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.
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Podcast Episodes
The City Of Dreams: The Aztec Conquest Part 2
Wonder and warmth quickly turn to slaughter and horror as Hernan Cortes meets Emperor Moctezuma in the explosive conclusion of this two-part series. SOURCES: Levy, Buddy. Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and…
The City Of Dreams: The Aztec Conquest Part 1
How a handful of mercenaries, explorers, and pirates destroyed the Aztec Empire and burnt its capital city to the ground. Two cultures collide in the first of a two-part series on the Conquest of Mexico. SOURCES: Levy, B…
Forbidden Children: China's One-Child Policy
The story of China’s infamous One-Child Policy, the most ambitious (and catastrophic) social engineering project the modern world has ever seen. SOURCES: Fong, Mei. One Child: The Story of China’s Most Radical Experiment…
Six Days: The 1967 Six Day War
How a single week in 1967 changed the Middle East, and the world, forever. This is the action-packed, heartbreaking origin story of Israel and the Six-Day War. SOURCES: Oren, Michael B. Six Days Of War. 2002. Pressfield,…
Wonder Women
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They Saw Red
The Rated-R-for-Russian story of the Red Army’s horrific campaign of vengeance against Nazi Germany. SOURCES: Beevor, Antony. The Fall of Berlin 1945. 2003. Huggler, Justin. “Fall of Berlin: ‘Of course I was afraid. I wa…
The Tiger and the Turtle: Samurai Invasion of Korea
Sea battles, tiger hunts, and a mountain of human noses. This is the Shakespearean saga that triggered centuries of bad blood between Korea and Japan. SOURCES: Samuel, Hawley. The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Inv…
This Is Sparta?
A myth-busting breakdown of history’s favorite fitness cult. SOURCES: Hanson, Victor Davis. A War Like No Other. 2005. Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War Plutarch. Parallel Lives Xenophon. Hellenica Cartledge,…
Conflicted - Welcome
A quick introduction to the concept behind the show and your host, Zach Cornwell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
