Table of Contents
Preface xi
Chapter 1 Mahdi, Jesus and Dajjal: The Apocalyptic Drama in Sunni Religious Thought 1
i "Portents of the Hour" (ashrat al-sa'a) l
ii Jesus and the mahdi - a disputed identification 7
iii The dajjal, Jesus and the destruction of Judaism and Christianity 10
iv The descent of Jesus in Qur'anic exegesis 17
v Jesus and the mahdi in historical times 22
vi The mahdi 25
vii The mahdi in Muslim creeds 27
viii Mahdis in history 34
ix Contemporary trends 39
x Summing up 45
Chapter 2 Ibn Tumart, The Mahdi of the Almohads (Ah-Muwahhidun) 47
i Biography and hagiography 47
ii Ibn Tumart's manifestation as the mahdi and his denunciation 56
iii Organization and discipline 64
iv The belief system of Ibn Tumart 66
v The polemics of Ibn Tumart and his jihad 76
vi Non-Muslims in Ibn Tumart's thought 81
vii The reception of Ibn Tumart 82
Excursus: The Face Covering of the Almoravids 88
Chapter 3 The Mahdawi Movement in India 91
i Hagiography and history 91
ii The nature of Jawnpuri's religious claim 99
iii Sayyid Muhammad Jawnpuri and the Prophet 103
iv Religious exclusivity and hijra 111
v Extreme asceticism 120
vi Mahdawi jihad 128
vii Religious knowledge versus mystical ecstasy 131
viii The Mahdawiyya: general considerations 137
Chapter 4 Muhammad Ahmad, The Sudanese Mahdi 139
i Biography 139
ii Muhammad Ahmad's religious thought 146
iii Asceticism and hijra 157
iv Religious exclusivity and jihad 164
v Muhammad Ahmad, his associates and General Gordon 172
vi Legal pronouncements and social issues 175
vii Ritual in Muhammad Ahmad's movement 184
viii Qur'an and hadith in Muhammad Ahmad's works 188
ix Muhammad Ahmad and the religious establishment 192
x Ambitions beyond the Sudan 201
xi Some general characteristics of Muhammad Ahmad's thought 204
Chapter 5 The Mahdi Controversy in Modern Muslim India 206
i A brief introduction 206
ii The "bloody" mahdi 207
iii The "peaceful" mahdi 214
iv Indian Muslim opponents of the Ahmadiyya 232
v The mahdi demystified 237
vi Modern critique and debunking 241
vii Mawdudi's "potential" mahdis and their failures 247
viii Mawdudi's traditional Jesus, modern mahdi and modern dajjal 262
ix The diversity of messianic thought among Indian Muslims 269
Chapter 6 Concluding Observations 271
i Eschatological versus non-eschatological mahdis 271
ii Motivation and "appintment" 274
iii Sources of inspiration 276
iv Exclusivity 278
v Hijra 279
vi Jihad 280
vii Mahdis and prophets 282
viii Achievements 283
ix Sunni and Shi'i mahdi 285
Bibliography 289
Index 323
Index of Qur'anic Verses 345
Index of Prophetic Traditions (ahadith) 350