur'an were to be interpreted allegorically or literally, and whether sinning believers would have eternal punishment in Hell . SHI`ISM Twelvers See Also: Twelvers Twelvers are members of the group of Shi'a Islam who believe in twelve Imams . They are the largest Shi'a school of thought (80%), predominant in Azerbaijan , Iran , Iraq , Lebanon , Indian Subcontinent , Kuwait , Eastern Province Of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain . Usooli See Also: Usooli The largest group of Twelver Shi'a, they follow Ayatollahs on the subject of Taqleed and Fiqh . They are concentrated in Iran , Iraq , and Lebanon . Akhbari See Also: Akhbari Similar to Usoolis, however reject ijtihad in favor of hadith. Concentrated in Bahrain . Shaykhi See Also: Shaykhism A school of thought that combined ideas of Akhbari scholarship with Sufi beliefs. Alawi See Also: Alawi Twelvers in Syria who regard Ali as having Godhood, much like Christians believe with Jesus Christ. Alawis are also called Nusayris, Nusairis, Namiriya or Ansariyya. An offshoot of the Ismailis, Alawis claim to be Muslims, but they are not considered so by many Muslims, as their religion contains elements of other faiths, such as Christianity. Alawis do not have a central religious or temporal authority. They do not set aside a particular building for worship and only men take part in worship. Because many of the tenets of the faith are secret, Alawis have refused to discuss their faith with outsiders. Slightly over one million of them live in Syria and Lebanon. {Link without Title} Alevi See Also: Alevi Alevis are sometimes categorized as part of Twelver Shi'a Islam, and sometimes as its own religious tradition. They have many Sufi characteristics and express belief in the Qur'an and the Shi'a Imam s, but reject polygamy and accept religious traditions predating Islam, like Turkish Shamanism . They are significant in East-Central Turkey. Sometimes considered a Sufi sect, and have an untraditional form of religious leadership that is not scholarship oriented like other Sunni and Shiah groups. They number around 25 million worldwide, of which 22 million are in Turkey, rest in Balkan, Albania, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Syria. Ismailiyah See Also: Ismaili The Ismailis and Twelvers both accept the same initial Imam s from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and therefore share much of their early history. However, a dispute arose on the succession of the Sixth Imam , Ja'far As-Sadiq . The Ismailis became those who accepted Ja'far 's eldest son Ismail as the next Imam , whereas the Twelvers accepted a younger son, Musa Al-Kazim . Nizari See Also: Nizari The largest branch (90%) of Ismaili, they are the only Shiah group to be have their absolute temporal leader in the rank of Imamate, which is currently invested in Aga Khan IV ; present (Zuhur) in front of the society at large. The present living Imam is Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Husayni who is the 49th Imam. Druze See Also: Druze The Druze are a small distinct community, with aspects of Greek Philosophy . Many Muslims view Druzes as heretical. The religion developed in the 11th century around the figure of Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah , the third Fatimid Caliph of Egypt who claimed to be God. The Druze keep the tenets of their Faith secret, and very few details are known. They neither accept converts nor recognize conversion from their religion to another. They are located primarily in the Levant . Bohras See Also: Bohra In contrast to the Nizaris, they accept the younger brother Al-Musta'li over Nizar as their Imam. The Bohras believe that the 21st Imam, Imam Taiyab Abi Al-Qasim (a direct descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatimah Zahra) went into seclusion and established the offices of the Da'i Al-Mutlaq (داعي المطلفق), Ma'zoon (مأذون) and Mukasir (مكاسر) =Dawoodi Bohras See Also: Dawoodi Bohra Dawoodi Bohras are the main branch of the Bohras (a Musta'li subsect of Ismaili Shi'a Muslims) based in Pakistan and India. =Sulamaini Bohras See Also: Sulaimani Bohra Split from the Dawoodi Bohra over would would be the correct Dai of the community. Concentrated mainly in Yemen . =Alavi Bohras See Also: Alavi Bohra Split from the Dawoodi Bohra over who would be the correct Dai of the community. The smallest branch of the Bohras. Zaiddiyah See Also: Zaiddiyah Zaiddiyahs separated from the Twelver and Ismaili sects of Shi'a Islam