Authority in IslamSunni and Shi’a Islam

Islam means ‘submission to God’. Sunni and Shi’a Muslims believe in one God. They follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, who was Allah’s messenger. Muhammad received the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an.

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Sunni and Shi’a Islam

There are two main branches of Islam - and .

A day in the life of Ezzy, a basketball player and Sunni Muslim

Sunni is the largest branch of Islam. Shi’a is the second largest branch. Sunni and Shi’a Muslims agree on the basic principles of Islam, such as believing in one God and the importance of the . They also share the same holy book - the .

A day in the life of Business Studies student and Shi'a Muslim, Faizan

The reason there has been a split into different branches is due to differences in belief about who was the rightful to the as leader of the Muslim community after his death.

Question

What are the two main branches of Islam called?