No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam

Muhammad’s sudden death from illness in 632 CE left the early Muslim community in an uncertain state, with no public plan for after his leadership, scripture not yet written down, and many Arab tribes ready to rebel. Desiring to find someone pleasing both to the community in Medina and the elites of Mecca, a group of elders (a shura) met and proclaimed Abu Bakr, one of Muhammad’s Companions from the Quraysh tribe and father of Muhammad’s wife Aisha, caliph or “Successor” to Muhammad. Aslan, while acknowledging that lack of contemporary evidence has led to debate, argues that Abu Bakr interpreted this position as a mainly secular role with religious questions referred to scholars who would grow into the Ulama (the community of “learned ones”)—with the caveat that the secular-religious distinction is a modern one with limited applicability. Many wanted a successor from Muhammad’s own Banu Hasim clan, however, and believed Muhammad had designated his son-in-law Ali as successor. Aslan argues that this is plausible. This planted the seeds of the first of many divisions that have continued to mark the Diversity of Islamic Thought and Practice.