---
title: "Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims"  
description: "Both sects consider themselves Muslims and their beliefs, symbols and religious practices are very similar, but there are a few important differences"  
author: "Abhishek  Sen"  
published: 2022-11-14  
canonical: https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/1563/differences-between-shia-and-sunni-muslims  
category: "religion"  
tags: ["Shia", "sunni", "muslims", "muslim types", "shia vs sunni"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims

![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/7f8c08c8-8621-4075-b4c8-8b117c473a8b.jpeg) ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/b25a1766-d118-4593-af08-fbfcc8e8be71.jpeg) Shiites believe the Prophet Mohammed, Sunnis don’t believe the leadership of the Muslim world should necessarily pass through hereditary succession. ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/3883e015-45bf-4fc8-a856-512d40aea48f.jpeg) Reverence of Imam Ali and His Family ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/d5fe9e4a-bda6-41b2-b59b-318fc7122821.jpeg) Sunnis greatly outnumber Shiites, constituting nearly 90% of the global community of Muslims. ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/7f059a61-d2b7-45a9-a08b-1be71ab73494.jpeg) Shiites and Sunnis pray differently: Sunnis cross their arms, while Shiites keep their arms by their sides. ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/9e2141af-4abd-4a97-812b-6deed6836a92.jpeg) Shiites are governed by more hierarchical structures, following living religious leaders. But Sunnis typically follow scholarly texts penned by past ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/edb05ed4-76a0-4f4f-9b17-3b8550c01f23.jpeg) ![Differences Between Shia and Sunni Muslims](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/stories/093a018f-2217-48b6-aa9d-b4041953f640/images/e465a97a-dcd4-49b0-b0c1-2d81a6db3cc1.jpeg)

---

Original Source: https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/1563/differences-between-shia-and-sunni-muslims

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