logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2022
33m 42s

Episode 55: Al Amin

ZAYD
About this episode
Haroon al Rashid worked towards fool-proofing his succession arrangement more than any other caliph by far: the ceremony he held at Mecca with his heirs swearing to abide by his wishes is more elaborate than anything we have or will come across. He would not have gone to such lengths if he didn’t think it necessary, and it wasn’t long before his sons proved ... Show More
Up next
Oct 2022
Episode 56: The great fitna
Haroon al Rashid divided his realm among his children, and the young men were quickly goaded into conflict with one another by their advisors. The unexperienced princes found the underlying tensions simply too powerful to overcome. But the predictability of war was upended by its ... Show More
29m 56s
Dec 2022
Episode 57: Interregnum
Al Ma’mun’s surprise victory over his brother left him in charge of the entire caliphate. But the conclusion of the great fitna did not bring an end to its miseries: the chaos of war had spread throughout the land and the new caliph possessed neither the experience nor the resour ... Show More
35m 18s
Dec 2022
Episode 58: Al Ma’mun
Back in Baghdad, al Ma’mun finally began to play an active role in running the Abbasid state. The five years he spent in Khurasan were rough on the rest of the caliphate, but especially disastrous for Iraq. The caliph now had to restore peace and central control to practically ev ... Show More
35m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
Abdullah ibn Hudhafah (ra): The Man Who Wouldn’t Flinch
<p>Abdullah ibn Hudhafah was chosen by the Prophet ﷺ to face the most brutal emperor of his time. He was known for being unfazed by tyrants.</p> 
16m 29s
Jun 2009
Sunni and Shia Islam
Melvyn Bragg and guests Amira Bennison, Robert Gleave and Hugh Kennedy discuss the split between the Sunni and the Shia. This schism came to dominate early Islam, and yet it did not spring at first from a deep theological disagreement, but rather from a dispute about who should s ... Show More
42m 34s
May 2023
The Emperor of Nihon-Ja Rangers Apprentice, Book 10 (Unabridged)
<p><strong>Publisher's Summary</strong></p><p>The international best-selling series with over five million copies sold in the US alone!</p><p>When Horace travels to the exotic land of Nihon-Ja, it isn't long before he finds himself pulled into a battle that is not his - but one h ... Show More
13h 52m
Aug 2023
عَمْرو بن كُلثوم.. حرب الشّعر
<p>ورث السّيادة والشّرف عن أبيه، فقِيل إنّه تزعّم قومه وهو ابن خمسة عشر عاماً. أبوه كُلثوم بن مالك، مِن أسياد بني تغلِب، أقوى القبائل العربية. أمّا أمّه فهي ليلى بنت المُهلهِل صاحبة الحسَب والنّسَب، وهذا ما جعله ينشأ على الفخر والاعتزاز بأصله ونسَبه، عاش عُمراً طويلاً أمضاه في شر ... Show More
17m 48s
Jul 2021
Khalid Ibn al-Walid: The Sword of God
In the 7th century, the world saw the rise of one of the most important religious and political forces in history: Islam. Springing forth from the Arabian Peninsula, within a matter of months, the Islamic Caliphate had become one of the largest empires on Earth. Much of that grow ... Show More
10m 25s
Dec 2022
Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Ubayy (ra): The son of the Chief Hypocrite
<p>While his father undermined the Prophet (Saw) at every juncture, he served alongside the Prophet (saw) in his most difficult moments. He was the opposite of his father, and opposed him when he hurt the Prophet (saw).</p> 
10m 28s
Sep 2023
Asim ibn Thabit (ra): Protector of Faith
<p>Asim (ra) was one of the very first to protect our Prophet ﷺ, and of the most beloved companions of them all. Though he was pursued in vengence by an ambushing tribe, he was given a miracle through his last prayer witnessed even by his most hateful enemies. </p> 
43m 51s
Oct 2023
376. Baghdad: The Forging of Islam (Part 1)
A story of great myth and of huge historical significance, the foundation of Baghdad is a fundamental episode in the development of Islam. The Umayyad Caliphate, the first great Islamic empire, stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the borders of China; no dynasty had ever preside ... Show More
51m 3s
Jul 2021
Ep. 5 - Forever An Ansari | His Hajj Story
<p>The opening of Makkah was a momentous event, but it was immediately followed by challenges. After the Battle of Hunayn, whisperings of discontent arose among the Ansar. But in a speech that left everyone present in tears, the Prophet ﷺ reassured the hearts of the people of Mad ... Show More
15m 18s