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This timely work explores two influential religious traditions that might seem to have little in common: Twelver Shi'i Islam and Roman Catholicism. With the worldwide rise of religious fundamentalism, it is imperative that religious movements such as Christianity and Islam begin working harder to understand one another's history and beliefs. Myths and misunderstandings continue to prevail, and observers tend to focus on the differences between the two faith systems.

Without denying these differences, the authors of this book reveal a number of interesting linkages between...

The Islamic world in its year 132 (570 AD) was ruled by a new revolutionary regime. The dynasty that it brought to power was revered as the Imams of the Sunni Muslims for the next 767 years. In good part, this stability and longevity were founded by the remarkable grandfather of H r n al-Rash d, Ab Ja'far al-Mans r, who came to power in 754 AD and died in 775. Al-Mans r destroyed every threat to his own supremacy, leaving an opulent autocracy to his son. Here are the reminiscences of those who witnessed these years, woven by the great historiographer al-Tabar (d. 923) into a vivid account,...

This 1989 second volume of Professor Williams' translation of al-Tabar 's account of the early 'Abb s empire focuses on the reigns of the son - al-Mahd - and grandsons - al-Hadi and H r n al-Rash d - of Caliph al-Mans r, the subject of the first volume. This was the 'Golden Prime' of the empire, before the civil war between the sons of al-Rash d and the movement of the capital away from Baghdad. Also considered is the story of the Persian aristocratic family, the Barmakis, who became the real rulers under the indolent al-Rash d, until he destroyed them in a rage which astonished his...