From New Dawn Special Issue Vol 18 No 4 (Aug 2024)
In the West, there’s a common misconception that ‘all Muslims are the same’. In reality, Islam comprises distinct branches, primarily Sunni and Shi’a, each with unique theological and eschatological beliefs. These eschatological views, which relate to end times and final events, significantly influence global politics and conflicts, despite often being overlooked.
The differing Sunni and Shi’a conceptions of a messiah, or saviour figure, often provoke anxiety among Jewish and Christian Messianists, as well as their more secular counterparts in the armed forces and governments of Israel and the USA. Regardless of whether these beliefs are taken literally, the perception of them plays a crucial role in international relations.
Historically, colonial powers faced fierce opposition from those who believed they were under divine protection, often manifesting as a belief in invincibility in battle. For example, the Sudanese Mahdi, Muhammad Ahmad, led a successful revolt against the British in the late 19th century, claiming divine support and inspiring his followers to believe they were invincible. Similarly, during the South Asian resistance to Western colonialism, various leaders and groups invoked religious and messianic beliefs to bolster their opposition to British rule, fostering a sense of divine mission and protection among their followers.
In Islam, there is an expectation of the coming of the Mahdi, a descendant of Muhammad, who will appear at the end times to eradicate evil. This event is anticipated to occur just before the return of Jesus, esteemed in Islam as a Prophet. The Mahdi is expected to lead Muslims in establishing a righteous world order. Christianity and Judaism have analogous figures in the militant, conquering Jesus of Revelations and the Jewish melekh mashiach, respectively. The Mahdi is referenced in Sunni hadith literature, with the first mention dating back to the 7th century.
Judaism has had multiple messianic claimants over the centuries. Historical figures such as Simon bar Kokhba and Sabbatai Zevi have had significant followings. While bar Kokhba’s revolt against the Romans ended in failure, Zevi’s legacy persisted through his followers, despite his eventual conversion to Islam. Zevi’s influence continued through his successor Jacob Frank, who led the Frankist movement in 18th-century Europe, promoting a syncretic blend of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Additionally, the Donmeh, a group of crypto-Jews in Turkey who outwardly practice Islam while maintaining Judaic beliefs in secret, trace their origins to Zevi’s followers. Various esoteric sects keep Sabbatean ideas alive, blending them with mysticism and other spiritual practices. In contemporary times, the Chabad Lubavitch movement venerates the seventh Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson (d. 1994), with some adherents believing he will resurrect as the long-awaited Messiah.
In Shi’a Islam, the Mahdi, also known as al-Qa’im (Arabic, meaning ‘he who will rise’), is synonymous with the personage of the ‘Hidden Imam’, who is the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi. According to Shi’a belief, this Imam entered occultation (ghayba) in the 9th century to escape persecution. Despite being hidden, he is believed to continue guiding and protecting the faithful.
Shi’a doctrine holds that the Hidden Imam will reappear as the Mahdi in the end times to usher in an era of justice and peace. This belief underscores the importance of continuous, divinely guided leadership in Shi’a Islam. In contrast, Sunni Islam also acknowledges the Mahdi but does not emphasise occultation and generally believes the Mahdi has not yet been born. Sunni views on the Mahdi’s lineage and role vary, and he is not as central a figure as in Shi’a Islam.
They Seek Him Here, They Seek Him There…
The search for the Mahdi, specifically the Hidden Imam of Shi’ite tradition, has taken on an intriguing dimension involving espionage and international politics. According to former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, American academics conducted detailed studies in 2015 to locate this elusive figure. Ahmadinejad claimed these efforts were part of a broader plan by US intelligence to prepare a case for the Mahdi’s arrest.1
In 2009, Ahmadinejad made similar claims, echoed the following year by Mojtaba Zolnour, deputy representative of Iran’s supreme leader in the Revolutionary Guard. Zolnour stated, according to Radio Free Europe: “Zionists have security plans for Muslim sites including Mecca, Karbala, and other sites where he said it was likely that the Hidden Imam could appear. The Hidden Imam or the Promised Mahdi is the 12th Imam of Shi’ite Islam, who [Shia] Muslims believe will appear to bring peace and justice on Earth and put an end to tyranny. ‘They’ve told their soldiers to kill immediately whomever they see with the characteristics [of the Hidden Imam] and not even take the risk to arrest him because he is a very awesome and dangerous person’.”2
Reports from Middle Eastern sources indicate that Muslim prisoners held by the US military had been subjected to harsh interrogation methods in an effort to find the Mahdi. The Shi’a News Association reported in 2015 that: “During the US occupation of Iraq, it was routine to torture Iraqis in prisons like Abu Ghraib whose prison guards were using tactics learnt in Israeli training camps as Robert Fisk pointed out in ‘Abu Ghraib torture trail leads to Israel’; one of the most baffling questions asked during interrogation was ‘Where is the man called Imam Mahdi, where is he hiding?’”3
The intense focus on locating a figure central to Shi’ite eschatology underscores the complex interplay between Messianic beliefs and geopolitical strategies.
