WORLD RELIGIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -Ali ‘s supporters, who believed that direct descendants of Muhammad were the only rightful leaders of the faith, would become known as the Shia (from “Shi’at Ali, ‘’ or “the party of Ali”).

Detailed explanation-2: -Shia Islam and Sunnism split in the aftermath of the death of Muhammad based on the politics of the early caliphs. Due to the Shi’a belief that Ali should have been the first caliph, the three caliphs that preceded him, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Usman, were considered illegitimate usurpers.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Sunni believe that the line of succession to be the legitimate caliph began with Abu Bakr, while the Shia believe that Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, was the only legitimate caliph from the beginning.