[The Mahdi’s] return will be preceded by cosmic chaos, war, bloodshed and pestilence. After this cataclysmic confrontation between the forces of good and evil, the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace.
I have seen this so many times now in connection with Ahmadinejad and the Shi’ite Twelvers. I don’t know who started it. Probably either some out-of-touch professor who teaches “Introdcution to Islam” or somebody opened the Encyclopedia Brittanica or something and copied out their definition of Shi'a.
But that statement reveals just how far the Western media (and probably our governmental leaders too) are from understanding the current situation regarding Iran.
In this essay, de Borchgrave says it is “later than we think” because he fears Ahmadinejad will use a nuclear weapon to hasten "the creation of chaos on Earth." Therefore, de Borchgrave says, Pres. Bush should “sit down with ‘axis of evil’ Iran to find out if the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) doctrine ... could still be made to work.”
What de Borchgrave is clueless about is the Signs of Qiyama and what many imams -- both Shi’ite and Sunni -- have been saying for the past few decades.
It’s not that the Mahdi will appear after some unimaginable chaos. The Muslims believe the Mahdi will appear during a period of very imaginable strife and perceived Muslim powerlessness.
In other words: these imams have been saying that the very existence of the United States as a world power is “proof” that these are the End Times and that the Mahdi will soon appear.
[Aside: For Shi’ites the Mahdi is the 12th imam, who has been hiding from danger for several hundred years. For Sunnis, the Mahdi will be a person who will become Caliph of a world-wide Muslim state.]
These imams have been saying that the Signs of Qiyama are being fulfilled on the front page of the daily newspaper -- therefore the appearance of the Mahdi is immanent. Even a fanatic like Ahmadinejad would have absolutely no need to add any additional chaos to the situation.
Mr. de Borchgrave is also wrong when he writes as if the “Mahdi” is expected to merely be some charismatic Muslim leader who will rule with justice and peace. That is absolutely the wrong way for a Westerner to perceive the situation.
According to the Hadith, the Mahdi is someone who is predestined to kill all the infidels so that they are wiped off the face of the earth. Any non-Muslims left convert to Islam and submit to shari’a law.
The Mahdi is predestined to kill the Dajjal -- the greatest evil ever to scourge the planet. For the last few decades, many imams have been busy interpretting the Hadith to “prove” that the Dajjal is a metaphor for Western Culture and Western Political and Economic Dominance.
Therefore this immanent Mahdi is predestined to destroy Western Civilization and anyone partaking of it.
It’s not that he will try to defeat the West, but that they believe Allah has guaranteed that he will defeat the West -- that it’s a done deal that every infidel will be killed and the survivors will convert. It’s not a question of “if” but only “when.”
Those jihadists who are fighting now are just starting the fight that this expected Mahdi will finish. Some imams are interpretting the hadith that the Mahdi may simply be a metaphor for the collective jihadists.
So it’s really “later than Mr. de Borchgrave thinks.” There is no reason why a millennialist like Iran’s Ahmadinejad should be deterred by the philosophy of MADD that worked surprisingly well with the Soviet Union.
The Soviets, for all their faults, lived in the same Reality that we do. Ahmadinejad and the jihadists do not.
See my FR Homepage and my Links page for more information.
As you lay things out, I am convinced there is literally no way to avoid the coming horrors.
de Borchgrave has been reporting on self-styled "mahdis" for at least a quarter century. His point is about the way that Ahmadinejad uses the Mahdi in a political context to advance Iran's nuclear weapons program. His two-sentence explanation was adequate for this article.
IMO, there is no point in negotiations or discussions with Ahmadi and his gang. You can't reason or negotiate with terrorists, isn't that what our politicians tell us too? Having an ideological debate about Islam or their interpretation of it is useless.
A far more effective way to address this 'end of the world' saga, which has created so much fear, is to help facilitate regime change in Iran. IMO, the U.S. needs to support regime change in Iran and not only or necessarily thru a military strike. It is up to the Military strategists to work out the best plan with most efficient and effective results, which can be implemented in a relatively short period of time. Prior planning is a key element, so is the surprise element.
News coming out of Iran strongly indicates that, at least, 80% of population are against this theocracy and want a secular, democratic regime. We don't hear about this in the mainstream media. What we DO see is the mainstream media promptly give large scale coverage to rent-a-crowd Mullah gang when they sing "Death to America". Why don't the mainstream western media expose the 'other' side of the story?
The regime brutally suppresses any demonstrations in Iran by any group including students. Most of the leaders who organise demonstrations against the regime in Iran are in jail or are executed. Students are attacked at night or when they least expect. There are THOUSANDS of students and ordinary civilians in notorious prisons in Iran. They are tortured and silenced. This is what should be covered in the Western Media but it isn't! The latest silence from Western Media was about the striking bus drivers and how their children and wives were beaten and abused. This has nothing to do with idiotic utterances about Mehdi by Admadinejad. It is a diversion, IMO, to further kill innocent Iranians who aren't infidels either! (Eventhough am sure the Mullahs will find a way to twist matters and justify their actions on this issue as well).
Regime change in Iran to a secular, democracy is critical. It will significantly contribute to the elimination of radical fundamentalist Islam in the region and around the world. It will stop Mullahs' financial and moral support to groups such as HAMAS. Regime change in Iran must happen sooner than later. But, I am hoping that the West has a sense of timing and a solid strategy and plan to deal with it. And this strategy and plan should not be a debate on Islam or its derivatives with Mullahs either - that, IMO, will be absolutely useless.
Very informative post -- thanks.
pong
Too bad our leaders don't realize this.
Religion of Peace, indeed.