Book & podcast collection

The Heirs of the Prophet Muhammad: And the Roots of the Sunni-Shia Schism

byBarnaby Rogerson

Barnaby Rogerson narrates the succession crisis that followed the Prophet Muhammad's death and the conflicts that eventually shaped Sunni and Shia traditions. Family members, companions, caliphs, and rival communities struggled over legitimate leadership, memory, justice, and authority within a rapidly expanding Islamic world. The book moves through civil wars, assassinations, and the tragedy of Karbala while explaining religious and political meanings accessible to general readers. Rogerson shows that the schism emerged over time rather than in one moment, and that its founding stories continue to inform identity and devotion.

Publisher

LITTLE, BROWN

Publication date

2023-07-22

Format

Print edition

Pages

—

ISBN

9780316727297