Previous Event

February 11, 2007
"Sunnis and Shiites in Islam"
by Michel Mazzaoui

Born in Nazareth, Palestine (now Israel); Professor Mazzaoui attended high school in Jerusalem; college in Beirut, Lebanon at the American University of Beirut; and obtained his Ph.D. at Princeton University, New Jersey. Across his career he has taught at several institutions, ending with an invitation to teach Middle East History at the University of Utah.

This presentation will present a short description of: the rise of Islam from the birth of the Prophet in 570 until his death in 632; the question of succession/leadership after his death; the Sunni majority system, the Caliphate—the concept of shura (consultation); the Shiite minority, and the idea of legitimate succession (the Twelve Imams). Professor Mazzaoui will also discuss Shiite countries in the Middle East: Iran, South Iraq and South Lebanon.

Books:

• John Esposito. Islam, The Straight Path

• Arthur Goldschmidt. A Concise History of the Middle East
• Moojan Momen. An Introduction to Shi’I Islam
• Tabatab’i. Shi’ite Islam (translation by S. Hossein Nasr)
• Hossein Nasr. The Heart of Islam