Why do the world’s religious scriptures have apocalyptic prophecies or signs that predict the “end”? How do we make out that a certain prophecy or sign that predicts the end of the world is fulfilled? What evidence or situation can enable us to believe and explain these prophecies? These are some of the questions that the modern youth have to grapple with. As a matter of fact, apocalyptic theories abound in almost every major religion. The idea that a saviour of mankind will emerge in the end is common to all faiths. Muslims are on the lookout for the appearance of Imam Mahdi and re-emergence of Hazrat Isa (Jesus Christ, peace be upon him). According to Islamic tradition and the hadith, he will defeat the anti-Christ (dajjal) at the Great Battle known as “al-malhama al-kubra” which will be waged to establish the world order, restore peace, justice, righteousness and law.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ is both divine and the messiah. They are also waiting for the second advent of the Christ with the same belief that he will overpower Satan, or the anti-Christ, at the final battle of Armageddon, known as al-Malhama al-Kubra in Islam. The only difference is that Christians add that Jesus will begin his reign from the Davidic throne in Jerusalem for the millennial kingdom. Jews have long been awaiting the promised messiah or Mashiach or Moshiach (physically descended from David), the Hebrew word that refers to the Jewish idea of the messiah. The 10th avatar in Hinduism, Kalki, it is believed shall emerge in the end.
Derived from the Sanskrit kalka, Kalki connotes “the destroyer of darkness or ignorance or foulness”. In the same way, the Sikh scripture attributed to the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, the Dasam Granth, also contains the prophecies on the advent of Mahdi in the final era. It clearly states that “Mahdi Meer” will be born to defeat Kali, who will become egoistic referring to himself as the “almighty”. It should be clarified that this Kali is different from the Hindu goddess. Buddhist practitioners are longing for Maitreya Buddha, “a bodhisattva who will appear on Earth in the future when the dharma will be forgotten by most in the world”. Maitreya Buddha is mentioned in the canonical literature of all major schools of Buddhism. Therefore, present-day Buddhists believe that the Maitreya Buddha will appear in the “late-time” or the “dark epoch” when humanity will be removed from wisdom.
The sole purpose of this millenarian and apocalyptic theory in all religions is to keep us abreast of the ultimate reality — that this world will be put to an end, sooner or later. But the existing problem with us is that we are unaware of the contemporary age we are living in, let alone the end. While the apocalyptic theories are attracting the youth to believe that the end-time is at hand, they are oblivious to the trying times they themselves inhabit. If they are unaware of their own times, how can they wisely plan for the future or even the end? This is an imperative and urgent task for us — to first engage with our own time and then think of the final era when a deliverer will suddenly appear. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) makes it clear: “Wise is he who knows the age in which he lives.”
