Sunnis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Followers of the largest branch of Islam who adhere to the traditions and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and recognize the first four caliphs as rightful successors
2. Members of the dominant Muslim group who emphasize the Sunnah, or practices of the Prophet, and follow orthodox Sunni Islamic jurisprudence
3. Individuals belonging to the major Islamic sect that accepts the consensus of the Muslim community and bases beliefs and practices on the Quran and Hadith as interpreted by mainstream scholars

Etymology: "Sunnis" is the plural of "Sunni," a noun for a follower of the largest branch of Islam. The singular comes from Arabic "sunniyy," formed from "sunna," meaning a path or way of doing things, with the suffix "-iyy" that turns a noun into an adjective of relation. A Sunni, in other words, is someone defined by adherence to the "sunna," the customary practice associated with the Prophet Muhammad. The core of the word is therefore a concept of normative behavior rather than a doctrine or a name for a group. "Sunna" originally meant a beaten track or a habit that others follow, and that sense of a well-trodden path is what the term carries. The label reflects a claim that the community holds to the way established by the Prophet and his companions.

Synonyms: Sunni Muslims, Sunni sect, Islamic Sunnis

Antonyms: Shias, Shia Muslims