> ## Content Index
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> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Islamic Schools of Thought: The Complete Tree
- URL: https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/schools-of-thought/
- Published: 2026-09-27T12:24:48.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-02T00:11:27.000Z
- Description: Every major school, creed and movement in Islam, where and when it began, who carried it forward, and where it stands today. Browse it as a family tree or a timeline.
- Author: Mohammad Siddiqui
- Tags: Deen

New to the Qur'an? Start with [The Qur'an: What It Is, How It Came Down, and How It Was Kept](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/the-quran/), then read [Muhammad ﷺ: A Life](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/prophet-muhammad/). All articles: [Deen: Start Here](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/deen/).

Deen · Reference · Schools of thought

Every major school of law, creed, Shia branch, Sufi order and modern movement in one tree: when and where each began, who founded it, the people who carried it through the centuries, where it split, and where it is followed today.

Open any entry to see its chain of key figures, its turning points and the sources behind them. Dates are CE, with AH where it helps. Where historians disagree, the entry says "c." and the detail explains why. Some groups on this tree regard others on it as outside Islam; they are listed here because they are part of the history, not as a verdict on anyone's faith.

 Include extinct TreeTimeline 

Bars run from each group's beginning to its end, or to today. Faded bars are extinct or absorbed. Tap a bar to open that entry in the tree.

Built from the sources listed in each entry (Encyclopaedia Iranica, Britannica, the Institute of Ismaili Studies, academic works and official sites for living leaders), checked in September 2026\. Living leaders are given as at that date. If you spot an error, tell me and I will correct it.

