All Abrahamic religions believe in the return of the savior, the liberator of the human beings and redeemer, in the End-Time. Prophets and divine messengers have promised the day that the whole universe will be full of justice and tenderness. Other religions also have similar beliefs, although they differ in some minor aspects, which will be discussed below. We go through references from different religions and faiths to examine their views about the last savior.
In Upanishads, which is a collection of ancient Sanskrit texts that contain some of the central philosophical concepts and ideas of Hinduism, the last savior is called Kalki. He is believed to be the tenth avatar of Hindu god Vishnu in the last of the four stages in the endless cycle of existence known as "Samsara," which is defined "as the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Or as the world of suffering and dissatisfaction (dukkha)" [1]. He rides a white horse with a fiery sword. He will end the darkest and destructive period to remove adharma [i] and will usher in the Satya Yuga [ii][2].
Another reference talks about a just commander at the end-time who is the leader of angels and humans, who knows the truth and gets hold of everything from deep in the seas too high in the mountains, and no one greater than him will come to earth [3].
In Zoroastrianism, there are three saviors who each will rise in a thousand years. The last one is an eschatological savior figure who will destroy evil and will bring about the renovation of the world. He is called Saoshyant, which means the beneficent in its single form. Yet, in its plural form, it is considered to mean the redeemer. The Khorda Avesta describes this savior as such:
Whose name will be the victorious SAOSHYANT and whose name will be Astvat-ereta. He will be SAOSHYANT (the Beneficent One) because he will benefit the whole bodily world; he will be ASTVAT-ERETA (he who makes the bodily creatures rise up), because as a bodily creature and as a living creature he will stand against the destruction of the bodily creatures, to withstand the Druj of the two-footed brood, to withstand the evil done by the faithful. [4]
Accordingly, the Soashyant will rise at the end-time and fight against the vices in the world and spread justice and goodness far and wide.
In some of the Buddhist references, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, we read about the future Buddha of this world, called Maitreya, who will be a successor to the present Buddha. In Sanskrit, Maitreya means kindness and love. According to Buddhist religious texts, Maitreya will be the fifth and last Buddha who will appear on the earth. The arrival of Maitreya is expected at a time in the future when the dharma will have been forgotten by most on the earth. That is when Maitreya will appear on the earth to achieve complete enlightenment and to teach the pure dharma [5].
The Taoist last savior, called Li Hong, is depicted as an ideal leader who would reappear to set right heaven (tian) and earth (dì) at a time of upheaval and chaos. Li Hong will appear at the end of the world cycle to rescue the chosen people, who would be distinguished by certain talismans, practices, and virtues [6].
The Jews belief in the savior is manifested in the idea of the coming of Moshiach (i.e., Messiah). This person is believed to be a descendant of King David, who will "gather the Jews from all over the world and bring them back to the land of Israel" [7]. There are many verses in different scriptures and Talmudic [iii] literature which refer to this figure and enumerate his characteristics and manners [iv]. For instance, Isaiah says:
And there shall come forth a rod from the stock of Jesse [King David's father], and a branch shall grow from his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge by what his eyes see, nor decide by what his ears hear. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
–Isaiah 11:1-4
Those who follow Judaism believe that their savior has not been born yet. Therefore, they are eagerly awaiting the coming of the one who will save them and establish a just dominion in which "there will be world peace, no more wars nor famine, and, in general, a high standard of living" [7].
Christians believe that Jesus Christ (PBUH) is himself the savior of humankind, and he was born for this purpose. The name Christ literally means "the anointed one" or the Messiah [8]. As the Gospel of Matthew says, Jesus Christ (PBUH) has been sent to "Save his people from their sins" (1:20-21). It is also believed that Jesus Christ (PBUH) had been crucified to atone the sins of humanity and lead them toward salvation. According to Christian sources, Jesus Christ (PBUH) was the savior who was awaited by the Jews as whose coming was predicted in the Torah as the Moshiach.
