Editing Islamic eschatology (section)

=== Shiʿi Islam ===
According to J.-P. Filiu, the uprising of the (Shiʿi) [[Mahdi Army]] in Iraq and [[2006 Lebanon War|July 2006 war between Israel and (Shiʿi) Hizbullah]] are "at least in part" a consequence of "mounting eschatological expectations" coming from copious literature preaching that the return of the Hidden Imam was imminent; literature emanating from  the Shiʿi seminaries and scholars of holy city of [[Najaf]], Iraq, from Lebanon, and from Iran during the administration of its president [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]].<ref name=JPFAiI2011:141>[[#JPFAiI2011|Filiu, ''Apocalypse in Islam '', 2011]]: p.141</ref> One Shiʿi Ayatollah, [[Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr]], revered as "[[Five Martyrs of Shia Islam|the fifth martyr]]" of Shiʿi Islam (killed by [[Saddam Hussein]]),  went to the trouble of trying to explain how the Hidden Imam could be over 1000 years old, and why the present is a propitious time for the reappearance of him.<ref name=JPFAiI2011:142-3>[[#JPFAiI2011|Filiu, ''Apocalypse in Islam '', 2011]]: p.142-3</ref> Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army waged a violent struggle against the American military through 2004,  and its ranks swelled with thousands of recruits. Muqtada's political faction won seats in parliament.<ref name=JPFAiI2011:148>[[#JPFAiI2011|Filiu, ''Apocalypse in Islam '', 2011]]: p.148</ref> During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency (2005-2013), he shared with Iranians his "avowed conviction" that believers must actively work for the Mahdi's reappearance, despite this bringing him "into conflict with the highest authorities of Shiism".<ref name=JPFAiI2011:151>[[#JPFAiI2011|Filiu, ''Apocalypse in Islam '', 2011]]: p.151</ref>