{"product_id":"the-caliph-and-the-imam-the-making-of-sunnism-and-shiism-9780190689469","title":"The Caliph and the Imam: The Making of Sunnism and Shiism","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eIlluminates with clarity and insight a centuries-old sectarian division that continues to shape events in the Middle East and around the world.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 632, soon after the prophet Muhammad died, fights broke out among his followers as to who would succeed him. A small number of Muslims--who would become known as the Shia -- believed only members of Muhammad's family should lead. The majority, however--the Sunnis--insisted that the leader should\u003cbr\u003ebe elected by the community's elite. This initial dispute marks the origin of the Sunni-Shia split in Islam. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Caliph and the Imam \u003c\/em\u003eMiddle East scholar and expert Toby Matthiesen explores this hugely significant division from its origins to the present day. Moving chronologically, Matthiesen sheds light on how this initial divide has shaped and continues to influence current events in the Middle and\u003cbr\u003eNear East. His book spans from the 7th century to the present, and in particular focuses on one of the key moments in the conflict--the Saudi-Iranian divide, the source of so much conflict in the Middle East. Matthiesen emphasizes the period after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which precipitated the\u003cbr\u003efirst recent hot war in the rivalry, between Iran and Iraq, and he reflects on Sunni and Shia jihadists and their influence on the political landscape of the world today. Detailed, thorough, and illuminating, \u003cem\u003eThe Caliph and the Imam\u003c\/em\u003e will become the standard text for readers looking for greater\u003cbr\u003eunderstanding of the region's contemporary conflicts and their historical roots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/01\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780190689469\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 528","brand":"Toby Matthiesen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42547762528437,"sku":"9780190689469","price":32.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_5b6f944c-2079-4621-a260-a29241ec2f8f.jpg?v=1670336795","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-caliph-and-the-imam-the-making-of-sunnism-and-shiism-9780190689469","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}