The Origins of the Shi'a
The Origins of the Shi'a

Author: Najam Haider

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2011-09-26

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 1139503316

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The Sunni-Shi'a schism is often framed as a dispute over the identity of the successor to Muhammad. In reality, however, this fracture only materialized a century later in the important southern Iraqi city of Kufa (present-day Najaf). This book explores the birth and development of Shi'i identity. Through a critical analysis of legal texts, whose provenance has only recently been confirmed, the study shows how the early Shi'a carved out independent religious and social identities through specific ritual practices and within separate sacred spaces. In this way, the book addresses two seminal controversies in the study of early Islam, namely the dating of Kufan Shi'i identity and the means by which the Shi'a differentiated themselves from mainstream Kufan society. This is an important, original and path-breaking book that marks a significant development in the study of early Islamic society.

Sunnis and Shi'a
Sunnis and Shi'a

Author: Laurence Louër

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2022-05-03

Total Pages: 236

ISBN-13: 0691234507

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A compelling history of the ancient schism that continues to divide the Islamic world When Muhammad died in 632 without a male heir, Sunnis contended that the choice of a successor should fall to his closest companions, but Shi'a believed that God had inspired the Prophet to appoint his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as leader. So began a schism that is nearly as old as Islam itself. Laurence Louër tells the story of this ancient rivalry, taking readers from the last days of Muhammad to the political and doctrinal clashes of Sunnis and Shi'a today. In a sweeping historical narrative spanning the Islamic world, Louër shows how the Sunni-Shi'a divide was never just a dispute over succession—at issue are questions about the very nature of Islamic political authority. She challenges the widespread perception of Sunnis and Shi'a as bitter enemies who are perpetually at war with each other, demonstrating how they have coexisted peacefully at various periods throughout the history of Islam. Louër traces how sectarian tensions have been inflamed or calmed depending on the political contingencies of the moment, whether to consolidate the rule of elites, assert clerical control over the state, or defy the powers that be. Timely and provocative, Sunnis and Shi'a provides needed perspective on the historical roots of today's conflicts and reveals how both branches of Islam have influenced and emulated each other in unexpected ways. This compelling and accessible book also examines the diverse regional contexts of the Sunni-Shi'a divide, examining how it has shaped societies and politics in countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon.

A Concise History of Sunnis and Shi`is
A Concise History of Sunnis and Shi`is

Author: John McHugo

Publisher: Saqi Books

Published: 2017-09-08

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13: 0863561586

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The 1400-year-old schism between Sunnis and Shi`is has rarely been as toxic as it is today, feeding wars and communal strife in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and many other countries, with tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran escalating. In this richly layered and engrossing account, John McHugo reveals how this great divide occurred. Charting the story of Islam from the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad to the present day, he describes the conflicts that raged over the succession to the Prophet, how Sunnism and Shi`ism evolved as different sects during the Abbasid caliphate, and how the rivalry between the empires of the Sunni Ottomans and Shi`i Safavids contrived to ensure that the split would continue into modern times. Now its full, destructive force has been brought out by the struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran for the soul of the Muslim world. Definitive and insightful, A Concise History of Sunnis and Shi`is shows that there was nothing inevitable about the sectarian conflicts that now disfigure Islam. It is an essential guide to understanding the genesis, development and manipulation of the great schism that has come to define Islam and the Muslim world.

After the Prophet
After the Prophet

Author: Lesley Hazleton

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2010-09-07

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 0385523947

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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 that dominates the news now more than ever. Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would take control of the new Islamic nation had begun, beginning a succession crisis marked by power grabs, assassination, political intrigue, and passionate faith. Soon Islam was embroiled in civil war, pitting its founder's controversial wife Aisha against his son-in-law Ali, and shattering Muhammad’s ideal of unity. 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. It is an indispensable guide to the depth and power of the Shia–Sunni split.

