In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

This is a brief introduction to some of the most prominent sects within Islam:

1. Ahl al-Sunnah (Sunnis): They are those who follow the Qur’an and Sunnah based on the understanding of the righteous predecessors (the first three generations of Islam) in both belief and practice. They emphasize adhering to the interpretations of the Qur’an and authentic Hadith as transmitted by the Prophet ﷺ. They reject excessive allegorical interpretations and maintain the foundational principles established by the scholars of the Ummah in matters of belief and jurisprudence.
2. Ahl al-Hadith (People of the Hadith): This group consists of scholars who prioritize the Prophetic traditions (Hadith) in determining beliefs and legal rulings, giving precedence to transmitted texts (the Qur’an and Hadith) over analogical reasoning. They focus on the preservation, narration, and exact wording of Hadith. Notable figures include Imam Malik, Imam Al-Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad, and the authors of the six major Hadith collections.
3. Ahl al-Ra’y (People of Opinion): These are jurists who heavily relied on intellectual reasoning (ijtihad) in deriving legal rulings due to their limited access to Hadith. This led to their dependence on analogy, juristic preference, and consideration of public interests in issuing fatwas. One of their most prominent figures is Abu Hanifa, who founded the Hanafi school of jurisprudence.
4. Murji’ah: The Murji’ah are those who deferred judgment on sinners, believing that faith alone is sufficient for salvation without requiring good deeds. They are divided into several subgroups:
   • Jahmi Murji’ah: They believe that mere knowledge of Allah is sufficient for faith.
   • Karrami Murji’ah: They claim that mere verbal declaration of the faith is enough.
   • Hanafi Murji’ah (Murji’at al-Fuqaha’): They believe that faith consists of belief in the heart and declaration by the tongue without necessarily requiring actions.
   • Salafi Murji’ah: They assert that faith consists of words, deeds, and belief, but that abandoning deeds does not invalidate faith.
5. Ahl al-Athar (Traditionalists): They rely on the statements and actions of the Companions and the early generations (Salaf) in understanding the Qur’an and Sunnah. They emphasize strict adherence to the transmitted texts and oppose speculative theology.
6. Khawarij: This group emerged during the late period of Uthman’s caliphate and became prominent during the caliphate of Ali ibn Abi Talib. They are known for their strict stance on ruling and for rebelling against the Muslim rulers whom they deemed to have committed sins. They also practiced takfir (excommunication) of other Muslims for acts that did not lead to disbelief.
7. Shia: They believe that the leadership of the Muslim community was divinely ordained to be within the family of the Prophet ﷺ, specifically through Ali ibn Abi Talib and his descendants. This belief is considered one of the central tenets of their faith, and they hold that the Imams are infallible. Numerous subgroups have emerged from them, each with differing views on doctrine and jurisprudence.
8. Rafidah (Rejecters): A subgroup of the Twelver Shia, so named for rejecting the leadership of Zayd ibn Ali. They form the majority of Shia today and are known for their hostility towards most of the Companions, particularly the first three caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman), as well as Aisha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ. Many of them believe in invoking others besides Allah, reject Allah’s attributes, and assert that the Qur’an has been altered.
9. Zaydis: They are a branch of the Shia who followed Zayd ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn. Unlike the Twelvers, they do not believe in the infallibility of the Imams and assert that leadership should be given to the best among the descendants of Fatimah. The Zaydis accept the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar but believe that Ali was the rightful first caliph. They also hold a belief that denies Allah’s attributes and asserts that the Qur’an is created.
10. Ismailis: This Shia sect branched off from the Twelvers after the death of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq. They believe in the Imamate of his son Ismail. Subgroups include the Bohra and the Nizaris. Ismailis have distinct beliefs about the Imamate and the esoteric interpretation of religious texts.
11. Jahmiyya: Followers of Jahm ibn Safwan, they deny the attributes of Allah and interpret them in a way that distances the divine from human comprehension. They assert that Allah is omnipresent and deny the beatific vision (seeing Allah in the Hereafter). They also believe that faith is mere acknowledgment of Allah in the heart, with no requirement for actions.
12. Mu’tazila: A rationalist group that emerged in the second century of Islam, emphasizing the primacy of reason over transmitted texts in theological matters. They agree with the Jahmiyya on some points, though they affirm that Allah’s names are not created. The Mu’tazila deny many aspects of the Hereafter, such as the balance (mizan) and the cistern (hawd), and reject major signs of the Day of Judgment. Key figures include Bishr al-Marisi, Ibn Abi Du’ad, and Al-Zamakhshari.
13. Ibadis: A sect of the Khawarij that adopted some beliefs of the Mu’tazila. Founded by Abdullah ibn Ibad al-Tamimi, they believe that those who die without repenting for their sins are eternally damned in Hell, though they are treated as Muslims in this life. They have a unique jurisprudence (Ibadi fiqh) and a Hadith collection they regard as authentic, known as Musnad al-Rabi’ ibn Habib, which is considered fabricated by most scholars.
14. Ash’arites: A theological group that broke away from the Mu’tazila, affirming only a few divine attributes (seven or twenty). Their interpretation of these attributes, however, deviates from the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah. They follow Abu al-Hasan al-Ash’ari and gained widespread influence due to their proximity to political power.
15. Maturidis: Followers of Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, they are similar to the Ash’arites in interpreting divine attributes but differ in some details concerning predestination and faith.
16. Sufis: Known for emphasizing spirituality and asceticism, Sufis engage in specific acts of worship and remembrance (dhikr) to achieve closeness to Allah. Early Sufis were regarded as pious individuals, but later developments introduced various innovations and superstitions.
17. Salafis: Advocates of returning to the understanding of the faith as practiced by the early generations (Salaf), this term may refer to Ahl al-Sunnah in general or to a specific group known for their strict adherence to Hadith and opposition to innovations in religion.

This summary provides a basic introduction to the diversity of sects within Islam, with each group holding unique beliefs and practices