The Origins of Political Islam with Hassan Abbas | Security Past and Present

In "The Prophet's Heir: The Life of Ali ibn Abi Talib," Dr. Hassan Abbas provides a nuanced, compelling portrait of this towering yet divisive figure and the origins of sectarian division within Islam. Watch as he shares how, after Mohammad, Ali assumed the spiritual mantle of Islam to spearhead the movement that the prophet had led. While Ali’s teachings about wisdom, justice, and selflessness continue to be cherished by both Shia and Sunni Muslims, his pluralist ideas have been buried under sectarian agendas and power politics. Today, Abbas argues, Ali’s legacy and message stands against that of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Taliban.
This event was part of CSS’s fall series, Security Past and Present. This series evaluates the conflicts, tensions and resolutions of yesterday that have shaped the challenges of today. Watch as we consider how our past helped create our present, and what we can learn from history to avoid repeating it in the future.