In todays lesson, were going to explore this historyaltering split. Shia islam holds that ali ibn abi talib was the appointed successor to the islamic prophet muhammad as head of the community. The history of the sunni and shia split quotes by jesse harasta. However, i was looking for a book which gave me an overview, to provide a general understanding of the origins of the shia sunni split and this book has certainly delivered. Based on overwhelming historical facts, the split of the muslim community into shia and sunni occurred immediately.
Feb 12, 2007 the origins of the shiite sunni split. Time period 656 to 661 ce conflict type religious underlying causes resentments began to build over how the booty from the conquests should be divided among the tribal groups that made up the islamic community which came from sudden successes of muslim armies and the sudden rise of the arab empire. This sunnishiite divide has caused numerous civil wars across the muslim world, whether in iraq, lebanon, or syria, and continues to claim lives today. Apr 15, 2011 the order had close ties with the janissary corps, which was the bulk of the ottoman army predominantly sunni government. With the publication of this outstanding book, we no longer have any excuse. Sunni vs shia and the trouble with islam modern ghana. Narrative history at its most compelling,after the prophetallows readers to grasp the power and depth of the shiasunni split as never before.
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. The epic story of the shia sunni split in islam is available in paperback. The history of the sunni and shia split quotes showing 14 of 4 cemetery of albaqi in medina, they utterly destroyed the tombs of the imams hasan, ali ibn husayn, muhammed ibn ali, and jafar, as well as the tomb of fatima, the daughter of muhammad. The schism that led muslims to split into two main denominations, sunni and shia, dates from the 7th century it is almost as old as. The discord, the civil war, the split into shia and sunni all might have been avoided. This is what caused the split between the shia and sunni beliefs, then because of this difference and the way they have received their instructions after the prophets anyone of the prophets sahabah the people who have seen the prophet s or the caliphs who were usually chosen by their predecessor vs. Sectarian conflict is becoming entrenched in a growing number of muslim countries and is threatening to fracture iraq and syria. The book does an excellent job of going into the history of both groups and exactly what led to the split. Here is a primer on the basic differences between sunni and shia islam. The difference between sunni and shia sects of islam are not to the gigantic proportions as most western literature assume.
Is the sunnishia split in islam comparable in any way to. And as lesley hazleton shows in her gripping historyafter the prophet, the battle has never ended. Even as muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would succeed him as the ruler of the muslim people had begun. You may also consider how best you can pray for them during this time of unrest and war.
Though the two main sects within islam, sunni and shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of islam, a bitter split between the two goes back some 14 centuries. After the prophet is not a novel, it is narrative history, that is, the story of things that happened and of things that people say happened, told in a highly compelling way. What are some causes and effects of the shiasunni split. After the prophets death in 632 ce, different views emerged about who should succeed him as. Jan 04, 2016 here is a primer on the basic differences between sunni and shia islam. Anyone seeking to understand todays middle east can learn from this book. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Why did shia and sunni split after the prophet mohammeds. 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. The epic story of the shia sunni split in islam by lesley hazleton isbn. 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.
Moreover, the book is written with great understanding and sympathy. Hazleton jezebel ties todays events to their ancient roots. Sep 16, 2014 the history of the sunni and shia split. The islamic community is divided into two major branches, sunnis and shias or shiites. Aug 19, 2009 the division between sunnis and shia is the largest and oldest in the history of islam. There were nine explosions in all, 30 minutes of car bombs, suicide bombs, grenades, and mortar fire.