Who Are the Shi'a? Their True Origins and Beliefs
Who Are the Shi'a? Their True Origins and Beliefs

Author: Sabah al-Bayati

Publisher:

Published: 2021-09-15

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 9781922583154

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Who are the Shi'a? presents the creedal or fundamental beliefs of Shiʻa Islam while at the same time addressing many of the spurious beliefs that are erroneously attributed to it. The question as to who the Shia are is often posed, with most commentators often giving a narrow historical view. This book takes a more comprehensive look at the true origins and beliefs of the Shi'a. It dispels many myths and misinformation associated with their true origins. Who are the Shiʻa? begins with a discussion of the difference between the Sunni and Shīʻa take on the key concept of ijtihad. It then discusses the prerequisites for having religious authority, and who the members of the House of the Prophet are (the issue of the ʻismat or inerrancy of the Ahl al-Bayt), and proceeds to provide scriptural proofs concerning the designation to the succession of the Prophet. The book proceeds to establish the fact that the Prophet occasionally used the word Shiʻa for the companions and followers of Imam Ali, and that he would give these companions or followers (shiʻa) glad tidings that they were on the right path, and would be among those who attain salvation. It then discusses the Pledge of Allegiance given to Imam Ali in the presence and at the behest of the Prophet and provides a summary treatment of the various sects within Islam, with an emphasis on the deviances of the extremist or ghulāt sects. It then discusses the meaning of Shiʻa Islam and the creedal beliefs of the Twelvers. The final chapter disabuses the reader definitively of the widespread and virulent Abdullāh b. Saba meme (using the priceless research of Allama Askari), and the other false meme of the Persian origin of Shi'a Islam. Readers will not only get a very clear picture of the origins of the creedal beliefs of the Shiʻa but will see the historical-political context in which the creed developed under the auspices of the Most Noble Prophet himself, and under that of his purified and inerrant progeny.

The Heirs of Muhammad
The Heirs of Muhammad

Author: Barnaby Rogerson

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781590200223

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[In this book, the author] recounts the lives of the handful of individuals - the first four Caliphs, the Prophet's widows and the conquering generals - who led and influenced Islam after the death of Muhammad. Within this fifty-year span of conquest and empire-building, [the author] identifies the seeds of discord and civil war that destroyed the unity of Islam and traces the roots of the schism between Sunni and Shia Muslims to the rivalry of the two people who best knew and loved the Prophet: his cousin and son-in-law Ali and his wife Aisha--Dust jacket.

Shi'a Islam
Shi'a Islam

Author: Heinz Halm

Publisher:

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13:

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Attempts to explain the bewildering events in the Middle East.

Shi'i Islam
Shi'i Islam

Author: Najam Haider

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-08-11

Total Pages: 267

ISBN-13: 1107031435

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This book examines the development of Shi'i Islam through the lenses of belief, narrative, and memory.

Shia Islam and Politics
Shia Islam and Politics

Author: Jon Armajani

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2020-05-20

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 1793621365

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This book argues that ever since Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979, which established a Shia Islamic government in Iran, that country’s religious and political leaders have used Shia Islam as a crucial way of expanding Iran’s objectives in the Middle East and beyond. Since 1979, Iran’s religious and political leaders have been concerned about Iran’s security in the face of the hostility and expansionism of the United States and other western countries, and the threats from powerful neighboring Sunni leaders and countries. While Iran’s government has attempted to align itself with Shia Muslims in various countries, such as Iraq and Lebanon, against American and Sunni expansionism, the Iranian government has attempted to religiously nourish and politically mobilize those Shias as a matter of principle, not only because of the Iranian government’s desires to protect Iran from external threats. The book analyzes Shia Islam and politics in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon which have among the largest proportional Shia populations in the Middle East and are vibrant centers of Shia intellectual life. The book's clear and jargon-free approach make it especially accessible for students and general readers who would like an introduction to the book's topics.

The Origins and Early Development of Shi'a Islam
The Origins and Early Development of Shi'a Islam

Author: Husain M. Jafri

Publisher: Stacey International

Published: 2007-03

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 9781905299362

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Being such an undeniably relevant topic at the moment, this book provides an un-biased and academic study of the development of Shi'a Islam. In this way, it would be well received by anyone wanting an in-depth academic study of the topic, from keen enthusiasts to academics.