Shi'te Religous World View

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

The Hidden Imam

http://www.wsu.edu:8001/~dee/SHIA/HIDDEN.HTM


   The core of the Shi'ite religious world view is the Hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, "The Guided One." While the stories of the first eleven Imams are historical in nature, the history of the twelfth Imam is mystical and miraculous. Born in 868 AD / 255 AH, Abu'l-Kasim Muhammad (which is the name of the Prophet himself), and when Hasan al-Askari, the Eleventh Imam, died in 874 AD / 260 AH, the seven year old boy declared himself to be the Twelfth Imam and went into hiding. The Shi'ites believed that he hid himself in a cave below a mosque in Samarra; this cave is blocked by a gate which the Shi'ites call Bab-al Ghayba , or the "Gate of Occultation." This is one of the most sacred sites in Shi'a Islam, and the faithful gather here to pray for the return of the Twelfth Imam.

   The central Shi'a doctrines revolving around the Hidden Imam are the doctrines of Occultation (Ghayba ) and Return (Raj'a ) . The Doctrine of Occultation is simply the belief that God hid Muhammad al-Mahdi away from the eyes of men in order to preserve his life. God has miraculously kept him alive since the day he was hidden in 874 AD / 260 AH; eventually God will reveal al-Mahdi to the world and he will return to guide humanity.

   The Occultation has two distinct stages, the Lesser Occultation and the Greater Occultation. In the Lesser Occultation, the Hidden Imam continued to communicate with humanity through representatives. Since the Imam was the spiritual guide or light to the rest of humanity, the Lesser Occultation only removed the Imam's body from the world, not his spiritual guidance. However, under the threat of orthodox Muslims, the Hidden Imam entered the period of Greater Occultation which is still continuing. In the Greater Occultation, the Imam is still the spiritual guide and light of the world with one exception: there is no longer any direct communication between humanity and the Imam. The Occultation, then, is a profound spiritual tragedy for the world. It means that the spiritual guide to the earth, the gift of God to humanity, which, throughout the ages has lived, breathed, and conversed with humanity, is out of reach. The Imam is the center of light in the world; the Occultation is the extinguishing of that light for the rest of humanity. The Shi'a world view, then, is profoundly tragic and nostalgic. The Shi'ite longs for a return to a time when spiritual truth walked among us, a time when human perfection stood as an icon for all humans to emulate.

   The Hidden Imam, however, will eventually leave his Greater Occultation and appear (zuhur ) to the world of humanity. This return is the most significant event in the future for the Shi'ite faithful and has thunderous eschatological consequences. This return will occur shortly before the Final Judgement and the end of history. Imam Mahdi will return at the head of the forces of righteousness and do battle with the forces of evil in one, final, apocalyptic battle. When evil has been defeated once and for all, the Imam Mahdi will rule the world for several years under a perfect government and bring about a perfect spirituality among the peoples of the world. After the Imam Mahdi has reigned for several years, Jesus Christ will return (raj'a ), as will Husayn and others. It is the return of the dead that falls under the Doctrine of Return; the Mahdi will only appear to humanity.

   Twelver Shi'ism is, then, a deeply eschatological religion. Important to understanding Shi'a religious belief is the understanding that the end of time will be preceded by an era of perfect justice and spirituality. The world, for the Shi'ite, is a deeply immoral, degenerate, and corrupt place; these are the necessary preludes to the appearance of Imam Mahdi. Like Christianity, Shi'ism is also a deeply prophetic religion. Like Christian belief, the end of time and the appearance of the Mahdi will be preceded by a number of events foretold in prophecy. The Shi'ite, then, like many Christians, lives in a world full of signs of the impending concluding chapters of history. This is vitally important in understanding Shi'a culture and political theory. Most of Iranian history can only be understood in relationship to the Doctrine of Return and the prophecies associated with it. For instance, during the Iranian Revolution, several Iranians believed that Ayatullah Ruhollah Khumayni, the spiritual and theoretical head of the Revolution, was the Hidden Imam returned to the world of humanity. While Khumayni never admitted this, he never denied it either. In many ways, the Revolutionaries believed that they were engineering or inaugurating the beginning of the reign of justice in the world, just as the radical Protestant English who settled America believed that they were inaugurating the one thousand year rule of saints that would precede the end of the world. Contemporary Iranian politics can in no way be divorced from the fundamental religious tenets of Shi'a Islam.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I don't see how this is any loonier than your temple building delusions.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I don't see how this is any loonier than your temple building delusions.

