Shiite Muslim
a member of the branch of Islam that regards Ali (Mohammed's Cousin) as the legitimate successor to Mohammed and rejects the first three caliphs.
The Shi'a (also Shi'ite) make up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 10-15% of all Muslims. (The largest sect, the Sunni Muslims, make up about 85% of all Muslims).
Shi'a Muslims accept Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, as the legal successor of Muhammad and disregard three of the other four caliphs who succeeded him. They also regard twelve descendants of Ali as Imams, or spiritual successors of the Prophet.
Shi'a Muslims live in all parts of the world, but some countries have a higher concentration of Shi'a. Iran is almost entirely Shi'a, and of the 95% Muslim population of Iraq, about 2/3 are Shi'a; they were oppressed by the Sunni dominated Baath party that ruled Iraq. Large Shi'a populations are also found in Pakistan (20%), the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (10%), Bahrain (almost 70%), Oman, with smaller groups in other parts of the Arabian Gulf