Question

There are divisions among Muslim societies in the Middle East over religion. Describe two of the groups, their beliefs, and what led to this conflict.

Read the passage below. Then drag and drop the correct word to complete the sentences.



Islamic Caliphates When a prophet and beloved leader dies, what happens next? Muslims dealt with this question after Muhammad’s death. Who would be his successor? Who would lead? Rival factions supported Muhammad’s top advisors or one of his relatives. Disputes between these groups about who should lead caused a split in the Islamic religion that still endures today.

Sunni and Shia After Muhammad’s death, disagreements over who should become the new leader of the Islamic faith caused divisions in Muslim society. One group, the Sunni, wanted Muhammad’s advisor Abu Bakr to be the new leader. Today, the Sunni form a majority of the world’s Muslims. Another group, the Shia, wanted Muhammad’s relative Ali to be the new leader. Today, the Shia form a minority of the world’s Muslims. The new leaders who eventually emerged from these disputes were called caliphs, which means “successors” in Arabic.

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(4 points)
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The Sunni and the Shia are the two main groups of Muslims. Their disagreement began over who should lead after Muhammad's death. These leaders, called Press enter key to drop response here.Response input area, meaning "successors," were central to the conflict. The Press enter key to drop response here.Response input area believed a religious advisor should lead, while the Press enter key to drop response here.Response input area wanted a relative of Muhammad to take over. Today, the Sunni make up the Press enter key to drop response here.Response input area of Muslims. Even now, conflicts between the two groups continue.
MAJORITY
CALIPHS
SHAI
SUNNI

Answer 1

Short answer — the two groups and the cause of the conflict:

- Sunni: The largest branch of Islam (the global majority). Sunnis believe the community should choose the leader after Muhammad’s death — they supported Muhammad’s companion Abu Bakr. Sunni doctrine emphasizes community consensus and the caliph as a political/religious leader chosen by agreement.

- Shia (Shia/Shiʿa): A minority branch that believes leadership should remain in Muhammad’s family (ahl al-bayt), specifically Ali and his descendants, whom they regard as the rightful, divinely guided leaders (Imams). The Shia developed distinct religious practices and theology tied to the authority of the Imams.

What led to the conflict: The split began immediately after Muhammad’s death over who should succeed him (Abu Bakr vs. Ali). Political struggles, battles, assassinations (and events like the martyrdom of Husayn at Karbala) hardened the division and over time created religious, legal, and cultural differences that persist and sometimes fuel modern conflicts.

Drag-and-drop completed sentences (words placed in the blanks):

The Sunni and the Shia are the two main groups of Muslims. Their disagreement began over who should lead after Muhammad's death. These leaders, called CALIPHS, meaning "successors," were central to the conflict. The SUNNI believed a religious advisor should lead, while the SHAI wanted a relative of Muhammad to take over. Today, the Sunni make up the MAJORITY of Muslims. Even now, conflicts between the two groups continue.