Sunnis and Shias share belief in one God, the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the five pillars. The split began over who should lead the Muslim community after the Prophet's death: Sunnis accepted Abu Bakr and the early caliphs, and Shias held that Ali should have been the successor.
The fuller answer
About 85–90% of Muslims are Sunni, and about 10–15% are Shia, mostly in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Lebanon. Over the centuries, differences in law, in history and in practice emerged: Shias give a special place to Ali and the Imams from his family, and have their own books of hadith and their own commemorations, such as Ashura.
Most Sunni and Shia Muslims have lived side by side in peace for most of history, and intermarry in many places. Conflicts between them have mostly been political, as in the wars of recent decades. Both groups pray towards the Kaaba, perform Hajj together and recite the same Quran. The Quran tells believers to hold firmly to God's rope and not to divide.
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.
Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do.
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.
