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The "Fitan" Literature and Jewish-Moslem relations


The Arabic word "fitan" is the plural for "fitnah", meaning sedition. Without further explanations, in Arabic "al-fitan" refers to the period that precedes the end of the world and is characterized: 1) by the emergence of a false, universalistic religion, whose leader is al-Masih ad-Dajjal (the False Prophet per antonomasia) or simply al-Masikh (the Anti-Christ), 2) by a animal monster called ad-Dabbah (the Beast), and 3) by natural cataclysms and wide environmental pollution. The leader of the Islamic Community that will win the war against evil is called al-Mahdi, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Koran only hints to ad-Dabbah, and gives no details about this era; related literature (called itself "fitan) dates back to the beginning of the Abbasid era. It mingles sources and literary genders, and is not a part of the Islamic sciences. Its main sources are: 1) some authentic hadiths dealing with the appearance of al-Mahdi; 2) many unreliable hadiths and 3) novels and tales similar to One Thousand Nights and One Night. The last days of humanity became a common plot for novelists, and many Islamic scholars warned Moslems against the risk to accept as "Islam" was is not but artistic creation and fiction. [b]Most of Islamic authoritative jurists think that all references to al-Mahdi and "fitan" are by no means a compulsory part of the Islamic religion. [/b]Their argument is neither belief ('Aqidah), nor law (Shari'a), nor even ethics (Akhlaq). Doubtful hadiths are not to be quoted or repeated, while the few authentic hadiths can be studied, but are not necessarily to be believed in, nor they have any relevance in interpreting Islamic Law. In Jews terms, they can be described as merely aggadic and non-halachic.

Taking into account only those hadiths that have been classified as trustworthy, the story of fitan can be summarized as follows: "Al-Mahdi will be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, from his daughter Fatima; his complete name will be Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn Abdullah. He will manifest himself as a Caliph in Mecca, and people will accept his leadership in front of the Kaaba. The elite of his followers will be formed by a group of non-Arabs who speak fluent Arabic. He will move toward Jerusalem that will be occupied by the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ will make Har Habayit/Haram as-Sharif a center for his cult, and will be worshipped there. He will be blind from one eye and have a secret sign in his forehead. Those who are deceived will think this sign is a crown of glory, but true believers will understand it is formed by three letter "kaf fa' ra' (whose meaning is "kufr" = unbelief). Many Jews, Christians and Moslems will believe the Anti-Christ to be a manifestation of God and will apostatize their respective faiths. 'Isa will descend from heaven and will start his preaching in Damascus; he and his followers will unite with al-Mahdi outside of Jerusalem, and will be able to free the City from idol-worship. After the Anti-Christ is killed, there will be a just government on earth, and peace will prevail for forty years. After that, al-Mahdi and 'Isa will die, and human beings will become worst of people living in the time of Noah. They will become unable to generate, and the last hour will fall upon them all of a sudden."

By the passing of time, this original version underwent numberless addictions and changes. This new, expanded literary version is contained in many hadiths that are to be considered unreliable because of technical, historical and linguistic reasons. According to it, "the Mahdi while have a black banner (like the Abbassid one!), and will move toward Khorassan (Iran, a region where Ummayads were defeated!); the fifth column of the False Prophet will be formed by seventy Jews from Isfahan, who will wear black, silken scarves. A group of Jews from Jerusalem will believe the False Prophet to be the Jewish Messiah, and when he will tell them "I am the Lord, your God", they will say "that is the truth, although we cannot understand its meaning". Those Jews will hide themselves in Lod, but a stone will can a Moslem, telling him: "Kill them wherever you can find them".

[b] The last sentence has been frequently extrapolated by the contest: unscrupulous pseudo-religious leaders like the Nazi Amin al-Husseini (appointed as Mufti of Jerusalem by the British Governor) has quoted it to show that Islam permits Moslems to kill Jews wherever they find them.[/b] This behavior of theirs can be refuted in many ways:

  1. First of all, it is contained in a literary, and not in a religious source.
  2. It is not a legal rule, but a prediction of a future event attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. This attribution is doubtful.
  3. Except in war, self-defense or capital punishment, killing is one of the most serious crimes according to the Koran.
  4. The Koran permits peaceful relations with the People of the Book.
  5. Before al-Husseini, Moslems have never "killed every Jew they met". On the contrary, after conquering Jerusalem, Omar stopped the Roman (and Christian) ban, and permitted seventy-two Jewish families from Tyberiad to settle at southwest of the Esplanade (the present Jewish Quarter). After defeating the Crusaders, Salahuddin wrote to Jewish leaders: "Your exile is over; everyone of you is free to come back."

During this century, the title of "Mufti" has been abused in Palestine. The Board of Ulema (experts in Islamic law) of the Italian Moslem Association regard as usurpers and pseudo-muftis both al-Husseini and the present PNA-appointed "mufti of Jerusalem and the Holy Land", Mr. 'Akramah Sabri.

A legitimate Mufti must have these qualifications:

  1. Being appointed by a Caliph, or by its delegate, or by the one who exercises political sovereignty, or by a person or a group who is authorized by the sovereign power;
  2. Being learnt is Islamic sciences,
  3. Being regarded as a trustworthy Moslem by the Islamic scholars who live in his area.

Mr. Sabri has been appointed by an organization that is by no means a government, and that has no jurisdiction in Jerusalem. His speeches are frequently denying evident aspects of the Islamic belief, and even unquestionable historical facts. After al-Husseini's death, it became consuetudinary (and accepted by all Moslem scholars and Islamic governments in the world) for the Mufti of Jerusalem to be appointed by the King of Jordan. This tradition is confirmed by the text of the Treaty of Peace between Israel and Jordan. Since Israel is the country that exercise sovereignty over Jerusalem, and since she has accepted to "recognize Jordanian rights over Moslem Holy Places in the Old City", the only legitimate Mufti could be a Moslem scholars appointed by King Hussein and approved by Israel. A legitimate, Jordanian Mufti of Jerusalem does exist (I cannot even remember his name), but is compelled to accept Mr. Sabri's usurpation and to keep silent. The pulpit of al-Aqsa is again used for preaching fanaticism and even genocide, but none reacts: King Hussein does not protest, the Israeli government (that prevents most of Orthodox Jews to pray on Temple Mount) does not dare to imprison a person that, from the Holiest Place of its Capitals, is insulting Jews in their deepest religious feelings and asking for the destruction of their State.

I am supplicating the Most High to help Israel in this difficult situation, and asking all of you to pray for peace in Jerusalem

Prof. Abdul Hadi Palazzi