The Shi'tes believe they are engineering the return of their Hidden Imam, through the destruction of Israel.

I believe Christ will return during a time of trouble for Israel.

Looks like the trouble makers are on the scene.

[John Dibble]

I don't see how this is any loonier than your temple building delusions.

The Shi'tes believe they are engineering the return of their Hidden Imam, through the destruction of Israel.

I believe Christ will return during a time of trouble for Israel.

Looks like the trouble makers are on the scene.

So you want to engineer this time of trouble for Israel by nuking a bunch of Muslim cities and thus rouse the Muslims in their entirity to a full scale war. Brilliant.

[MODU]

I don't see how this is any loonier than your temple building delusions.

The Shi'tes believe they are engineering the return of their Hidden Imam, through the destruction of Israel.

I believe Christ will return during a time of trouble for Israel.

Looks like the trouble makers are on the scene.

So you want to engineer this time of trouble for Israel by nuking a bunch of Muslim cities and thus rouse the Muslims in their entirity to a full scale war. Brilliant.

[minionofmidas]

Yes. Shi'a is nutty and dangerous in the same respects in which Christianity is nutty and dangerous. -_- Unlike Sunni Islam, which did not follow into the trap of thinking their leaders divine. -_-

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

The Shi'tes believe they are engineering the return of their Hidden Imam, through the destruction of Israel.

I believe Christ will return during a time of trouble for Israel.

Looks like the trouble makers are on the scene.

So you want to engineer this time of trouble for Israel by nuking a bunch of Muslim cities and thus rouse the Muslims in their entirity to a full scale war. Brilliant.

MODU and Dibble,

Although the only role I have to play in this sad drama is one of a Christian messenger, I have no doubt once Israel retaliates to being attacked by the Muslims’ attempt to wipe it off the face of the earth, Jews and Christians will be blamed, even though it will be the Muslims who are the aggressors. 

And in your longing to retain your comfortable lifestyle, you will accept any leader promising peace, even if it is a false peace offered by the devil incarnate.

[John Dibble]

And in your longing to retain your comfortable lifestyle, you will accept any leader promising peace, even if it is a false peace offered by the devil incarnate.

Yes, as opposed to the false peace of eternal enslavement your god offers.

I don't bow down to every person promising peace - many of them are idiots. The only sovereign I can allow to rule is reason.

And I'd take freedom over comfort any day of the week, just so you know.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

And in your longing to retain your comfortable lifestyle, you will accept any leader promising peace, even if it is a false peace offered by the devil incarnate.

Yes, as opposed to the false peace of eternal enslavement your god offers.

I don't bow down to every person promising peace - many of them are idiots. The only sovereign I can allow to rule is reason.

And I'd take freedom over comfort any day of the week, just so you know.

Then why accuse me of conspiring to end of the world when I am simply an arm-chair observer providing you with a warning?

Have I taken any action other than to share my views with my Christian friends at church and work and post them on this forum?  Am I leading some kind of rebellion that I should be accused of a conspiracy?

Certainly you are blaming the messenger.  Do you see me as an enemy of peace simply because I am relaying to you what the Muslims themselves claim are their intentions?

You refuse to acknowledge the writing on the wall, even though it explains what comes to you every night from your TV.  Yet you don’t fully ignore it.  You try to turn away, but the corners of your eyes are always drawn to it.  (I am referring to you being drawn to the scriptures).  And as Rod Stewart wrote: you look to find a reason to believe.

[John Dibble]

And in your longing to retain your comfortable lifestyle, you will accept any leader promising peace, even if it is a false peace offered by the devil incarnate.

Yes, as opposed to the false peace of eternal enslavement your god offers.

I don't bow down to every person promising peace - many of them are idiots. The only sovereign I can allow to rule is reason.

And I'd take freedom over comfort any day of the week, just so you know.

Then why accuse me of conspiring to end of the world when I am simply an arm-chair observer providing you with a warning?

Have I taken any action other than to share my views with my Christian friends at church and work and post them on this forum?  Am I leading some kind of rebellion that I should be accused of a conspiracy?

Certainly you are blaming the messenger.  Do you see me as an enemy of peace simply because I am relaying to you what the Muslims themselves claim are their intentions?

You refuse to acknowledge the writing on the wall, even though it explains what comes to you every night from your TV.  Yet you don’t fully ignore it.  You try to turn away, but the corners of your eyes are always drawn to it.  (I am referring to you being drawn to the scriptures).  And as Rod Stewart wrote: you look to find a reason to believe.

