The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam - After the Prophet

I think it is a great book and quite informative. However Lesley Hazleton has only used sources from a particular school of thought and never bothered to check up on the others. For example Imam Hassan and his father, Imam Ali, were portrayed as having views that conflicted with each other basically. In reality these 2 men were some of the greatest men to have walked the earth. There's a reason they are considered as Imams and part of the 12 descendant Imams after the prophet. I won't go into detail because you can write books on each one!

It's just a shame that Lesley did not bother using different sources. She used the sources which sought to make the Imams seem capable of making mistakes when they lived their whole lives with the teachings and mannerism of the Prophet himself!

Good read though and thank you Lesley for these books :)

Islam is extremely complex. I do not pretend to understand a minimum yet after reading just one book. But this is a great way to start. Magnificent book, extremely well written, enlightening and entertaining.

A detailed look at the personalities and political rivalries that led to the Sunni Shia split. This is a detailed look at the centuries-old bitterness arising out of jealousies and power grabs affecting persons closest to Muhammad.and his descendants. These long-lived grudges are the basis for the present-day hatred between these two groups.

It is a very lucid presentation of an important epoch of islamic history.. The next edition could contain the different divisions of contemporary Islam and their respective roles in the present day events in the middle east.
Sivaraman former ED IMF

If you are wondering why the situation in middle east is so complicated...this is the go to book.I love the style of narration and how the characters are revealed. It is a must read for anyone interested in gaining a perspective.

This is a masterpiece that clearly lays out the intricacies of human workings and relationships within prophet's household and the political expansion of Islam after his death. The details in this book restored my faith in the belief that religion is nothing but various man-made constructs to fit certain real situations and contexts.

The book clearly explains the rift between shia-sunni world, a bit diplomatic at times but overall it is a well researched and documented book to which a westerner too can understand on why the middle east is at unrest..!!?

This book is extremely well researched and the author has a very engaging writing style. She takes a fair and balanced approach considering both the Shia and Sunni perspectives before offering her own assessment. This is an easy read and a compelling read.

Well written using easy English to describe the history causing the Sunni/Shia conflict that exists today in the Middle East. The conflict seems like a silly excuse for adults to continue to use to hate and fight each other. One would think that after so many years; a light bulb would go off in enough of their heads to see the damage being caused. But the continuing lack of education, indoctrination of children and just the lack of really wanting peace and prosperity for themselves baffles me. I do realize that the women wearing burkas is the choice of the women themselves. Again baffles me, but maybe living in that desert it is practical. They remind of the nuns that taught us in school and even they today have given up their habits(uniforms) and dress like normal people. Quick read and very worth it.

I will forever look at the disagreements between Shia and Sunni in a different light. I used to think of it as conservatives vs. liberals or democrats vs. republicans. I see now that this feud has its roots in power, wealth, and politics.

Ms. Hazleton is a good storyteller. She writes narrative history from the personal perspective of the major players. Aisha, Muhammad's "favorite" wife, was a spoiled teenager who did stupid teenager things. The old rift between Mecca and Medina cracked wide open after the Prophet's death. Son-in-law Ali was too proud to assert himself until it was too late. It took fifty years of excess and corruption until he stepped in and got himself killed. (They did a lot of killing to "solve" disputes back then!) Ali's son Hussein, grandson of the Prophet, walked into a trap in Karbala (now Iraq) and became a symbol of all the injustices experienced over the years.

Ms. Hazleton shows the Shia as the offended ones. Many Sunni will find this offensive.

I especially enjoyed the way she equated the sacrifices of Hussein at Karbala to the Passion of Jesus in Jerusalem. The similarities are remarkable.

The book publishers stated it well: "Hazleton's vivid, gripping prose provides extraordinary insight into the origins of the world's most volatile blend of politics and religion. Balancing past and present, she shows how these seventh-century events are as alive in Middle Eastern hearts and minds today as though they had just happened, shaping modern headlines from Iran's Islamic Revolution to the civil war in Iraq."

This book is a keeper.

Succinct and informative, this narrative is historically accurate and fair to both Shia and Sunni viewpoints, while establishing the great relevance these enduring feuds have today, and more importantly tomorrow, to understanding and thereby predicting the positions and actions that these Middle Eastern people and their leaders are likely to adopt.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although I knew how/why Sunni and Shia split took place, I never really knew the whole story. This book tells the story in great detail. Although there were times when I felt that the author was not a fan of Aisha and was definitely on team Ali, I have to give credit and thanks for a very well written and researched book.

Informative, well-written, and likely others may give it a five-star review. I just couldn't get all that excited about the content. But, to me a little-known idea of how the Shi-Sunni 'split' nor had I even cared.

Lesley Hazelton does a great job at keeping the reader occupied with the book. As engaging as she is, there is alot of information in this book that is not correct. It yields thoughts about both the Sunni and Shia brothers that does not hold much weight and more of an opinion of hers. Some of her information seems to be from someone off the street that has faith because of forefathers traditions more than knowledge acquired through reading. She comes off semi confused, asking many questions through out her book. Her thesis is that Ali is the rightful Caliph after the Prophet (pbuh). I couldn't agree more. I believe she needed to share a lot more of the battle of Karbala, and more in depth about what Hussein went through. So that the readers could sympathize more. One huge contradiction that bothered me is how Hassan (a.s) is known to be more of a education and driven by the bigger jihad of oneselves, but then she claims that he was bought out with money and a seat of leadership. Hassan (a.s) knew his role. He was the grandson of the Prophet (pbuh) and the son of the Chivalrous Ali! He could not be bought out with money!

Lesley Hazleton has done a commendable job in presenting the unbiased account of the events after the death of the Prophet and how it shaped the future of Islam. It provides a comprehensive course of events in early Islamic history for the Western reader and even for the Muslims provides something to reflect on and seek the truth about Islamic history further.