Another point which makes Jesus Christ (PBUH) the awaited savior in Christianity is the idea of his second coming or the Second Advent in the end-time to whose "day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32). This is the belief in "the future return of Christ in glory when it is understood that he will set up his kingdom, judge his enemies, and reward the faithful, living and dead" [9]. Different gospels, including Matthew chapters 24–25; Mark, chapter 13; Luke, chapter 21:5–26, and John, chapter 14:25–29, are mentioned as the evidence for this belief. Moreover, according to biblical verses, there will be many signs indicating the end-time among which the second coming of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and the last judgment.
Therefore, like many other religions, Christians also believe in a savior or as they call it the Messiah, who will make this world a better place and free it from oppression and injustice.
In Islam, the belief in the savior is rooted in the fact that Allah never leaves His creatures, especially human beings, on their own and support them through sending His apostles to guide them toward the right path: "and there is a guide for every people" Quran (13:7). He had sent 124000 prophets (PBUT) first, followed by righteous leaders who continued the path of previously chosen messengers of Allah. As the Quran says, "Certainly We wrote in the Psalms, after the Torah: 'Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.'" (21:105).
Therefore, the earth will never become empty of Allah's guide, and people will benefit from these guiding lights either directly or indirectly. Imam Mahdi (AS), the twelfth leader of Muslims and a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), who is leading a secret life at the time, will ultimately rise and spread peace and humanity throughout the earth. "The Holy Prophet (PBUH&HP) informed Muslims about his reappearance, telling his names, attributes, appellations, and peculiarities" [10]. The time of his coming is unknown, and it is followed by the preparation of particular circumstances.
The signs that indicate his coming include "Widespread injustice and oppression, the advent of Dajjal (Anti-Christ) who would misguide the thinking of the people, the advent of Sufyani who is one of the pillars of mischief and corruption on the earth, the formation of the Islamic army, which would raise up black standards, the voice of the angel of the sky giving glad-tidings of his reappearance, the coming down on earth of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and his paying allegiance to and praying behind in congregation Prayers led by Imam Mahdi (AS)" [11]
This belief in the last savior, who would stand against tyranny and injustice and remind human beings of their real value, also, highlights Islam's optimism toward the future of the world.
Finally, we have reviewed the belief in the last savior or the person who will save humankind from the evilness and destruction in this world in different faiths and religions. On a more in-depth look, we can find many similarities between these beliefs. However, the Abrahamic religions had a more precise and more tangible attitude toward the idea of the last savior and the time of his coming. Therefore, the concept of the savior is one of the most essential and significant matters regarding the future of human destiny.
Notes:
[i] Opposite to dharma, which includes unnaturalness, wrongness, evil, immorality, wickedness, and vice.
[ii] The period when humanity will be governed by gods and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal, and humanity will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme.
[iii] The central text of Judaism and the primary source of the Jewish religion.
[iv] Isaiah 2, 11, 42; 59:20, Jeremiah 23, 30, 33; 48:47; 49:39, Ezekiel 38:16, Hosea 3:4-3:5, Micah 4, Zephaniah 3:9, Zechariah 14:9, Daniel 10:14.
References:
- Samsara
- the man on the white horse
- The Vishnu Purana, trans. Horace Hayman Wilson, London: Trübner & co., Book IV, Chapter 24.
- Khorda Avesta, Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898.), Part five
- Buddhism
- Anna K. Seidel. "Perfect Ruler in Early Taoist Messianism: Lao-tzu and Li Hung." History of Religions, Vol. 9, No. 2/3
- The end of days
- what does christ mean
- second coming
- Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Milani, The Promised Savior: An inquiry into the imamate of Imam Mahdi (as) from the viewpoint of Muslim thinkers, part 1, p.8.
- Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi, The Life of Imam al-Mahdi, Trans. Sayyid Athar Husayn S.H. Rizvi, p.259-283. Pdf.
