THE HOUSE DIVIDED

A wide-ranging study of the seeds of conflict in the Islamic world, planted centuries ago.

For a Westerner, Muslim politics can seem like a labyrinth of ancient grudges, unfathomable divisions, and autocratic rulers. Rogerson, a travel writer and publisher of Eland Books in the U.K. who has traveled widely in the Middle East, aims to provide a historical map for nonspecialists. “It is very hard for those of us who have been brought up in the West to conceive of the passionate engagement of the past with the present in the Islamic world,” he writes, tracing the Shia-Sunni division back to the period following the death of the Prophet Muhammad, which saw disputes over Koranic doctrine and violent conflicts over how subsequent leaders would be chosen. Rogerson does not take the view that theological arguments are responsible for all of the rancor among Muslims. Yes, they are a source of underlying tension, but there is a historic overlay of competition among Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and other players. The author sees the 1979 revolution in Iran as a seismic event, reigniting old disputes as the country made clear its ambition to lead the Islamic world. Rogerson provides a country-by-country analysis and examines the role of external players, but his goal is to explain and clarify; he expressly does not choose sides. While some readers might not agree with this approach, the author does a solid, eloquent job of linking history to contemporary issues. One shortcoming of the book, however, is the lack of a concluding chapter to bring the narrative threads together. However, this is a minor flaw, and anyone who wants to understand the Middle East will find the book informative, timely, and accessible.

Rogerson’s firsthand experience provides an authenticity often missing from discussions of the Middle East and Islam.