Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible

Journal of Interreligious Studies on the Quran and the Bible

A Doctrinal Geopolitical Analysis: The Role of Apocalyptic Beliefs in the Confrontation between Zionism and Mahdism

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyed Ebrahim Masoumi 1
Amir Fazeli 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, University of Kashan, Kashan, IRAN.
2 Assistant professor, Department of Islamic Studies, University of Medical Sciences of Kermanshah, Kermanshah, IRAN.
10.22034/qb.2026.2081636.1066
Abstract
Contemporary conflicts in the Middle East are deeply influenced by religious beliefs and apocalyptic ideologies. Among these, the confrontation between Zionism and Mahdism stands out prominently. The present study, adopting a doctrinal geopolitical approach, analyzes the ideological confrontation between Zionism and Mahdism. Zionism, through the reinterpretation and secularization of sacred concepts such as the Promised Land, the chosen people, and salvation, has transformed them into an exclusive political project. This project not only legitimizes expansionist, discriminatory, and ethnocentric policies of the Zionist regime but also regards Muslims, particularly Palestinians, as eternal adversaries and obstacles to the fulfillment of divine promises. Such exclusivist tendencies have contributed to violence, injustice, and ethnic cleansing, leading to complex and seemingly intractable conflicts. In contrast, Mahdism in Shi’a Islam, emphasizing active expectation, absolute justice, and global governance, offers a universal, human centered, and justice oriented vision for liberating humanity from oppression and corruption. Mahdism rejects discrimination and exclusivism; instead, it promotes peace, solidarity, and lasting justice for all people, defining its opposition not by race or religion but by injustice and tyranny. Through qualitative content analysis and the use of religious sources, this study shows that within this fundamental confrontation, the final triumph belongs to the ideology of Mahdism. In this context, the present research provides a new framework for understanding doctrinal geopolitics by highlighting the destructive aspects attributed to Zionism and the salvific dimension attributed to Mahdism.
Keywords
Faith-based Geopolitics
Zionism
Mahdism
Apocalypse
Global Justice
Universal Government
The Holy Qur’an.
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