CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT HADI SAMANI, TEHRAN, IRAN

It had taken a bit of time for Hadi to clear the cluttered realm of his mind and heart to focus on his midday prayers. There was much to do lately, and he never seemed to feel quite on top of the ever-increasing workload that he chose to create for himself. His ambition was insatiable and his fervor knew no relent.

Hadi finished the last drop from his cup of tea and forced himself to physically push away from his desk. He would engage in his midday prayers in his office today. His prayer rug was new, and he attributed a great deal of superstitious favor to it as it was a gift from the Ayatollah. He kneeled facing Mecca and began his recitations.

“Oh Allah, I invoke my entire being to Your command. I submit all my resources and faculties to Your control and purposes. I pray that You hasten the emergence of the Promised One, the beloved Imam Al-Mahdi. The deliverer of Islam in this wicked world. The one who will cement the burgeoning Khalifa that You so desire, and have forever promised. I beg of You, Allah, use me in any way You prefer to assist in the quick return of the mighty Twelfth Imam.”

His mind focused for several seconds as he pondered the implications of the prayer he had just uttered. He began to shiver and shutter in eagerness for the coming of the Mahdi. Hadi Samani knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he was born for the very purpose of being a key instrument in the implementation of global conditions that would quicken the return of the Mahdi, Islam’s Messiah.

His work with the Russians and all the allied Islamic nations of the Middle East and North Africa had continued to accelerate towards that end, and he could feel the pleasure of Allah in his heart. As his inner joy intensified and he continued to utter further expressions of devotion to Allah and the Mahdi, an intense heat enveloped him. His eyes opened and felt an intense pain as a bright light pierced them. His head pounded with what felt like a migraine from hell. His heart began pounding maniacally. He became dumbfounded and was full of palpable trepidation. Something supernatural was occurring.

Blinded, Hadi screamed in pain and fear. A voice began to speak with a profound authority, “Hadi Samani, servant of Allah, true follower of Mohammed, faithful devotee, it is I, the Mahdi. I have come to make myself abundantly known to you so that you increase in strength and purpose. I am returning shortly. You will play a pivotal role in the facilitation of my return. Do not stop the good work you have begun. Carry it through. Push harder and stronger with all your plans. I am lurking and am near. The world will soon know the power of Allah by the miracles I will bring. The infidels will meet their just fate and the world will see the natural rise of Islam as Allah has always coveted. The caliphate will be fulfilled, but first, the world will suffer a necessary cleansing that will shake the very foundation of creation.”

Hadi struggled to catch his breath. Even as he was still unable to see, he replied to his Messiah as best he could, “Oh beloved Mahdi, I groan with hunger for your return and your rule over the world. Destroy the infidels and redeem Islam for Allah’s joy. Use me to the fullest. Show me the signs of your coming and the marks of your reign.”

The mystical Messiah continued talking. “My return will be as described in the Hadiths. I will return in glory with my chief deputy, Jesus of Nazareth. The infidels of the world will be confronted with the choice to see the precious face of Allah and convert to truth, or resign to their death as enemies of goodness and peace. There is no other way for those who refuse to submit. The nations of the earth will also submit. There will be no leader, no tribe, no country, and no religion that will be spared from submission to Allah and the caliphate. Nations that fail to conform will be collectively sacrificed just as the individual infidels that resist. Jesus of Nazareth will dutifully eliminate the infidels that remain, in wonderful service to Allah and my return. Those who resist and refuse will face the beheadings they deserve and that Allah commands. Jesus of Nazareth will make clear the folly of those who mistook him as deity and he will seek out all Jews who refuse to submit to Allah until only a few are left hiding behind rock and trees.”

Hadi got curious. “Imam Al-Mahdi, subject of my devotion, how long will it take to restore the world to Islam when you return?”

“It will be accomplished within three and one half years. The world will, at that point, be re-ordered to the fullness and complete authentic glory of Islam. No impurity will be permitted. Jews, Christians, and all who have refused to convert will have been eradicated. Sharia will be the law of the entire world with absolute perpetuity. The official, and only, day of rest will be Friday. No longer will Saturday and Sunday be regarded as they have been by infidels. The Islamic calendar will be the only measure of our days, weeks, months, and years. The Gregorian calendar will be banned from use as an irrelevant tool of the infidels.”

“Oh beloved, where shall you set your post and make known your wishes?” asked Hadi with a trembling voice and a shaky posture.

“One of the cornerstones of the caliphate will be rooted in Al-Quds, along with my commanding seat in Kufa, Iraq. The city shall no longer be referred to by the blasphemous name of Jerusalem. This shall be accomplished by the shedding of the blood of our enemies, the enemies of Allah, the stubborn and cold infidels.”

Hadi was able to finally see a slight view of the Mahdi’s face. It was glowing with a vibrancy that he would never, ever be able to shake from his mind. It was entirely not of this world. He continued, despite his sense of awe, to ask Mahdi questions. “Mahdi, beloved subject of all my desires and hopes, how will you persuade the world to your truth and Allah’s laws?”

“My miracles will be many. From the moment of my emergence on a white horse blessed by the hands of Allah, I will show them Allah’s power with my control of the weather and my dominion over the crops of the earth. All will bow to my abilities and to those of my deputy, Jesus of Nazereth. He will also display miracles that will be undeniable and will show any man of a right mind that it is only with Allah that real power and peace can be attained.”

“Oh Mahdi, please tell me more.” Hadi was salivating with the inside knowledge being intimated to him, despite his strong personal grasp on the prophecies detailed in the Hadiths.

“The Jews will first be lured into a peace treaty that we will agree to as a matter of necessity to accomplish the Caliphate. It will be executed with a Levite. It will be a seven-year agreement that we will never abide by. Yet it shall pacify Allah’s enemies to the advantage of ultimate peace and satiation of Allah’s will. However, the Zionists will strengthen their resolve against my rule when they are aroused by the Dajjal, who will be of Jewish blood, and will fool many with false miracles and deceptive speech. Take heart and press on with strength. I am coming soon, Hadi Samani.”

In a flash of light and smoke, the ghostly vision of the Mahdi disappeared and Hadi Samani collapsed into a pool of sweat on his prayer rug.

His body felt drained as if he had just run a marathon. His muscles burned and twitched. He struggled to catch his breath. He felt exhaustion deep in his bones and elation deep in his spirit. He lay there completely still on the rug for forty minutes basking in the afterglow of his first supernatural encounter with the Mahdi.

The time was near and he could taste the glory of the Messiah’s return. It was Samani’s duty and passion to prepare the Islamic Republic of Iran to receive its Messiah and lead the world towards the coming Caliphate with blood, confusion, deception and unspeakably horrific chaos of all varieties.