Over at PJ Media, I explain the key role that Shi’ite eschatology could play in coming world events:
In all the controversy about the Iranian nuclear deal and Iran’s nuclear aspirations, it has been little noted that the leaders of the Islamic Republic may have reasons of their own actually to want to nuke Israel.
And their motivation is not in spite of the fact that Iran would almost certainly be nuked in retaliation … but because of it.
Sounds crazy? Of course. But once you enter into the wild and weird world of Shi’ite Muslim eschatology, it all begins to make sense. As I show in my new book The Complete Infidel’s Guide to Iran, there are specific conditions in Shi’ite tradition for the return to earth of their messiah-like figure — the Twelfth Imam.
Jafar al-Sadiq, the sixth Imam and central figure of Shia jurisprudence, prophesied that the Twelfth Imam would not return “till you are severely tested.” Jafar added:
At that time you shall be severely examined and you shall be differentiated and sieved. There will be famines. A person will become a ruler in the morning and put to death in the evening.
The return of the Twelfth Imam, Jafar went on, would come at a time when the Shi’ites were experiencing persecution to a terrible, unprecedented degree:
That which you look forward to will not be until you are tested … That which you look forward to will not be until you are sieved … That, which you look forward to, will not be until you are sifted. That which you look forward to will not be except after despair.
How severe would this test be? Jafar said that the Twelfth Imam’s return “will not occur till two-third population of the world is not destroyed.”
Presumably, then the Twelfth Imam will return when one-third of the world’s population has been destroyed.
This time of massive death and destruction, however, will herald the consummation of all things. A prophecy attributed to no less an authority for Shi’ites than Ali ibn Abi Talib, the foundational figure of Shi’ite Islam, says:
In the last period of time, the Almighty Allah will raise a man among the illiterate masses whom he will support by his angels and protect his helpers, help him through his signs and he will conquer the whole world. All would enter the fold of religion willingly or unwillingly. He would fill the earth with justice, equity and proof. No disbeliever will remain without accepting faith.
The emphasis on the Twelfth Imam only returning at a time of immense persecution of the Shi’ites has given rise to speculation that the leaders of the Islamic Republic might try to hasten his return by provoking that persecution.
The Iranian leader Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was president of Iran from 1989 to 1997 and remains influential in the Iranian government, said in December 2001:
“If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing [sic] in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world.”
It could also, with millions of Muslim dead, bring back the Twelfth Imam.
The Cold War deterrence strategy of Mutually Assured Destruction has no teeth in a situation in which one side welcomes death. One side is sure not only that Allah will reward martyrdom, but that such large-scale carnage will hasten the final victory of their party over not just one, but all of its enemies.
The Iranian leadership clearly takes the prophecies regarding the Twelfth Imam very seriously.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran from 2005 to 2013, had a highway built between Tehran and the Shi’ite holy city of Qom, approaching the Iraqi city of Samarra — the city in which the Twelfth Imam disappeared and from which he will return.
The highway is apparently intended for the Twelfth Imam himself, so that immediately after he does return, he can make his way to Tehran quickly to begin waging global war against the enemies of the Shi’ites….
Read the rest here.

Michael Laudahn says
But all people and cultures are equal. Good to know and at times a really comforting thought (NOT).
vivienne Leijonhufvu (@goldaleijonhufv) says
Michael I have to congratulate you for rationalizing this crap but don’t bother ISLAM is completely insane just take what is written in this article.
gravenimage says
Michael is being sarcastic, Vivienne.
Don McKellar says
Well, yes. I would say that Iran’s rulers are pushing so hard, rattling their sabers so violently, because they deep down WANT Israel to attack. To them, if they actually do or don’t get a nuclear weapon isn’t really absolutely essential. They’ll get them if they can, of course, but what they really want is some sort of attack on them so that they can then “act defensively” and bring about their End Times scenario. A very sensible and lucid theory on the actions of the mad mullahs of Iran. This is MOSLEM LOGIC. Shia moslem in this case. It has no real connection to reality, but rather is based on deception of others and then ultimately self-deception which is self-destructive. The hallmarks of Islamic philosophy.