1. I made the accusation as tongue in cheek - your plan is one that would cause more war and hatred, not make things better. The result would be a holy war on the scale of the prophecy you tout as being true. Thusly one could jest you are espousing views that would help fulfill prophecy.

2. I never said you were an enemy of peace. What I have said is that your opinions lack foresight.

3. I don't blame you for what the Muslims(who aren't one heterogeneous, unified group as you seem to be trying to make them out to be).

4. What does piss me off about you is your "holier than thou/I'm right and you're wrong" mentality. It's extremely arrogant in my view. You act as if you are the sole arbiter of truth. You think that because there's conflict in the middle east the end times are coming? I have news for you - there's pretty much always been conflict in the middle east. That hasn't changed. People have been spouting that the end times are coming 'soon' for centuries and yet it hasn't happened yet - what makes you so special? Are you more divinely inspired than the people who read the signs that were present in their own times? Signs they believed were indications of the same prophecies you hold to?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

1. I made the accusation as tongue in cheek - your plan is one that would cause more war and hatred, not make things better. The result would be a holy war on the scale of the prophecy you tout as being true. Thusly one could jest you are espousing views that would help fulfill prophecy.

And the wise were arguing in the mid to late 30’s to confront Hitler and the exact same response came back – “your proposal would be self-fulfilling”.  And Hitler was allowed to wage the holocaust which led to the reformation of Israel as prophesied in the bible.

Prophecies are many times fulfilled by the LACK of action, the LACK of heeding a warning.  And they are many times fulfilled by an attack on the Jews.

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2. I never said you were an enemy of peace. What I have said is that your opinions lack foresight.

I am predicting an attack against Israel that will lead to the rebuilding of the Temple.  Only time will tell how foresightful that prediction was.

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3. I don't blame you for what the Muslims(who aren't one heterogeneous, unified group as you seem to be trying to make them out to be).

In regard to destroying Israel, I think they have proven to pretty much on the same page.

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4. What does piss me off about you is your "holier than thou/I'm right and you're wrong" mentality. It's extremely arrogant in my view. You act as if you are the sole arbiter of truth.

In regard to what truth?  In regard to the bible being true?  Absolutely.

In regard to my interpretation of it?  I have constantly invited critique.  Only non-believers like you and believers like Bono are willing to examine my beliefs with a fine tooth comb.  The water-downed Christians who wink at sexual immorality will not debate the details because they are quickly disarmed and exposed as rejecting scripture. 

The willingness to dissect one’s own opinion and lay out all the points of the argument in fine detail for critique is the antithesis of arrogance.

Now, in regard to premarital sex, is it really considered ‘arrogant’ to state unequivocally that the bible calls it a sin? Is it arrogant to be 100% convinced of that fact?

But, in regard to the rebuilding of the temple, I have stated many times that I am not 100% convinced I correctly understand the scriptures.  I am 99% convinced, but I have stated I could be wrong and instead the pre-tribers could be right.

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You think that because there's conflict in the middle east the end times are coming? I have news for you - there's pretty much always been conflict in the middle east.

The wars in the middle east between the years 70AD and 1948AD are irrelevant as far as prophecy is concerned.  The nation Israel is the bible’s time keeper.

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That hasn't changed. People have been spouting that the end times are coming 'soon' for centuries and yet it hasn't happened yet - what makes you so special?

Because we are living during a time when the nation of Israel has reemerged on the scene after an 1880 year hiatus.

But, actually the “we are living in the end times” movement didn’t kick into high gear until Israel arrived on the scene in 1948.  Yes, there were always small groups of believers who constantly predicted the coming and set dates, but the chorus of voices issuing warnings prior to 1948 pales in comparison to today’s percentage of end-time believers.  But strength in numbers doesn’t guarantee being right.
 
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Are you more divinely inspired than the people who read the signs that were present in their own times? Signs they believed were indications of the same prophecies you hold to?

No, but prophecy is the ONLY area of scripture where the meaning is originally hidden and only becomes clear as the time of fulfillment approaches.

Before Israel arrived on the scene, many Christians trying to make sense of the future prophecies concerning Israel played around loosely with scripture and concluded Israel was only being referred to in the spiritual sense.

