Podcasts about sunni shi

Send us a textIsrael's regional threats are shifting fast—and the stakes have never been higher. Former Israeli diplomat and Knesset member Ruth Wasserman Lande joins Eylon Levy to analyze the instability on Israel's borders and the global forces reshaping the Middle East after October 7.With decades of experience in Arab affairs, diplomacy, and security, Wasserman Lande offers unique insights into:

Our Hip Deep edition “A Tale of Two Rebellions" recounts the stories of two remarkable military campaigns in early Islamic history. Both uprisings take place in the late 9th century, both involve Africans as key players, and both set the scene for the crystallization of the Sunni-Shi'ite divide in Islam, which of course continues to this day. By Joseph Browdy and Banning Eyre. APWW #535

George Warner is a scholar of Islamic studies specialising in Sunni- Shiʿa relations, hadith, ritual, and devotional literature in Arabic and Persian. He has taught at RuhrUniversität Bochum and SOAS University of London, where he completed his PhD in 2017, and is currently based at the University of Exeter in the UK. His first book, ‘The Words of the Imams: al-Shaykh al-Saduq and the Development of Twelver Shi'i Hadith Literature,' was published in 2021 by I. B. Tauris.

In this Majlis Syedna Taher Fakhruddin TUS continues to address the split of the Sulaymani faction. In the previous Majlis Syedna explained that the Sulaymani faction were led astray by the false claimant Sulayman bin Hasan, the grandson of the 24th Dai, in the time of the 27th Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah Burhanuddin RA. In this Majlis, Syedna recounts the events that led to Syedna Dawood's victory over Sulayman in the court of Akbar, the Mughal Emperor. How did Sulayman entice one of the ministers in Akbar's court to support him? Why did Syedna Dawood go into concealment in Ahmedabad? What kind of torture and oppression did the Hudood of Dawat and Mumineen endure? What are the events that transpired until Syedna Dawood decided to travel to Akbar's court? How was the dispute settled and what are the arguments that were presented? How did Syedna Dawood's shaan become manifest in Akbar's court? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 64th in the Majalis al Hikma series. In the previous Majalis, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS has explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split (Majlis 47-49) and the split of the Zaydis in time of Mohammed al-Baqir SA (Majlis 50). He then addressed the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA (Majlis 51-52) and the Nizari split after al-Mustansir billah SA (Majlis 56). Syedna then discussed the split of the Majeedi faction after the 20th Imam al-Aamir bi-ahkaamillah SA (Majlis 60). In this Majlis Syedna continues to discuss the split of the Sulaymani faction in the time of the 27th Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Da'ud bin Qutubshah Burhanuddin RA (Majlis 62-63). Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/sm3OegSblB4 Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/y3rMUCZ7foQ Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/VEcbpTfnGlY Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com

In the previous Majlis, Syedna Taher Fakhruddin TUS explained that in the time of the 27th Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah Burhanuddin RA, the Sulaymani faction were led astray by the false claimant Sulayman bin Hasan, the grandson of the 24th Dai. In this Majlis Syedna TUS continues to address the split of the Sulaymani faction. Sulayman was in Yemen when he falsely claimed the Daiship. What are the events that transpired after he arrived in India from Yemen? Who were those people from the household of the 26th Dai who followed Sulayman? Why did they do so? How did Syedna Dawood RA establish his rightful claim? What are the lessons that we can learn from understanding the history of Sulayman's fitnat? How could the family of the 52nd Dai revolt? What has Syedna Burhanuddin RA said about the veracity of _all_ Mazoons? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 63rd in the Majalis al Hikma series. In the next Majlis, Syedna TUS will speak about Syedna Dawood RA's victory in the Mughal Emperor Akbar's court. In Majlis 47-49, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split (and the split of the Zaydis in time of Mohammed al-Baqir SA (Majlis 50). He then addressed the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA (Majlis 51-52) and the Nizari split after al-Mustansir billah SA (Majlis 56). Syedna then discussed the split of the Majeedi faction after the 20th Imam al-Aamir bi-ahkaamillah SA (Majlis 60). In this Majlis Syedna discusses the split of the Sulaymani faction in the time of the 27th Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah Burhanuddin RA. Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/viiYHjWyRDA Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/Di139JJqO98 Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/75dwS77UWm4 Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com