Allah almighty has bestowed upon us so many gifts that even if you try your hardest, you cannot count them all:
He gave you all that you had asked Him. If you enumerate Allah’s blessings, you will not be able to count them. Indeed, man is most unfair and ungrateful! (Holy Quran, 14:34)
However, if you reflect further, you will realize that the greatest favor of Allah to us is the opportunity to use these gifts. Life is a priceless blessing that many people often overlook. We must appreciate this precious gift from Allah and use it in the best way possible. Regarding this, Allah Almighty warns us about wasting our time in the Holy Quran,
I swear by Time! * Mankind is indeed in loss, * except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to patience. (103:1-3)
This life is short yet crucial because it’s all we have got. Allah almighty says,
On the Judgement Day, He will gather them [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] except for a moment of the day getting acquainted with one another. They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah, and they are not guided. (10:45)
Imam Ali (AS) also states,
Your opportunities pass just like the clouds pass; therefore use the good opportunities. (1)
Those who wasted their time in this world on trivial matters will lament on the Judgement Day:
They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah. When the Judgement Day overtakes them suddenly, they will say, ‘Alas for us, for what we wasted in the world!’ And they will bear their burdens on their backs. Look! Evil is what they bear! (6:31)
Giving the importance of time, Islam has set some principles to make the most efficient use of it
Many of the activities we engage in during the day are unproductive. In the Islamic view, it is crucial to understand the importance of spending time on beneficial things. Imam Sadiq (AS) says,
One of the signs of a good Muslim is that he avoids things that have nothing to do with him (2)
Imam Ali (AS) says:
It is so necessary for one to have a time during the day allocated for self-Assessment so that they could see what they have done during the day and the night that had benefit or damage for them. (3)
Imam Kazim (AS) advised his pupil Hisham:
O Hisham! He is not one of us who doesn’t assess himself every day. (4)
Imam Ali (AS) said,
God bless the one … who sets goals. (5)
Imam Ali (AS) said,
For achieving success, manage your time, and to manage your time, think clearly, and for thinking clearly, hide your secrets. (6)
To effectively manage time the most important thing is to know how to allocate every part of our daily life for something needed. In this regard Imam Kazim (AS) says,
Try to divide your time into four parts: one for praying and talking to Allah, another for work, one for spending time with your friends and trustworthy individuals who let you know about your faults and imperfections and who sincerely love you. The last part is for your lawful pleasures and by this last part, you get ready for the other three parts.
Don’t talk with yourself about poverty or length of lifetime. Because anyone who thinks about poverty will become miserly and anyone who thinks about the length of life will become greedy. Give yourself your share of this world by pleasing yourself with lawful things which don’t harm your character or waste your time. (7)
Imam Ali (AS) said:
Thinking before acting saves you from regretting. (8)
One of the best ways to save time is to think carefully before taking any action. Some people think that acting impulsively leads to faster success. They think that overthinking is a sign of fear, so they advocate for thinking less and acting more. However, Islam doesn’t support this notion as it encourages thoughtful consideration and reflection before taking any action.
In this regard, Imam Ali (AS) said,
Every movement requires knowledge. (9)
Imam Sadiq (AS) also said,
The one who acts without needed insight is like a passenger on the wrong road. The faster he goes, the farther he gets from his destination. (10)
The holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) said:
When you want to do something, think about its results, if it brings benefits or progress, act and if it is harmful or causes regression, refrain from doing it. (11)
We only live this life once, but its consequences will remain in the Hereafter. Don’t squander this opportunity and by making the best of it, secure a better life for yourself in the Hereafter.
