Description
A-compelling-history-of-the-ancient-schism-that-continues-to-divide-the-Islamic-worldWhen-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-Louer-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,-Louer-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.-Louer-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.
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