What is the main cause of the separation between Shiite and Sunni Muslims?

Shia and Sunni Islam are the two prominent denominations of Islam. The origin of their separation can be traced back to a dispute over the succession to the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a caliph of the Islamic community.

What is the difference between Shia and Sunni Muslim?

They also both share the holy book of the Quran. The primary difference in practice comes in that Sunni Muslims mainly rely on the Sunnah, a record of the teachings and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad to guide their actions while the Shiites more heavily on their ayatollahs, whom they see as a sign of God on earth.

Where do most Shia Muslim live?

Large numbers of Shia Arab Muslims live in some Arab countries including Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, and Qatar. Shia Muslims are a numerical majority in Iraq and Bahrain. Approximately half of the population in Yemen and half of the Muslims in Lebanon are Shia Muslims.

Who started Islam in India?

Islam arrived in the inland of Indian subcontinent in the 7th century when the Arabs conquered Sindh and later arrived in North India in the 12th century via the Ghurids conquest and has since become a part of India’s religious and cultural heritage.

Who has more followers Sunni or Shia?

According to a study in 2020, Islam has 1.9 billion adherents, making up about 24.7\% of the world population. Most Muslims are either of two denominations: Sunni (87–90\%, roughly 1.7 billion people) or Shia (10–13\%, roughly 180–230 million people).

What is the difference between Sunni and Shia Islam?

Following his death in 632 CE, Islam broke off into two distinct groups: Sunni and Shia. These groups disagreed over who the successor to Muhammad should be. While Sunni muslims chose Abu Bakr as the successor of Mohammad, Shia designated Ali Abi Talib. Years of conflict has occurred between Sunni and Shia Muslim groups.

What is the percentage of Shia in Iran?

Iran – 90-95\%. In Iran, Shia Muslims make up the majority, with 92.2\% of all Muslim population in the country belonging to this sect. Initially, Iran was a Sunni majority until 1500 when Shah Ismail I conquered Iran and forced a conversion of Sunni Muslims to Shia Islam with several Sunnis murdered in the process.

Where do Shia Muslims live in the world?

Significant populations of Shia Muslims can be found in Iran and Iraq. Large Shiite minority communities are also in Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, and Lebanon. It is in areas of the world where Sunni and Shiite populations are in close proximity that conflict can arise. Coexistence in Iraq and Lebanon, for example, is often difficult.

What is the Shia-Sunni conflict in Iraq all about?

Shia continues to fight Sunni Muslims in the country as a result of US inversion of Iraq in 2003. The tension between the sects has led to 2.7 million people being displaced from their homes.