Types of Islam: Main Branches, Schools, & Denominations

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Plus, learn about the differences between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims

Co-authored by Belal Elkadri and Samantha Fulton, BA

Last Updated: July 11, 2026 Fact Checked

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Types of Islam

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Shared Beliefs

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Sunni vs Shi’a

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Just like other faiths, there are lots of interpretations of the Islamic religion. This has led to the different branches of Islam, which we’re here to explain. In this guide, we’ll break down the types of Muslims and their main beliefs. Plus, we’ll tell you about the shared beliefs across branches. Then, we’ll give a simplified explanation of the historical Sunni-Shi’a divide. Keep reading for your beginner’s guide to the types of Muslims.

What are the different types of Muslims?

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An infographic depicting the major sects of Islam and smaller branches and offshoots.

The main branches are Sunni and Shi’a, which make up the majority of the Muslim population. These branches include various schools of thought and subgroups. Smaller branches include Ibadi, Sufi, Ahmadiyya, Quranist, and non-denominational Muslims. Generally, all Muslims follow the Five Pillars of Islam.

Section 1 of 3:

Different Types of Muslims

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Sunni The Sunni sect makes up the majority of the world’s Muslims and is one of the two main sects from the ancient Islamic schism (we’ll cover the Sunni-Shi’a divide later). They believe caliphs, or Islamic leaders, are mortals with no divine powers. Sunnis believe these leaders should be elected for worldly affairs, leaving religious guidance to the ulama, or religious scholars.^{[1]
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Research source} There are four schools of thought within the Sunni sect, with different approaches to interpreting Islamic law:
- Hanafi: Flexible interpretation with an emphasis on logic and analogy
- Maliki: Emphasizes the Hadith (teachings of Prophet Muhammad) and the practices the people of Medina
- Shafi’i: Balances approaches of reasoning and tradition
- Hanbali: Strictly follows the Qur’an and Hadith and uses little personal reasoning^{[2]
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Shi’a The Shi’a sect is the other main branch from the ancient schism and the second-largest branch of Islam. Shi’a Muslims believe that the direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad were the rightful leaders of the faith. Shi’a beliefs are based on the interpretations of imams, the religious leaders who descended from Muhammad.^{[3]
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Research source} There are multiple sects of Shiism, based on the acceptance or rejection of certain imams:
- Twelvers: Recognize 12 imams (the majority of Shi’a are Twelvers)
- Ismaili: Do not recognize Musa as the 7th imam
- Zaidiyah (Zaydism / Fivers): Believe that Zayd Ibn Ali was the final of the imams
- Alawites: Follow Muhammad ibn Nusayr an-Namiri, a contemporary of the 10th imam & believe in the deification of Ali (considered heretical)
- Druze: Combine Ismaili Shiism, Gnosticism, and Greek philosophy (not considered Muslims by most of the Islamic world)^{[4]
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Ibadism is the third-largest branch of Islam, although it’s not as widely known as Sunni or Shi’a. It’s based around the desire to found a righteous Muslim society and the belief that true Muslims should have their own sect. Ibadism is the only surviving branch of the Kharijites, and modern Ibadis have different theological and political views than ancient Kharijites. Ibadism mainly exists in Oman, East Africa, the M'Zab Valley of Algeria, the Nafusa Mountains of Libya, and the island of Djerba in Tunisia.^{[5]
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Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam and has a long history within the faith. It’s a way of interpretation, rather than a separate sect. Some Muslims are part of a Sufi order or brotherhood, known as a tariqa. However, the number of Muslims who identify as Sufis varies by region, and is most common in sub-Saharan Africa.^{[6]
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The Ahmadiyya movement advocates for non-violence and a restoration of the faith’s original teachings. It was founded in 1889 by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who believers recognize as the prophesied Mahdi and the Messiah. Followers also teach respect for prophets of other religions and promote interfaith dialogue. The Ahmadiyya community has a notable presence in Pakistan, but has around 10 million followers across 200 countries.^{[7]
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Quranists are a small group of Muslims. They believe that the Qur’an is the only valid religious source for Islam and consider it to be divine law. Sadly, Quranists face hostility because Islamic institutions like Al-Azhar regard them as heretics.^{[8]
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Many Muslims do not identify with a sect—they see themselves as “just a Muslim.” Non-denominational Muslims accept the Qur'an's teachings and believe in the Prophet Muhammad as a role model. They typically place an emphasis on human rights, gender equality, and freedom of expression.^{[9]
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Section 2 of 3:

Shared Beliefs across the Islamic Faith

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Most sects share core beliefs, like belief in one, all-powerful God. While there are many interpretations of the Islamic faith and a variety of branches, most Muslims still share certain beliefs. Islam education expert Belal Elkadri notes that these are called the Six Articles of Faith.^{[10]
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Belal Elkadri
Islam Education Expert

Expert Interview} Here are the Six Articles of Faith in Islam:^{[11]
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- Tawhid: Belief in one God, Allah (monotheism)
- Mala’ikah: Belief in the Angels
- Kutub: Belief in the holy books sent to the prophets, including the Torah, the Bible, and the Qur’an
- Risalah: Belief in the prophets sent by God (Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad)
- Akhirah: Belief in the Day of Judgement and a life after death
- Al-Qadr: Belief that God is all-powerful
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Most Muslims also practice the Five Pillars of Islam. These pillars provide guidance in daily life and allow Muslims to put their beliefs into practice. “The Five Pillars of our religion are things that we do, our actions,” says Elkadri. They are the foundation of the Islamic faith and are embraced across the major sects. These are the Five Pillars of Islam, according to Elkadri:^{[12]
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Belal Elkadri
Islam Education Expert

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- Shahadah: Declaration of faith (to testify there is no god except Allah)
- Salat: Ritual prayer (five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night)
- Zakah: Alms tax (giving 2.5% of wealth to the poor)
- Sawm: Fasting (fasting during the day in the month of Ramadan)
- Hajj: Pilgrimage (making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once)

Section 3 of 3:

What’s the difference between Sunni and Shi’a?

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Sunnis believe in electing leaders, while Shiites believe leadership is a divine right. This key disagreement goes back to 632 CE, when the Prophet Muhammad died. After Muhammad’s death, Sunnis selected Abu Bakr as the first caliph. Shi’a Muslims, on the other hand, believed Ali, Muhammad’s cousin, was Muhammad’s true successor—they believed caliphs should be direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. This has led to centuries of political conflict throughout Islamic history.^{[13]
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- Sunni Muslims make up about 87% of the world’s Muslim population, with the remaining 13% consisting of Shi’a Muslims.^{[14]
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- Note: Just because there’s a fundamental difference doesn’t mean Shi’a and Sunni Muslims can’t coexist or that Muslims are violent people. These two major sects can and have maintained peaceful relations, and it is inaccurate to imply followers of any belief system are prone to violence.^{[15]
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