Sunni Islam

The Sunnis ( until the 19th century also: Sonniten ) form the largest denomination in Islam. They are called ahl as- sunna ( أهل السنة, folk tradition ') respectively. The term Sunni comes from the word Sunnah ( سنة, the tradition of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad '). Sunni Muslims are referred to as ahl as- sunna wal- Jama ʿ a ( أهل السنة والجماعة, folk tradition and the unity of the Muslims ' ), which indicates that the Sunnis are united. They constitute a branch of Islam, which comes from the Caliphate, founded by Abu Bakr.

Sunni Muslims in most Islamic countries the majority of Muslims, with the exception of Iran, Iraq, Oman, Lebanon and Azerbaijan and Bahrain.

You can turn on the Sunni legal schools ( madhhab ) in Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali divided. The Sunnis also include the Wahhabis, a very conservative and dogmatic direction of Sunni Islam hanbalitischer direction.

The differences to the second largest denomination, whose adherents are called Shiites, initially were not theological in nature, but sprang from the question of who should lead the Muslim community. For the Sunnis, the Caliphate began to emerge in the Shia Imamate.

Over time, then other differences were added, particularly in view of the Imami Shia, less in terms of the Shiite Zaidi also.

Historical Sunni States

• Umayyad Umayyad Caliphate ( 661-759 )
• Emirate of Córdoba ( 756-929 )
• Caliphate of Córdoba (929-1031)

• Abbasid Caliphate ( 750-1258/1517 )

• Caliphate of the Ottomans (1517-1924)