Mystic Mantra: Engage with your own
times!
Aug 20, 2016
GHULAM RASOOL DEHLVI Deccan
Chronicle
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.”