One of the subjects discussed by Nasr in his book, The Heart of Islam, is the false claims about Mahdawiyyah and related political intentions.
He believes that the Mahdawiyyah wave of claim in the early 19th century was an expressive reaction to the colonialist powers and governments that occupied Islamic countries.
Contrary to some Western researchers, who interpreted the belief in Mahdawiyyah from a political point of view, he doesn’t interpret this subject historically and believes that the perpetrator’s intentions were simply to promote the Mahdi. Since he himself is a firm Shi’ah, he interprets this subject properly and without any historical view.
He said: In the early 19th century, colonial powers overcame the Islamic world, and the Mahdism wave would have been a reaction to their domination which spread throughout many Islamic countries. In some regions, this wave caused the appearance of a number of people claiming to be the Mahdi (False Mahdis) who had great political and religious influence.
He continued that some of the claims, like Sudanic Mahdi in Sudan, and Othman Dan Fodio in West Africa didn’t create new factions, rather it was the ideas of certain people which caused groups and factions including the Babism movement – supporters of Ali Mohammad Bab in Iran – and the Ahmadiyyah movement – supporters of Ghulam Ahmad – in the Punjab, Pakistan. The first movement has Shi’ah background and the second one Sunni.
He said about Bab: In the first decades of the 19th century, the Babi movement appeared out of the Shaikhi movement. The founder of this movement was Sayyed Mohammad Bab who pretended to be the Bab (Gateway) to the hidden Imam.
One of his students named Bahaollah introduced himself, not only as Mahdi (as), but as a new prophet and the founder of Babism that even today still has followers. Although this movement has a Shi’ah background, it can’t be considered an Islamic faction.
It is a modernism religious movement that wants to connect itself to the comprehensive and prophetic Principles of Islam, but its interpretation of Islam is different from that of the Muslims.
Dr. Nasr considers “Bahaism” as a modern religious movement that pretends faithfulness to some comprehensive prophetic principles of Islam, while differing from the common interpretation of Islam of the Shi’ahs.
He does not, therefore, recognize it as an Islamic faction: This Movement despite its history and background that has originated from a Shi’ah group, cannot be named an Islamic sect, as it’s a religious modern group that wants to amalgam Prophetic principles and thorough Islamic ideas together, however their understanding of Islam and those mentioned principles is totally different compared to the Muslims.
Comparing the “Baha’iat faction” with the “Gholam Ahmad faction” he concludes that, since the Baha’iat rejected Islam, its supporters cannot be Muslims: The Ahmadiyah faction is very different from the Bahaiat regarding their views about Islam, because the Bahaiat have clearly rejected Islam and can never be considered as a faction or branch of it.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr believes that illogical and irrational views of the Shaykhiyyah faction and its strong inclination towards religion and excessive respect to Imams influenced the Babieh faction. The Wahabi faction is rooted in the Hanbalies who were against theology and logic. It seems that Nasr considers irrationality a basis for religious deviation and emotionalism.
The last subject which is discussed in Nasr’s book, The Heart of Islam, concerning Mahdism, is eschatology.
He believes that Muslims interpret eschatology in two ways: the individual level and the historical level.
In historical philosophy, Muslims believe in creating an ideal society full of justice which is achieved by the Mahdi (as).
He thinks creating such a society is dependent on Divine assistance and said: Muslims, like Christians, believe that there is an end for human history which is dependent on Divine assistance of the world system.
The signs of that time are Mahdi’s second coming and his government, and later Jesus’ second coming – not as a prophet – to Jerusalem, the world’s destruction, resurrection and final judgment in front of God.
Following this subject in his book, he explains the role of Jesus Christ (as) in Muslim eschatology.
He said that Muslims believe in Jesus’ second coming after the Mahdi‘s appearance: Most Westerners aren’t aware of Christ’s fundamental role in Islamic eschatology. Likewise, Jesus Christ has a fundamental role in the Christian interpretation about resurrection day.
It must be noted that in Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s book, The Heart of Islam, he explains the thoughts and beliefs of Muslims better than any other Islam researchers.
Since he is a Shi’ah Muslim trained by Islamic culture, and is aware of prime sources of the Muslims, and their original language, he is able, in his book, to interpret Muslims’ thoughts better than Annemarie Schimmel, Hamilton Gibb, and other Islamic researchers.
Compared with Schimmel’s book, An Introduction to Islam, or Hamilton Gibb’s Islam: Historical Investigation , Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s book is more comprehensive.
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Also read this article: Nasr’s View on Mahdawiyyah
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