The roots of Islam can be traced back to the city of Mecca, located in the southern Arabian Peninsula. There, in 570 CE, a man by the name of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah was born. After losing both of his parents at an early age, Muhammad eventually took on the profession of trading as an adult. Frequently, Muhammad withdrew from society and traveled to nearby mountains where he reflected on many of the social and religious injustices that were present in Mecca. Then, in 610 CE, God supposedly began to communicate revelations to Muhammad, from which point Muhammad …show more content…
Shia Muslims believed that the caliphs (leaders of the umma) should have familial ties with Muhammad while Sunni Muslims held that caliphs only need be selected by the community. Also, while Sunni Muslims believed that religious authority lied in the hands of religious scholars known as ulama, Shia Muslims believed that religious authority rather lied in the hands of their leaders known as imams (Strayer