But in 1948 the prophecies concerning the reformation of Israel took on a literal meaning and the understanding of prophecy became much more cohesive (i.e. fundamental).  Christians no longer needed to play word games with scripture and the foreshadowings of the end-times throughout scripture became much more vivid.

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For instance: 

With a literal nation of Israel back in the picture, the Genesis story of Joseph becomes much more prophetic.  Before, only the symbolism of Joseph being rejected by his brothers and accepted by the Gentiles was considered a foreshadowing of Christ’s rejection by the Jews and his later acceptance of him as the Messiah by Gentiles.  (there are a lot of other symbolism in the story of Joseph, this represents only a general overview.)

But now, with a literal nation of Israel on the scene, the latter part of the story of Joseph screams out to be noticed.  It tells that after Joseph was accepted as lord over the Gentiles, there came a 7 year period of trouble in which the existence of Israel was in danger.  And in their despair, Israel bowed to the lord of the Gentiles, Joseph, who was their own flesh and blood, the one they had previously rejected and plotted to kill.

This 7 year period of trouble that threatens Israel’s existence dovetails exactly with Daniel’s 7 year span of the Time of Jacob’s Troubles, which is referenced in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse as he explained the signs leading up to his return, which dovetails with the events of Revelation…and now Israel has returned to scene in 1948 and has become a nation again as prophesied by Ezekiel to take place shortly before the end came. 

Sin is on the increase and the Gospel is being preached to all the nations as prophesied by Jesus as additional signs that the end is near.

And now Israel’s existence is being threatened with termination.   

So, there is great reason for Christians to read into current events and there is great reason for us to believe we are indeed the last generation, for no other generation can point to such a literal interpretation of prophecy.

Does that mean the last 7 years have already started?  No, absolutely not.  And nothing in scripture states that those last 7 years have to begin this year or the next. 

But you don’t have to be a believer to understand that something every profound occurred during the war between Hezbollah and Israel; the Muslims, for the first time since 1967, now believe they can destroy Israel.   And this time, the Muslims will come armed with WMD.  And it won’t take much WMD to devastate the tiny nation of Israel.  Heck, I think the Houston metropolitan area is as big as the nation of Israel.  And since Israel is so small, they will be quick to retaliate with nukes.  This time, instead of taking six days for Israel to destroy her enemies, the climax could take only six minutes. If WMD are used, this time Israel won’t be occupying, they will be annexing.

Now, I ask you: Is it so far fetched to believe in the likelihood of a war between Israel and the Muslims involving WMD occurring within the next 5-20 years?  If you think it is far fetched, consider this:  the Jews and Muslims don’t.  In fact, they are preparing for it as a foregone conclusion.

[J. J.]

Then why accuse me of conspiring to end of the world when I am simply an arm-chair observer providing you with a warning?

Have I taken any action other than to share my views with my Christian friends at church and work and post them on this forum?  Am I leading some kind of rebellion that I should be accused of a conspiracy?

You kinda thought it was a good idea to nuke 30 million Muslims, remember?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Then why accuse me of conspiring to end of the world when I am simply an arm-chair observer providing you with a warning?

Have I taken any action other than to share my views with my Christian friends at church and work and post them on this forum?  Am I leading some kind of rebellion that I should be accused of a conspiracy?

You kinda thought it was a good idea to nuke 30 million Muslims, remember?

Well, I kinda of also think it would have been a better idea for Sarah not to have taken the plan of God into her own hands by giving her servant Hagar to Abraham to have sex with.  Then the Arabs wouldn't have existed all together.

So, this whole middle east conflict could be considered the result of one woman's lack of faith and one man’s willingness to listen to his wife.  But that is how God planned it and there is nothing we can do about it.

We are stuck with the consequences...which was the point of my modest proposal.

[John Dibble]

3. I don't blame you for what the Muslims(who aren't one heterogeneous, unified group as you seem to be trying to make them out to be).

In regard to destroying Israel, I think they have proven to pretty much on the same page.

So you're saying every single Muslim on the planet wants to destroy Israel?

[??????????]

3. I don't blame you for what the Muslims(who aren't one heterogeneous, unified group as you seem to be trying to make them out to be).

In regard to destroying Israel, I think they have proven to pretty much on the same page.

So you're saying every single Muslim on the planet wants to destroy Israel?

Among the Muslims that matter (powerful ones) that sentiment runs pretty strong.

[John Dibble]

3. I don't blame you for what the Muslims(who aren't one heterogeneous, unified group as you seem to be trying to make them out to be).

