The way in which we imagine the Judgment (or not) has a repercussion on our personal or community lives: the human being is the only creature that acts in consideration of the future – or of what he thinks is the future. Even atheists rule their lives thus: for some the future of their children holds the place of a reason to live; for others, the only reason is the enjoyment of power and wealth, and then each takes himself for a little god determining in his way good and evil, and quickly these atheist societies are submitted to occult powers and to persons who erect themselves into new gods: the one who dominates other men and makes them his slaves, is he not a “god” in some way? Christian revelation announces that such a power seeks to spread in the world: “Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess 2, 3-4). In the past people have wanted to be adored as more than human, and so they prefigured in a small way the one who would be the global Antichrist Ad-Dajjal.
According to a hadith reported by Muslim: “The Prophet has said: “You will fight the Arabic peninsula and Allah will grant you the victory, then you will fight Persia and Allah will grant you the victory, then you will fight the Romans and Allah will grant you the victory, then you will fight the Antichrist and Allah will grant you the victory.” [1] There exist dozens of thousands of hadiths. We speak of 40 authentic hadiths, but which ones and under what form? This hadith, clearly from the epoch of the Abbassids, affirms that even before the Judgment, the Muslims could vanquish the forces of Evil. This is the hope which animates the Islamists and others but which transforms itself into a nightmare each time it is applied! Can we prepare ourselves thus to pass our own proper judgment for Paradise, or is it the opposite? Another hadith from Muslim underlines more classically the capital role played by ‘Issa (Jesus), but this is a Messiah (=Christ in Greek) who returns in armed combat: “The hour will not come without the Romans having stationed their troops at al-A’maq or ad-Dabiq […] While the Muslims prepare themselves to fight [the Antichrist], there will be a call to prayer. As soon as that is done, ‘Issa will come [descend] and direct the prayer. When the enemy of Allah sees him, he will start to melt as salt melts in water; had it not been for [the decree of] Allah, he would have decomposed even to dying, but Allah will make him perish by the hand [of ‘Issa] and he will show them his blood on his lance.” (2]. Dabiq is the name of the monthly of “the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” (DAECH) produced in connection with the British secret services. Jesus (‘Issa) has never taken up a weapon, his only weapon was spiritual; and certainly, he has never collaborated with occult or criminal groups.
In lying, stealing, conducting the jihad against non-Muslims, in terrorizing the survivors, does one destroy the Antichrist? Or is it the opposite? In this hadith, there is one true phrase: “When the enemy of God will see ‘Issa (Jesus), he will start to melt as salt melts in water.” This is what Christian Revelation says, but without the image of salt. No one can do the separation and eliminate the Antichrist before the coming of Al-Massih and in his place.
Only Jesus will be able to do it with his angels (Mt 13, 24-43).
What pertains to us is to prepare for the kingdom which will come with Jesus (‘Issa), without collaborating with Evil, but persevering courageously in the Good, in mildness and piety, and it is also thus that we prepare for our proper judgment.
