Episode 49: Al Hadi

From our vantage point in the 21st century, it is clear that Haroon al Rashid is by far the most famous Arab caliph. His renown is not some modern phenomenon either: he may occasionally pop up as a cultural reference or on a trivia show, but he was immortalized early in the epic ...  Show more

Haroon al Rashid is commonly portrayed as a martial caliph, one who menaced the Byzantine empire and led a tireless crusade against them. He is praised in Arab sources for defeating the Greeks time and again, all in defense of the umma’s faith and faithful. While this popular opi ...  Show more

Basra is starting to slip out of control with rampant crime and too much rebellion. Muawiyyah is ready to bring in someone new; however, this new guy has a scandalous past. In this episode, we're introduced to Ziyad ibn Abihi, Muawiyyah's brutal governor of Basra. We'll see how Z ...  Show more

Theodore Laskaris II beds down his father's conquests in Europe. But his early death sees his family sidelined by Michael Palaiologos. The new Emperor needs some victories to legitimise his seizure of power and the fates reward him beyond all expectations. Hosted on Acast. See ac ...  Show more

In a time of anarchy and political upheaval, the established militant force in Samarra now has unprecedented power over the Caliph. In this episode Ali and Deana discuss the life of al-Mu’tazz, son of al-Mutawakkil and heir to the throne. From being the favorite child of his f ...

Miqdad (ra) was one of the earliest Muslims and had a larger than life personality. He was known for his leadership and laughter, and left behind an example like no other.