function(){ var root=document.getElementById('sot'); if(!root||root.dataset.init) return; root.dataset.init='1'; var D=JSON.parse(document.getElementById('sot-data').textContent); var FAM=\[\['sunni-law','Sunni law'\],\['creed','Creed'\],\['shia','Shia'\],\['khawarij','Khawārij and Ibāḍīs'\],\['sufi','Sufi orders'\],\['modern','Modern movements'\]\]; var FN={};FAM.forEach(function(f){FN\[f\[0\]\]=f\[1\]}); var byId={},kids={};D.forEach(function(n){byId\[n.id\]=n;kids\[n.id\]=\[\]}); D.forEach(function(n){if(n.parent&&byId\[n.parent\])kids\[n.parent\].push(n.id)}); function sy(n){return (n.start&&n.start.ce)||0} Object.keys(kids).forEach(function(k){kids\[k\].sort(function(a,b){return sy(byId\[a\])-sy(byId\[b\])})}); function el(t,c,x){var e=document.createElement(t);if(c)e.className=c;if(x!=null)e.textContent=x;return e} function ext(n){return !!n.end||/extinct|absorbed/.test((n.today&&n.today.status)||'')} function yr(v){return v==null?'':(v<0?(-v)+' BCE':String(v))} function span(n){var s=n.start||{},a=(s.approx?'c. ':'')+yr(s.ce);return n.end?a+'–'+yr(n.end.ce):a+'–today'} function org(n){var o=n.origin||{};return \[o.place,o.country\].filter(Boolean).filter(function(v,i,a){return a.indexOf(v)===i}).join(', ')} var state={fam:null,q:'',ext:true,view:'tree',open:{}}; // stats var st=document.getElementById('sot-stats'); \[\[D.length,'entries'\],\[FAM.length,'families'\],\[D.filter(function(n){return !ext(n)}).length,'still active'\],\[D.reduce(function(a,n){return a+(n.chain||\[\]).length},0),'people in the chains'\]\].forEach(function(p){var s=el('span');s.appendChild(el('b','',p\[0\]));s.appendChild(document.createTextNode(p\[1\]));st.appendChild(s)}); // chips var chips=document.getElementById('sot-chips'); function chip(k,l){var b=el('button','sot-chip');b.type='button';if(k)b.setAttribute('data-f',k);if(k){b.appendChild(el('i'))}b.appendChild(document.createTextNode(l));b.setAttribute('aria-pressed',state.fam===k?'true':'false');b.onclick=function(){state.fam=k;\[\].forEach.call(chips.children,function(c){c.setAttribute('aria-pressed',c===b?'true':'false')});render()};chips.appendChild(b)} chip(null,'All');FAM.forEach(function(f){chip(f\[0\],f\[1\])}); var q=document.getElementById('sot-q');q.addEventListener('input',function(){state.q=q.value.trim().toLowerCase();render()}); document.getElementById('sot-ext').addEventListener('change',function(e){state.ext=e.target.checked;render()}); \[\].forEach.call(root.querySelectorAll('.sot-views button'),function(b){b.onclick=function(){state.view=b.getAttribute('data-v');\[\].forEach.call(root.querySelectorAll('.sot-views button'),function(x){x.setAttribute('aria-pressed',x===b?'true':'false')});render()}}); function hay(n){var a=\[n.name,n.ar,n.summary,org(n),(n.today&&(n.today.regions||\[\]).join(' '))\];(n.founders||\[\]).concat(n.chain||\[\]).forEach(function(p){a.push(p.name,p.place||'',p.role||'')});(n.changes||\[\]).forEach(function(c){a.push(c.event)});return a.join(' ').toLowerCase()} var H={};D.forEach(function(n){H\[n.id\]=hay(n)}); function visible(n){if(state.fam&&n.family!==state.fam)return false;if(!state.ext&&ext(n))return false;if(state.q&&H\[n.id\].indexOf(state.q)<0)return false;return true} // tree var treeEl=document.getElementById('sot-tree'); function card(n){var c=el('div','sot-card');c.setAttribute('data-f',n.family); c.appendChild(el('h4','','Overview'));c.appendChild(el('p','',n.summary||'')); var f=el('div','sot-facts');function fact(k,v){if(!v)return;var d=el('div');d.appendChild(el('b','',k));d.appendChild(document.createTextNode(v));f.appendChild(d)} fact('Began',(n.start&&n.start.label)||span(n));fact('Where',org(n)); fact('Founded by',(n.founders||\[\]).map(function(p){return p.name+(p.d\_ce?' (d. '+p.d\_ce+')':'')}).join('; ')); if(n.end)fact('Ended',n.end.label||String(n.end.ce)); var t=n.today||{};fact('Today',\[(t.regions||\[\]).join(', '),t.adherents?t.adherents.charAt(0).toUpperCase()+t.adherents.slice(1):''\].filter(Boolean).join('. '));fact('Status',t.status||''); fact('Family',FN\[n.family\]);c.appendChild(f); if(n.parent&&byId\[n.parent\]){c.appendChild(el('h4','','Grew out of'));var l=el('div','sot-links');l.appendChild(jump(byId\[n.parent\]));c.appendChild(l)} if((n.chain||\[\]).length){c.appendChild(el('h4','','Who carried it, in order'));var o=el('ol','sot-chain');n.chain.forEach(function(p){var li=el('li');li.appendChild(el('span','sot-y',p.d\_ce?'d. '+p.d\_ce:'living'));li.appendChild(el('strong','',p.name));var m=\[p.place,p.role\].filter(Boolean).join(' · ');if(m){li.appendChild(document.createTextNode(' '));li.appendChild(el('span','sot-muted','· '+m))}o.appendChild(li)});c.appendChild(o)} if((n.changes||\[\]).length){c.appendChild(el('h4','','Turning points'));var o2=el('ol','sot-ch');n.changes.slice().sort(function(a,b){return a.ce-b.ce}).forEach(function(ch){var li=el('li');li.appendChild(el('span','sot-y',yr(ch.ce)));li.appendChild(document.createTextNode(ch.event));o2.appendChild(li)});c.appendChild(o2)} var ks=kids\[n.id\]||\[\];if(ks.length){c.appendChild(el('h4','','Branches'));var l2=el('div','sot-links');ks.forEach(function(k){l2.appendChild(jump(byId\[k\]))});c.appendChild(l2)} if((n.sources||\[\]).length){c.appendChild(el('h4','','Sources'));var ul=el('ul','sot-src');n.sources.forEach(function(s){var li=el('li');var a=el('a','',s.replace(/^https?:\\/\\/(www\\.)?/,'').slice(0,90));a.href=s;a.target='\_blank';a.rel='noopener';li.appendChild(a);ul.appendChild(li)});c.appendChild(ul)} return c} function jump(m){var b=el('button','',m.name);b.type='button';b.setAttribute('data-f',m.family);b.onclick=function(){go(m.id)};return b} function go(id){state.view='tree';\[\].forEach.call(root.querySelectorAll('.sot-views button'),function(x){x.setAttribute('aria-pressed',x.getAttribute('data-v')==='tree'?'true':'false')}); var n=byId\[id\];if(state.fam&&n.family!==state.fam){state.fam=null;\[\].forEach.call(chips.children,function(c,i){c.setAttribute('aria-pressed',i===0?'true':'false')})} if(state.q&&H\[id\].indexOf(state.q)<0){state.q='';q.value=''} if(!state.ext&&ext(n)){state.ext=true;document.getElementById('sot-ext').checked=true} var p=n;while(p){state.open\['c:'+p.id\]=true;p=p.parent&&byId\[p.parent\]}state.open\['d:'+id\]=true;render(); var r=treeEl.querySelector('\[data-id="'+id+'"\]');if(r){r.scrollIntoView({block:'start',behavior:'smooth'})} try{history.replaceState(null,'','#'+id)}catch(e){}} function subtree(n,show){var li=el('li','sot-n');li.setAttribute('data-id',n.id);li.setAttribute('data-f',n.family); if(!show\[n.id\])li.classList.add('sot-dim'); var row=el('div','sot-row');var ks=(kids\[n.id\]||\[\]).filter(function(k){return show\[k\]||inc\[k\]}); var cr=el('button','sot-cr');cr.type='button';var co=state.q||state.open\['c:'+n.id\]||state.open\['c:'+n.id\]===undefined&&!n.parent; if(!ks.length){cr.disabled=true}else{cr.textContent=co?'▾':'▸';cr.setAttribute('aria-label',(co?'Collapse ':'Expand ')+n.name);cr.onclick=function(){state.open\['c:'+n.id\]=!co;render()}} row.appendChild(cr); var b=el('button','sot-open');b.type='button';b.setAttribute('aria-expanded',state.open\['d:'+n.id\]?'true':'false'); b.appendChild(el('span','sot-nm',n.name));if(n.ar)b.appendChild(el('span','sot-ar',n.ar));b.appendChild(el('span','sot-dt',span(n)));var o=org(n);if(o)b.appendChild(el('span','sot-or',o)); var s=(n.today&&n.today.status)||'';if(s&&s!=='active')b.appendChild(el('span','sot-st'+(ext(n)?' x':''),s)); b.onclick=function(){state.open\['d:'+n.id\]=!state.open\['d:'+n.id\];render();try{history.replaceState(null,'','#'+n.id)}catch(e){}}; row.appendChild(b);li.appendChild(row); if(state.open\['d:'+n.id\])li.appendChild(card(n)); if(ks.length&&co){var ul=el('ul','sot-t');ks.forEach(function(k){ul.appendChild(subtree(byId\[k\],show))});li.appendChild(ul)} return li} var inc={}; function renderTree(){treeEl.innerHTML='';var show={};D.forEach(function(n){if(visible(n))show\[n.id\]=true}); inc={};Object.keys(show).forEach(function(id){var p=byId\[id\];while(p&&p.parent&&byId\[p.parent\]){p=byId\[p.parent\];if(show\[p.id\])break;inc\[p.id\]=true}}); if(state.fam){Object.keys(inc).forEach(function(k){if(byId\[k\].family!==state.fam)delete inc\[k\]})} var roots=D.filter(function(n){return (show\[n.id\]||inc\[n.id\])&&(!n.parent||!(show\[n.parent\]||inc\[n.parent\]))}); var groups={};roots.forEach(function(r){(groups\[r.family\]=groups\[r.family\]||\[\]).push(r)}); var total=0;FAM.forEach(function(f){var rs=groups\[f\[0\]\];if(!rs)return;rs.sort(function(a,b){return sy(a)-sy(b)});var g=el('div','sot-group');g.appendChild(el('div','sot-gh',f\[1\]));var ul=el('ul','sot-t');rs.forEach(function(r){ul.appendChild(subtree(r,show))});g.appendChild(ul);treeEl.appendChild(g)}); total=Object.keys(show).length;document.getElementById('sot-count').textContent=total+' of '+D.length+' shown'; if(!total)treeEl.appendChild(el('p','sot-muted','Nothing matches that search.'))} // timeline function renderTime(){var box=document.getElementById('sot-tl');box.innerHTML='';var lg=document.getElementById('sot-legend');lg.innerHTML=''; FAM.forEach(function(f){var s=el('span');s.setAttribute('data-f',f\[0\]);s.appendChild(el('i'));s.appendChild(document.createTextNode(f\[1\]));lg.appendChild(s)}); var order=\[\];function walk(id,d){var n=byId\[id\];if(visible(n))order.push(\[n,d\]);(kids\[id\]||\[\]).forEach(function(k){if(byId\[k\].family===n.family)walk(k,d+1)})} FAM.forEach(function(f){D.filter(function(n){return n.family===f\[0\]&&(!n.parent||byId\[n.parent\].family!