Shia
- Are believed to be the descendants from Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Ali.
- It is believed that they are the best source of knowledge about the Qur’an and Islam
- This is the key difference between followers of Muhammad’s family and descendants from the followers of Caliph Abu Baker
Sunni
- They are the largest denomination of Muslims around the world.
- The word Sunni comes from the word Sunnah, which means words or action.
- Followers of this denomination are believers that Abu Baker is the messenger of Muhammad.
Hazara
- An ethnic group who mainly reside in the Central regions of Afghanistan, which is referred to as Hazarajat.
- They are predominantly Shi’a Muslims and speak Hazara
- There are approximately 3 million in Afghanistan and 1.3 million in Iran
- Many live in Iran, Pakistan, New Zealand & Australia
Pashtun
- In ethno-linguistic terms they are descendants of Iran
- Primarily reside in eastern and southern Afghanistan
- They are typically Pashto speakers and strongly adhere to Islamic principles
- Gained a lot of attention for the Soviet invasion in 1979 and for the rise of the Taliban
