With the Name of Almighty God, The Merciful, The Compassionate

The Approach of Armageddon? An Islamic Perspective

By: Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani
http://www.naqshbandi.org
http://www.islamicsupremecouncil.org

Most people are acquainted with the Bible's prophecies regarding the end of the world. But how many know what the world's second-largest faith Islam, has to say about this most crucial topic?

The answers are found in this well-researched, authoritative and timely book.

The author examines the key verses of Islam's holy book, the Qur'an, and prophetic traditions relating to the Last Days. In addition, the Shaykh examines discoveries of modern science foretold by the Holy Qur'an fourteen hundred years ago.

Presented here are the little-known predictions of Islam regarding the events of the Last Days, including the appearance of the anti-Christ, Armageddon, the leadership of the believers by Mahdi, the descent of Jesus Christ from heaven, Gog and Magog, the Beast and the tribulations preceding the Day of Judgment.

The author skillfully winds his explanation into the detailed narratives of Prophet Muhammad detailing a roadmap of the future, which while terrifying in their import, give final hope to mankind for a time of peace, reconciliation and prosperity in an age in which "there will be but one community on earth and lions, tigers and wolves shall graze side by side with camels, cattle and sheep…"

This unprecedented work is a "must read" for religious scholars and laypersons interested in broadening their understanding of centuries-old religious traditions pertaining to the Last Days.

About the Author

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani is a scholar from the Middle East. He graduated with a B.A. in Chemistry from the American University of Beirut and then went to Louvain, Belgium to continue his medical studies. He later received his Islamic law degree.

Other books by the shaykh include: The Naqshbandi Sufi way, Angels Unveiled, Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine (7 volumes), and Encyclopedia of Muhammad's Women Companions and the Traditions They Related (with Dr. L. Bakhtiar).

Shaykh Kabbani is the chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, a religious organization based in Washington, D.C. :

DON WROTE:

I visited your web site and I see that, apparently, you want me to believe that you are an important leader of many Muslim people who want peace with all of mankind including Christians/infidels.

As I read your Koran and the writings of Mohammed, according to your "faith," I am an infidel! I have a problem with what you say for I must wonder if you are speaking from a caring heart or if you are lying for Allah--which, according to the way that many of your fellow leaders in the Muslim faith interpret the writings of your "faith," is a glorious thing if that lying leads to the destruction of infidels. (I have put "faith" in quotations because it no longer means just "belief and trust in and loyalty to God," but "something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs" [See Merriam-Webster Dictionary].)

Aside from my being a hated infidel, I also have problems with the way that your religion presents Jesus to its followers.  When I have opportunity to speak to Muslims, being a preacher, I look for a chance to introduce my Savior, the Lord Jesus.  Whenever I mention His name, the usual response from Muslims is: "Oh, we believe in Jesus.  We believe that he was a good prophet."  As I look at your web site, it appears to me that this is your belief as well; so, let me explain the problems with this from my perspective.

I'll begin by briefly explaining how most Christians view the writings on which their "faith" is built: i.e., the Bible.  The Bible is comprised of 66 books--which consist of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New.  The Christian world is built upon the belief that these books in the Old and New Testament were written by men as they were moved to do so by the Spirit of God; and are, therefore, the Word of God. However, there are great differences between the Old and New Testaments. 

The Old Testament contains the account of Creation and touches briefly upon the time before the universal flood that destroyed all of mankind except for Noah and his family which came through the flood in an ark that Noah built as per the instructions from God.  Historically, the remainder of the Old Testament covers three periods of time that the church world labels as the Age of Human Government, the Age of Promise and the Age of the Law.  The Age of Human Government covers the time of Noah's offspring down to Abraham.  The Age of Promise began with Abraham and continued down through the Time of the Patriarchs/Abraham's descendants.  The Age of the Law began with the giving of the law to Moses and continued up to the time of Christ and the installation of the Church.  The Kings and prophets of Israel were key players during the Age of the Law.  (It was during this time that God tried to set up a Theocracy.  His "staff members" were to be His priest and prophets which would deliver His messages...but the Israelites refused, saying: "Give us a King like our neighbors have.")

The New Testament begins with the account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It took the hoped for Theocracy out of the hands of the organized religions and gave it to the realm of the Holy Spirit.  Now theocracy works in the Spirit filled/led, born-again Christians. The New Testament further tells of the birth of the Church and gives the history of its first acts.  It includes the epistles of Paul and others and is concluded with the Book of Revelation. 

