The schism between the Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims was the result of a disagreement regarding the Khulfa-e-Rashideen, who was/were:

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After Muhammad died, the Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims split during a conflict regarding the caliphate and the Khulfa-e-Rashideen, who were the first four Caliphs after Muhammad. The Sunnis believe that all four Caliphs were legitimate because, in their view, Muhammad left no instructions for the determination of his successors, making the methods that they employed legitimate by default. Though each of the four Caliphs ascended to power in a different way (election, appointment from his predecessor, selection by an inner circle), the Sunnis recognize each man's stewardship as valid. The Shi'ites only consider the fourth Caliph to be legitimate because he was Muhammad's nearest relative and therefore satisfied more traditional parameters for succession (hereditary inheritance). The two factions also disagreed on the role of the caliph in the community. The conflict between the Sunnis and Shi'ites has persisted to the present day and dominates political discourse in various parts of the Arab world, primarily Iraq.

The Schism Between the Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims Was the Result