Iran's Second Coming
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has told friends he believes the end of the world is only a few years away. He has also said he believes the way to hasten the arrival of the Islamic messiah is to unleash an apocalyptic holy war against Christians and Jews. Thus, he has avowed to annihilate the U.S. and Israel and is feverishly preparing his military to accomplish just that.
The Islamic messiah, a figure known as the Twelfth Imam or Mahdi is in hiding. He remains the true Sovereign of the world according to them.
Ahmadinejad claims he has been chosen by the Twelfth Imam to be his representative and helper in this world prior to his return. He has been given the task to provoke a 'clash of civilizations' in which the Muslim world, led by Iran, takes on the 'infidel' West, led by the U.S., and defeats it.
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.
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