Refers to those who belong to the other (much smaller) part of the major division that arose in Islam over the question of the rightful heir to the Islamic caliphate. The Shi’a pressed the claims of Ali (the son in law of Prophet Muhammed) and his descendants, in opposition to the Sun’ni (who supported claims to the caliphate based not on blood lines but consensually determined elections—hence their recognition of the Ummayads). It should be noted that neither parts of this major schismatic division recognizes the legitimacy of the other as members of the Um’mah, that is, as authentic Muslims.