Q. Islam was interpreted in a variety of ways by its followers. Consider the following statements:

1. Shia Muslims accepted the authority of the early leaders (Khalifas) of the community, and the succeeding Khalifas.
2. Sunni Muslims believed that the Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, was the legitimate leader of the Muslim community.

Choose the correct option from the codes given below:
Answer: None of the above
Notes: Many rulers were patrons of Islam and the ulama-learned theologians and jurists. And like Hinduism, Islam was interpreted in a variety of ways by its followers. There were the Shia Muslims who believed that the Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, was the legitimate leader of the Muslim community, and the Sunni Muslims who accepted the authority of the early leaders (Khalifas) of the community, and the succeeding Khalifas. There were other important differences between the various schools of law (Hanafi and Shafi’i mainly in India), and in theology and mystic traditions.