Divisions In Islam Within The Major Branches

Islam is a multifaceted religion, that according to CAIR has 1.200 billion followers from every race and every century in the world. this has survived harassments, defeat and insult since its founding by the prophet Mohammed (PUBH) in 1440ad. Since its founding, different groups and philosophies have feast from the unique peaceful teachings over 1,000 years ago.

One of the most media popular sects in Islam is the Shia's, they show their feelings of the Prophets brother’s death by a ritual self-mutilation. This is expressed in ways for example taking sharp or bladed tools and repeatedly tapping their heads and/or body, even after they are bleeding. Though this show and personal expression of Islam may seem dangerous but this is not any person's place to say how one must follow their religion. There is leadership and there is individual expression.

With all of the media emphasis on the violence and Islam in the recent years, this has produced a very real separation within the Islamic community and has involuntary Muslims to re-evaluate their politics and confidence. The moderate Muslims trust in the right for all confidences to spend peacefully together and the good way to represent your disapproval over political issues is through nonviolent complaint and agitation. The hard liner Muslims however believe that Islam is the only way and Sharia law should be compulsory on society for there to be peace. These Muslims are mentioned to as radicals and their views are careful to be dangerous, as they are not opposite to utilize violence.

This rift within Islam is not touched by non-Muslims and they would never truly be gifted to feel the influence this has on someone except it is you. Since the terrorist bouts on Sept 11, 2001, there have been numerous chauvinistic attacks on Muslims around the world. Any terrorist attacks by radicals have often ended up moving reasonable Muslims. Peaceful and law abiding Muslims are being made to feel marginalized and as if they need to apologies for their religion because of these attacks even though the majority of Muslims abhor the use of violence.

The reasonable Muslims have often strained to separate themselves from the radicals but the media isn't so kind in its depiction of Islam and terrorism. Television, newspaper and radio are quick to point to Islam and violence as being related to one another. This fallacy has produced a great amount of distress and is even counterproductive in the fight against terrorism as this will only help to further estrange those reasonable Muslims who are already feeling wronged for attacks they were never even responsible for.

Lastly, Sunnis trust that this was for the believers to form a group to select the next leader after Muhammad, and this must be a decision made by the community. They chose Muhammad's lifelong friend Abu Bakr.

Within every branch there are many sub-branches, however, there is no generally accepted means of subdivision. Such as, here are three different ways to divide the Sunni branches of Islam, none of which is a wrong division.