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Reuben Anderson - Shia-Sunna split
Like C Welsh below, I found myself hoping throughout the program that the current day geographical profile would be discussed. My assumption is that present day Shia-Sunni geographical divisions reflect tribal history, that they're as much ethnic as religious. Why is Iran 90% Shia in contrast to it's neighbours.
Royden Hunt, The Sunni-Shia Split
Hi MelvynYes, I agree, that period of our European history is really important to have some idea of. You mention the relationship between the varieties of Islamic law and ethics. Just as interesting and even more significant for this relationship in Europe is the role of the Justinian Code which gave rise to the so-called Civil Law in Europe with its roots in Christian Canon Law and the Justinian Code of late Roman Law. This was in turn modified by the Germanic and Scandinavian influences but remained intact as a basis for the modern Napoleonic French Code and the German Code of Continental Civil Law.So when the UK became a member of the European Union, our Common Law/Case Law tradition had to be reconciled to considerable extent with Civil Law. The House of Lords have done a really good job in my opinion in seeing this through.So what a good 'In Our Time' programme that would make. Start with the Emperor Justinian and end in the House of Lords! It would clear up a lot of misunderstanding about the differences in Law here and on the Continent and your questions and the resulting discussion could be really great.Best wishes for future programmes. Keep them coming BBC.Dr Royden Hunt
Michael Gordon-Williams/ Sunni-Shia
An excellent taster to a subject that whilst so important to all our lives remains a mystery to most of us. I for one shall dig deeper. That said, what of the ducks......surely we need more. There must be some from UCL et al on the case. Thanks for the programmes even though many pass my singular grey cell by.
The Sunni/Shia Split 25/06/2009
Amen to your ultimate remark "I hope we'll go back to this period" and indeed to amplify the scope to deal with the likes of Sufi mysticism? Which leads me to wonder is there yet a coherent book dealing with the subjects you covered;if not might you consider sponsoring such???Oh yes,why not add as footnote the names and affiliation of your contributors so if one wants to follow up their publications it would be a suitable starting point.Regards, IJS
C. Cameron Shia - Sunni split
Excellent! Very enjoyable and enlightening discussion.Thank you
I.Maire-Shia-Sunni Split
By coincidence I finished reading Barnaby Rogerson's, 'The Heirs of the Prophet Muhammad', the day before the programme. This covered the same ground as your excellent programme and I would strongly recommend it.
Frances Hampson - Shia - Sunni split
Very interesting programme and agree with another listener tha we need more info on this subject. Also concerned about the ducks in St James`s Park. Please continue your investigation.
Witless Writer
I heard the show -- definitely a great hear, especially since I've heard the biased variations and a curious one at that. Overall impartial but I felt that there were some points that were inadvertently made: it's very subtly anti-Shia and that it was inadvertently suggested that democracy is a non-existent concept in Islam and that's just not true with that since Islamic rules clearly state the need and requirement for a democractically elected leader. A very interesting show, though!
Sunni Shia divide
A very interesting programme thank you. Whilst we're on the subject of the 'word of God', I'll mention a book which I found in my local library last week. It's called 'Whose Word Is It?' by Bart D. Ehrman and relates to the New Testament. The inside cover reads: '...this is the first time that a leading biblical scholar reveals for the general reader the many challenging - even disturbing - early variations of our cherished biblical stories and why only certain versions of those stories qualify for publication in the Bibles we read today.' It's not a fun book but it's thought provoking - especially in its summing up. (St Paul's writings obviously get a fair mention). Very best wishes to all. Jane
C Welch - Sunni and Shia Split
This was excellent - for me one of the best IOT programmes I have heard for a long time. Given the general level of ignorance about Islam amongst (non Muslum) British people, it should perhaps be required listening in all schools. However, the programme left many questions unanswered - for instance, what happened next? which countries are today predominantly Shia and which Sunni? What about the northern Mediterannean countries - are these Shia or Sunni? Please, oh please, let us have Part II on this intriguing subject, bearing in mind the number of IOT programmes on Christianity.
Sunni Shia Split
Is there any more info on the concept of Tahiya. My interest in the concept is in the fact that 'Tahiya' imitates problems encountered in immunology. Grateful for any references of info.
Tom Hawksley - Sunnis and Shias
Apart from the history, the point made about theology was fascinating: that there was little if any, it was all about politics. The fate of the Shia Imams underlines this: ten of them met violent deaths, so though the academic quickly tried to change the meaning of 'going into hiding', I suspect if most of us were a young Imam to be, we might want to do just that.
