What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite Muslims?
SUNNI and Shiite Islam are the two major denominations of the religion.
Although both have much in common, there are several key differences.
What is the difference between Sunni and Shiite Muslims?
The main difference between Sunni and Shiite Muslims is their belief surrounding who should have succeeded the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD.
Historically, Sunni Muslims believed that Abu Bakr was the rightful successor, while Shiite, or Shia, Muslims thought it should have been Ali ibn Abi Talib.
On top of this, Sunnis tend to have less elaborate religious hierarchy than Shiites.
The Shiite view is that the 12 Imams inherited their positions as exclusive Muslim leaders.
This was through the authority of the Prophet Muhammad and divine ordination as they cannot be publicly elected.
However, Sunnis reject this idea as they do not consider hereditary "imamate" as part of the Islamic faith, instead seeing all prophets recognised by the religion as being divinely ordained.
What was the origin of the Sunni-Shiite split?
The split stemmed from the disagreement over who succeeded Muhammad.
It caused a major dispute in parts of the Muslim world and eventually led to several battles and the Islamic schism.
Abu Bakr was a close companion of Muhammad and the father of his second wife - and most Muslims accepted him being selected as the first legitimate Caliph.
However, a small group of Muslims opposed this and stood behind the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law Ali as he held a direct bloodline.
Robin Wright, a joint fellow at the non-partisan US Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center, told NBC: "The original schism between Islam's two largest sects was not over religious doctrine.
"It was over political leadership."
Sunni-Shiite conflict has continued in the modern world, causing friction in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in Pakistan and Yemen, and throughout the Middle East and South Asia.
Tensions have also risen during the civil wars in Iraq and Syria, the Bahraini uprising, and the formation of militant group ISIS.
What do Sunnis and Shiites have in common?
Sunnis and Shiites have co-existed for centuries and share many fundamental beliefs and practices.
Members of both sects read the Quran, or Koran, and believe Prophet Muhammad was the messenger of Allah.
Their prayer rituals are almost identical, praying five times a day, although some Shiites will stand with their hands at their sides while Sunnis put their hands on their stomachs.
And both groups follow the five pillars of Islam, which all Muslims are obligated to fulfil.
They form the foundation of Muslim life and consist of Shahada (faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (giving), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgrimage).
This sees Muslims declare their faith to one God (Allah) and his messenger, prayer five times daily, donate a portion of their wealth to those in need, fast during the holy month of Ramadan, and make the sacred trip to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
How many people constitute each belief?
There were approximately 1.8 billion Muslims globally in 2017, making up around 25 per cent of the population.
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Of this number, more than 90 per cent are Sunni and less than 10 per cent are Shiite.
Sunni Muslims are mainly concentrated in the Middle East, Africa and southern Asia, while Shiites are the majority in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.
