The sunni and shia muslim split explained in 90 seconds with the recent execution of shia cleric sheikh nimr alnimr in sunnidominated saudi arabia, we. The history of the sunni and shia split audiobook by. The shia revival by vali nasr is a good book on modern shia political power. In the middle east heartland of islam, the shia are closer to fifty percent, and wherever oil reserves are richestiran, iraq, and the persian gulf coast, including eastern saudi arabiathey are in the majority. Why we need to read after the prophet amidst todays shiasunni. The sunnishia split is complicated by the nationalistic schism between middle east countries. Understanding the divisions within islam kindle edition by harasta, jesse, charles river editors. The iraniraq military conflict, dilip hiro, paladin grafton books, 1990. Sunnishia sectarianism at root of much of middle east. How has the split between the shias and sunnis shaped. A history of the shiitesunni split the division of islam into sunni and shiite branches goes far back in muslim history to the aftermath. They do differ, however, and that separation stemmed initially, not from spiritual distinctions, but political ones. The words sunni and shi a appear regularly in stories about the muslim world.
Understanding the divisions within islam charles river editors on. I would like to say to those readers who are not muslim, to keep in mind 2 things. As a practicing sunni muslim who has always tried to wrap his head around the sunnishia split, i found this book to be very informative. Though highly readable, the british psychologist has produced a piece of historical entertainment, rather than a serious study. Lesley hazleton on the shiasunni split chats, foreign. Although it is technically a split in religion, the divide has had substantial global ramifications for decades, and there seems to be no end in sight. The book does an excellent job of going into the history of both groups and exactly what led to the split. Understanding the sunnishia issue free malaysia today. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam ebook. Imagine that the reformation and counterreformation had been waged soon after christ died. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam hazleton, lesley on. What are the fundamental differences between sunnis and. In this gripping narrative history, lesley hazleton tells the tragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam, a rift.
Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east. Iran, on the other hand, descends from the 16th century persian empire. It also goes into some detail about sunnishia relations. The split between the two major branches of islam sunni and shia had its genesis in the homicide of muhammad. The split between the sunni literally, those who follow the sunna, or reports of how the prophet muhammad lived his life and shia literally, shiat ali, or followers of ali, muhammads adopted son is one which, as. In the event, the wrangling led to a momentous fissure, and it is this tragic story that lesley hazleton brings to life in her epic story of the shiasunni split in islam. Sunni and shia islam part 1 world history khan academy. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. What are some good and reliable books on shiasunni divide. Lesley hazleton succeeds in bringing out the truly epic character of the shiasunni split, telling the story with great empathy. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam, after the prophet.
In this gripping narrative history, lesley hazleton tells the tragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam, a. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head. Shia and sunni have mostly same beliefs and both believe in fundamental beliefs of islam. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam by lesley hazleton isbn. The origins of the sunnishia split in islam by hussein abdulwaheed amin, editor of introduction the shia shahadah declaration of faith states. The general western reader will come away from this book with a newfound respect for the depth and power of the early schism in islam and of what happened at karbala. Narrative history at its most compelling, after the prophet relates the dramatic tragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between shia and sunni islam. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam book online at best prices in india on. Read this book and over 1 million others with a kindle unlimited membership. Unlike divisions in other faiths between conservative and orthodox jews or catholic and protestant christians the split between the sunnis and shia has existed almost as long as the faith itself. Essentially it was a battle over who would lead islam after muhammad died, and it began at the moment of his death, which is where my book begins, she explained, noting that shias.
With the publication of this outstanding book, we no longer have any excuse. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam pdf book. Today, the most important religious split is between the sunnis and the shias shiites within islam. Today there is up to 260 sects in islam that are in two main categories of shia and sunni. The history of the sunni and shia split traces the origins of the split and the historic effects of the main divide within islam. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam by lesley hazleton 2010, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Arabs descend from the ottoman empire, which existed from the 15th through the 20th century. The conflict between sunnis and shias is the news of everyday, but there. The sunni believe muhammad was poisoned by the jewess zaynab. It helped me really understand how certain events unfolded and just what their effects were. After the prophet is a remarkable telling of the story of islamparticularly the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam. Charles river editors author, publisher, colin fluxman narrator.
It also is a worthwhile read for anybody interested in the effect of religion on politics. Hazleton succeeds in bringing out the truly epic character of the shiasunni split, telling the story with great empathy. Perplexing and deadly international intercultural conflict 17 mimic the pilgrimage of the polytheistic religions that once traveled there. On facial similarity the sunnishiite split in islam is comparable to the protestantcatholic split in christianity to the extent that there was one religion and after a theological disagreement, there were two religions. This video is part of the council on foreign relations infoguide presentation, the sunnishia divide. A history of the arab peoples, albert hourani, warner. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam pdf, lesley hazleton. But the muslim split deepened when alis son hussein was killed in 680 by soldiers of the ruling sunni caliph.
Hazleton jezebel ties todays events to their ancient roots. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. Combining meticulous research with compelling storytelling, after the prophet explores the volatile intersection of religion and politics, psychology and culture, and history and current events. A wellcrafted glimpse into the origins and early years of islam, even then torn by dissension and violence. The succession to muhammad is the central issue that split the muslim community into several divisions in the first century of islamic history, the most prominent among these sects being the shia and sunni branches of islam. The book of roughly 200 pages is clearly divided into 3 parts and. Sunni and shia muslims share the most fundamental islamic beliefs and articles of faith and are the two main subgroups in islam. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
In september 1996 more than 200 people were killed when a gun battle between teenage shia and sunni escalated into a communal war that lasted five days. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the history of the sunnis and shias like never before, in no time at all. Journalist lesley hazleton describes, in this book, the origins of the shiasunni split in islam a rift that began when the prophet muhammad died without sons. Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east policy and why it shouldnt. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam by lesley hazleton doubleday 256 pp. Allameh amini is a famous shia scholar and spent 40 years of his life in travelling to access original old sunni books in libraries in different countries to write this 20 volume book only from. The following is a list of suggested reading about the shiitesunni conflict. Its a tale of power, intrigue, rivalry, jealousy, politics, faith and human emotions told in a wonderfully novelistic style. The split occurred soon after the death of the prophet muhammad, nearly 1,400 years ago.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the history of the sunni and shia split. Thats precisely what the endless harping on the sunnishia split suggests, however. Introduction sunni and shi a mosaic tiled columns in a mosque. An introduction to the sunni and shia schism that forms in islam after the death of muhammed. Why is it important that the sunni and shia split answers. The epic story of the shiasunni split in islam, is an effort to expand americans understanding of that schism. An example of an early shia sunni fitna shootout occurred in kurram, one of the tribal agencies of the northwest pakistan, where the pushtun population was split between sunnis and shia. In this gripping narrative history, lesley hazleton tells the tr. How conflicts within islam will shape the future, by vali nasr, w. The division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. The book is well narrated, good for basic knowledge of shia sunni split, but dont take every line of the book as a final word, for every incident there are numerous interpretations, so try to read more, but one can start from this.
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