Shia Islam

Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor (khalīfa) and the Imam after him, at the event of Ghadir Khumm, but was prevented from succeeding Muhammad as leader of the Muslims by some of Muhammad's other companions (ṣaḥāba) at Saqifah. This view contrasts with Sunnī Islam, which asserts that Muhammad did not appoint a successor before his death and considers Abū Bakr, who was appointed caliph by a group of senior Muslims at Saqifah, to be the first rightful (rāshidūn) caliph after Muhammad. Adherents of Shia Islam are called Shia Muslims.