Arabia Apocalypse
Introduction
The apocalypse myth is a commonality in the human cultural collective – the idea of a catastrophe which marks the end of the world as we humans know it. Deviating from the common idea of apocalypse, the term may also be interpreted as the end of an old world and the birth of a new. Apocalypse designates a failure on the part of humanity and indicates that higher powers are intervening to end such failure. Realistically, apocalypse is a grand representation of the human obsession with death and resurrection. Through the utilization of fantastical creatures and detailed symbols, apocalyptic writers nourish the human desire to confront the “end’ or death. Our reality as a human culture today is closely related with apocalypse, as seen in events such as the Holocaust, Genocide in Rwanda, heat death, and the potential for nuclear war. The Arabia (Muslim) apocalypse myth developed from the shambles of the Mediterranean in the 600s C.E. and …show more content…
However, such eschatological literature strays from the classical teachings of Islam; and the new writers often compose stories which contradict the actual scenario played out in the Qur’an. A solid trend in recent interpretations and writings indicate a “repeated observation that the end of time is now. Writers point to the series of wars involving the Byzantines (Western Civilization) and Muslims. These include the two World Wars, the Gulf War, the war in Bosnia, and, of course, current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan” (Leonhard, pg. 109). Still, in the classical teachings of Islam, as studied and followed in Mosques across the world, the signs of the apocalypse are paramount to the worship of Allah. Such worship is instigated by the foretold story that those whom are true believers will be spared and rewarded upon the final day of the
Introduction
The apocalypse myth is a commonality in the human cultural collective – the idea of a catastrophe which marks the end of the world as we humans know it. Deviating from the common idea of apocalypse, the term may also be interpreted as the end of an old world and the birth of a new. Apocalypse designates a failure on the part of humanity and indicates that higher powers are intervening to end such failure. Realistically, apocalypse is a grand representation of the human obsession with death and resurrection. Through the utilization of fantastical creatures and detailed symbols, apocalyptic writers nourish the human desire to confront the “end’ or death. Our reality as a human culture today is closely related with apocalypse, as seen in events such as the Holocaust, Genocide in Rwanda, heat death, and the potential for nuclear war. The Arabia (Muslim) apocalypse myth developed from the shambles of the Mediterranean in the 600s C.E. and …show more content…
However, such eschatological literature strays from the classical teachings of Islam; and the new writers often compose stories which contradict the actual scenario played out in the Qur’an. A solid trend in recent interpretations and writings indicate a “repeated observation that the end of time is now. Writers point to the series of wars involving the Byzantines (Western Civilization) and Muslims. These include the two World Wars, the Gulf War, the war in Bosnia, and, of course, current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan” (Leonhard, pg. 109). Still, in the classical teachings of Islam, as studied and followed in Mosques across the world, the signs of the apocalypse are paramount to the worship of Allah. Such worship is instigated by the foretold story that those whom are true believers will be spared and rewarded upon the final day of the