Is the sunnishia split in islam comparable in any way to the. Sunni, see the pew research centers reports the global religious landscape december 2012 and mapping the global muslim population october 2009. However, i was looking for a book which gave me an overview, to provide a general understanding of the origins of the shiasunni split and this book has certainly delivered. Sunni islam is the doctrine of power and achievement. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. One of the conflicts that has at times crippled the lands of the middle east is the islamic sunni shiite divide. Sunnishia split the mideasts new great divide the star. In this gripping narrative history, lesley hazleton tells the tr. Diplomacy and the sunnishia divide hmh current events. Part of the strain certainly goes back to the violence and betrayal associated with the seventh century split. Some of the best passages in the book, in hazletons inimitable style, are nearly impossible to ascertain even if she relied on several key works by classical. 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. Although the two major islamic factions share many common core beliefs and practices, there are some significant religious and political differences dating back to the disagreement over the succession. A schism emerged after the death of the prophet muhammad in 632, and disputes arose over who should.
The origins of the sunnishia split in islam by hussein abdulwaheed amin, editor of introduction the shia shahadah declaration of faith states. In modern times, the split has fostered battles for power and resources. Even as muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would succeed him had begun. Sunnishia tensions % of all muslims who say sunnishia tensions are a very or moderately big problem in their country question modified in iran to ask how prevalent tensions are. Research indicates that most american citizens know little about islam and, specifically, the major differences between sunni muslims and shiite muslims and why this matters to the united states. The book attempts to throw some light on the cause of the rift, between the sunni and shia branches of islam. Syria, azerbaijan and the sunnishia divide the globalist.
Sunni and shia differences have their origin in a dispute about who should lead after the death of the prophet muhammad. Jan 17, 2007 the christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. The site and the dilp are entirely supported by individual donors and well wishers. If you regularly visit this site and wish to show your appreciation, or if you wish to see further development of, please donate online. The two major powers in the middle east are saudi arabia, an arab population ruled by a sunni majority, and iran, a persian population ruled by a shia majority. State department have made everyone a fly on the wall inside palaces and foreign ministries. 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 epic story of the shiasunni split doubleday, 2009. Azerbaijan, like all of syrias regional neighbors, is affected by the ongoing civil war there. After the prophet is a remarkable telling of the story of islamparticularly the ongoing rivalry between the sunni and shia branches of islam. Ethnically they were azeri turks, safavids were azerbaijanis. Thus though the split of the muslim empire occurred over just one disputed succession many years ago, its reverberations are felt even today. After the prophet the epic story of the shiasunni split by lesley hazleton. This is the first book i have read on this subject so i am therefore not qualified to assess its accuracy or completeness. Ethnically not, but politicaly yes, as in the sense that they actively promoted and revived preislamic persian sassanianzoroastrian traditions under the guise of shiism. How conflicts within islam will shape the future, by vali nasr, w.
Parallels the division between islams shiite minority and the sunni majority is deepening across the middle east. Despite the fact that pakistan is a sunni majority country, shias have been elected to top offices and played an important part in the countrys politics. Why did shia and sunni split after the prophet mohammeds death and who is to be blamed for the split. A schism emerged after the death of the prophet muhammad in. Lesley hazleton, author of three books about the intersection of politics and religion in the middle east and a onetime middle east. The split essentially occurred due to disputes over who was the rightful successor to the prophet. A muslim book concerned with muhammads ascension into heavens known as the miraj. The following is a list of suggested reading about the shiitesunni conflict. This essay is excerpted from his book divisions within islam, part of a 10volume. The history of the sunni and shia split quotes by jesse. The shia sunni split takes its deadly toll even today. They did choose shia islam and with the force of the sword killed and forced sunni iranians to convert. May 07, 2017 why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east policy and why it shouldnt.
Prepared by emily hawley, research associate after the death of the prophet mohammad in 632 ce, the muslim community diverged over how to select the next leader of the islamic community they had formed on. If he had had a son, the whole history of islam might have been different. The epic story of the shiasunni split 2009 lesley hazelton prologue. Looking at the icon of the book, i expected nothing less. At the heart of syrias bloody civil war is one of the oldest religious divide in history that between sunni and shia muslims. Grippingly written and deeply moving, this is the book that allows western readers to grasp the scope and power of the shiasunni split as never before. There is no god but allah, muhammad is the messenger of allah, ali is the friend of allah. The successor of the messenger of allah and his first caliph.
