Event

Lesley Hazleton: The Shia-Sunni Split

With regular coverage of strife between Shias and Sunnis, many Americans assume they have a general understaning of the conflict. In After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam, noted Seattle author Lesley Hazleton says we can't possibly grasp the depth and enduring relevance of this struggle without knowing its centuries-long history. The Islamic revolution in Iran, the civil war in Iraq, the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the deterioration of Pakistan and Afghanistanthese present day challenges and more are deeply rooted in the events that followed the seventh-century death of Muhammad (without sons, and without a clear will) which touched off a tale of power, intrigue, assassination, and passionate faith that is still being played out today. Hazelton is also the author of Mary: A Flesh and Blood Biography of the Virgin Mother and Jerusalem Jerusalem: A Memoir of War and Peace, Passion and Politics. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life, with Elliott Bay Book Company.