The majority of Muslims are Sunnis; 85% of the world’s Muslim population identify as such. In Iran and Iraq Shi’ites are the majority although they comprise about 15% of the Muslim world and are the smaller of the two major Sects of Islam. Sufism or Tasawwuf is often defined as “Islamic mysticism”.
Both sides agree that Prophet Muhammad was the messenger of Allah the one true God. Around 632 a controversy arose over the successor to Muhammad and how it would be determined. Shi’ites believed that Prophet Mohammed should have been succeeded by his son-in-law, Imam Ali, they also believed that leadership of the Muslim world should pass through the prophet’s descendants. Sunnis on the other hand didn’t believe the leadership had to pass through hereditary succession. Sunni’s are committed to the faith and practices established by Mohammad and the four “rightly guided caliphs” who were the first four successors. Rather than caliphs the Shi’ites believe in the Doctrine of Imamism which looks to certain divinely appointed leaders who arise in the direct succession of Muhammad.
Shiites and Sunnis share the Quran but have different collections of the
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The Sunni have no central authority therefore they saught consensus of the Muslim community at first in Medina in the time of Mohammad and later at the local community level when a decision was needed. The Shi’ites rely on The Imams since they are the ones endowed with supernatural authority. Shiites are governed by more hierarchical structures, following living religious leaders. But Sunnis typically follow scholarly texts penned by past religious leaders. Sufi trace their movements origins back to the Qur’an yet they are a branch that aims to develop an individual's consciousness of God though spiritual practices such as chanting, recitation of litanies, music and physical