<div>This book asks readers to re-examine their view of the Islamic world and the development of sectarianism in the Middle East by shining a light on the complexity and diversity of early Islamic society. While Sunni Islam eventually became politically and numerically dominant, Sunni and Shiʿi identities took centuries to develop as independent communities. When modern discussions of sectarianism in the Middle East reduce these identities to a 1400-year war between Sunnis and Shiʿis, we create a false narrative.</div>

<div>Timeline</div><div>Introduction</div><div>1: When did Sunnism become orthodox?</div><div>2: Non-Sunni Islams Before the Tenth Century</div><div>3: The Fatimids and Ismaʿili Shiʿism in North Africa</div><div>4: The Buyids and Shiʿism in Baghdad</div><div>Conclusion: Reactions to the Shiʿi Century</div><div>Glossary</div><div>Further Reading</div>