over a disagreement as to who the fifth Imam was. Twelvers and Ismailis believe it was Muhammad Al-Baqir , while Zaidis hold that it was his half-brother, Zayd Ibn Ali . KHARIJITE SECTS See Also: Kharijite Kharijite (lit. "those who seceded") is a general term embracing a variety of Islamic sects which, while originally supporting the or Caliph . While there are few remaining Kharijite groups, the term is sometimes used to denote Muslims who refuse to compromise with those with whom they disagree. Ibadi See Also: Ibadi The only surviving Kharijite sect -at least by name- is the Ibadi, which is concentrated principally in Oman, being formed there less than 50 years after the death of Muhammad. They believe that non-Ibadi Muslims are unbelievers, and follow a line of caliphs that goes from Abu Bakr, to Umar, to Uthman, to Ali, then to Abdullah ibn Wahb al-Rasibi. Specific beliefs include: friendship and unity with the practicing true believers, dis-association and hostility towards unbelievers and sinners, and reservation towards those whose status is unclear. While Ibadi Muslims maintain the beliefs of the original Kharijites, they have rejected the more aggressive methods. Sufri See Also: Sufri The Sufris () were a Sect of Islam in the 7th and 8th Centuries , and a part of the Kharijites . They believe Sura 12 of the Qur'an is not a real Sura . SUFI ORDERS See Also: Tariqah Bektashi See Also: Bektashi The Bektashi Order was founded in the 13th Century by the Islamic saint Hajji Bektash Wali , and greatly influenced during its fomulative period by the Hurufi Ali al-'Ala in the 15th Century and reorganized by Balim Sultan in the 16th Century . Bektashi are concentrated in Turkey and Albania. Chishti See Also: Chishti The Chishti Order () was founded by ( Khawaja ) Abu Ishaq Shami ("the Syrian") (d. 941 ) who brought Sufism to the town of Chisht , some 95 miles east of Herat in present-day Afghanistan . Before returning to the Levant, Shami initiated, trained and deputized the son of the local Amir , (Khwaja) Abu Ahmad Abdal (d. 966 ). Under the leadership of Abu Ahmad’s descendants, the ''Chishtiyya'' as they are also known, flourished as a regional mystical order. Naqshbandi See Also: Naqshbandi The Naqshbandi order is one of the major Sufi orders ( Tariqa ) of Islam . Formed in 1380, the order is considered by some to be a "sober" order known for its silent Dhikr (remembrance of God) rather than the vocalized forms of dhikr common in other orders. The word ''Naqshbandi'' نقشبندی is Persian , taken from the name of the founder of the order, Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari . Some have said that the translation means "related to the image-maker," some also consider it to mean "Pattern Maker" rather than "image maker," and interpret "Naqshbandi" to mean "Reformer of Patterns", and others consider it to mean "Way of the Chain" or "Golden Chain." Oveyssi See Also: Oveyssi The Oveyssi Order was founded 1,400 years ago by Oveys Gharani from Yemen . Oveys received the teachings of Islam inwardly through his heart and lived by the principles taught by him, although he had never physically met the Holy Prophet. At times Mohammad would say of him, "I feel the breath of the Merciful, coming to me from Yemen.” Shortly before the Mohammad passed away, he directed Omar (second Caliph) and Ali (the first Imam of the Shi'a) to take his cloak to Uwais. According to Hujwiri , Farid Al-Din Attar of Nishapur and Sheikh Mohammad Ghader Bagheri, the first recipient of Mohammad’s Cloak was Oveys. The Oveyssi order is still in existence today with over 500,000 students and numerous centers worldwide. The present Pir, Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Shah Angha , was officially appointed as the forty-second Sufi master in the unbroken chain of transmission on September 4 , 1970 , when the cloak of the prophet Mohammad was bestowed upon him by his father Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha . Qadiri See Also: Qadiriyyah The Qadiri Order is one of the oldest Sufi Tariqah s, derives its name from Abdul Qadir Jilani (1077-1166), a native of the Iran ian province of Gilan . In 1134 he was made principal of a Hanbali te school in Baghdad . The order is one of the most widespread of the Sufi orders in the Islamic world and can be found in India , Pakistan , Turkey and the Balkans and much of East and West Africa . The Qadiriyyah has not developed any distinctive doctrines or teachings outside of mainstream