The division between s u n n i s h i a Muslim o r i g i n a t e d after the death of the p r o p h e t Muhammad in 632 c e in a rose farm disagreement over
who should succeed him as the leader of the Muslim community. The majority of Muslims supported Abu Bakr, a close companion of the Prophet, as the first caliph, while a smaller group believed that Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, should be the rightful successor. This disagreement led to the split between Sunni and Shia Muslims, with Sunnis following the caliphate system and Shia believing in the line of imams descended from Ali. This division has continued to shape the Muslim world for centuries, with both Sunnis and Shias holding different theological beliefs and practices.