Resources
- Nahj al-Balaghah, Sayyed Razi, sayings no.12
- Vasa’il ash-Shia, Sheikh Hurr al-Ameli, vol.12, pg.199
- Ghorar al-Hikam, Amodi, pg.896
- Mustadrak al-Vasa’il, Muhaddith an-Nuri, vol.12, pg.153
- Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.75, pg.51
- Nahj al-Balaghah, SAyyed Razi, sayings no.84
- Tohaf al-Uqul, Harrani, pg.409 & 410
- Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.68, pg.337
- Tohaf al-Uqul, Harrani, pg.171
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.43
- Al-Faqih, Sheikh Saduq, vol.4, pg.410 & 411
Mahdi (as) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH& HP) who will appear while Jesus Christ (Prophet Isa-ibni Maryam) accompanying him and will lead the believers to rule the world and fill it with justice and peace. This is what the Quran says:
And We wanted to confer favour upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors. (Al-Qasas 28:5)
The name Mahdi is derived from the Arabic root h-d-y, commonly used to mean "divine guidance". Though Imam Mahdi features in both Shia and Sunni understandings of Islam, they differ in his attributes and status. Among Twelver Shi’as, Mahdi is believed to be the son of the eleventh Imam, Imam Hasan al-Askari (d. 874), and is said to have been on divine occultation (ghaybat) by God’s will. However, the Sunnis assert that he (Imam Mahdi) is a descendant of Lady Fatimah (SA), the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, and it is unknown whether he was born or not.
According to our belief, one of the most extraordinary acts of worship is to wait for the promised saviour, and this waiting means trying to provide the conditions for his reappearance.
In the Shi'a Islam, or the school of Ahlul-Bayt, the eschatological Mahdi was commonly given the epithet al-Qa'im, which can be translated as “he who will rise”, signifying his rise against tyranny in the end of all times. Distinctively Shi'a is the notion of the temporary occultation of Imam Mahdi, whose life has been prolonged by God’s will.
As in above mentioned, the Sunnis also believe in the promised Mahdi and many hadiths about him have been narrated in their books. Abu Dawood quotes Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) as saying: " Mahdi will be from my household, from the descendants of Fatimah”. And another hadith states: “Even if only one day remains [until the doomsday], God will lengthen this day until He calls forth a man from me, or from the family of my house, his name matching mine and his father's name matching that of my father. He will fill the Earth with equity and justice just as it had previously been filled with injustice and oppression”. (Furnish, 2005, p. 14) According to narrations before the arrival of Imam Mahdi, the earth would be filled with chaos. While divisions and civil wars, moral degradation, and worldliness would be prevalent among people, injustice and oppression would be rampant throughout the world. The Dajjal (The Anti-Christ) would appear and will spread decadence and corruption in the world. With an army bearing black banners, which would come to his aid from the east, Imam Mahdi would confront the Dajjal. Jesus would pray behind Imam Mahdi and then will kill the Dajjal. The Sufyani, another representative of the forces of the dark, also features in the traditions. He will rise in Syria before the appearance of Imam Mahdi. When the latter appears, the Sufyani, along with his army, will either be swallowed up en-route to Mecca by the earth by God's command or defeated by Imam Mahdi.
In Imamiyyah (Twelver Shiism), the largest Shi’a branch, believing in the messianic imam is not merely a part of the creed, but is the pivot. For the Twelver Shi'a, Imam Mahdi was born but disappeared after a while, and he would remain hidden from humanity until he reappears to bring justice to the world at the end of time, a doctrine known as the Occultation. This Imam on occultation is the twelfth imam, named Muhammad, son of the eleventh Imam, Hasan al-Askari. According to the Twelvers, the Mahdi was born in Sammara around 868, though his birth was kept hidden from the public. He lived under his father's care until 874 when the latter was killed by the Abbasids.
Shi'a scholars have argued that the prolonged lifespan of Imam Mahdi Mahdi is not at all unreasonable given the longevity of the Prophet Noah, Khidr and Jesus, as well as secular reports about long-lived people. According to scholars Imam Mahdi is viewed as the restorer of true Islam, and the restorer of other monotheistic religions after their distortion and abandonment. He establishes the kingdom of God on earth and Islamizes the whole world. As a matter of fact, in their true form, it is believed, all monotheistic religions are essentially identical to Islam as "submission to God." It is in this sense, that one should understand the allegation that al-Mahdi will impose Islam on everyone. His rule will be paradise on earth, which will last for several years until his decease.[1]
References:
- (Sachedina, 1981, p. 176-178)