The Umayyad Caliphate 2-1: The Peacock A...

The military doctrine of Marwan II reshaped the final years of the Umayyad Dynasty as he attempted to stabilize a rapidly fracturing empire. In this episode of the Islamic History Podcast, we explore the chaotic period leading to the end of the Umayyad Caliphate, starting with th ... Show More

The Assassination of Caliph Walid II serves as the violent climax to an era of mounting tension, marking the definitive start of the Third Fitna civil war. This episode explores the roots of this collapse, beginning with the Early History and Passive Protest of Sufism, where figu ... Show More

Host Majid and guest Muttaqi Ismail discuss recent US enforcement actions—ICE and Border Patrol raids, the killing in Minneapolis, and community reactions—placing these events in the context of immigrant communities, politics, and public protest. They also cover how social media, ... Show More

This episode covers the schism betweeen Sunnism and Shi’ism, detailing how historical circumstances and experiences are overlaid with theological significance. Focusing on the experience of the Muslim community during the early fitnas we discuss how political movements about legi ... Show More

Before we can talk about the caliphs, we need to build on the context we established last time. The caliphs will rule over the community first united by Mohammad ibn Abdallah, of the Hashemite clan of the Quraysh, main tribe of the city of Mecca. 

Welcome back! In this first episode of Season Two, Gareth and Kim catch up and talk about the plans for the upcoming season.They review what they’ve learned from Season One, and what that means for the upcoming episodes.Become a Community Member at https://community.garethmichael ... Show More

Much of what people associate with the idea of a medieval Arab caliphate is rooted in the reign of our upcoming caliph. The foundation he laid for his dynasty is so solid that it makes the Umayyad era seem like little more than a formalized extension of the early Arab raids again ... Show More

With the confusion of Omar’s assassination and succession behind them, the Arabs were now ready to welcome the reign of yet another of their prophet’s close companions. In this episode we’ll talk more about the new caliph, and take a tour of his many and growing domains. 

The second fitna revealed the unprecedented level of division within the umma, divisions which only grew as the civil conflict ground on for a decade. Under Abdulmalik’s leadership, the Umayyads managed to slowly grow their power until they found themselves in a position to chall ... Show More

We mentioned many of the accomplishments of Omar ibn il Khattab in our last episode, and in this one we continue our discussion of the second caliph's reign. There was no going back for the Arabs after their historic victories had altered their world irreversibly, and a strong le ... Show More

This episode introduces you to the initial phases of the recent popular uprisings in Lebanon. Stay tuned for our update of the current situation in Lebanon. For transcripts and translation, or to sign up for Arabic classes, go to our website: https://realarabic.weebly.com 

The reign of Abu Bakr lasted a little over two years, and he kept Omar close in order to prepare him for the role of caliph. But the leadership of the community Omar inherited came with the burden of waging two simultaneous wars against empires that had bordered the Arabs for as ... Show More