MUSLIM APOCALYPTIC, being. branch of Muslim tradition as. whole, is highly eclectic in its source material. The apocalyptist, no matter what his religion was (Muslim, Jewish or Christian) or the time period in which he lived was, used the same weapons, whether intellectual or emotional, to achieve his goals. He had. number of set story lines available to him, from which he could choose and adapt to suit his purpose. These story lines are very similar, if not exactly the same, throughout. he region, and common to the various faiths. and from this common material each apocalyptist built his own story lines. People were drawn to him by the eternal questions of what the future holds and why the present is in such. terrible state, and above all, the question of where humanity was in relation to the last days. Then as now, people desired to see meaning in the suffering and uncertainty that they experience constantly. If one knows that suffering is leading somewhere and is part of some divine plan,. hen it becomes bearable. It becomes even more bearable if one knows that, despite outward appearances, God is on one's side. Muslim apocalypses are designed to encourage and to warn the believer, and to show him his place in that plan.

The material here is also designed for those who are pessimistic about the ability of Islam to change the world in the short term. If one makes the necessary ideological changes in order to accept the apocalyptic interpretation of events-in other words, to believe that the world is coming to an immediate end-it is. given that the present form of religion is insufficient for the purposes of achieving one's goals. The very adoption of. world view that leads to. messianic future implies that the present system is at least partially. failure. Therefore the Muslim apocalyptist is basically forming. smaller, more dedicated, group in order to accomplish. purification of Islam. He frankly judges Islam, at least the formal side of the faith, to be. failure, and for this reason has harsh words to say about the religious leaders of his time, as well as the political ones.