Syrian President Assad comes from the Alawite religious minority which,though considered a sect of Shiite Islam, bears little resemblance to Islam in doctrine or practice. They are considered to be worse than kafir(infidels) and are persecuted by the Sunnis who form the majority in the Muslim world.Alawites consider themselves Muslim, though they incorporate tenets that fall outside orthodox Islam. Foremost among these is a belief that Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, was an incarnation of the deity and that praying in the name of Ali is the only way to communicate with Allah. Many members of the ruling political party of Syria are Alawites, including President Bashar al-Assad. Alawites also live in parts of Turkey and Lebanon.