Sunni-Shia Divide
The Sunni-Shi’a split was a good programme as we need to be enlightened about Islam. I gathered that Sunnis are the majority(85%) of believers of Islam and areregarded as the orthodox whereas Shi’ites are classed as heretics.However they both share the same belief in the Qu’ran. Because Islam originated in Saudi Arabia inMecca and Medina it is regarded as the motherland of all believers.We know about the importance of the pilgrimage to Mecca. Iran is 90% Shi’a. Iraq has a Sunni minority(formerly in power under Saddam Hussein) and a majority of Shi’ites. We know the dispute who should succeed the Prophet had little to do with doctrine, more to do with the fact Mohammed never said how his successor was to be chosen. Thefirst two caliphs were both companions of the Prophet, Abu Bekr(632-34) and Omar(634-44). They received general support because of their seniority,but Omar was assassinated after 10 years. Both Sunni and Shi’a factions continued to argue about a true successor.The latter thought Ali(son-in-law and cousin) should be the caliph,due to the bloodline. However Uthman , a Meccan aristocrat, became the 3rd Caliph.He was opposed for favouring his own tribe and assassinated by rebels from Iraq and Egypt ,seen as usurper by the Shi’ites. Ali was next in line,with close ties to Mohammed by marriage. Under these first 4 caliphs the greatest conquests and military advances were made, reuniting Arabian tribes in the Arabian peninsular,the Islamic empire stretching east to the Hindu Kush,north to the Caucasus and west to north Africa. Ali did not oppose opposition to Uthman and he is tainted by his desire to arbitrate rather than fight, the Syrians saying ‘God should decide’, whose governor Moawiya becomes the new caliph and new power in Islam due to the conquests.His revolt marks the end of the ‘Mohammedan’ and the beginning of the Arabic period of Islam. This was the Arabic elite formerly excluded from Mohammed’s inner circle. This period of the Omayyad caliphate(661-750) was the period when the political interests of the Arabs were given precedence over the religious interests of Islam. Hussein, the last of the bloodline ,invited to seize the caliphate in Iraq, was done to death with his followers on the way. The martyrdom of Hussein is a pivotal event in the Shi’ite movement and their narrated persecutions.In this era non-Arabic converts to Islam, the mawali, were not given equality with the Moslems. However Greek philosophy and science were discussed freely. The Abbassid caliphate(750-1258) was the 3rd great period of the Islamic Empire centred in Bagdad. The policy of the Empire was based not on the interests of the Arabs so much as on the religious interests of Islam, a return to the apostolic custom of Mohammed. However in truth it was a return to the ceremonial of the pagan PersianEmpire transforming the caliphate into an oriental monarchy. Religious unity was the only conceivable foundation of Empire Every rebellion took on the form of a religious heresy and within a hundred years of this caliphate the Islamic Empire had ceased to exist. Persia, Spain, Morocco and Egypt were independent states,each with its own caliph, declaring that he and he alone was the rightful successor.You informedus that the Shi’te technique of survival was‘dissimulation’, hiddenness,to preserve the community from attack by the Sunnis. Immams became hidden with no community leader But you end saying they are now very similar in the way that both sects turn to scholars to interpret the Qu’ran.Radical clerics from one sectmay still demean those from another.
FMLunnon, Sunni and Shia
It did seem a terrific missed opportunity not to have two speakers who were adherents. I feel much better briefed about Muhammad's successors, but largely in the dark about how it feels now to be Sunni or Shia.
Ali R : Sunni/Shia split
The programme was a reasonable attempt to capture the essence of the split between Sunni and Shia within the Islamic community, using scholars who themselves are not affiliated to either side. However, I fear that people with vested interests from both sides of this "split Moslem family" will soon enough start to voice their concerns about particular innaccuracies in the programme that do special injustice to their side of the schism. If that was all that were to happen, then one could argue that the BBC have engaged in a useful piece of education and the ensuing healthy debate. I fear, however, that the two sides of this community do not yet know how to engage in healthy debate. You just need to look at Iraq and other parts of the world where Sunni and Shia continue their quarrels to this day.....and they hurl more than mere insults at each other.They forget what their Prophet Muhammad stood for.Ali R
Peter Bolt :Sunni/Shia
Lucid,entertaining, and very informative. What else is there to say ?
Mr B S Freeguard
Today's programme was most enlightening. Well done for what seemed to be an unbiased, academic based observation into the beginnings of Islam. I would be intrigued to know what the response to this edition is from the muslim community.
Sunni-Shia-divide
The talk/discussion on the Sunni/Shia succession was very interesting and this book will give a clear account of the history and reasons for the split following Muhammad's death (at least I thought so). The Heirs of the Prophet Muhammad: And the Roots of the Sunni-Shia Schism by Barnaby Rogerson
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