In regard to destroying Israel, I think they have proven to pretty much on the same page.

So you're saying every single Muslim on the planet wants to destroy Israel?

Among the Muslims that matter (powerful ones) that sentiment runs pretty strong.

Well, I was asking jmfcst as he seems to group every single Muslim in the world into one group bound by hate, but as to your statement I'm not even sure that's true. The government of Egypt, a Muslim nation, urged Hamas they must recognize Israel and renounce violence in Febuary.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

3. I don't blame you for what the Muslims(who aren't one heterogeneous, unified group as you seem to be trying to make them out to be).

In regard to destroying Israel, I think they have proven to pretty much on the same page.

So you're saying every single Muslim on the planet wants to destroy Israel?

Among the Muslims that matter (powerful ones) that sentiment runs pretty strong.

Well, I was asking jmfcst as he seems to group every single Muslim in the world into one group bound by hate, but as to your statement I'm not even sure that's true. The government of Egypt, a Muslim nation, urged Hamas they must recognize Israel and renounce violence in Febuary.

I was referring to the Muslim mob, the ones you see protesting the Pope on TV, along with their leaders.

And as far as Egypt goes...from where do you think those in Gaza get their weapons?  The tunnels from Gaza into Egypt are well known.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

"Is there art that is more beautiful, more divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom? A nation with martyrdom knows no captivity." - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, Speaking on the virtues of suicide bombing.

The Return of the 12th Imam

When Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly in October of 2005, he ended his speech with a prayer imploring God to hasten the return of the 12th Imam. Ahmadinejad refers to the return of the 12th Imam, also known as the Mahdi, in almost all his major speeches. In the Islamic faith, the Mahdi is the ultimate savior of mankind. His appearance will usher in an era of Islamic justice and bring about the conversion of the heathen amidst flame and fire. The Mahdi will establish Islam as the global religion and will reign for seven years before bringing about the end of the world.

In a speech last November, Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying: "Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi. Therefore, Iran should become a powerful, developed and model Islamic society. Today, we should define our economic, cultural and political policies based on the policy of Imam Mahdi's return. We should avoid copying the West's policies and systems."

The beliefs of Sunni and Shiite Muslims differ on the identity of the Mahdi. Sunnis either believe that he is yet to be born, or that he was born recently and has yet to emerge. Shiites hold that the Mahdi is Muhammad ibn Hasan, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad born in the 9th century and the 12th and final Shiite Imam. As a devout Shiite, Ahmadinejad believes that the 12th Imam was hidden away by Allah at a young age and will someday emerge to bring justice and peace by establishing Islam throughout the world. After taking office Ahmadinejad allocated $20 million for the expansion of the Jamkaran mosque, a religious pilgrimage site where Shiites can drop messages to the "Hidden Imam" in a holy well.

Ahmadinejad ardently believes in the imminent return of 12th Imam, which he anticipates will happen in the next two years. He believes he has a personal role in ushering in the return of the Mahdi and is preparing Iran for Judgment Day. Understanding this perspective is vital to understanding the Iranian threat.

http://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2006/1099/print/

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/14/wiran14.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/01/14/ixworld.html

 'Divine mission' driving Iran's new leader
By Anton La Guardia


(Filed: 14/01/2006)



As Iran rushes towards confrontation with the world over its nuclear programme, the question uppermost in the mind of western leaders is "What is moving its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to such recklessness?"

Political analysts point to the fact that Iran feels strong because of high oil prices, while America has been weakened by the insurgency in Iraq.
 

But listen carefully to the utterances of Mr Ahmadinejad - recently described by President George W Bush as an "odd man" - and there is another dimension, a religious messianism that, some suspect, is giving the Iranian leader a dangerous sense of divine mission.

In November, the country was startled by a video showing Mr Ahmadinejad telling a cleric that he had felt the hand of God entrancing world leaders as he delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly last September.

When an aircraft crashed in Teheran last month, killing 108 people, Mr Ahmadinejad promised an investigation. But he also thanked the dead, saying: "What is important is that they have shown the way to martyrdom which we must follow."

The most remarkable aspect of Mr Ahmadinejad's piety is his devotion to the Hidden Imam, the Messiah-like figure of Shia Islam, and the president's belief that his government must prepare the country for his return.

One of the first acts of Mr Ahmadinejad's government was to donate about £10 million to the Jamkaran mosque, a popular pilgrimage site where the pious come to drop messages to the Hidden Imam into a holy well.

