without prejudice
OPINION
2025 and time has proven her words to be TRUE
Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America, a group focused on national security and opposing Islamic extremism
Muslims were welcomed into Lebanon when it had a Christian majority. The moment they had enough power; they turned against the Christians. Listen to this fearless survivor of the Lebanese civil war expose Islam’s goal to take over the world.
What happened in history once they were in power?
Brigitte Gabriel warns USA and the world Islam is Subjugation and Submission
Political / Religious Islam and the streams of Islam
Islam’s two main branches are Sunni (85-90%) and Shia (10-13%), stemming from a disagreement over leadership after Prophet Muhammad, with Sunnis following elected caliphs and Shias supporting Ali as the rightful successor. Other smaller branches include Ibadi (mainly Oman) and mystical Sufi orders, while subgroups like Ahmadiyya also exist, with differences in theology, law, and practice.
MAIN BRANCHES
Sunni Islam: Estimated Global Adherents 1.39 billion
The largest branch, emphasizing the Sunnah (Prophet’s practices) and the first four caliphs. The Sunni branch is by far the largest denomination of Islam and represents 89-90% of all followers of Islam. They are present throughout the Middle East with large concentrations in SAUDI ARABIA and EGYPT. Sunni followers believe that Muhammad had not appointed a specific successor and many years after his death and significant debate, followers chose Abu Bakr Siddique. This man was one of Muhammad’s fathers-in-law and a close friend. One of the positions within the religion is that of Imam, who under Sunni belief is the formal prayer leader. Sunnis believe that the Qur’an applies to all of life and that individuals can approach God directly and that he will present himself on Judgment Day.
Shia Islam: Estimated Global Adherents 200 million
Follows the lineage of Ali, with major subsects like Twelvers (Jafari), Ismailis, and Zaydis, differing on imamate and succession. The Shi’a followers believe that Muhammad did choose a successor, Ali ibn Abi Talib, his son-in-law. Shi’a believers also have Imams, who are more central figures and community leaders because they are the perfect manifestation of God. This branch is less about the individual’s relationship with God and more about the cleric’s interpretation of the Qur’an. Unlike the Sunni, the Shi’a do not believe that humans will see God on Judgment Day. Since they are a minority sect, calculating their numbers is difficult. The majority, however, seem to reside in IRAN, IRAQ, BAHRAIN, and AZERBAIJAN.
OTHER GROUPS & MOVEMENTS
Sufism: Estimated Global Adherents Widely Disputed
A mystical dimension, often integrated within Sunni or Shia traditions, focusing on inner spirituality. The majority, of Sufis follow the Islam direction as given by Ali, Muhammad’s successor as believed by the Shi’a. Though not technically a sect of Islam, Sufism is an Islamic teaching that focuses on purification of the inner self. They believe that humans can have an experience with God through intuitive and emotional abilities that Sufis learn through training. This experience does not have to happen in Paradise but can be achieved in life. TURKEY and PERSIA are considered centers for Sufism although it has also reached GREECE, ALBANIA, and MACEDONIA among others.
Ibadism: Estimated Global Adherents 3 million
A distinct branch, primarily in OMAN, with unique theological views on leadership. Ibadi is a lesser-known branch of Islam. This denomination pre-dates Sunni and Shi’a and is considered a highly orthodox version of Islam. They share the Shi’a belief that God will not show himself on Judgment Day. Unlike Sunni and Shi’a, the Ibadi believe that the Muslim community can rule itself without a single leader. Ibadi also differs in that they do not agree that the Muslim ruler must be a descendant of Muhammad’s tribe, the Quraysh. Seventy-five percent of the population of Oman is Ibadi.
Ahmadiyya: Estimated Global Adherents 15 million
A distinct movement with a significant following, often seen as separate from mainstream Islam. Ahmadiyya denomination is newer than the previous. Followers of Ahmadiyya do not recognize Muhammad as the last prophet. It has its roots in the teaching of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908), their prophet. His followers believe he was divinely appointed as the renewer of Islam. They hold similar beliefs to Sunni and also recognize the Qur’an as their holy book. The largest concentrations of Ahmadiyya are in West and East Africa, Indonesia, and South Asia.
Salafism/Wahhabism: Estimated Global Adherents 50 million
More fundamentalist Sunni movements emphasizing a return to early Islamic practices. Estimates suggest that Salafis constitute a minority of the global Muslim population, with security experts estimating a worldwide number of approximately 50 million adherents out of nearly 2 billion total Muslims. Wahhabis specifically are estimated to be about 1-2% of the world’s total Muslim population.
Key Points on Adherence Estimates
Salafism vs. Wahhabism: All Wahhabis are considered Salafis, but not all Salafis are Wahhabis. “Wahhabi” is often a term used by outsiders to describe the movement, while adherents prefer the term “Salafi” or “muwaḥḥidūn” (”unitarians”).
Global Estimates for Salafism: A commonly cited figure from security experts estimates around 50 million Salafi adherents globally.
Global Estimates for Wahhabism: Wahhabis are a smaller subset, estimated at roughly 1-2% of the global Muslim population.
Regional Concentration: Wahhabism is strongly linked to Saudi Arabia, where it was the official state policy until recently. Even within Saudi Arabia, it accounts for only about 20% of the local population but has a disproportionately high influence.
Diversity and Definition Issues: Precise numbers are difficult to ascertain due to the lack of a single, universally accepted definition of what it means to be a Salafi, and the movement encompasses a broad spectrum of beliefs, from politically quietist scholars to socially engaged activists and jihadists. Followers are typically bound by a shared methodology focused on the practices of the earliest generations of Islam (the salaf), rather than a unified political agenda.
CORE DIFFERENCES
Succession: The initial split was over who should lead after Muhammad.
Theology & Law: Differences exist in hadith collections, jurisprudence (fiqh), and theological schools (e.g., Ash’ari, Maturidi in Sunni; Jafari in Shia).
Key Figures: Sunnis revere the first four Caliphs; Shias revere Ali and his descendants (Imams).
Acknowledgement Original Sources
Media Segment Credit to: | YT-handle: @Producer175 | YT-tagline: Listen to @ACTBrigitte describe: They turned against Christians and Jews! | YT-clip: hRp5xmwHEDc | YT-date-(AWST): 02 Jul 2013 | Duration: 36m:40s | 4CM-notes: 2013 JUL 02 Is Political Religious Islam an Imminent clear and present danger Brigitte Gabriel.mp4
