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Sunni Religion

Religion : Islam

About Sunni

Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam. They are referred to as Ahl ul-Sunna, the folks of the tradition. The word 'Sunni' comes from the word 'sunna' that means the tradition of the prophet of Islam Muhammad. Sunni Islam has a different set of hadiths from Shi'i Islam. Sunni Islam puts far more importance into the hajj to Mecca, than Shi'i Islam does. Sunni Islam revere Ali, but does not hold him up as the only true continuation of the tradition from Muhammad, and has no emphasis on him bringing on a divine light from the Prophet.

Sunni Schools of Law (Madhab) : There are four Sunni schools of law:

  • - Hanafi (based on work of Abu Hanifa)
  • - Maliki (founded by Malik)
  • - Shafi'i (founded by Shafi'i, a student of Malik)
  • - Hanbali (founded by Ahmad bin Hanbal, a student of Shafi'I)

A madhab is a particular tradition of interpreting Islamic law, or shari'a. Sunni schools were started by eminent Muslim scholars in the first four centuries of Islam. Most Sunnis believe that there are no living jurists of the stature of the founders of the four madhabs. Contemporary scholars can comment on the traditions, but they cannot start new ones. This belief is called "the closing of the gate of ijtihad".

Some Sunni Muslims say that one should choose a madhab and then follow all of its rulings. Other Sunnis say that it is acceptable to mix madhabs, to accept one madhab's ruling regarding one issue, and accept another madhab's ruling regarding a different issue.

Chief God :Prophet Muhammad

Population : approximately 85% of the world's Muslims are Sunni

Marriage Preference : Sunni Muslims prefer to marry within their community. Some prefer marriage within their madhab.