Shia and Sunni

Imam `Ali, upon whom be peace, was the first Muslim
and the best. He used to listen well to the words of the
Prophet. He used to obey the Prophet's instructions and, in
all his actions, was perfectly submissive to them. He always
helped and assisted the Prophet and struggled in the way of
righteousness.
During the time of the Prophet, a group amongst the
Muslims were friends of `Ali and, together with `Ali, strove
and struggled for the advancement of the "religion of Islam".
These Muslims always used to take example from `Ali's
speech, behavior, manners and morals, and, like `Ali, they
used to obey the instructions of the Prophet.
Our Holy Prophet used to speak to `Ali and that
distinguished group in this fashion;
"O `Ali! You and your "Shia" are the best people on the
earth."
Also, sometimes when he saw `Ali with his friends, he
would point to them and say,
"This youth and his "Shia" are the successful ones."
This distinguished group who really had conviction,
was named by the Holy Prophet, "Shia".
So, from that very day, a Muslim who followed Imam
`Ali in behavior, speech, ethics, morals, and righteousness,
was called a Shia (Shia means "follower").
We Shia believe in what our Holy Prophet said, that,
after the Prophet, twelve Imams, one after the other, have
attained to leadership and Imamate. The first Imam is the
Holy Imam `Ali, Amir ul-Muminin (P.B.U.H.)
and the twelfth Imam is the Holy Imam Mehdi (P.B.U.H.).
Another group of Muslims are called "Sunni" or "ahl tasannun"
or "ahl sunnah". These Muslims recognize Imam
`Ali as being the fourth of the rightly guided successors of the
Prophet, and they love him. All Muslims, whether Shia or
Sunni, worship the One God and recognize Muhammad (P.B.U.H.)
as being the Holy Prophet and the Holy Quran as being
their sacred and Divinely-revealed book. All Muslims, Shia
and Sunni, worship the One God and seriously refrain from
polytheism and idol-worship and consider it rejection of
God. They all follow the laws of the Quran and Islam and
consider themselves as the brothers and sisters of all other
Muslims. They are kind and compassionate towards one
another, living with one another in society in perfect purity,
and striving together and fighting the declared enemies of
Islam and Muslims.
The enemies of Islam strive as they have always striven
to create differences and discord between these two groups of
Muslim brothers. However, this has become clear for the
Muslims now, and they are aware of their enemies' plans,
Muslims are no more being tricked by their deceitful enemies'
guile, and day by day they are improving and strengthening
their relations with each other, and they both help each other
in understanding the Quran and the Prophet's traditions.
The day when all the Muslims of the world unite under
one banner and stand up against the disbelief and oppression
and guile of the "powers" of the East and West, is very near.
And our precious Islam, with the help of God and the unity of
the Muslims. will finally be victorious over the age- old forces
of disbelief and materialism. Inshallah.