our Prophet (saas) in thecontext of events that will take place in the
end times. Indeed, the majority of the portents described in the
hadiths have happened in the Middle East. In addition, there are a
great many other accounts from our Prophet (saas) regardingthe region.
Looked at in general, the common feature of these accounts is that the
chaos, strife, and major events in the lands of the Middle East will
continue until the appearance of the Mahdi. Throughout history, the
Middle East, which includes such cities as Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem,
Damascus, Baghdad, and Istanbul, has been a region in which the holy
prophets of Allah have lived, one which witnessed the birth of the
three monotheistic religions, and a holy region in which the sacred
sites ofall three religions were built. It is reported in hadiths that
a region that has always played a leading role on the stageof history
will also come to the fore in the end times, when glorious events will
take place.
The Middle East, which includes such countries as present-day Iraq,
Iran,Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and parts of Turkey, has been
enormously valuable throughout history, bothin terms of its strategic
location and material wealth and also because of its spiritual aspect
andimportance for the threemonotheistic religions.
By the leave of Allah, ourProphet (saas) has described the portents of
the End Times in considerable detail in the hadiths. According tothe
information contained in these, following the chaos and corruption
that will constitute the first stage of the End Times, Almighty Allah
will make one of His servants who bears the illustrious name of the
Mahdi (he who leads to the truth) ameans whereby societiesthat have
turned away from proper moral values and suffered degeneration return
to the true path. The Mahdiwill collect the Islamic world under the
same roof and will be the reason for dominance ofthe values of the
Qur'an all over the world by serving with 'Isa (as) who will return to
the Earth for the second time. By the will of Allah,the time when
these glad tidings will become a reality is close at hand. Believers
are waiting forthose days, which will beone of the most special and
the most glorious periods in the history of the world, with great
joyand excitement.
If events that are currently taking place are carefully analyzed and
evaluated in the light of verses from the Qur'an and the hadiths, it
will be seen that the first stage of the End Times has already begun.
The increasing war and conflict, terror, violence, anarchy and chaos,
killing, torture, and moral degeneration are just a few of the
portents revealed in the hadiths.
At the same time, this state of affairs is an encouragement to all
believers to reflect deeply on the portents of the End Times revealed
in the hadiths and to carry out detailedinvestigations into the
subject.
In this article, we shall be discussing a region that is frequently
mentioned in the hadiths about the End Times and an area that will
come to the fore in amost striking manner in events to take place in
the future, in other words, the MIDDLE EAST.
According to the information in the hadiths, this region known as the
Middle East will witness many events before the coming of Prophet 'Isa
(as) and the appearance of the Mahdi. Indeed, it also appears from the
hadiths that a great many developments will take place in these lands
after the appearance of these two holy individuals. On the otherhand,
the Middle East has always played host to significant events, and is a
special region that has been an important centre for the revealed
religions and is home to a great many prophets. In the hadiths of our
Prophet (saas) there are also indications that, as in the past, the
region will be an important centre in the End Times. (Allah knows the
truth.)
The Middle East Has Beenan Important Centre in Many Regards throughout
the Course of History
The Middle East, which includes such countries as present-day Iraq,
Iran,Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and parts of Turkey, has been
enormously valuable throughout history, bothin terms of its strategic
location and material wealth and also because of its spiritual aspect
andimportance for the threemonotheistic religions.
For example, the fact that some two-thirds (65.3%) of the world's
oilreserves and a little more than one third (36.1%) of the world's
known natural gas reserves are in the Middle East, is an indication
why the region is so financially important. Because of this
attractiveness, it has witnessed many wars, struggles, and power
games.
When we look at the region's past, another important fact we encounter
is that the area known as the Middle East contains a number of cities
that have always been in the eyes of the world. One ofthe most
striking examples of this is Jerusalem. This city, of such great
spiritual importance, has witnessed a great many wars and has been
ruledby many different administrations. Recently, Jerusalem is onthe
world public agenda. The city, of suchimportance to the three
monotheistic religions, also acquires a whole new significance in this
regard.
Another important example is the city of Constantinople, or Istanbul
as it is known today. This valuable city, which so many states wished
to possess over the course of history, was eventually captured by the
Ottomans. It remained the centre of government for the Ottoman Empire,
which is still talked about todaybecause of the positive effects it
has had on a number of world states, for around 500 years; Istanbul
still maintains its historic mission today, with its geographical and
strategic importance and also its historical and cultural legacy. In
addition, the fact that the caliphate, by which the Ottomans were the
standard-bearers of the Islamic world for centuries, finally ended up
in this city and that the sacred relics, determined as an indication
of where the Mahdi will appear, are also in the city increases its
importance still further. It is also stated in the hadiths of our
Prophet (saas) that Istanbul will witness other great events in theEnd
Times.
Another important centre in the Middle East is that generally
referredto as Sham in the hadiths and is the regionthat includes, by
its etymological meaning, the cities of Mecca and Medina. As we know,
millions of Muslims visit the region every year to fulfill the
obligation of the Hajj and to see the holy lands in which our Prophet
(saas) lived. We may say, in the light of the hadiths, that this
region, the symbol and centre of Islam, will play an important role in
the End Times.
Again considering the Middle East in general terms, the region is one
in which many holy emissaries of the Almighty Allah have livedand
communicated our Lord's commands. Many centers of worship sacred to
Muslims, Jews, and Christians are also tobe found here. In addition,
these sacred spots, in which the holy emissaries preached Allah's
message, also witnessed many miraculous events in the past. As in the
past, this region will be a very important centre in the End Times,
which may bedescribed as the gloriousperiod in world history. (Allah
knows the truth.) Indeed, the eyes of the world today are on the
significant developments taking place in the area. Both the Great
Middle East Project and the region of the Iraq War constantly
represent the world public agenda.
The Prophet Muhammad (saas) was born in Mecca, and the Holy Qur'an was
also revealedto him there. The knowledge of secret matters imparted to
our Prophet (saas) by Allah are some of his greatest miracles, and
some of this information, which has come down to us by way of the
hadiths, concerns events that willtake place in the End Times. Indeed,
when we look at the period we are living in, it is clear that the
events in question have taken place and are still taking place in our
own time.
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