Editing Islamic eschatology (section)

== Apocalyptic literature ==
{{main|Signs of the coming of Judgement Day}}
There is no universally accepted apocalyptic tradition among either [[Sunnism|Sunnis]] or [[Shia Islam|Shias]].<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 300</ref> The Quran is primarily an eschatological work, not an apocalyptic one.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 9</ref> The Quran, concerned about the impending Day of Judgement, leaves no room for apocalyptic events in the far future.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 301</ref> Apocalyptic narratives are only composed 150-200 years later from different religious elements.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 9; 301</ref> The first known complete Islamic apocalyptic work is the ''Kitāb al-Fitan'' (Book of Tribulations) by [[Naim ibn Hammad]].<ref>Whittingham, M. (2020). A history of Muslim views of the Bible: the first four centuries (Vol. 7). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 77</ref>

The extensive usage of [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] and [[Syriac language|Syriac]] vocabulary in Islamic apocalyptic writings suggests that apocalyptic narratives formed from vivid exchange between different religious traditions.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 299</ref> These exchanges most likely did not happen among scholars, but [[Oral tradition|orally]] among the uneducated masses.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 2</ref> A lot of apocalyptic material is attributed to [[Ka'b al-Ahbar]] and [[List of converts to Islam from Judaism|former Jewish converts to Islam]], while other transmitters indicate a Christian background.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 7-9</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stowasser |first=Barbara Freyer |title=The End is Near: Minor and Major Signs of the Hour in Islamic Texts and Context |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/46623/MESV6-3.pdf |date=2002 |website=[[ETH Zurich]] |access-date=17 April 2022}}</ref> Christian apocalyptic literature was known at latest since the 9th century in Arabic.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 109</ref>

Although apocalyptic literature barely cites the Quran, the narratives refer and paraphrase Islamic sacred scripture.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 302</ref> In contrast to the method of usage of ''[[Hadith|ḥadīth]]'', apocalyptic literature dictates the Quran rather than explaining the text.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 302</ref> Thus, [[David Cook (historian)|David Cook]] suggested that at a certain point, the Quran was rather competing with apocalyptic literature than they were complementary.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 302</ref> 

Islamic apocalyptic narratives were later expanded and developed by Islamic authors notably [[Al-Shaykh Al-Mufid]], [[al-Ghazali]], [[Ibn Arabi]], [[Al-Qurtubi]], [[Ibn Kathir]], and [[as-Suyuti]]).<ref name="EoI2">{{cite book |last=Gardet |first=L. |title=''Qiyama'' |publisher=[[Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān]]}}</ref><ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 269-306</ref> The authors list various signs as meanings of the arrivals of the apocalypse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stowasser |first=Barbara Freyer |title=The End is Near: Minor and Major Signs of the Hour in Islamic Texts and Context |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/46623/MESV6-3.pdf |date=2002 |website=[[ETH Zurich]] |access-date=17 April 2022}}</ref> Some references to the Quran  were frequently understood in apocalyptic terms, such as ''[[Fitna (word)|fitna]]'',<ref>Reeves, J. C. (2005). Trajectories in Near Eastern apocalyptic: a postrabbinic Jewish apocalypse reader (No. 45). Society of Biblical Lit. p. 109</ref><ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. 269-306</ref> ''[[Beast of the Earth|Dabba]]'', and [[Gog and Magog]].<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. 269-306</ref> At the time of the [[History of Islam#Mongol conquests|Mongol conquests]], ibn Kathir identified the latter with the historical Turks and Mongols.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. 269-306</ref> The apocalyptic writings frequently feature extra-Quranic figures such as the ''[[Dajjal|Dajjāl]]'' (corresponding to [[Armilos]] and [[Anti-Christ]]) and the ''[[Mahdi|Mahdīy]]''.<ref>Cook, D. (2002). Studies in Muslim apocalyptic (Vol. 21). Princeton: Darwin Press. p. 269-306</ref><ref name="Farhang Dajjal 2017">{{cite encyclopedia |year=2017 |title=Dajjāl |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Islamica |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |location=[[Leiden]] and [[Boston]] |editor1-last=Madelung |editor1-first=Wilferd |doi=10.1163/1875-9831_isla_COM_035982 |issn=1875-9823 |author-last=Farhang |author-first=Mehrvash |translator-last=Negahban |translator-first=Farzin |editor2-last=Daftary |editor2-first=Farhad}}</ref><ref>Reeves, J. C. (2005). Trajectories in Near Eastern apocalyptic: a postrabbinic Jewish apocalypse reader (No. 45). Society of Biblical Lit. p. 109</ref> The ''Dajjāl'' is supposed to become a cause of misguidance and causes havoc on earth, but is ultimately stopped by either the ''Mahdīy'' or [[Jesus in Islam|Jesus]], who returns from heaven.<ref>Hamid, F.A. (2008). 'The Futuristic Thought of Ustaz Ashaari Muhammad of Malaysia', p. 209, in  I. Abu-Rabi' (ed.) [https://books.google.com/books?id=Sf6HxVjOLPsC ''The Blackwell Companion to Contemporary Islamic Thought'']. Malden: Blackwell Publishing, pp.195–212</ref><ref name="Cook 2021">{{cite book |last=Cook |first=David |author-link=David Cook (historian) |year=2021 |orig-date=2002 |title=Studies in Muslim Apocalyptic |location=[[Berlin]] and [[London]] |publisher=Gerlach Press |pages=93–104 |isbn=9783959941211 |oclc=238821310}}</ref>