High-Level Analysis of Mahdism in Iran
Is this Muslim conspiracism run amok? Numerous reports highlight the Mahdi’s influence on Iran. The long-running think tank, the Middle East Institute, issued a report prepared by two senior analysts at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change about the growth of Mahdism among the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The think tank states that “one fundamental aspect of [Iran’s] ideology that until now has been overlooked is the doctrine of Mahdism.”4
“There are signs today that the preparations for the return of the 12th divinely ordained Shi’a imam are becoming of pivotal importance to the IRGC’s lens on the world. The rise of a militaristic Mahdist cult among the senior ranks of the IRGC is now not inconceivable and the repercussions far-reaching.”
“Mahdism in the IRGC remains a complete blind spot for Western policymakers and experts, and yet its implications could have major consequences.”
An entire section of the report is entitled “What is Mahdism?” The report explains that: “As a Shi’a Islamist force, the IRGC’s worldview hinges on Mahdism: the return of the 12th divinely ordained Shi’a imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi (or the Hidden Imam), whom Shi’a Muslims believe was withdrawn into a miraculous state of occultation (hiddenness) by God in 874 CE. The concept of Mahdism is rooted in the belief that Imam Mahdi will one day return to rid the world of evil and injustice. His coming will bring about ‘one final apocalyptic battle’ between two armies, in which Shi’as believe that Mahdi and his forces will prevail over evil.”
Since 1990, Iran is said to have become a “society based on Mahdism.” The Iranian government declares that it is in a caretaker role until the return of the Mahdi. Ahmadinejad, elected president in 2005, is quoted as stating: “We have a mission – to turn Iran into the country of the Hidden Imam.” The report adds: “Ahmadinejad would give special importance to the Jamkaran Mosque, which hosts the Well of Jamkaran, where some Shi’a Muslims believe the 12th Imam will return. Ahmadinejad’s administration would allocate $17 million in state funds to Jamkaran Mosque as well as expand its facilities, transforming it from a small mosque to a multimillion-dollar shrine.”
The Revolutionary Guard is accorded a special mission, according to the report, to prepare the way for the Mahdi. In 2012, Hojatoleslam Ali Saeedi, the supreme leader’s representative to the IRGC, asserted: “The IRGC is one of the tools for paving the way for the emergence of the Imam of the Age (Mahdi) in the field of a regional and international awakening.” Saeedi is cited as stating that the continuing US presence in Iraq is an impediment to the appearance of the Mahdi.
Support for the Houthis in Yemen is regarded as significant in preparing for the Mahdi, as is the fight against not only Zionism but also against the Wahhabist Islam of terrorist organisations such as ISIS, which serve the USA’s and Israel’s interests. Consequently, many Iranians fought against ISIS in Syria. Iran also sees Russia’s fight with Ukraine in terms of the end times that prelude the Mahdi’s return, Iran taking a pro-Russian position.
‘End Times’ Prophecy & Politics
The blend of Messianic beliefs and geopolitical strategies in Iran, particularly regarding the return of the Mahdi, shows how deeply ‘End Times’ prophecies and today’s politics can intertwine. Although controversial, Ahmadinejad’s claims reveal the significant role Messianic ideas can play in shaping national and international policies. Preparing for the Mahdi’s return has become a key focus for some Iranian leaders.
While Ahmadinejad was criticised by the Western media for not citing specific examples of the alleged US intelligence reports on the Mahdi, these reports are readily locatable. For instance, Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Crytzer’s publication, “Mahdi and the Iranian Nuclear Threat” by the US Army War College in 2007, questions: “Is the Iranian Government attempting to set conditions for the return of the 12th Imam in accordance with Shi’ite beliefs? If so, what threats are associated with these actions and how can the West counter these threats?”5
The fusion of Mahdist beliefs and Iran’s political manoeuvres is a captivating blend of geopolitics and eschatology. As Iran positions itself as a nation in waiting for the Mahdi, it’s crucial to understand the deep spiritual and political layers of this issue. This unique mix of prophecy and power offers fresh insights into Iran’s bold actions on the global stage. The way these ancient beliefs drive modern strategies could reshape international relations in ways no one ever imagined. Prepare for a world where ‘End Times’ prophecy and politics are intertwined like never before.
Additional material for the above was contributed by New Dawn editors.
Footnotes
1. Toi Staff, Ahmadinejad: US is after Hidden Imam, Times of Israel, June 23, 2015
2. Golnaz Esfandiari, Zionists Waiting to Kill Hidden Imam, Says Iranian Cleric, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, September 1, 2010
3. Are the Mossad and Western powers looking for Imam Mahdi?, Shia News Association, June 3, 2015
4. Saeid Golkar and Kasra Aarabi, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the Rising Cult of Mahdism: Missiles and Militias for the Apocalypse, Middle East Institute, May 2022
5. Lieutenant Colonel Kurt S. Crytzer, Mahdi and the Iranian Nuclear Threat, Strategy Research Project, U.S. Army War College, March 2007
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