SUNNI MUSLIMS
Sunni Islam is by far the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world’s Muslims. Its name comes from the word Sunnah, referring to the behaviour of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagreement over the succession to Muhammad and subsequently acquired broader political significance, as well as theological and juridical dimensions. According to Sunni traditions, Muhammad designated Abu Bakr his father-in-law as his successor (the first caliph). This contrasts with the Shia view, which holds that Muhammad announced his son-in-law and cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor.
The adherents of Sunni Islam are referred to in Arabic as ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamāʻah (“the people of the Sunnah and the community”) or ahl as-Sunnah for short. In English, its doctrines and practices are sometimes called Sunnism, while adherents are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis, Sunnites and Ahlus Sunnah. Sunni Islam is sometimes referred to as “orthodox Islam”, though some scholars view this translation as inappropriate. Sunni Islam is separated into four main schools namely Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali.
The Quran, together with hadith (especially those collected in Kutub al-Sittah) and binding juristic consensus, form the basis of all traditional jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. Sharia rulings are derived from these basic sources, in conjunction with analogical reasoning, consideration of public welfare and juristic discretion, using the principles of jurisprudence developed by the traditional legal schools. In matters of creed, the Sunni tradition upholds the six pillars of imān (faith) and comprises the Ash’ari and Maturidi schools of Kalam (theology) as well as the textualist school known as traditionalist theology.
