Wahhabi [wə hbi] (plural Wahhabis) or Wahabi [wə hbi] (plural Wahabis)
n
member of Islamic group: a member of a very conservative Islamic group that rejects any innovation that occurred after the 3rd century of Islam. It flourishes primarily in Arabia.


[Early 19th century. From Arabic wahhābī , named after Muhammad ibn bd-al- Wahhāb (1703–1792), who founded the sect.]


-Wahhabism, n
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Sunni [sni, súnni] (plural Sunni or Sunnis)
n
1. branch of Islam: the largest branch of Islam, which believes in the traditions of the Sunna and accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors to Muhammad.
See also Shia
2. Sunni Muslim: a member of the Sunni branch of Islam.
Also called Sunnite


[Late 16th century. From Arabic , ‘lawful’, from sunna ‘rule, custom’.]
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Shia or Shi’a or Shi’ah
n (plural Shia or Shias) (plural Shi’a or Shi’as) (plural Shi’ah or Shi’ahs)
1. major branch of Islam: the branch of Islam that considers Ali, the cousin of Muhammad, and his descendants as Muhammad’s true successors.
See also Sunni
2. See Shiite n.


adj
See Shiite adj.


[Early 17th century. From Arabic šī’a ‘faction, party’ (of Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law and the fourth caliph).]
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Sufi [sfi] (plural Sufis)
n
Muslim mystic: a Muslim mystic


[Mid-17th century. From Arabic ūfī , literally ‘woollen’ (because of their woollen garments).]


-Sufi, adj
-Sufic, adj
-Sufism, n
-Sufistic, adj
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