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Summarize the split within islam after the death of muhammad?
The unity of Islam was broken in it's early years. The first split came of the leadership of the caliphs. The division caused them to split into two completely opposite groups- the Sunnite Muslims and the Shi'i Muslims. The Sunnite Muslims accepted the leadership of Abu-bakr and the caliphs that followed. The Shi'i Muslims did not. They accepted Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali.