One of the groups to evolve from this conflict was the Sunnis; followers of the Sunni tradition are knwon as Sunnites. They hold themselves as the the followers of the sunna (practice) of the community a whole. They were willing to recognize the authority of the Caliphs, who maintaine rule by law and persuasion, and by force is necessary. The sunnis became Islam's largest faction.
Two smaller groups also were created from this schism: The Shi'ites and the Kharijites (Khawarij), also known as the seceders. The Shi'ites believed that the only legitimate leadership rested in the lineage of Muhammed's cousin and son-in-law, 'Ali. The Shi'ites believed that the rest of the Muslim community committed a grave error by electing Abu Bakr and his two successors as leaders.
A third group came into being which rejected the Sunni and Shi'ite positions; they maintained that the community had the right to elect its own head, and even should have the power to depose a bad leaders. This group held that leadership should be based on Islamic scholarship and the will of the people, and not on inherited power. This group was labeled by other Muslims as Kharijites, or the Khawarij (seceders).