Muslims, members of the Islamic faith, follow the teachings of
the Qur’an(Koran). The Qur’an is a compilation of teachings
presented by the prophet Muhammad as revelations to him from
Allah(God) through an angel. These teachings were assembled
and written down by followers during and after Muhammad’s
death in A.D. 632. They include not only spiritual text but
also writings pertaining to legal, military, social, and business
practices. Governments in Islamic countries base their laws on
Islamic law, called the sharia.
There are differences among followers of Islam. Some tailor
their daily lives strictly to Qur’anic tradition. This affects their
food, dress, and other customs as well as their worship. Other
Muslims are more liberal, following the basic requirements of
worship and holy day observations but not adhering to every
instruction of the Qur’an.
There are two separate branches of Islam. Most Muslims
around the world are Sunnites. A minority worldwide—but the
majority in Iran—are Shiites. The division between them dates
to the early centuries of Islam and is rooted in the question of
succession in leadership. Shiites believe the Prophet Muhammad
chose his son-in-law Ali ibn Abu Talib to be the civil as well as
spiritual leader of Islam after his death. This leader is known
to Shiites as the imam. To Shiites, only descendants of Ali are
qualified to serve as the imam.
Sunnites, on the other hand, honor the line of succession
that began with Abu Bakr, a follower who was elected caliph
after Muhammad died. Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law, decided
not to contest the election, in the interest of maintaining
a united Islam. Within a few generations, though, the two
factions were at violent odds. A corrupt early caliph named
Yezid sent a massive army against a small band led by Husain,
one of Ali’s sons, in the year 680. In the desert of Kerbala in
what is today Iraq, the caliph’s army killed Husain and virtually
annihilated his force.
The slaughter of Husain provoked a fiercely proud tradition
among the Shiites. They consider Sunnites to be followers of an
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