Islam. They believe in the fundamental principles of Islam, but interpreted through mystical experience. Suhrawardiyya See Also: Suhrawardiyya The Suhrawardiyya order ( order founded by Diya Al-din Abu 'n-Najib As-Suhrawardi ( 1097 – 1168 ). MOVEMENTS WITHIN SECTS Salafism See Also: Salafi Salafis preach Islamic Monotheism , or Tawhid , and gained significant teachings from Ibn Taymiya , a 14th century Syrian scholar. Salafism is in general opposed to Sufism and Shi'a Islam , which they regard as heresies. Salafi theology advocates a puritanical and legalistic stance in matters of faith and religious practice. They see their role as a movement to restore Islam from what they perceive to be innovations, superstitions, deviances, heresies and idolatries. Wahhabism See Also: Wahhabism Wahhabism was revived by the 18th-century teacher Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Wahhab in the Arabian peninsula, and was instrumental in the rise of the House Of Saud to power. Wahhabism is a puritanical and legalistic Islamic movement under the Sunni umbrella, and is the dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia . In addition to the Qur'an and Hadith , it also accepts various commentaries including Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's ''Kitab al-Tawhid'' ("Book of Monotheism"), and the works of the earlier scholar Ibn Taymiyya . They are often associated with the Hanbali Maddhab . Liberal See Also: Liberal movements within Islam Liberal and progressive movements have in common a religious outlook which depends mainly on Ijtihad or re-interpretations of scriptures. Liberal Muslims believe in greater autonomy of the individual in interpretation of scripture, a critical examination of religious texts, gender equality, and a modern view of culture, tradition, and other ritualistic practices in Islam. Islamism See Also: Islamism Islamism is a term that refers to a set of political ideologies derived from various fundamentalist views, which hold that Islam is not only a religion, but a political system governing the legal, economic and social imperatives of the state. The religious views of Islamist organizations vary. The most prominent group is probably Al-Qaeda , to which the hijackers of the September 11, 2001 Attacks were affiliated. Other groups include the Muslim Brotherhood , the largest opposition party in Egypt , and Hezbollah in Lebanon . Although violence is often employed by some organizations as a means to an end, not all Islamist movements are violent. Tablighi Jama'at See Also: Tablighi Jamaat Originating in India in 1838 in the Mewat province, Tablighi Jama'at aims to bring spiritual awakening to the world Muslim s. It was Mawlana Muhammad Ilyas who laid the spiritual foundation of the Movement. OTHER SECTS ''The followers of these sects consider themselves to be Muslim, but may not be recognized as such by the mainstream.'' Zikri See Also: Zikri Zikri is claimed to be based around the teachings of Syed Mohammad Jaunpuri , a 15th Century Mahdi claimant. In religious practice, the Zikris differ greatly from mainstream Muslims. Zikris perform five times daily prayers called Zikr in which sacred verses are recited, as compared to the orthodox practice of Salah . Most Zikris live in Balochistan , but a large number also live in Karachi , interior Sindh , Oman and Iran . Ahmadiyya See Also: Ahmadiyya Members of the Ahmadiyya (also called Qadiani and Mirzai) movement are followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , who claimed to be the promised Messiah , and Mahdi at end of the nineteenth century. The followers are divided into two groups, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement , the former believing that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was a non-law bearing Prophet, and the latter believing that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was only a revivalist. Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmed consider themselves Muslim but they are considered non-Muslim by the other Muslims because of the issue of prophethood of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad . Nation of Islam See Also: Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam was founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 with a declared aim of "resurrecting" the spiritual, mental, social and economic condition of the black man and woman of America and the world. The expressed teachings of the Nation of Islam have been subject to many changes, with at one point believing Fard to be God incarnate, being re-named the Muslim American Society, having a major division, and then a reconciliation. It is viewed by almost all Muslims as a heretical cult. Warith Deen Muhammad , a former leader of the Nation of Islam, and now a Sunni Muslim, as well as many other former members and others have been calling the Nation of Islam to merge into mainstream Sunni Islam. Moorish Science See Also: Moorish Science Temple of America This faith was founded by Timothy Drew in 1913 in the United States . Its main tenet is that African Americans were descended from the Moors and thus were originally Islamic. Its followers claim it to be a sect of Islam but it also has almost equal influences in Buddhism , Christianity , Freemasonry , Gnosticism and Taoism . They have their own book that they call " Circle Seven Koran ". Submitters See Also: United Submitters International The United Submitters International (USI) is a religious group, founded by Dr. , USA. ''Qur'an Alone'' See Also: Qur'an Alone "Qur'an-Aloners", or "Qur'anists" are those who follow the Quran alone without additional details. They are further divided into groups. RELATED FAITHS The followers of these religions do not consider themselves to be Muslim, but have a strong connection to the religion of Islam. Yazidi See Also: Yazidi The Yazidi are adherents of a small Middle Eastern religion. They are primarily ethnic Kurds , and most live near Mosul, Iraq . Yazidi theology is complex and are closely guarded secrets. They venerate a supreme creator God, and another entity called " Melek Taus ", variably translated as "King Peacock" or "The Peacock Angel". They celebrate Sheikh Adi Ibn Musafir , a 12th century leader who reformed the religion. Like the Druze and the Mandaeans , they have suffered persecution from the dominant Muslims. Bábism See Also: Bábism In 1844 a young man from Shiraz, Iran proclaimed to be the Mahdi and took on the title of "The Báb ". The religion he began officially broke away from Islam , and gained a significant following in Iran. His followers were called heretics by the state, and in 1850 the Báb was publicly executed. Most Babis accepted the claims of Bahá'u'lláh , henceforth considering themselves Bahá'ís . Religious Dissidence and Urban Leadership: Bahais in Qajar Shiraz and Tehran , by Juan Cole, originally published in Iran: Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies 37 (1999): 123-142 Bahá'í Faith See Also: Bahá'í Faith Following the death of the Báb the majority of Bábís turned to Bahá'u'lláh , a respected leader of that community, eventually calling themselves Bahá'ís. Bahá'ís believe that the Bábí and Islamic prophecies of the end times and the return of the Mahdi and Jesus were fulfilled. As does the Shaykhi school of Islamic interpretation, to which this group is historically connected, Bahá'ís interpret Islamic (and other) Eschatology symbolically and metaphorically. Bahá'ís believe Bahá'u'lláh to be a Manifestation Of God , a messenger on par with Muhammad. Due to its background and history, it is sometimes categorized as a sect of Islam, which is denied by its adherents and the Muslim mainstream. Bahá'ís are persecuted as Apostate s in some Islamic countries, especially Iran . Sikhism See Also: Sikhism Sikhism has had strong influence from both Islam and Hinduism but more from the latter. Five Percenters See Also: The Nation of Gods and Earths An offshoot of the Nation Of Islam , this group was formed in Harlem, New York in the late 1960s by Clarence 13X, who proclaimed himself to be Allah (God). The group believes God is black and focuses on bringing justice to African-American youth. They have little relation to mainstream Islam, except that they use the expression " Allahu Akbar ". Nuwaubu See Also: Nuwaubianism At various times known as the "Ansaaru Allah Community", "Nubian Islamic Hebrews" and Nuwaubians , this group no longer pretends to be Muslim. Its founder and leader, Dwight York , was known as "As Sayyid Al Imaam Issa Al Haadi Al Mahdi" (which means 'The Chief The Leader Jesus The Guide The Messiah' in Arabic) and other similar names when he was claiming to be a Muslim and the successor to Elijah Mohammed. The religion is now based on ancient Sumerian and Egyptian religions with extraterrestrial revelations from the alien spirit inhabiting York. REFERENCES SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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