In this gripping narrative history, Lesley Hazleton tells the tragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the Sunni and Shia branches of Islam, a rift that dominates the news now more than ever.
Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would take control of the new Islamic nation had begun, sparking a succession crisis marked by power grabs, assassination, political intrigue, and passionate faith. Soon Islam was embroiled in civil war, pitting its founder's controversial wife Aisha against his son-in-law Ali and shattering Muhammad's ideal of unity.
Combining meticulous research with compelling storytelling, After the Prophet explores the volatile intersection of religion and politics, psychology and culture, and history and current events. It is an indispensable guide to the depth and power of the Shia-Sunni split.
"Thrilling in its depiction of long-ago events…Passionately and scrupulously done."
"A story of human passion and consequence, told with consummate skill…[Hazleton] manages the not inconsiderable feat of maintaining scholarly respect for her subject while also showing a real fondness for the people at the story's heart."
"Deftly uses original sources…to give life and breath to figures familiar to every Muslim but unknown to most non-Muslims…Lively and engaging…Anyone seeking to understand today's Middle East…can learn from this book."
"Illuminating…After the Prophet will be held up as a primer for grasping the modern-day Middle East."
"As sectarian aggression flares in Iraq, Hazleton's explanation of its deep, entrenched roots is essential."
"Distill[s] centuries of Islamic history into just 211 pages, and the result is a page-turner that reads like an incredible cross between a suspense thriller and a fairy tale. All the elements of a fantastic story are here…A superbly written first step for the uninformed to become knowledgeable."
"Hazleton's gripping narrative…unspools this historically tangled tale with assurance and admirable clarity."
"After the Prophet is narrative nonfiction at its finest and an emotional and political revelation for Western readers."
"A profound story masterfully told…[An] exceptional book."
"[A] masterpiece…Thrillingly and intelligently distills one of the most consequential train of events in all history."
"A fine, highly readable history of Islam."
"A tale of power, intrigue, rivalry, jealousy, assassination, manipulation, greed, and faith that would have made Machiavelli shudder (had he read it), but above all it is a very human story, told in a wonderfully novelistic style."
"My only regret is that Hazleton didn't write this terrific and necessary book in time to enlighten Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, et al.…Meanwhile, the rest of us can take pleasure in Hazleton's vigorously drawn characters, her lucid storytelling, and her enthralling, imaginative grasp of the roots and consequences of the Sunni-Shia divide."
"Whether or not George Bush even knew there were such things as Shias and Sunnis before invading Iraq, after reading Lesley Hazleton's gripping book no one will be able to plead ignorance about why the split between them happened and what it all means."
"Hazleton succeeds in bringing out the truly epic character of the Shia-Sunni split, telling the story with great empathy."