Both Testaments serve as historical documents, but spiritually they differ greatly.  From the fall of Adam to the Cross of Christ, God set down differing guidelines for the behavior of mankind; but throughout time, only those who would offer up by faith the blood of a slain animal were reckoned to be righteous by God.  This was so because these blood offerings pointed forward to the blood of Christ Jesus which He willingly shed on the Cross for the sin of mankind.  (Had Jesus been only a prophet, this would not have been possible for His death would be required of Him because of His own sin.  But the Bible says that because Jesus was without sin; by His death, burial, and resurrection, He was able to pay the sin debt in full for all of the seed of Adam.  The only condition left for you and I to have this righteousness is to receive it by faith. 

II Cor. 5:
¹⁷   Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
¹⁸   And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
¹⁹   To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
²⁰   Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
²¹   For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.)

But how could Jesus be without sin when the Bible says that all of the seed of Adam have sinned and come short of the glory of God?  Well, Jesus was without sin because He was not of the seed of Adam.

John 3:
¹⁶   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
¹⁷   For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
¹⁸   He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
¹⁹   And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
²⁰   For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
²¹   But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
 

Luke 1:
²⁶   And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
²⁷   To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
²⁸   And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
²⁹   And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
³⁰   And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
³¹   And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
³²   He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
³³   And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
³⁴   Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
³⁵   And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

So then, God is the Father of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit having hovered over the little virgin girl name Mary and causing her to become pregnant.  True, the Lord Jesus was a prophet--the greatest that ever lived for it is written that the Spirit of God was given to Him without measure--but more importantly, Jesus was and still is the ONLY Begotten Son of God.  And to demonstrate that He has power over death, He has risen from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of God His Father.  Herein lies the hope of the Church, and not of the Church only, but of all mankind.  We have hope of eternal life because He who died to purchase it for us lives again in the presence of His Eternal Father/our God.

I know all of this sounds fantastic, like something that an awesome God would do, but there is more.  Not only is Jesus the Son of God (being born of a virgin) and the greatest prophet to have ever lived (having the Spirit of God without measure) but by this same Jesus, God created you and I--and all that is. 

Colossians 1:
¹²   Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
¹³   Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
¹⁴   In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
¹⁵   Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
¹⁶   For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
¹⁷   And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
¹⁸   And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
¹⁹   For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
²⁰   And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

John 1:
¹   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
²   The same was in the beginning with God.
³   All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
⁴   In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
⁵   And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
...
¹⁴   And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
¹⁵   John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
¹⁶   And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
¹⁷   For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

If I haven't lost you yet, hang on! For I have some more fantastic things of which to speak--things of which I KNOW, for I have experienced them!

During the time of the Old Testament, God worked with men and women from afar--his spirit falling upon them only for special purposes.  But during the age in which we live (i.e., the Age of Grace), God is doing a new thing.  Listen to the following:

Matthew 11:
¹⁰   For this is he [speaking of John the Baptist], of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
¹¹   Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

How can the least born-again believer in the Church be greater (spiritually speaking) than Abraham and Moses or any Old Testament saint?  It has to do with our relationship to the Spirit of God.  As I said, during the Old Testament, God would drop His Spirit upon men and women only when He wanted to use them.  But during our Age of Grace, God sends His Spirit to dwell within each person who accepts Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

John 14:
¹⁶   And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
¹⁷   Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I Corinthians 6:
¹⁹   What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
²⁰   For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

The installation of this intimate relationship with God and His Holy Spirit is what Jesus was talking about in his conversation with Nicodemus, one of the Jewish rulers of His day.

John 3
¹   There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
²   The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
³   Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
⁴   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
⁵   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
⁶   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
⁷   Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
⁸   The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
⁹   Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
¹⁰   Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
¹¹   Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
¹²   If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
¹³   And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
¹⁴   And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
¹⁵   That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
¹⁶   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
¹⁷   For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
¹⁸   He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
¹⁹   And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
²⁰   For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
²¹   But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

In the light of all of this, let me ask you, in what do you place your confidence concerning the well-being of your eternal soul? and by what authority do you teach what you teach?  IF YOUR AUTHORITY IS YOUR NATURAL BIRTH, (i.e., you believe what you believe because you were taught to do so by your family/society.) Then you have the same authority as everyone else who practices a religion that they were taught by their parents.  (By the way, this same test applies to members of denominational churches who become "Christians" because it is expected of them.)

