Shia Islam

Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam and one of the world's largest religious denominations. It holds that at Ghadir Khumm, the Islamic prophet Muhammad appointed his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as his successor and the leader of the Muslim community. Ali was followed by a line of divinely appointed Imams from Muhammad's household (Ahl al-Bayt). The largest denomination of Shia Islam, Twelver Shi'ism, recognizes the Twelve Imams as the divinely appointed leaders, beginning with Ali himself and ending with the Mahdi, who is believed to be in occultation and expected to return in the End Times to establish justice and will be assisted by Isa (Jesus). Shia Islam places particular importance on the Ahl al-Bayt (the family of Muhammad), whom Shia Muslims regard as possessing divinely granted religious and spiritual authority. The Quran, the teachings of Muhammad (Sunnah), and the Imams form the principal foundations of Shia religious thought and jurisprudence, from which Sharia legal rulings are derived. Shia Muslims are guided by the Ja'fari school of jurisprudence. The Shia canonical hadith collection are The Four Books, known as Kitab al-Kafi, Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih, Tahdhib al-Ahkam, and Al-Istibsar.

Shia Islam comprises several denomination, the largest and most significant of which being Twelver Shia Islam, followed by the much smaller sects of Ismailism and Zaydism. The Battle of Karbala, in which the Prophet's grandson and the third Shia Imam, Husayn, was brutally killed and beheaded alongside most of his family members, gave the Alids their own religious identity and played a significant role in the development and consolidation of what became Shia Islam. It holds a central place in Shia history, tradition, and theology. It is one of the most tragic, pivotal, and defining moments in Islamic history. Shia Muslims form an overwhelming majority in Iran and Azerbaijan, while constituting a majority in Iraq and making up nearly half of the populations of Lebanon and Bahrain. Substantial Shia population are also present in Turkey, Yemen, Syria, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Nigeria, Chad, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and other countries around the globe. Iran remains the only country in the world where Shia Islam officially serves as the foundation of both its legal framework and system of governance. Estimates place the global Shia Muslim population at 285–300 million, making them one of the world's largest religious denomination.