All streams of Islam believe in a divine saviour, known as the Mahdi, who will appear at the End of Days. A common rumour - denied by the government but widely believed - is that Mr Ahmadinejad and his cabinet have signed a "contract" pledging themselves to work for the return of the Mahdi and sent it to Jamkaran.

Iran's dominant "Twelver" sect believes this will be Mohammed ibn Hasan, regarded as the 12th Imam, or righteous descendant of the Prophet Mohammad.

He is said to have gone into "occlusion" in the ninth century, at the age of five. His return will be preceded by cosmic chaos, war and bloodshed. After a cataclysmic confrontation with evil and darkness, the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace.

This is similar to the Christian vision of the Apocalypse. Indeed, the Hidden Imam is expected to return in the company of Jesus.

Mr Ahmadinejad appears to believe that these events are close at hand and that ordinary mortals can influence the divine timetable.

The prospect of such a man obtaining nuclear weapons is worrying. The unspoken question is this: is Mr Ahmadinejad now tempting a clash with the West because he feels safe in the belief of the imminent return of the Hidden Imam? Worse, might he be trying to provoke chaos in the hope of hastening his reappearance?

The 49-year-old Mr Ahmadinejad, a former top engineering student, member of the Revolutionary Guards and mayor of Teheran, overturned Iranian politics after unexpectedly winning last June's presidential elections.

The main rift is no longer between "reformists" and "hardliners", but between the clerical establishment and Mr Ahmadinejad's brand of revolutionary populism and superstition.

Its most remarkable manifestation came with Mr Ahmadinejad's international debut, his speech to the United Nations.

World leaders had expected a conciliatory proposal to defuse the nuclear crisis after Teheran had restarted another part of its nuclear programme in August.

Instead, they heard the president speak in apocalyptic terms of Iran struggling against an evil West that sought to promote "state terrorism", impose "the logic of the dark ages" and divide the world into "light and dark countries".

The speech ended with the messianic appeal to God to "hasten the emergence of your last repository, the Promised One, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace".

In a video distributed by an Iranian web site in November, Mr Ahmadinejad described how one of his Iranian colleagues had claimed to have seen a glow of light around the president as he began his speech to the UN.

"I felt it myself too," Mr Ahmadinejad recounts. "I felt that all of a sudden the atmosphere changed there. And for 27-28 minutes all the leaders did not blink…It's not an exaggeration, because I was looking.

"They were astonished, as if a hand held them there and made them sit. It had opened their eyes and ears for the message of the Islamic Republic."

Western officials said the real reason for any open-eyed stares from delegates was that "they couldn't believe what they were hearing from Ahmadinejad".

Their sneaking suspicion is that Iran's president actually relishes a clash with the West in the conviction that it would rekindle the spirit of the Islamic revolution and - who knows - speed up the arrival of the Hidden Imam.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/ahmadinejad-and-the-hidden-imam

The frightening truth of why Iran wants a bomb

By Amir Taheri (Amir Taheri is a former Executive Editor of Kayhan, Iran’s largest daily newspaper, but now lives in Europe)

(Filed: 16/04/2006)

Last Monday, just before he announced that Iran had gatecrashed "the nuclear club", President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad disappeared for several hours. He was having a khalvat (tête-à-tête) with the Hidden Imam, the 12th and last of the imams of Shiism who went into "grand occultation" in 941.

According to Shia lore, the Imam is a messianic figure who, although in hiding, remains the true Sovereign of the World. In every generation, the Imam chooses 36 men, (and, for obvious reasons, no women) naming them the owtad or "nails", whose presence, hammered into mankind’s existence, prevents the universe from "falling off". Although the "nails" are not known to common mortals, it is, at times, possible to identify one thanks to his deeds. It is on that basis that some of Ahmad-inejad’s more passionate admirers insist that he is a "nail", a claim he has not discouraged. For example, he has claimed that last September, as he addressed the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York, the "Hidden Imam drenched the place in a sweet light".

Last year, it was after another khalvat that Ahmadinejad announced his intention to stand for president. Now, he boasts that the Imam gave him the presidency for a single task: provoking a "clash of civilisations" in which the Muslim world, led by Iran, takes on the "infidel" West, led by the United States, and defeats it in a slow but prolonged contest that, in military jargon, sounds like a low intensity, asymmetrical war.