However, Jesus put it this way:

John 10
¹   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
²   But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
³   To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
⁴   And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
⁵   And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
⁶   This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
⁷   Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
⁸   All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
⁹   I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
¹⁰   The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
¹¹   I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

So, the Church that the Lord Jesus is building is not a "religion" or a "faith" but a BODY of believers who are ONE in Christ and His Spirit.  To belong to this living BODY, one has only to confess his sin to God and receive His Only Begotten Son as Lord and Savior.  All who do so are then building their lives upon the SOLID ROCK of the Ages; and when the storms of life come, as they shall, all who have build their life in Christ Jesus shall stand. The opposite of this is inherited religion and all who build their lives on religion have only the words of man as their foundation!

In your WRAP you speak of the antichrist.  Let's see what the Apostle John had to say about this prophetic identity.

1 John 4
¹   Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
²   Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [i.e., by the virgin birth] is of God:
³   And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

SO, WHO IS OF THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTI-CHRIST? IT IS THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD WHO CAME INTO THIS WORLD BEING BORN OF A VIRGIN. 

I hope that by now you have discerned that I am not trying to prove a point or win a debate.  In fact, I am not trying to talk you into believing anything.  For even if I could, it would be fruitless; because it is true that if a man can talk you into something, another man can talk you out of it.  What I am trying to do is introduce you to the Jesus of the Bible so that you and He can get together.  There are some promises in the Bible that are full of hope.  For example, God has promised that if we will search for Him with all of our heart that He will be found.  He has promised that if any man would know the truth that He would see to it.  He has also promised that He will not despise a broken and contrite heart and that He is close to the heartbroken.  In addition, He's promised that if we will come to Him with the faith of a little child, that He will in no wise cast us out.  The Bible also says that there is no sin so small or so great that it cannot be covered by the shed blood of Christ.  The Apostle Paul is an example for us in many things, his conversion to Christ being one of them.  The Bible tells us that Paul was a zealous Jew who was trying to stamp out the new Church that Christ Jesus was building by putting the new believers to death. He was on the road to Damascus with a writ in his hand giving him authority to take captive some believers when a bright light struck him blind.  God eventually gave Paul back his sight and made him a leader of the very Church that he was trying to destroy.  God is no respecter of persons and if he went to such efforts to convert Paul, He will do it for anyone.  He did it for me, and He will do it for you!

B'Ann Wrote:

Church, the world needs to see Jesus in us now more than ever. Although the True Church of God is not visible, being one in the Spirit with Christ, nevertheless, it is called to operate, visibly, in the Spirit. 

Matthew 5:
¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The process is that when we obey the Holy Spirit, Christ can then manifest Himself to the world through the fruits of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentle, meekness and faith (Galatians 5). 

I would like to also point out that one of the wisest things that we can do as believers was demonstrated for us at the Lord's Last Supper.  Christ was explaining that one of His followers would betray him.  They each asked, "Is it I, Lord?"  To emulate the disciples is wise, not only because it can get us "on track" with Christ, but it is wise because it can save us some grief.

I Corinthians 11:
³¹   For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
³²   But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

The Biblical key for individual/national revival is found in II Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  True introspection is the first step we must take if we want our peace restored and our land to be healed.  Oh, that God's children would humble themselves and ask, "Is it I, Lord?"--then allow Christ to answer.  This is not a time for a pity party or to let the accuser of the brethren put a guilt trip on us.  It is time to find out just what stands between us and the Good Lord, and then trust Him to help us overcome and get back on track.  May the God of Heaven have mercy upon us all AND USE US AS VESSELS OF MERCY TO A LOST AND HURTING WORLD!!!  Think on it!  If you were born in a land full of spiritual darkness with your soul in eternal jeopardy, wouldn't you be eternally grateful if someone who was born in a land of plenty would share their Savior with you?  I say this, not to put a burden on you that you can't bear, but to remind you that God has given you His Holy Spirit to lead you into all good things--and to help save a soul is a GOOD THING.  If all in this world who have Christ living in them by His Spirit would simply begin each day by asking the Lord to show them what He would have them do, what a difference it would make in the Church and in the World!

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