By Dr. Maxwell Shimba – Shimba Ministries Org
Abstract
This paper critically explores the origins of Islam and its eschatological claims in light of Biblical prophecy. It poses essential questions about the violent nature of certain Islamic doctrines, the confusion within Islamic eschatology, and the identity of the Islamic Messiah—Imam al-Mahdi—as it relates to the figure of the Antichrist in the Bible. Through comparative religious analysis, the study seeks to uncover whether Islamic teachings align with the character of the God revealed in Scripture, and if Islam plays a role in the end-time events foretold in the Bible.
1. Introduction: The Global Quest for Truth
Throughout history, human societies have persistently asked fundamental questions:
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Where did the universe come from?
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Why does religion often involve suffering and hatred toward non-believers?
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Why is there more doctrinal confusion in Islam than in Christianity?
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Why does Allah permit the killing of non-believers?
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Why is Islam historically spread more through warfare than through love?
These questions have led many scholars and thinkers to scrutinize the origins and character of Islam and its founder, Muhammad.
2. The Origins of Muhammad and His Lineage
Muhammad came from the tribe of Banu Hashim, meaning “sons of Hashim.” According to the Urban Dictionary, the name Hashim can be interpreted as “destroyer.” [Source: UrbanDictionary.com]
Thus, etymologically, Muhammad could be described as a “son of the destroyer.” Presently, many Muslims await the coming of Imam al-Mahdi, whom Islamic sources claim will be from the lineage of Muhammad, making him likewise a “descendant of the destroyer.”
3. Islamic Eschatology and the Coming of Imam al-Mahdi
According to Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, Muhammad is reported to have said:
“The world will not pass away until a man from among my family, whose name will be my name, rules over the Arabs.”
(Tirmidhi, Sahih, Vol. 9, p.74; Abu Dawud, Sahih, Vol. 5, p.207)
Further Islamic tradition describes Imam al-Mahdi:
“He will have a broad forehead and a prominent nose. He will fill the earth with justice as it had been filled with oppression and tyranny. He will rule for seven years.”
(Abu Dawud, Sahih, Vol. 2, p.208; Fusul al-Muhimma, p.275)
4. The Biblical Parallel: The Antichrist and the Seven-Year Reign
The Bible prophesies of a ruler to come, commonly identified as the Antichrist, who will sign a seven-year covenant of peace, deceiving even the Jewish people.
“He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.”
(Daniel 9:27)
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One "week" (Hebrew: shabua) = 7 days = 7 years (prophetic scale)
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Midpoint = 3½ years
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Reign = 7 years of deceit, destruction, and global domination
This description aligns with the Islamic belief that Imam al-Mahdi will rule for seven years—a significant eschatological parallel.
5. Islam’s Role in the Last Days According to the Bible
Muslims frequently declare: “Islam will dominate the world.”
While this may occur temporarily, the Bible clearly warns that this dominion will only last for seven years—after which divine judgment will fall.
“Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God…”
(Revelation 20:4)
This verse prophetically describes the beheading of Christians—a form of execution practiced and sanctioned in some Islamic traditions.
6. Key Theological Questions Raised
The following reflective questions arise when comparing Biblical truth to Islamic eschatology:
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Who on earth is most offended by the claim that Jesus is God?
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Which religion historically and currently practices beheading as punishment for religious dissent?
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What will Imam al-Mahdi, when he takes global leadership, do to those who profess Jesus as God?
Jesus warned:
“The time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or Me.”
(John 16:2-3)
7. Theological Implications and Conclusion
The Bible teaches that in the last days, a deceptive ruler will rise, ushering in a time of persecution and mass executions of believers in Christ. This Antichrist figure shares remarkable similarities with the Islamic Mahdi as described in Hadith literature.
While some denominations such as Seventh-Day Adventists have traditionally associated the Antichrist with the Roman Papacy, the eschatological data within both Islamic and Christian texts strongly point toward Islam's eschatological figure as the likely Antichrist.
Thus, Christians must discern the times and study the true Word of God, so that they are not deceived by doctrines contrary to the Gospel of Christ.
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32)
Bibliography
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The Holy Bible, Daniel 9, Revelation 20, John 16
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Hadith Sources:
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Sunan Abu Dawud
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Jami’ al-Tirmidhi
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Fusul al-Muhimma
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UrbanDictionary.com definition of “Hashim”
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Scholarly commentaries on Islamic and Christian eschatology
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