In Ahmadinejad’s analysis, the rising Islamic "superpower" has decisive advantages over the infidel. Islam has four times as many young men of fighting age as the West, with its ageing populations. Hundreds of millions of Muslim "ghazis" (holy raiders) are keen to become martyrs while the infidel youths, loving life and fearing death, hate to fight. Islam also has four-fifths of the world’s oil reserves, and so controls the lifeblood of the infidel. More importantly, the US, the only infidel power still capable of fighting, is hated by most other nations.

According to this analysis, spelled out in commentaries by Ahmadinejad’s strategic guru, Hassan Abassi, known as the "Dr Kissinger of Islam", President George W Bush is an aberration, an exception to a rule under which all American presidents since Truman, when faced with serious setbacks abroad, have "run away". Iran’s current strategy, therefore, is to wait Bush out. And that, by "divine coincidence", corresponds to the time Iran needs to develop its nuclear arsenal, thus matching the only advantage that the infidel enjoys.

Moments after Ahmadinejad announced "the atomic miracle", the head of the Iranian nuclear project, Ghulamreza Aghazadeh, unveiled plans for manufacturing 54,000 centrifuges, to enrich enough uranium for hundreds of nuclear warheads. "We are going into mass production," he boasted.

The Iranian plan is simple: playing the diplomatic game for another two years until Bush becomes a "lame-duck", unable to take military action against the mullahs, while continuing to develop nuclear weapons.

Thus do not be surprised if, by the end of the 12 days still left of the United Nations’ Security Council "deadline", Ahmadinejad announces a "temporary suspension" of uranium enrichment as a "confidence building measure". Also, don’t be surprised if some time in June he agrees to ask the Majlis (the Islamic parliament) to consider signing the additional protocols of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Such manoeuvres would allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director, Muhammad El-Baradei, and Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, to congratulate Iran for its "positive gestures" and denounce talk of sanctions, let alone military action. The confidence building measures would never amount to anything, but their announcement would be enough to prevent the G8 summit, hosted by Russia in July, from moving against Iran.

While waiting Bush out, the Islamic Republic is intent on doing all it can to consolidate its gains in the region. Regime changes in Kabul and Baghdad have altered the status quo in the Middle East. While Bush is determined to create a Middle East that is democratic and pro-Western, Ahmadinejad is equally determined that the region should remain Islamic but pro-Iranian. Iran is now the strongest presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, after the US. It has turned Syria and Lebanon into its outer defences, which means that, for the first time since the 7th century, Iran is militarily present on the coast of the Mediterranean. In a massive political jamboree in Teheran last week, Ahmadinejad also assumed control of the "Jerusalem Cause", which includes annihilating Israel "in one storm", while launching a take-over bid for the cash-starved Hamas government in the West Bank and Gaza.

Ahmadinejad has also reactivated Iran’s network of Shia organisations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen, while resuming contact with Sunni fundamentalist groups in Turkey, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco. From childhood, Shia boys are told to cultivate two qualities. The first is entezar, the capacity patiently to wait for the Imam to return. The second is taajil, the actions needed to hasten the return. For the Imam’s return will coincide with an apocalyptic battle between the forces of evil and righteousness, with evil ultimately routed. If the infidel loses its nuclear advantage, it could be worn down in a long, low-intensity war at the end of which surrender to Islam would appear the least bad of options. And that could be a signal for the Imam to reappear.

At the same time, not to forget the task of hastening the Mahdi’s second coming, Ahamdinejad will pursue his provocations. On Monday, he was as candid as ever: "To those who are angry with us, we have one thing to say: be angry until you die of anger!"

His adviser, Hassan Abassi, is rather more eloquent. "The Americans are impatient," he says, "at the first sight of a setback, they run away. We, however, know how to be patient. We have been weaving carpets for thousands of years."

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_15612.shtml

'we have not come [to power] for democracy. We are here to prepare the way for the emergence of the Hidden Imam..." (Ahmadinejad)

[??????????]

He also said in his UN speech that the world needs to be "washed with blood".

[phk]

Yes. Shi'a is nutty and dangerous in the same respects in which Christianity is nutty and dangerous. -_- Unlike Sunni Islam, which did not follow into the trap of thinking their leaders divine. -_-

Those are only the Usuli Shiites (though they do represent the majority of the world's Shiites from Lebanon to Iraq to Iran to Pakistan to India).

Akhbari Shiites reject things like Vilayate-e-Fagih and Marjia-e-Taqlid (I know the majority of Bahrainis belong to this tradition).

