A major journalist has finally interviewed David Cook, the academic expert on Islamicist millennialism!
There will be a messianic age, led by either Jesus or another messianic figure called the Mahdi. This latter figure will conquer the entire world and convert everyone to Islam.
That is what they believe is happening right now, folks! We are in the early stages of the war through which every infidel is killed, and every pious Westerner / Asian / African, etc. converts to fundamental Islam.
This is also a good introduction to Islamic messianism. One thing Cook does not say here, but does say elsewhere is that modern imams teach that the Dajjal does not have to be one individual (as classical Islamic teaching holds, which Cook repeats here) but that “Dajjal” may refer to a nation (or alliance of nations), or to an entire culture. Guess who.
Another cheery factoid he leaves out is that the popular timetable for Islamicist apocalyptics is that the Day of Judgment will happen in the Muslim year 1500 AH. That’s 2076 our time, folks. Which means that – as bad as things are now – we are on the outer edge of the maelstrom. Fanatic Islamicist millenarianism will get worse as we get closer and closer to that date.
More later.
Check out the Corner on National Review Online! Rod Dreher does a great follow-up to his "Dajjal" article (it was posted on Sunday). Here's what it says.
MORE ON THE DAJJAL [Rod Dreher]
I heard from a kind reader who was grateful to read the interview I did with Prof. David Cook, on the subject of Islamic apocalypticism. The reader believes Americans won't really grasp what kind of enemy we face until we become conversant with concepts like the "Dajjal" (Islam's version of the Antichrist), and how fervent belief in this vision of the End drives those who hate the West the most. He sent along a couple of interesting links, from Free Republic, for those who want more information (try here and here).
One the second thread, which is a discussion of my Islamic prophecy interview, I found a fascinating link to an article about eclipses during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Apparently eclipses during Ramadan are interpreted by many of the Muslim faithful as significant. Two total eclipses during Ramadan is a very rare phenomenon. The last time it happened was 200 or so years ago. It's going to happen again this November. There is speculation that pious Muslims may view this phenomenon as a sign from heaven that Something Major Is Going to Happen.
Remember, folks, it doesn't immediately matter whether these people are right or wrong about the way history is going to unfold. We have to pay attention to this stuff, because somewhere, there are Islamic zealots now plotting their own violent role in what they see as the apocalyptic drama, in which the forces of Islam clash for the final time with the forces of the Dajjal (that is, non-Muslims).