A prominent Shiite scholar denied recent reports circulated on an Iranian website and in an American magazine that Barrack Obama's victory in the American election foretold the appearance of the Islamic redeemer, al-Mahdi.How about Batman? Is he really Batman?
According to the text that is the foundation of modern Shiite Islam, a prophecy that a tall black man would rule the West portends the coming of the Islamic redeemer.
"It is he! The one foretold in the legend!"
"I'll get my coat!"
Ali Ibn Abi-Talib—the prophet's cousin and son-in-law and the most revered figure in Shiite Islam—prophesied that before the return of the Mahdi, the ultimate redeemer in Islam, a tall black man will rule the West and will carry a "clear sign" from the Third Imam, Hussein Ibn Ali, according to the report by Iranian-born, London-based journalist Amir Taheri.
"The sign! He has given us the Sign!"
"What's it say?"
"I dunno. What's 'Mene mene tekel upharsin' mean?"
Forbes magazine published a story about the Iranian pro-government website that published a hadith (saying or tradition) from the 17th century Shiite text Bahar al-Anvar (Sea of Light) setting off a string of rumors about the prophecy's connection to Obama.
The link between this black man and the American presidential candidate started with his name. In Arabic and Persian, "Barrack Obama" means "the blessing of al-Hussein." When written in Persian alphabet, the word "O Ba Ma" means "he is with us."
In Vietnamese it means "at three horses," but that doesn't make much more sense than "he is with us." I dunno what it means in Swahili, but I'm sure it's something really significant. Probably make your hair stand on end.
Other coincidences contributed to establishing the theological link, including the view of the Iranian government that an Obama victory would signify the decline of the West and the triumph of Islam. Obama's relative lenience in pledging unconditional talks with Iran is also seen as a sign of American weakness.
Well, it appears all fairy tales contain a grain of truth...
The Mahdi (Arabic for "the guided one"), is supposed to return before Judgment Day to eliminate injustice and tyranny. The appearance of the Mahdi is not mentioned in the Quran or the Sunnah (Prophet's teachings), and many Sunni scholars view it as a Shiite invention.
The Mahdi figure is an essential part in the Shiite doctrine. For Shiites, Mahdi is believed to be the Twelfth Imam, a descendant of the prophet who went into hiding, but will return one day return to restore justice to the world.
If he has any sense he'll stay hidden a while longer ...
Prominent Shiite scholar Mohamed Hassan al-Amin, however, denied the rumors and said that not everything mentioned in the renowned book is necessarily true, particularly prophecies. "All texts related to the future are sheer guess work. If God had wanted to reveal the future of the world, he would not have created human beings with the ability to make the future themselves," Amin told AlArabiya.net.
Amin said he doubted that Ali Ibn Abi-Talib actually uttered this prophecy and added that there are even stranger sayings in the 132-volume work by Shiite scholar Mullah Majlisi.
"And it shall come to pass that a woman with a bosom of wondrous proportions shall rally the faithful with the single cry 'Milk! Milk!'"
When asked about the real signs of the appearance of al-Mahdi, Amin said it is hard to consider any signs as real ones since they are related to the future.