ESCHATOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: INTERFAITH AND COMPARITIVE PERSPECTIVES

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS UMMAH OR EVEN GLOBAL ISLAM?   THIS IS IMPORTANT AS ARE MUSLIMS GIVING MORE EMPHASIS TO ETHNIC NATIONALISMS. ESCHATOLOGY ASSISTS US IN MAKING SENSE OF CONTEMPORARY ISLAMIC HISTORY. IN WHICH THERE ARE 5 ERAS. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE TRANSITION PHASE FROM THE ERA OF AUTHORITARIAN DICTATORSHIPS TOWARDS THE RETURN OF THE GLOBAL ISLAMIC KHILAFATE. CURRENT AFFAIRS ALSO SHOW THAT THESE AUTHORITARIAN DICTATORSHIPS ARE NOT FULLY FREE FROM THE PREVIOUS IMPERIALIST ERA.  

AS THE COMMENTATOR BELOW ARGUES THE CONCEPT OF THE MAHDI THE RIGHTLY GUIDED LEADER RESTORING UNIVERSAL JUSTICE IS FOUND IN OTHER FAITHS. THIS WORK IS FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT  AS SOME ICONIC ISLAMIC THINKERS LIKE IBN KHALDUN AND MUHAMMAD IQBAL REJECT THIS CONCEPT.  HOWEVER, THEIR SCEPTICISM NEEDS TO BE PUT ASIDE. BECAUSE WE HAVE ARGUED THAT IMAM MAHDI IS PRESENT ON EARTH NOW BUT HAS NOT MANIFESTED YET.