خَليفة says
Israel should make it known to Iran that it has Qom and Mecca targeted in its doomsday scenario. If Israel gets nuked, so does Qom and Mecca.
Sometimes it seems like Iran ( and the rest of the Muslim world ) are so knowingly entrenched in a web of lies that the only way they see to get free of that web is to die or be killed. And this is due to the prideful nature of Arabs ( epitomized in Islamic thinking ) – better to die in a lie then be shamed in life.
Norwegian says
That last part you have there about lies is something they have in common with the leftists. They do are … Lies. And the only way the xan defend lies is to lie more. That cause destruction …..
gravenimage says
Iranians are not Arab. This is not about ethnicity, but about the sick ideology of Islam.
خَليفة says
Dooh. Thnx 4 correcting that. Iran is Persian, but they too are infected with Islamic memes, so I think the jest of my comment is valid. ( I can’t blame the Islamic auto-correct on that one – I was careless in re-writing and not going over entire comment – I have tendency to write very long sentences so I often edit and re-edit to shorten them – guess my JW cred just dropped down a few notches – hehehe )
vivienne Leijonhufvu (@goldaleijonhufv) says
Oh for goodness sake how stupid is this? What a load of rubbish! This is like believing in any number of faerie tales! As silly as 72 Virgins in plain language a brothel in paradise. How can anyone believe in such crap and now we are about to embark on WWIII for so much ravings of madman!?
Angemon says
Crazy as that belief may seem to you, it can not be discounted on account of its absurdity – Iran’s leaders seemingly believe it and will act accordingly.
JOHN SPIELMAN says
I think Shia eschatology ( study of end time theology) is more like SCATOLOGY ( study of excrement ) given that all islam but esp Shia islam is so full of SHIITE
DHazard says
The open desire of Iran’s theocrats to nuke Israel says just how little they actually care about Palestinians. Turning Israel into a nuclear wasteland pretty much guarantees that no “Palestinian” will ever reclaim their so-called ancestral lands. And of course, numerous Muslims would be killed in the process.
Meanwhile, the superstitious, terminally angry old men who ordered the firing of the missiles will be hiding out inside a mountain somewhere, along with their family, friends and porn stash. They will praise all the new Muslim martyrs and feel smugly pleased with themselves about how they solved the “Jewish question”.
After Iran is completely leveled they will come out of hiding and wait for the 12th Imam’s return. And wait, and wait and wait. Finally, when they realize the mistake they made, they will blame somebody else for the whole thing; CIA, Jews, Illuminati, Kermit, whatever. After all, no “true” Muslim would blow up the Al Aqsa mosque since everybody know Allah loves Islam’s holy places and structures more than people..
خَليفة says
Let’s not forget that the people in what is now called Palestine are not really a unique ethnicity. Tre biblical (original) Palestinians no longer exist as a distinct ethnic group.
There is no “P” sound in Arabic. Palestine was a name given to that area by Rome to insult the Jews that had been living there when Rome took control.
Up until the 1940’s, perhaps a bit later, only Jews were called Palestinians.
Dexter L. Wilson says
They want to reduce the population with only those who adhere to the Koran, to remain so you can see they don’t mind killing their own.
gravenimage says
Robert Spencer in PJ Media: Why Iran Might WANT To Get Nuked After Nuking Israel
…………………
For good or ill, I’m not at all sure that civilized Israel *would* mass nuke Iran even if attacked.
Michael Crosthwaite says
Iran will cease to exist if it plays with fire – and my word, what a wonderful day that will be.
dumbledoresarmy says
Look on the bright side.
They might inflict on themselves the *mother* of all Work Accidents.
Ben says
About the 2/3 bit, see Zechariah 13:8 and Ezekiel 5:2 and 5:12.
It’s just one of the many things Islam “borrowed” from the Hebrew Bible and Judaism in a corrupted form.