In the 62nd Majlis, Syedna TUS explains the Sulaymani faction which followed the false claim of Sulayman bin Hasan, the grandson of the 24th Dai. When the 26th Dai Syedna Dawood bin Ajabshah RA passed away, Sulayman initially gave Misaaq (the Oath of Allegiance) to the 27th Dai Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah RA. Three years later he claimed the Daiship for himself. This was based on a fabricated letter of Nass by the scribe of the 26th Dai. The sons of the 26th Dai also colluded with Sulayman and enticed the ruler of Ahmedabad to support them. The dissension and fitnat of Dawat's enemies grew so powerful that 27th Dai was forced into concealment. What were the circumstances that arose within Dawat due to which people within the Dai's home and family supported Sulayman? Who conspired with the scribe of the 26th Dai? Why did the ruler of Ahmedabad support Sulayman? Why are we known as Dawoodi Bohras? What is the greatest proof of Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah RA's truthfulness? What are the echoes of Sulayman's fitnat in our day and age? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 62nd in the Majalis al Hikma series. He will expand further on this in the next Majlis inshaallah. In Majlis 47-49, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split (and the split of the Zaydis in time of Mohammed al-Baqir SA (Majlis 50). He then addressed the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA (Majlis 51-52) and the Nizari split after al-Mustansir billah SA (Majlis 56). Syedna then discussed the split of the Majeedi faction after the 20th Imam al-Aamir bi-ahkaamillah SA (Majlis 60). In this Majlis Syedna discusses the split of the Sulaymani faction in the time of the 27th Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah Burhanuddin RA. Watch short video in *Dawat ni Zabaan*: https://youtu.be/zL9UHkkVFUY Watch short video in *English*: https://youtu.be/Xcvw_IfVpxI Watch short video in *Arabic*: https://youtu.be/82e5_Grfak4 Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com

In previous Majalis, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split (Majlis 47-49) and the split of the Zaydis in the time of Mohammed al-Baqir SA (Majlis 50). He then addressed the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA (Majlis 51-52) and the Nizari split after al-Mustansir billah SA (Majlis 56). In this Majlis Syedna discusses the split of the Majeedi faction after the 20th Imam al-Aamir bi-ahkaamillah SA. After Imam al-Aamir's SA assassination, the Majeedi faction followed the false claim of the Abdul-Majeed, the son of the 20th Imam's uncle. Abdul-Majeed alleged that the 20th Imam appointed him, the son of the 20th Imam's uncle, as his successor, just as Rasulullah SA appointed Maulana Ali SA, the son of his uncle Abu-Talib AS, as his successor. What are the arguments of our Hudaat Kiraam against this false belief? How do they establish the rightful Imamate of the 21st Imam, al-Tayyib Abul-Qasim Amirul Mumineen SA? What were the events that transpired in Egypt that led Abdul-Majeed to claim the Imamate for himself after the assassination of the 20th Imam? Why did Aamir Imam give Abdul-Majeed the title ‘Master of the pledge of the Muslims' (waliyyu-ahdil-muslimeen)? How were the Du'aat of the Imam oppressed in Misar? How did Maulatuna Hurratul Malika AS, the Queen of Yemen, confront Abdul-Majeed and establish the Nass of Tayyib Imam SA? How did the Du'at Mutlaqeen in Yemen guide back to Haqq those who were caught in Abdul-Majeed's fitnat? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 60th in the Majalis al Hikma series. Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/-ACsBy8_Iug Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/89LOhtfpUkw Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/lpH2rYz03mE Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com

