The Sunni ('lawful') are a branch of orthodox Muslims so called because they accept as their rule of faith and law the Sunna and the Koran. The Sunna deduces the standpoint and usage of Mohammed from his hadiths or traditional sayings and doings. Islamic theology and law were founded by Hanifa at Kufa, Malik at Medina, Shafi at Cairo and Hanbal at Baghdad. All Sunni Muslims while recognising the authority of the six collections containing the Sunna, which were compiled in the 9th century, follow one of the above four systems. The Hanifite prevails among Turks, Tartars, Iraqi Arabs, and Indian Muslims; the Malikite mostly in Africa; the Shafiite in Arabia and Iran; the Hanbalite is localised and not widespread.
Acknowledging the first four caliphs after Mohammed as validly elected, Sunni Muslims regard the authority of the caliphate as political rather than spiritual. This distinguishes them from the Shiah Muslims, mostly in Iran, who maintain that the prophet's true and divinely appointed successor was his son-in-law, Ali. Research Sunni
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Research Sunni