Those who advocated that Hazrat Ali RAU should have been chosen the Caliph after the death of the holy Prophet (SAW) declared them 'Shiyan-i-Ali.' It is interesting to note that during the Rightful Caliphate of first three Caliphs, Hazrat Ali RAU had been their advisor and active member of Muslim society. The division in the Muslims affected the spread of Islam very badly. Thousands of Muslims were killed during civil wars fought between them. It also had a very negative effect on the Unity of Muslim Ummah. The clashes between the two major groups Sunnis and Shiyas have done great harm to the cause of Islam. The basic beliefs of the two are the same. Some extremists sometimes create disturbance, otherwise there is no serious enmity between the two. In many countries they are living peacefully together.
The Sunni and Shia scholars have joined hands and sat together to solve the problems amicably. They have decided to tolerate each other and to avoid highlighting such matters as create hatred and enmity. May Allah Karim bless us with tolerance of all riligions and all humans! A'meen.
There is no war between them Only the extremists create problem
the Sunnis are the majority and the shiites are the minority.therefore the numbers of Sunnis are more than shiites populations.
No, Shiites outnumber Sunnis in Iraq. However, Sunnis over the world outnumber Shiites. World statistics is that Sunnis Muslim world percentage is 85% of total world Muslims. While Shiites are less than 15%. Refer to question below for more information.
What caused the split was Muhammad's death in 632.
No They are not Sunnis. They are Shiites.
The Sunnis are of bigger population. Of world Muslims, 85% are Sunnis.
Some Sunnis hate some Shiites and some Shiites hate some Sunnis, but the majority of the conflicts between them are not theological, but political, social, and economic. These labels work similarly to ethnic labels in the Balkans, ripping people and countries apart. It does not help that many Sunnis and Shiites purposely or unintentionally misconstrue the doctrines of the other in order to give Divine Legitimacy to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl for resources.
661AD
Shiites and Sunnis. However, they are not splits as for example in Chritianity different denominations. Sunnis and Shiites differe in minor Islam details. Refer to question below.
Sunnis and Shiites
Both Shiites and Sunnis are right Muslims. They differ in minor issues that are not relevant to the basic Islam rules and instructions. Refer to related question below.
Answer 1Yes. However, there was no real split between Shiites and Sunnis. It is just some different views over some side issues that are not critical.Answer 2No. The split between Sunnis and Shiites occurred nearly 30 years earlier when Abu Bakr was elected by the Shoura Council to the position of Caliph against the will of Ali's supporters. Those supporters rejected the decision of the Shoura Council and became the Shiites. The Battle of Karbala crystallized this division since Ali had, by then, been assassinated, and his son Hussein (who was the next candidate supported by the Shiites) was butchered by the Caliph Yazid I without Sunnis rejecting Yazid's right to the Caliphate.