Islamic Sects, Schools, Branches & Movements

Sunni? Shia? Hanbali? Ismali? Deobandi? Taliban? ISIS? A visual guide to the major & notable sects, schools & movements within Islam.

Much confusion and chaos reigning in Iraq, amid the complex territorial, historical and doctrinal allegiances and enmities of the wider Arab world.

I’m feeling confused by the breeze-block reporting of this situation as a straight Sunni vs. Shia conflict.

So here’s a diagram that at least differentiates some of the major and notable schools & branches with Islam and gives a little context and location for groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria)

» See the graphic

This is an ongoing, evolving diagram which we hope to add to. So please send us your ideas & corrections.

Taken from the forthcoming infographic mega-tome, Knowledge is Beautiful (out Sep 2014). Pre-order Amazon US & UK.