History of Sunnism

What is Sunni Islam? In this episode we trace the origins of one of the largest denominations of Islam. We look to the period after the death of Muhammad and how the disagreement between Muslims on the issue of authority set in motion a process that would eventually lead to Sunni Islam. We discuss the early movement that a specific vision of leadership and community and how that early movement was shaped by its experience with the Umayyad Caliphate. We also talk about the gathering of the sunnah and hadith and how both became part of the beginnings of sharia.