Conflicted: A History Podcast
Untangling history’s greatest controversies. Every month, we take a hard look at the historical conflicts that raise difficult questions, stoke controversy, and send our moral compasses spinning.
Prophet's Dilemma: The Sunni Shia Split Part 1
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. 2013.
Hazleton, Lesley. After The Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shi’a-Sunni Split in Islam. 2009.
Louer, Laurence. Sunnis and Shi’a: A Political History. 2020.
Hoyland, Robert G. In God’s Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire. 2014.
Betts, Robert Brenton. The Sunni-Shi’a Divide. 2013.
Charles Rivers Editors. The History of the Sunni and Shia Split: Understanding the Divisions Within Islam. 2014.
Armstrong, Karen Keishin. MuhammedL A Prophet for Our Time. 2007.
Cole, Juan. Muhammed: Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires. 2018.
Safi, Omid. Memories of Muhammed. 2009.
Holland, Tom. The Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire. 2012.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Podcast Episodes
When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 1
From 527 to 565 AD, Emperor Justinian I and his Empress Theodora ruled over the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople. Together, they reshaped the Mediterranean world, weathering political upheaval, wars of conquest, and an…
The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 5: Thank God, They’ve Attacked Us
On December 3rd, 1971, India and Pakistan go to war on two fronts, battling for the future of Bangladesh. In the East, the Indian army races against time, hoping to capture Dacca and force a Pakistani surrender before th…
The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 4: Casus Belli
As Yahya Khan’s crackdown in East Pakistan sparks a refugee crisis and a guerilla insurgency, the neighboring nation of India, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, must decide how to respond. Meanwhile, President Richard…
Introducing...BEEF
Join me for a special featured episode of BEEF, a scripted podcast narrated by award-winning host Bridget Todd. This episode tells the story of explorers Sir Richard Burton and Captain John Hanning Speke as they face uni…
The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 3: A Man Named Blood
On March 25th, 1971, President Yahya Khan launches Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan, a brutal military crackdown intended to snuff out Bengali separatism and restore West Pakistani authority. Meanwhile, an American…
The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 2: Bhutto’s Game
In the wake of the deadly Bhola Cyclone, 50 million Pakistanis go to the polls on December 7th, 1970 and cast their votes in a national election, which yields unexpected and destabilizing results. As the emergent faction…
The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 1: Land of Broken Maps
In March 1971, the nation of Pakistan was split apart by a vicious civil war, eventually culminating in the creation of a new state: Bangladesh. In this first episode of a multi-part series, we trace the origins of the c…
The Kinsey Report – Part 3
In January of 1948, Alfred Kinsey releases his first book, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, igniting a firestorm of controversy across the United States. As the Professor scrambles to capitalize on his newfound fame an…
The Kinsey Report – Part 2
As Dr. Alfred Kinsey begins his foray into sex research in 1938, he faces a rising tide of controversy at Indiana University, and is soon confronted with an ultimatum. While his research develops and his methodology take…
The Kinsey Report – Part 1
In 1948, Dr. Alfred Kinsey wrote the book on sex. “The Kinsey Report”, as it came to be known, was a pioneering scientific study on the sexual habits of ordinary Americans. Divided into Male and Female Volumes, it challe…
