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Given the long history and immense population of Islam, it comes as no surprise that over the centuries individuals have come to interpret their beliefs in Islam differently. Sects, factions, and subgroups have all emerged over the years, choosing to believe and focus their faith in Islam in varying ways. The first divisions in the core of Islam date back to Muhammad's death when followers debated over who would succeed him as their spiritual leader. They initially divided into two groups, the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. The Sunnis was the most dominant sect of Islam united in their belief in the legitimacy of the first three caliphs (successors to Muhammad) Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. The conflicts over leadership, belief, and practice enabled the Sunnis to develop what they believed to be correct religious positions, based on the Qur'an, hadith and the consensus of religious scholars, known as ijma. They believed that by following the Islamic