Don't know if this is the right place for this question but here goes....


I'm close to understanding that the Qu'ran was sent directly from God, but I'm stuck again one another point....


why, if the Qu'ran is so pure and all, are there different sects of Islam?

Without going into the issue of sectarian beliefes etc, the split is quite obvious. The Quran is pure but throughout history there have always been people that have been insincere or just ignorant and used Islam to their own benefit and only followed their desires. The most logical thing to do would be to follow the Quran and Sunnah in the light of the understanding of the people who were closest to the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) who either saw him or meet people who knew him personally etc.

So which way is the right way? How would someone looking to revert even know which one to pick?

You dont really have to pick. A true Muslim follows everything in the Quran and hadeeth. Sects are imo stupid and such division (though political rather than religious) are forbidden in the Quran.

The true path is following the Quran and Sunnah based on the understanding of the pious predecessors. No one will argue with you on that. Try to to stay away from all the strange and mystic practises people have introduced into the religion, when a person instructs you to do something and says its "Islam" or claims the a certain "Shaykh" has ilm of everything (just as an example) always ask, what is your evidence for it? And evidence should only be brought from the Quran, Sunnah or from the saying of the Companions of the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) and those who followed them in goodness.

Oh ok. So basically the whole sect thing in Islam is very different concept than say the difference between Catholicism and a Baptist in Christianity. Right?

Im not very well versed in the differences between Catholicism and Baptist, however the Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against sects and himself predicted the divisions that would come.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My community will experience everything that the Children of Israel had experienced, following in their footsteps exactly, so much so that if one of their number had approached his mother publicly for sex, one of my community will do the same. The Children of Israel divided into 72 sects. My community will divide into 73 sects, and all of them will be in the Hellfire save one.”

The people asked him: “And which one will that be

He replied: “The one that follows what I and my Companions are upon right now.”

Basically, all you can do is learn for yourself and when you believe something to be true, you must follow your belief.

Kidman

When people ask me 'what I am'? I simply say a muslim. In my opinion a muslim should follow quran and sunnah but turn to scholars and Imams when in a state of confusion. My whole school is hanafi. They call me a ******. I call myself a muslim. We are all muslims created by Allah to worship him. Why should we be so divided? The answer is we shouldn't.

Thats my opinion anyway.

The prophet PBUH also said stick with the majority, as the majority will never be misguided. Today we see most people as orthodox sunni, over 80% of muslims. 98% of converts become sunni. So usually it's not a problem. Besides, the true Islam that the prophet PBUH and his companions practised is always clear

madhabs is different, they differ on fiqh issues. Its not a question of Aqeeda, belief. Its the problem today, the ummah is so disunited that even on issues of jurisprudence they like to label each other

Of course we should be united. But as Khaldun said above, there will always be people who will use religion to advance their political gains. There is simply nothing we can do about that kind of stuff. They just want to label themselves "Muslims" and use half of the religion for their own desires.

The saved sect is the sect who uses the Qu'ran as everyday guidance, who refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) for everyday guidance, and who refers to the four great Imams for clarification on these subjects.

The divide came after the Prophet (pbuh); The core beliefs remained the same, it was just difference in who was to succeed the Prophet (pbuh). If he choose a successor or left it to the people. Then, each side has their own set of beliefs upon which Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) to be authentic and which are low credibility sources. I'm not going to put my opinion on what i believe, cause i have done my own research, it is up to you to do your own research by looking at history and the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh).

Kidman

It says it will divide into 72 sects, that doesn't mean they are prevalent now. The only majority sects today are sunni and shia'

The 72 sects is a hadith anyway, not from the Qur'an, I've heard one scholar say the authenticity of the hadith is not that strong. i dunno, Allah knows best!