 The word "Sunni" comes from the word "sunnah", which means the teachings and actions or examples of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.Therefore, the term "Sunni" refers to those who follow or maintain the "sunnah" of the prophet Muhammad.The Sunnis believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor to lead the Muslim "ummah" (community) before his death, and after an initial period of confusion, a group of his most prominent companions gathered and elected Abu Bakr, Muhammad's close friend and a father-in-law, as the first "caliph" of Islam.