In the previous Majalis, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split (Majlis 47-49) and the split of the Zaydis in time of the fourth Imam, Mohammed al-Baqir SA (Majlis 50). He then addressed the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA (Majlis 51-52). In this Majlis he discusses the split after the 18th Imam al-Mustansir billah Amirul-Mumineen SA. Some historians argued that Nizar was the eldest son of Mustansir Imam and so he must be the rightful heir. Others contend that Nizar was given the title _“waliyy ‘ahd- al-Muslimin”_, and that was an indication of his Imamate. Yet others say that Hasan al-Sabbah, a supporter of Nizar, claimed that Mustansir Imam personally told him while visiting Cairo that Nizar was his successor. How do our Hudaat break these arguments? And how do our Hudaat establish the rightful Imamate of Musta'ly Imam? What indications did Mustansir Imam give upon his birth and his marriage? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 56th in the Majalis al Hikma series. Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/GeI7Wze02L0 Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/XYwIxCqVzQQ Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/VWoOh4PwLT4 Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com The next majlis will, Inshaallah, be published next Thursday.

In the previous Majalis, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split and the split of the Zaydis in time of the fourth Imam, Mohammed al-Baqir SA. He then addressed the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA in Majlis 51. In this Majlis he continues his exposition on the Twelver split. The Twelvers believe that after Ja'far al-Sadiq Imam SA had done Nass on Isma'il, he changed it and did Nass on Isma'il's brother Musa Kazim. What are the arguments of our Hudaat Kiraam against this belief? How do they establish the rightful Imamate of Imam Isma'il SA and his son Mohammed bin Isma'il SA? Syedna al-Qadi al-Nu'man RA once asked Moiz Imam SA, why didn't Ja'far al-Sadiq Imam SA make very clear to the public who was the Imam after Isma'il Imam SA. If he would have done so these differences would not have arisen. What did Moiz Imam SA reply? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 52nd in the Majalis al Hikma series. Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/6Tcq3DrjOxU Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/6xR6CQnTY0U Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/q5b7f1AwOas Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com The next majlis will, Inshaallah, be published next Thursday.

In the previous Majalis, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split and the split of the Zaydis in time of the fourth Imam, Mohammed al-Baqir SA. He now addresses the split of the Isna-Ashari (Twelver Shi'a) faction following Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq SA. Why did the Twelver Shi'a forsake Imam Isma'il and his son Imam Mohammed bin Isma'il? Why did many of them follow Musa Kazim – also a son of Ja'far al-Sadiq Imam SA? Why did Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq exhibit that his son Imam Isma'il had passed away? Why was Imam Mohammed bin Isma'il sent to Iran? The Twelvers believe that their twelfth Imam entered the cave and that he himself will reappear amongst the people at some time. What are the arguments of our Hudaat Kiraam against this belief? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 51st in the Majalis al Hikma series. Syedna will continue to address this question in the next Majlis inshaallah. Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/yIPGtBuTmL0 Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/t9ZUqu-IAgA Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/NMmmtU0I0Sw Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com The next majlis will, Inshaallah, be published next Thursday.

In the previous three Majalis, Syedna Fakhruddin TUS explained the cause of the Sunni Shi'a split. The next major split occurred in the time of Imam Mohammed al-Baqir SA, the fourth Imam, when the Zaydis split off. They believed in the imamate of Zayd, a son of Imam Ali Zainul Aabedin SA and brother to Imam Mohammed al-Baqir SA. What was the source of disagreement and discord between Zayd and Imam Mohammed al-Baqir SA? Why did it lead to a split? The Zaydis believe that an Imam must have three qualifications: 1) he must be a descendant of the Prophet, 2) he should unsheathe his sword and claim his right, and 3) he should have knowledge. What are the arguments of our Hudaat Kiraam against the core beliefs of the Zaydis? How do they establish the rightful Imamate of Mohammed al-Baqir Imam SA and his descendants? Syedna TUS answers these questions in this Majlis, the 50th in the Majalis al-Hikma series. Watch short video in Dawat ni Zabaan: https://youtu.be/OjUgMNEUwDI Watch short video in English: https://youtu.be/7T863R9twS8 Watch short video in Arabic: https://youtu.be/mIRLC90xdyo Listen to audio podcast: https://anchor.fm/fatemidawat Questions can be asked by email to info@fatemidawat.com The next majlis will, Inshaallah, be published next Thursday.

