Twelver Shia

In the burning sands of seventh-century Arabia, a single question split the world of early Islam: who should lead the faithful after the Prophet Muhammad’s death? Behind this question, rival claims ignited a struggle that would echo through centuries—culminating in the memory of a massacre on the plains of Karbala.What drove the forging of a tradition that would forever bind faith to lineage, loss, and the hope for a hidden guide? In the year six thirty-two, the Prophet Muhammad died, leaving behind a community united in belief, but divided by the urgent matter of succession. Twelver Shia Islam, the largest branch of Shia Islam today, traces its roots to this moment. Adherents maintain that Muhammad designated his cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib, as his successor—an act they see not just as political, but divinely ordained. Historians, meanwhile, point to a more tangled story of early Islamic leadership, where competing claims unfolded across the cities of Arabia and the Fertile Crescent. Regardless of perspective, two facts remain uncontested: Ali became the fourth caliph, ruling from Kufa, and his followers there formed the nucleus of what would eventually be called Shia Islam.Aurelius and Malik take on this case in full — 5 chapters, 35 minutes, one complete story.Learn more at: https://thecreedarchive.com/creed/twelver-shia-islamThe Creed Archive Dialogues is part of The Archive Network by Jonkai Ventures. In every episode, curators Aurelius and Malik take one religious tradition and follow it from origin to living practice — one setting out the belief on its own terms, the other pressing on the harder ground.The Archive Network is an independent, solo-run project. Everything is free, with no ads and no paywalls. Support doesn't unlock anything; it simply keeps the work going:https://thearchivenetwork.com/supportExplore this archive:https://thecreedarchive.comDiscover more archives and stories:https://thearchivenetwork.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.