His Mission Is To Hasten Armageddon

Muslims do believe an apocalypse will occur at the end times, which will be a time of total world chaos. At that time, a savior will appear, known as the Mahdi (also called the Hidden Imam or the Twelfth Imam). The Mahdi will usher in an era of peace and justice, as well as cause Islam to be the only religion on Earth. The Mahdi will rule for seven years and judge the world after that, according to Shiite belief. Ahmadinejad has publicly declared that one of his missions is to hasten and prepare for the return of the Mahdi. In a speech in Tehran on Nov. 16, 2005, Ahmadinejad said the primary goal of his regime was to "pave a path for the glorious reappearance of the Imam Mahdi." How? By the "creation of chaos on Earth." The way to hasten Mahdi's return, Ahmadinejad believes, is to hasten Armageddon.