Summary: The two major groups within the Islam are the Sunni and Shia ndash; the Sunni considered by many the ldquo;orthodoxrdquo; branch of Islam, making up the majority of practitioners in the world. The Shia are concentrated in a handful of nations including Iraq and Iran. Islam split into the two factions after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The Sunni backed a series of appointed caliphs as head of the faith ndash; the Shia believed a series of Imams descended from the Prophet were the true leaders of Islam. They get their name from one of those descendants, Muhammadrsquo;s cousin and son-in-law Ali, considered the first Imam. There are also the Sufi to consider. The mystical branch of the faith, most Sufi believe you can find God within yourself. But, Sufism, like the rest of Islam is hardly a monolith; there are a multitude of orders and schools practicing today, including several that sprang up in the West.