Healing of the shiasunni split politicscurrent events. This book is another charles rivers editors fraud, from the price i expected a 200 to 300 page history of the sunni shia split from the death of hussein to present day. In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition. In recent years in iraq, saddam hussein led a sunni government that actually oppressed the shia majority. Ft business book of the year a lockdown reading list. Jun 30, 2014 recent turmoil in the middle east and asia centers on conflicts between the two major sects of islam, shiite and sunni. The current iraqi leader, nuri kamal almaliki is shia and there is. Time period 656 to 661 ce conflict type religious underlying causes resentments began to build over how the booty from the conquests should. Tensions between sunnis and shias, exploited by regional rivals. Mar 18, 2020 the two major powers in the middle east are saudi arabia, an arab population ruled by a sunni majority, and iran, a persian population ruled by a shia majority. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. They believed that the successors to muhammad must be chosen by the muslim community. You may wonder about the differences between the two groups and why they hold animosity toward one another. They differ in terms of who should hold the political leadership of the islamic community and what the religious dimension of that leadership should be.
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. 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 and without naming a successor. Thats precisely what the endless harping on the sunnishia split suggests, however. Later, when the ottoman sipahis armored ottoman knights mostly from the turkish sunni nobility promoted the abolition of the janissaries, the bektashi order was banned throughout the ottoman empire.
Understanding the divisions within islam charles river editors on. Its a tale of power, intrigue, rivalry, jealousy, politics, faith and human emotions told in a wonderfully novelistic style. The shiasunni split takes its deadly toll even today. The views of leaders of irans persian gulf neighbors over its nuclear ambitions reveal how the historic divide between the sunni and shia branches of islam is a factor within the muslim middle east. Hazleton not only recounts the facts behind the split but also expertly uses. But the prophet of islam died without sons, and without leaving a clear will. Understanding the divisions within islam by charles river editors isbn. This is a list of significant books of sunni islam doctrine hadiths alkutub al. The division between sunnis and shia is the largest and oldest in the history of islam. Until recently shiasunni relations have been cordial, and a majority of people of both sects participated in the creation the state of pakistan in the 1940s. The following is a list of suggested reading about the shiite sunni conflict. The safavidmogul rivalry, which was an echo of the shiasunni rivalry, extended even to the sultanates of the deccan and was a primary reason for the advance of mogul armies into southern india under shah jehan and aurangzeb 16401707.
Jun 19, 2007 the safavidmogul rivalry, which was an echo of the shia sunni rivalry, extended even to the sultanates of the deccan and was a primary reason for the advance of mogul armies into southern india under shah jehan and aurangzeb 16401707. Sunni and shia muslims are struggling for power while religious intolerance rises violently in egypt. When prophet muhammad was breathing his last, the tussle over power had already begun. Why the myth of sunnishia conflict defines middle east. This article compares the similarities and differences between the two. Dec 16, 2017 on facial similarity the sunni shiite 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. It is true that there are minor variations in the way they take their respective religious heads and attribute meaning to the history of the family of muhammads, however, cultural and political differences hold the most divisive power over the religious forces. The jafari school is the basis of the islamic republics entire judicial system, which is why it is so vastly different from the sort of sunni system one sees in a place like saudi arabia.
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. Lesley hazleton on the shiasunni split chats, foreign policy. Until now, the syrian crisis has had, overall, a limited impact on the largely secular azerbaijan, which is geographically separated from the wartorn country by iran and turkey. His followers disagreed over issues of succession and authority.
Nov 02, 2011 for example, the jafari school of jurisprudence was founded by the sixth imam, jafar alsadiq, and based around his infallible legal opinions. Associate professor of history at creighton university in omaha, nebraska. What students need to know by john calvert april 2010 vol. Soninlaw to muhammad, according to the sunni s was the fourth caliph, but according to the shia is the first caliph.
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