The Ideological Battlefield: Liberalism vs. Mahdism and Shi’a Islam
By: Saboor bayat
DIDPress: In the arena of global transformations, the primary conflicts are no longer solely over territory, trade routes, or military dominance – they are profoundly ideological in nature. Among these, a fundamental clash emerges between Western liberalism and Islamic messianism (Mahdism), particularly as articulated in Shi’a theology.
Liberalism and Its Greatest Threat: A Mahdist-Islamic Worldview
Liberalism, as the dominant global ideology of the modern West, sees itself as the culmination of human progress. Francis Fukuyama, in his seminal work The End of History and the Last Man (1992), famously argued that with the collapse of communism, liberal democracy represented the “final form of human government.” He envisioned an end to ideological evolution.
However, in a more cautious tone, Fukuyama also acknowledged the continued vitality of Islam, warning that it remains the most serious ideological challenger in the post-Cold War world:
“Islam has indeed been the most serious competitor of liberalism over the last century… though it seems unlikely to offer a universal ideological alternative.”
Francis Fukuyama, The End of History and the Last Man
Though not explicit, Fukuyama’s remarks hint at the threat of Islamic ideologies, especially those infused with apocalyptic and messianic elements. Central to this threat is the Mahdist doctrine within Shi’a Islam, which envisions a global transformation led by a divinely appointed savior – Imam al-Mahdi (the Guided One)—who will eradicate tyranny and establish absolute justice.
Mahdism in Shi’a Thought: A Revolutionary Ideology
In Twelver Shi’a belief, Imam Mahdi, the twelfth Imam, is already born and currently in occultation (Ghaybah). At the end of time, he will reappear to lead the righteous, destroy oppression, and bring global peace and justice under the banner of Islam.
This concept is not merely theological—it functions as an ideological and political framework in the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to Shi’a scholars and revolutionary leaders like Ayatollah Khomeini:
“We await the return of the Mahdi not to remain idle, but to fight, to build, and to prepare for his coming.”
Within this worldview, resisting Western imperialism, particularly the United States and Israel, is not only a political act—it is a sacred duty tied directly to preparing the world for the Mahdi’s reappearance.
Iran and the Strategic Power of Mahdism
Iran’s post-revolutionary state structure, based on the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), derives its legitimacy from the belief that the Supreme Leader is the representative of the Hidden Imam. Thus, the Islamic Republic of Iran portrays itself as the “state of the Awaited Savior.”
This makes the ideology of Mahdism deeply interwoven with Iran’s nuclear and military posture, as even Western officials acknowledge. For instance, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested that Iran’s nuclear ambitions are influenced by Mahdist ideology, labeling it a serious existential threat:
“The belief in the End Times, in the return of the Mahdi, is not just theological—it shapes military and nuclear policy. That’s what makes it so dangerous.”
Mike Pompeo, speech, 2019
Western powers, especially the U.S. and Israel, view this ideology as a major threat to the liberal world order. The assumption is that a nuclear-armed Mahdist state would not be deterred by traditional realpolitik, because its motivations transcend material calculations.
Mahdism Beyond Iran: Proxies and Regional Influence
Iran’s support for non-state actors across the Middle East—such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, and Liwa Fatemiyoun in Afghanistan—is often framed as “proxy warfare” by Western analysts. However, from the perspective of the Islamic Republic, these groups are components of the Mahdist front, preparing for the eventual global revolution.
While these actors are strategically weakened in recent years, they retain ideological loyalty to the Mahdi, making them more than mere political tools—they are religiously inspired soldiers of an apocalyptic cause.
Messianism in Sunni Islam and Other Traditions
While Shi’a Islam has a highly developed doctrine of Mahdism, other Islamic sects also uphold belief in a future savior:
Sunni Islam also believes in the coming of the Mahdi, but not as a pre-existent or divinely appointed Imam. Instead, he will be a righteous man from the Prophet’s lineage who will emerge in the End Times, and will fight alongside Jesus (Isa) against the forces of the Antichrist (Dajjal).
Salafi and Wahhabi movements, particularly those influenced by political extremism, often reject Mahdism entirely and consider Shi’a beliefs as heretical.
Sufi interpretations sometimes identify the Mahdi symbolically with the Perfect Man (Insan-e Kamil), focusing more on inner spiritual renewal than political revolution.
Thus, while Mahdism exists across the Islamic world, Shi’a Islam is unique in fusing it with structured political theory, revolution, and resistance.
A Clash of Civilizations or a Clash of Eschatologies?
Samuel Huntington, in The Clash of Civilizations (1996), argued that future conflicts would not be ideological (as in the Cold War) but civilizational. He saw Islamic and Western civilizations as inherently opposed, particularly in their values, political systems, and historical memory.
Yet today, a deeper lens suggests that the clash may in fact be eschatological—between a secular-liberal vision of human progress and an Islamic-Mahdist vision of divine justice and final salvation.
The recent military escalation between Iran and Israel with Iran launching a devastating counterstrike following Israeli provocations—has alarmed global powers. The speed, coordination, and ideological motivation behind Iran’s response suggest a new form of warfare, rooted in faith-based sovereignty and eschatological purpose.
Meanwhile, exiled dissidents and opposition groups, whether secular or nationalist, often oppose the Islamic Republic not only for its authoritarian practices but also because of its Shi’a ideological foundations.
Conclusion: Mahdism as the Final Ideological Challenger?
Liberalism, despite its claim of being the final stage of human political development, now finds itself ideologically confronted by Islamic messianism—a worldview that does not seek accommodation, but transformation.
If the Islamic Republic of Iran survives and continues to export this ideology, then Mahdism will persist as a living, mobilizing alternative to secular modernity. If the regime falls, Western leaders hope, the ideological force behind it Mahdism will dissolve.
But history suggests otherwise: ideas, especially messianic ones, do not die with regimes. They wait. And believers continue to prepare.
“Great revolutions are born not of material calculations, but of metaphysical convictions.”
– Alexis de Tocqueville
As long as the call remains—“O Allah, hasten the reappearance of Your Guardian!”—the ideological battle between liberalism and Mahdism will not end.
References
- Fukuyama, Francis. The End of History and the Last Man. Free Press, 1992.
- Huntington, Samuel. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Simon & Schuster, 1996.
- Nasr, Vali. The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future. W. W. Norton & Company, 2007.
- Khomeini, Ruhollah. Sahifa-ye Imam: The Political and Religious Writings of Imam Khomeini.
- Doran, Michael. The New Middle East: A Debate about Strategy. Brookings Institution, 2015.
- Mahdavi, Mojtaba. “Post-Islamism and the Future of Islamic Democracy.” Third World Quarterly, 2011.
- Sachedina, Abdulaziz. Islamic Messianism: The Idea of Mahdi in Twelver Shi‘ism. State University of New York Press, 1981.