Shia Islam

Shia Islam (, ) is a sect of Islam and believes that Prophet Muhammad was commanded by Allah to choose Ali as caliph, his successor,  Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and his descendants, and that Muhammad publicly declared it during his last sermon after the Hajj at Ghadir Khumm. The belief is seen as supported by the Qur'an and Islamic history, with Shia scholars citing verses that highlight the special status of the family of certain prophets, including Ali. They ascribe many of many of their beliefs and traditions to Ali. 

Shi'a Muslims believe in the teachings of the Qur'an and of Muhammad's family, whom they call the Ahl al-Bayt. They consider the first three ruling caliphs to have little importance in their faith. The Arabic singular/adjective form is Shī'ī  () and means a follower. The term "Shia" comes from the Arabic phrase "Shīʿat ʿAlī," meaning "followers of Ali." 

Shi'a Islam, has at times been divided into many branches, but only three of them now have a significant number of followers. The best-known and largest branch is  theTwelvers (Ithnā 'ashariyya), followed by the Ismaili and the Zaidiyyah.
Sources
 Shia Code, the Shia Islamic Guide  
 List of Shi'a websites 
 Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project 
 Al-Shia Website 


References
Category:Shia Islam