Probably the reason why they haven't been able to overthrow the Sunni al-Khalifa family seeing as thier isn't a tradition of well-defined leadership to look for.

[MODU]

The Shi'tes believe they are engineering the return of their Hidden Imam, through the destruction of Israel.

I believe Christ will return during a time of trouble for Israel.

Looks like the trouble makers are on the scene.

So you want to engineer this time of trouble for Israel by nuking a bunch of Muslim cities and thus rouse the Muslims in their entirity to a full scale war. Brilliant.

MODU and Dibble,

Although the only role I have to play in this sad drama is one of a Christian messenger, I have no doubt once Israel retaliates to being attacked by the Muslims’ attempt to wipe it off the face of the earth, Jews and Christians will be blamed, even though it will be the Muslims who are the aggressors. 

And in your longing to retain your comfortable lifestyle, you will accept any leader promising peace, even if it is a false peace offered by the devil incarnate.

hahaha . . . well, rarely do I get involved in one your pissing contests, but since you addressed me by name....

There is a difference between being a "Christian Messenger" and being one who rams his beliefs down the throats of everyone, even in threads that have nothing to do with religion.  I, as it has been pointed out before, am quite "religious," and I do not need you to preach to me.  Additionally, I, being "religious," view a lot of your rants to do more harm than good when it comes to sharing what is in the Bible.  And I, being a proponent for war, obviously do not go around trying to find people who will offer peace.

I don't know if it is that you have lost the will to actually discuss issues using your own thoughts on the various topics or if it is that you've suddenly been bitten by the Bible Thumper bug, but you have lost a lot a relevance on the forums lately, and I have tried my best to drop subtle hints for you.  You did get it right in your post above though . . . if Israel retaliates to being attacked, they will get blamed (as was obvious in Lebanon).  You can easily discuss that point without having to bring in the destruction of the temple and the coming of the lord each and every time. 

Take these as less subtle hints: 

- No one likes a Bible Thumper (even people who believe in the Bible)
- No one likes someone obsessed with a topic (sex, drugs, bars, God, Nader, etc)
- No one likes people who hijack threads

Ok?  Now please . . . just calm down for once and discuss topics without casting down fire and brimstone on people who don't agree with you 100%.  Feel free to disect this message all you want.  Most-likely, I'll ignore it like most disected responses.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

hahaha . . . well, rarely do I get involved in one your pissing contests, but since you addressed me by name....

There is a difference between being a "Christian Messenger" and being one who rams his beliefs down the throats of everyone, even in threads that have nothing to do with religion.  I, as it has been pointed out before, am quite "religious," and I do not need you to preach to me.  Additionally, I, being "religious," view a lot of your rants to do more harm than good when it comes to sharing what is in the Bible.  And I, being a proponent for war, obviously do not go around trying to find people who will offer peace.

I don't know if it is that you have lost the will to actually discuss issues using your own thoughts on the various topics or if it is that you've suddenly been bitten by the Bible Thumper bug, but you have lost a lot a relevance on the forums lately, and I have tried my best to drop subtle hints for you.  You did get it right in your post above though . . . if Israel retaliates to being attacked, they will get blamed (as was obvious in Lebanon).  You can easily discuss that point without having to bring in the destruction of the temple and the coming of the lord each and every time. 

Take these as less subtle hints: 

- No one likes a Bible Thumper (even people who believe in the Bible)
- No one likes someone obsessed with a topic (sex, drugs, bars, God, Nader, etc)
- No one likes people who hijack threads

Ok?  Now please . . . just calm down for once and discuss topics without casting down fire and brimstone on people who don't agree with you 100%.  Feel free to disect this message all you want.  Most-likely, I'll ignore it like most disected responses.

Then I’ll just respond to your post in its entirety:


They didn’t like Jesus quoting scripture.  No one liked it that Jesus was obsessed with his mission, even Peter didn’t like it, and the devil repeatedly attempted to talk him out of it.  And it is very hard for me to hijack my own thread.  In absence of direct witness in my way of life, I am trying to provide certain signs so that when they happen, you will believe.  And I am not trying to condemn anyone, rather I preaching repentance and obedience to Christ and I have equated all sins as being equal, I have not singled out anyone or any sin.  And I measure myself by the exact same yardstick.

In summary, if I were concerned with pleasing the members of this forum, I would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.

So, if you don’t like my message, then don’t read my threads.  That is a very simple decision totally within your control.

P.S. - Your N.Y. Giants are horrible.