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2023-08-10 
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After the death of the Holy Prophet the Muslims were divided into two schools - the Shi'ah and the Sunni. Both agree that the religious rites and law (Shari) depend on existence of a vicegerent (deputy) and the representative of the Prophet. This person is the religious leader (Imam) of the faith and the faithful, the Supreme Jurist (Marja) and the Head of the Muslim Nation (Caliph).
According to the Shi'ah school, this leadership can only be occupied by the descendants of Abraham through his son Ishmael (peace be upon them) and his descendants (i.e. Muhammad and his descendants). The Imam (leader) must also be infallible (masoom) and cannot perform any sin or mistake, since God will not allow the Muslims to be led astray by a wrongful person because he will not send any other Prophet after Muhammad to guide mankind. The Shi'ah also believe after Muhammad (peace be upon him & his descendants) there are only Twelve Imams; the first being Ali (peace be upon him), the cousin, the adopted son and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet (also accepted by the Sunni's as the fourth Caliph); and the last being the Mahdi (peace be upon him), the Awaited Saviour. Both Shi'ah and Sunni believe that the prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will reappear during the time of the Twelfth Imam.
Islam teaches the Muslims to live their lives according to what is revealed in the Holy Qur'an and the way or example of the Prophet Muhammad (the Sunnah). The Shi'ah claim that the Sunnah can only be taught by the Twelve Imams (peace be upon them), because only they, like the prophets are infallible; and cannot knowingly or unknowingly mislead the People. The Shi'ah also believe that the head of the government (Caliph) is a function of the Imam.
The Sunni school believe the head of the government (Caliphs) does not have to be infallible and also does not have to be a descendant of Ishmael. After the death of the Prophet they accepted the caliphate of Abu Bakr a companion of the Prophet. They accept the Twelve Imams as very pious scholars; along with others, but do not accept them as leaders of the community. They accept religious teachings from the Imams as well as from the companions of the Prophet; and even some disciples of these companions; and make religious decisions on consensus (the Shi'ah accept only the teachings from the Imams who according to them are the direct authority from Allah and his Messenger and there is no need for consensus regarding their judgement).
The Sunni's themselves are divided into four other schools which have some minor differences in religious law.
Although differences exist between the Shi'ah and the Sunni schools, they cannot be compared to the differences between, for example, the Catholics and Protestants in Christianity since; both Shi'ah and Sunni follow the same Holy Book (The Qur'an), they accept each other as Muslims, they pray in the same mosques, and Shi'ah-Sunni marriages are accepted by both schools.
Today, the World Muslim population is around two billion, the majority (70%) comprising the four Sunni schools and the rest being Shi'ah.
Heretical Sects
There are other groups such as: the Nusairi, the Ismaili, the Nation of Islam, the Qadhiani etc... comprising less than 5% of the total Muslim population, who claim to be Muslim but are rejected as heretics by both Shi'ah and Sunni schools.
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