Sunni Islam

Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam; its adherents are referred to in Arabic as “ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamaah” (Arabic: أهل السنة والجماعة‎), "people of the tradition of Mohammad and the consensus of the “Ummah" or “ahl as-sunnah” (أهل السنة) for short. In English, its theological study or doctrine is called Sunnism, while adherents are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis, and Sunnites. Sunni Islam is sometimes referred to as the orthodox version of the religion.The word "Sunni" is believed to come from the term Sunnah (Arabic: سنة‎), which refers to the sayings and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammad as recorded in hadiths.

The primary collections consisting of Kutub al-Siah accepted by Sunni orthodoxy, in conjunction with the Koran and binding consensus, form the basis of all jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. Laws are derived from these basic sources; in addition, Sunni Islam's juristic schools recognize differing methods to derive verdicts such as analogical reason, consideration of public welfare, and juristic discretion.

Refrence(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Islam