The Succession to Muhammad

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In a comprehensive study of early Islamic history, Wilferd Madelung examines the conflict which developed after Muhammad's death for the leadership of the Muslim community. He pursues the history of this conflict through the reign of the four 'Rightly Guided' caliphs to its climax in the first inter-Muslim war. The outcome of the war, which marked the demise of the reign of the Early Companions, resulted in the lasting schism between Sunnite and Shi'ite Islam. Contrary to recent scholarly trends, the author brings out Ali's early claim to legitimate succession, which gained support from the Shi'a, and offers a convincing reinterpretation of early Islamic history. This book will make a major contribution to the debate over succession. Wilferd Madelung's book The Succession to Muhammad has been awarded the Best Book of the Year prize by the Islamic Republic of Iran for the year 1997.

The Succession to Muhammad Review

This book has been a flashpoint of controversy between Shi'i and Sunni Muslims since this has turned out to be a rare instance where a non-Muslim scholar [a status that ostensibly gives him an objective position wherewith the sectarian divided can be breached for the sake of historical truth] arrives at a conclusion somewhat in harmony with the Shi'i view of things. Unfortunately, the flurry of sectarian debate has overshadowed a work of great scholarly importance [exhibit a: the reviews written prior to this one] by an author who himself-as far as anyone can know for certain at least-had no intentions of propagating one tradition over the other.The virulent Sunni opposition of the Sunni Muslims to this book relates mostly to the portrayal of Abu Bakr as a schemer, Umar as a bullying hothead, and Uthman as a rich fat-cat with a taste for nepotism while Ali is the rightful heir to the prophetic office. That is what the offended would get from the book. Actually, Madelung has a much more nuanced opinion of all the Caliphs which is the product of a mixture of deep admiration and criticism. Most frustrating to the Sunni Muslim, I would imagine, is how Madelung version of the events makes such ideas as ta'diil al-SaHabah wa-l-taba'iin, al-fitrah, etc. seem absurd and untenable [which many more progressive would admit are].Most problematic within the work is the use of sources throughout. I don't mean this in the sense conveyed in the ramblings of one reviewer ["Dr. Siddiqui"] who seems to lack any coherent understanding of textual dynamics involved within Madelung's various texts. For example, just citing a text does not equal an endorsement thereof; rather, what is important is how the text is integrated into the larger structure of the argument and how controversial texts are placed within a hierarchy of certitude and historical criticism. Madelung here is about as meticulous as one could be. Moreover, he has to be for he write *against* the pro-Sunni grain of almost all of what has been written in the entire corpus of Western scholarship hitherto.Madelung, in reality, is a rather conservative scholar. His approach is optimistic-meaning that he doesn't side with the skeptical branch of scholarship that rejects all the details and accepts reluctantly, often with extensive revision, the general outlines of the Muslim historical record. After all, ALL of the sources we have today on these events were written/compiled hundreds of years after the events they claim to record while simultaneously be the result of considerable political tumult.Whatever side of these debates you fall, one has to admit that Madelung has written the most authoritative and interesting interpretation of the sources hitherto committed to writing. The case he makes from the Qur'an for Muhammad having intended Ali to follow him as the leader of the community is very crafty. His portraits of the intricacies of tribal conflicts and personal ambitions are masterful and stunningly lucid. Under his pen, these complex events regain a certain new-life. By the end of the book, Madelung makes one realize how astonishing it was that Muslim history actually took the direction it did, albeit while slaughtering many `sacred cows' in the process... Help other customers find the most helpful reviews� Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment Comments (4)

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