Our Hip Deep edition “A Tale of Two Rebellions,” recounts the stories of two remarkable military campaigns in early Islamic history. Both uprisings take place in the late 9th century, both involve Africans as key players, and both set the scene for the crystallization of the Sunni-Shi’ite divide in Islam, which of course continues to this day. By Joseph Browdy and Banning Eyre. [APWW #535]

When the Prophet Muhammed died in 632 AD, it triggered a succession crisis amongst his followers. After the dust settled, two divergent branches of the faith remained – Sunni and Shi’a. It is a deeply misunderstood story that has been unearthed and repackaged in the 21st century to inflame political animus and give superficial labels to complex tensions. In this episode, we will examine the very human, very relatable drama that unfolded against the backdrop of the rise of the Islamic Empire in the 7th century. THE CAST Muhammed – The Prophet. A merchant-turned-messenger from God.  Aisha – The Prophet’s favorite wife; Charming, fiery, and envious.  Ali – The Prophet’s cherished son-in-law. Lion of God. Humble, loyal, and honorable to a fault. Fatima - Daughter of the Prophet and wife to Ali. Abu Bakr – Aisha’s father, Muhammed’s close friend, and first Caliph. Hussein – Grandson of the Prophet. Murdered at Karbala. Martyr of the Shi’a faith. SOURCES: Hazleton, Lesley. The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammed.  Hazleton, Lesley. After The Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shi’a-Sunni Split in Islam. Louer, Laurence. Sunnis and Shi’a: A Political History. Hoyland, Robert G. In God’s Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire.  Betts, Robert Brenton. The Sunni-Shi’a Divide.  Charles Rivers Editors. The History of the Sunni and Shia Split: Understanding the Divisions Within Islam.  Armstrong, Karen Keishin. MuhammedL A Prophet for Our Time.  Cole, Juan. Muhammed: Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires.  Safi, Omid. Memories of Muhammed.  Holland, Tom. The Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Patrick Cockburn has been called “the world’s greatest foreign correspondent,” and that’s no stretch, especially when it comes to reporting on the Middle East, his beat for decades.  His new book is War in the Age of Trump, -- the destruction of ISIS, the abandonment of the Kurds and the assassination of an Iranian General…what do they add up to?  And how has Trump policy deepened our involvement in the Sunni-Shi’ite split. 

Seventeen years after Saddam Hussein, Iraq has reached a critical juncture. A privileged, corrupt elite controls the government and parliament, while heavily armed and well-paid militias answer to Tehran. The infrastructure is in a state of deep neglect, the economy is in shambles, and the judiciary has lost its independence. In addition to Sunni-Shi’i tensions, internal Shi’i tensions are at an unprecedented high. Where is Iraq heading and can Washington help?

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi'i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi'i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi'i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi’i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi’i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi’i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi’i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi’i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi’i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi’i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi’i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi’i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi’i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi’i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi’i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi’i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi’i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi’i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do contemporary events shape the ways in which we read, understand, and interpret historical processes of identity formation? How can we resist framing conflicts of the past through frameworks of the present? What role does historical memory play in the forming and framing of group identity? In her book Medieval Islamic Sectarianism (Amsterdam University Press, 2019), Christine D. Baker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, engages these questions by exploring the formation of sectarian identities in the tenth century medieval Middle East and North Africa. The tenth century, which is often deemed the “Shi’i century” because it witnessed the emergence of two major Shi’i empires, gave rise to a new challenge for the existing Sunni Abbasid Caliphate. There were the Fatimids of North Africa who came to dominate from the western end of the caliphate, and the Buyids of Iraq and Iran who come to dominate from the eastern end, and each one claimed their political legitimacy by positioning themselves against the Abbasid rulers. But how exactly did they do that? Christine cautions against reading the political conflicts between these empires through the lens of modern sectarian identities and urges us to examine them in their own right. In this way, we avoid the risk of reinforcing a false narrative of primordial Sunni-Shi’i conflict, and are able to consider more accurately how those empires legitimated themselves and delegitimated the other. Asad Dandia is a graduate student of Islamic Studies at Columbia University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode’s Key Concepts include: 4.1.IV – The increase in interactions between newly connected hemispheres and intensification of connections within hemispheres expanded the spread and reform of existing religions and contributed to both religious conflicts and the creation of syncretic belief systems and practices. (The intensification of Sunni-Shi’a split by the political rivalries between the … Continue reading "Episode 23 – Early Modern Islamic Empires"