==f\[0\])}).sort(function(a,b){return sy(a)-sy(b)}).forEach(function(r){walk(r.id,0)})}); var seen={};order=order.filter(function(o){if(seen\[o\[0\].id\])return false;seen\[o\[0\].id\]=1;return true}); var narrow=box.clientWidth<600,L=narrow?140:220,X0=600,X1=2030,W=1250,RH=22,T=30,Hh=T+order.length\*RH+14,sc=(W-20)/(X1-X0); var COL={'sunni-law':'#1f5f8b','creed':'#6b4c9a','shia':'#1e7a5a','khawarij':'#8a5a14','sufi':'#a33b5c','modern':'#4d5e1c'}; var NS='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg';function sv(t,a){var e=document.createElementNS(NS,t);for(var k in a)e.setAttribute(k,a\[k\]);return e} var lw=el('div');lw.style.cssText='flex:0 0 '+L+'px;border-right:1px solid #dcdfe2;background:#fff';var rw=el('div');rw.style.cssText='flex:1 1 auto;overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch'; var ls=sv('svg',{width:L,height:Hh}),bs=sv('svg',{width:W,height:Hh,role:'img','aria-label':'Timeline of schools of thought, 600 to 2026'}); for(var y=600;y<=2000;y+=100){var x=10+(y-X0)\*sc;bs.appendChild(sv('line',{x1:x,x2:x,y1:T-6,y2:Hh-6,stroke:'#e6e8ea'}));var tx=sv('text',{x:x,y:18,'text-anchor':'middle','font-size':12,fill:'#7a8187'});tx.textContent=y;bs.appendChild(tx)} var fam=null;order.forEach(function(o,i){var n=o\[0\],yy=T+i\*RH,col=COL\[n.family\]; if(n.family!==fam){fam=n.family;if(i){ls.appendChild(sv('line',{x1:0,x2:L,y1:yy-1,y2:yy-1,stroke:'#dcdfe2'}));bs.appendChild(sv('line',{x1:0,x2:W,y1:yy-1,y2:yy-1,stroke:'#dcdfe2'}))}} var lab=sv('text',{x:6+Math.min(o\[1\],3)\*8,y:yy+15,'font-size':narrow?11.5:12.5,fill:'#15171a','class':'bar'});var nm=n.name;var mx=narrow?20:30;lab.textContent=nm.length>mx?nm.slice(0,mx-1)+'…':nm;var t1=sv('title',{});t1.textContent=n.name;lab.appendChild(t1);lab.addEventListener('click',function(){go(n.id)});ls.appendChild(lab); var s=Math.max(X0,sy(n)),e=n.end?n.end.ce:2026;var g=sv('g',{'class':'bar',tabindex:0,role:'button','aria-label':n.name+', '+span(n)}); g.appendChild(sv('rect',{x:10+(s-X0)\*sc,y:yy+5,width:Math.max(4,(e-s)\*sc),height:13,rx:3,fill:col,opacity:ext(n)?.35:.9})); var ti=sv('title',{});ti.textContent=n.name+': '+span(n)+(org(n)?' · '+org(n):'');g.appendChild(ti); g.addEventListener('click',function(){go(n.id)});g.addEventListener('keydown',function(ev){if(ev.key==='Enter')go(n.id)});bs.appendChild(g)}); lw.appendChild(ls);rw.appendChild(bs);box.style.display='flex';box.style.overflow='hidden';box.appendChild(lw);box.appendChild(rw); document.getElementById('sot-count').textContent=order.length+' of '+D.length+' shown'} function render(){var t=state.view==='tree';treeEl.classList.toggle('sot-hide',!t);document.getElementById('sot-time').classList.toggle('sot-hide',t);if(t)renderTree();else renderTime()} var h=(location.hash||'').slice(1);if(h&&byId\[h\]){go(h)}else render(); })(); 

**Spotted a mistake, or know a better source?** I check and correct these pages when readers point things out. Please email [mohammad.siddiqui@icloud.com](mailto:mohammad.siddiqui@icloud.com?subject=Correction%3A%20Islamic%20Schools%20of%20Thought%3A%20The%20Complete%20Tree) with the passage, what you think is wrong, and your source (Qur'an reference, hadith with collection and number, or a book with page).

**Related reading:** [The Qur'an: What It Is, How It Came Down, and How It Was Kept](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/the-quran/) · [Muhammad ﷺ: A Life](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/prophet-muhammad/) · [The People Around Muhammad ﷺ: Companions, Wives and Family](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/companions/) · [Sufism: Origins, Orders and Critiques](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/sufism/) · [Belief in God, the Prophets and the Unseen](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/creed/) · [Salafism: Origins, Beliefs and the Arguments Around It](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/salafism/) · [Following a Madhhab: Taqlīd, Ijtihād and Mixing Schools](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/following-a-madhhab/) · [Sunni and Shia](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/sunni-and-shia/) · [The Hadith Collections: A Complete Tree](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/hadith-collections/) · [The People Behind the Hadith: Narrators, Chains and How They Were Judged](https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/deen/hadith-narrators-and-chains/)