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Muhammad died in 632. There was a debate among Muslims over who should succeed him as the leader of Islam. The Muslim community was divided. The majority thought that Abu Bakr should succeed Muhammad and he was chosen a the first caliph. He reigned from 632-634 AD. Caliph = A person considered to be a religious and political successor to the Prophet Muhammad. The 4th caliph was Ali and he reigned from 656-661 AD. A minority group of Muslims (now known as Shi’a Muslims) disagreed with the previous three caliphs and believed Ali was always the rightful successor of Muhammad. They believed this because: He was one of the first converts He had married Muhammad’s daughter When Ali died in 661 AD Muslims were again divided as to who should be his successor. Shi’a Muslims thought that Ali’s son should be the successor. This is because they believed that the next Imam has to be a descendent of Muhammad and chosen by God. When an imam dies they should select the next imam before they die. They believed he was the successor Muhammad wanted Ali became Shi’as first Imam (in Shi’a this is the title given to Ali and his successors). However, Ali’s claims to be a leader were ignored by many Muslims. Following Ali, most Shi’a Muslims believe there have been 12 Imams in total. The last of the Imams, Muhammad alMahdi, they believe has been kept alive by God and hidden somewhere on earth and will return one day to bring justice and equality. After the death of Abu Bakr, 3 more caliphs were appointed (Umar, Uthman and Ali). In total, these 4 caliphs led the Muslim community for 24 years. They did not make the laws but enforced them once the community had considered the views of scholars who had studied the Qur’an and the Sunnah (Muhammad’s teachings and actions). The result of these divisions over who should be the successor of Muhammad resulted in a split in Islam: Sunni Muslims (approx. 90% of Muslims) who believe in the successorship of Abu Bakh, Umar, Uthman and Ali. Shi’a Muslims (approx. 10% of Muslims) who believe in the successorship of Ali. Today, they have their own interpretations of Islamic laws and only accept sayings of Muhammad that have been passed down through Ali and his followers. However, the two groups also hold many beliefs in common such as belief in God, the prophethood of Muhammad, the guidance of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.