Few concepts in Islam are as misunderstood today as the split between Sunni and Shi'a. Yet this division plays a very important role in the politics and social dynamics of the Muslim world. In this episode, we examine the reasons for this split, and more importantly, its impact on the subsequent generations of Islamic history and the world today          

John talks to Dr. Christine Baker of Indiana University of Pennsylvania about Crusader Kings 2: Sword of Islam. We talk about the Sunni/Shi'ite divide in the medieval world and the geopolitics that arose from that, interactions between the Islamic World and Europe during this period, and the extent to which Crusader Kings 2 successfully presents historical complexity to the player. Music is Symphony 40 in G minor by texasradiofish (c) 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license.dig.ccmixter.org/files/texasradiofish/49560 Ft: W. A. Mozart, Big Bonobo Combo

Khateebah Dr. Rose Aslan delivers the 2nd khutbah at The Women's Mosque of America on Friday, February 20th, 2015. After listening to an inspiring first khutbah by Edina Lekovic, who challenged the congregation to step up and into more leadership roles, Dr. Aslan was the congregant sitting in the audience who rose to the challenge and decided to volunteer to give the next khutbah, as she had written khutbahs for men before but had never once delivered her own. Bio: A recent transplant to Southern California, Dr. Rose Aslan is an Assistant Professor of Religion at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. She teaches courses on Islam, Global Religions, and the Abrahamic Traditions in Comparative Focus. Her research focuses on the construction of sacred space, ritual, and pilgrimage in medieval Iraq and other medieval and contemporary Islamic contexts, including America. She is also active in inter-religious engagement in various communities. Dr. Aslan received her PhD in Religious Studies from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with her dissertation on the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf and Sunni-Shi'i debates and Shi'i pilgrimage rituals at Ali's shrine. She received her MA in Arab Studies from the American University in Cairo, and her BA in Near Eastern Studies from the University of British Columbia.

The saga of Islamic civilization is in many ways a universal story of good versus evil, the cycle of life, and the foibles of human nature. It isn’t too big a stretch to connect that saga to some of the great stories and classic movies Americans know and love. That’s the premise of this two-episode documentary, co-produced with Public Radio International’s Afropop Worldwide. With the help of Don Vito Corleone, R2D2, and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, it tells the story of two slave rebellions that transformed the history of the Middle East and North Africa and crystallized the Sunni-Shi’ite divide in Islam. Along the way, there's a soundtrack of enchanting medieval Arabic music. Co-narrating the documentary with Joseph Braude is Georges Collinet, the legendary broadcaster from Cameroon whose voice is ubiquitous on the airwaves of Africa. Enjoy!

nNathan Gilmour moderates a discussion with Michial Farmer and David Grubbs about civil wars, starting with the Absalom revolt (which seldom gets called a civil war) and ending with the Sunni/Shi'ite conflicts in Iraq (which erroneously get called civil wars, according to Grubbs). Along the way we wrestle with the tensions between the duty to one's countrymen and dedication to ideas and individuals that characterize each such struggle. Among the wars, people, and other artifacts that we discuss are the Roman Civil War, the English Civil War, the American Civil War, and Hank Williams Secundus.

nNathan Gilmour moderates a discussion with Michial Farmer and David Grubbs about civil wars, starting with the Absalom revolt (which seldom gets called a civil war) and ending with the Sunni/Shi'ite conflicts in Iraq (which erroneously get called civil wars, according to Grubbs). Along the way we wrestle with the tensions between the duty to one's countrymen and dedication to ideas and individuals that characterize each such struggle. Among the wars, people, and other artifacts that we discuss are the Roman Civil War, the English Civil War, the American Civil War, and Hank Williams Secundus.