On this week’s episode of Conflicted, we begin a multi episode exploration into the historical figures who function as antecedents to the modern jihadi movement, beginning with two episodes on one of its earliest examples: Ahmad Bin Hanbal.
When Islamic fundamentalists today look back in history, one of the earliest figures they will mention for inspiration ... Show More
Yesterday
CC: Alex Vatanka – How has the 12 Day War Changed Iran?
This week on Conflicted, host Thomas Small is joined by Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and a leading scholar of Iranian domestic and foreign policy. Together, they explore the profound impact of the recent 12-Day War between Iran, Israel, and the Unite ... Show More
24m 15s
Sep 2024
What We Get Wrong About Studying Muslim History With Dr Yakoob Ahmed
It is said a people without a past are a lost soul. And in today’s turbulent world, the Muslim ummah has come to realise that we have, in many cases, been taught a version of history that fails to appreciate what the late Shabbir Akhtar called Islam as a imperial faith.Dr Yakoob ... Show More
1h 12m
Jan 2018
Al Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyyah
In our last episode of the season we wrap up the intellectual history of Islam by examining how the orthodoxies that we discussed in the previous episode were popularized. We talk about the emerging class of legal scholars called the ulema, the madhabs of Hanafi, Maliki, Shaif, a ... Show More
51m 27s
Aug 20
Qutham ibn Abbas (ra): The Prophet’s ﷺ Lookalike
While Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) became known for his knowledge and eloquence, his younger brother Qutham (ra) was known for something else: his striking resemblance to the Prophet ﷺ.In this episode, discover how Qutham, who was raised alongside al-Husayn (ra), the last to leave the ... Show More
19m 14s
Jan 2025
S2 Ep 7: The World, According to Ibn Khaldun
Happy new year, friends, and welcome to our first episode of 2025! We are continuing Season Two with Ibn Khaldun, a medieval historian who was fascinated by the way societies function. Telling us his story is Professor Gabriel Martinez-Gros, one of France’s most renowned experts ... Show More
56m 55s
Aug 12
Ubaydullah ibn Abbas (ra): The Rich Little Brother
He wasn’t a scholar like his brother, but he found his own way to serve.While Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) became one of the greatest scholars of Islam, his younger brother Ubaydullah (ra) chose a different path: business, generosity, and support.In this episode, discover how Ubaydull ... Show More
21m 33s