The Destruction of the Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra

A shrine in Iraq was reduced to rubble, its distinctive golden dome now a sulphurous shell.

Aside from the importance on the suffering this has caused afresh in Iraq to the people there, there is a rather strange and, I believe, important story attached to this bombing. It is a story that reaches across history, prophecies in two faiths, and geography: from Iraq to Portugal to Israel, from Rome to the plain of Armageddon.

We will start with the birth of a little girl in Anno Domini 606 or 614, depending on the tradition you consult. She was to become the favorite of Mohammed, whom the Muslims name “Prophet”. Perhaps she was pretty, but it seems on all accounts that she was very virtuous and sensitive, a lady whose tears over her husbands’ taking of another wife are venerated, whose silver, symbolic burned and suffering hand is worn reverently around the necks of millions of Muslims. Her suffering and patient forbearance are celebrated; her sadness and depression at the end of her life, due to the evils she saw around her seem to resonate with us Catholics: she is called ‘second to Mary, Mother of Jesus’ in Muslim tradition. Her name was Fatima.

Fatima’s sons were the catalyst for the eventual split between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims; for the children of Fatima are considered by the Shi’ite Muslims as the true successors to Mohammed, the Kaliphs. The ensuing history of Fatima’s progeny bear out the legacy she left of suffering and tears. Her husband and sons, down to the 12^th Iman, were fighting and losing their battle to retain their heritage as Kaliphs, or successors to Mohammed. I refer here to some better-explained history:

The line of Mohammed through Ali and Hussein became extinct in 873CE when the last Shia Imam, Al-Askari, who had no brothers disappeared within days of inheriting the title at the age of four. The Shias refused, however, to accept that he had died, preferring to believe that he was merely "hidden" and would return. When after several centuries this failed to happen, spiritual power passed to the ulema, a council of twelve scholars who elected a supreme Imam. The best known modern example of the Shia supreme Imam is the late Ayyatollah Khomeni, whose portrait hangs in many Shia homes. The Shia Imam has come to be imbued with Pope-like infallibility and the Shia religious hierarchy is not dissimilar in structure and religious power to that of the Catholic Church within Christianity. Sunni Islam, in contrast, more closely resembles the myriad independent churches of American Protestantism. Sunnis do not have a formal clergy, just scholars and jurists, who may offer non-binding opinions. Shias believe that their supreme Imam is a fully spiritual guide, inheriting some of Muhammad's inspiration ("light") . Their imams are believed to be inerrant interpreters of law and tradition. Shia theology is distinguished by its glorification of Ali. In Shia Islam there is a strong theme of martyrdom and suffering, focusing on deaths of Ali and, particularly, Hussein plus other important figures in the Shia succession. Shi`ism attracted other dissenting groups, especially representatives of older non-Arab (Mawali) civilizations (Persian, Indian, etc.) that felt they had not been treated fairly by the Arab Muslims.

Sunnis and Shias agree on the core fundamentals of Islam - the Five Pillars - and recognize each other as Muslims…. However, there remain significant differences between the two forms of Islam and these are what tend to be emphasized. Many Sunnis would contend that Shias seem to take the fundamentals of Islam very much for granted, shunting them into the background and dwelling on the martyrdoms of Ali and Hussein. (From “The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam” by Hussein Abdulwaheed Amin, Editor of IslamForToday.com)

Fatima’s legacy is like a live wire in Muslim history. Her last son, or descendant, was the 12^th Iman, Al-Mahdi. He was a four-year-old when his father died and he was taken secretly to a cave, to be hidden from those who wanted to take his life and end the succession. He disappeared only a few metres from the place where his father and grandfather were buried. The Shi’ites wait for him to return. The place of the sirdab(cave) of disappearance and the burial of the last of Fatima’s children is the Al-Askari shrine in Samarra, which was destroyed a few days ago.

The level of anger of the Shi’ites is commensurate to what they have lost: the dignity of the shrine of the 12^th Imam, who is for them, the savior to come, who will lead the Muslims to victory against the Christians and the Jews. There are many prophecies associated with this 12^th Imam and his return; that in between the two times that the Jews master the world”, a great leader:

The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one". Mahdi is a normal man who is going to follow the true Islam. His name will be Muhammad and his father name will be 'Abdullah. He is a descendant from Ali and Fatima (daughter of the prophet Muhammad) so he will be descendant from al-Hasan or al-Husain. Mahdi will be very just and his capital will be Damascus. Allah told us that Jews will master the world two times (we live now 1998 during the first one) and Mahdi will appear between those two periods and will rule through the last one. Mahdi is NOT a prophet but he is the final Rightly Guided Khalifa. Mahdi will lead Muslims to a great victory against the Christian Romans (i.e. All the white Europeans including the Americans). This great war is called al-Malhamah al-Kubrah or Armageddon. It will end up with a great victory to Muslims against Romans after six years. Muslims will take over their capital Rome (this can be any city). In the seventh year, the Antichrist will appear and a greater war will start between Jews and Muslims for 40 days (longer that usual days) and will end when Jesus (pbuh) will come and Muslims will kill all Jews. All people will convert into Islam. Peace will pervade the whole world. (From “Who is Imam Al-Mahdi?” onwww.islamicweb.com/history/mahdi.htm).

Thus the Shi’ites, arguably the more apocalyptic of the Muslims, are reeling in shock and anger at the destruction of what is probably their most holy site, next to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. The references to Armaggedon are interesting; for Armageddon is actually a plain outside of Jerusalem, which is named as the site of the last battle, the battle fought before the Prince of this world is destroyed en fin.

What surprised me to find in my research is the apocalyptic references to a Muslim occupation of Rome- meaning, symbolically, the Muslim victory over the Catholic Church, specifically; yet Jesus is spoken of as returning and establishing peace. It seems incongruous, yet this makes sense, because as the great historian Hillaire Belloc stated, Islam is really a Catho-Judaic heresy, an ‘unbalancing’; therefore, mixed theology and irrational mixtures are to be expected.

From the Muslim perspective, namely the Shi’ite, the Last Days are to be ushered in with the re-appearance of the 12^th Iman and the victory granted to Muslims all over the world. If one has been following the news at all, it will become obvious that the Muslim world is in turmoil from many causes: war in Iraq, terrorism, a clash with Western secular culture (think ‘cartoon’), the proposed strangulation of democratically elected Hamas in Palestine, and strife mounting between the two strains of Islam.

From the perspective of the Faith, we may be witnessing the labor pains increasing, to speak apocalyptically. At the least, we must increase our prayers and sacrifices for the conversion of the Muslim- which Hillaire Belloc states is practically and humanly impossible. It must be a work of the Lord, in His mercy.

We travel now from Jerusalem and Armageddon, from Rome, to a small village in Portugal, which I believe, holds the hope for the Muslim and the Catholic alike. We go to a village named Fatima: legend states that the village was named for a young Muslim girl who converted to Catholicism; she, in turn, must have been named for the Lady Fatima, Mohammed’s daughter.

Here, in this little farm village called Fatima, Our Lady, the Mother of God, appeared. She was sad, saddened by sin and evil, as it was recorded that Mohammed’s daughter was. But Mary, unlike Fatima, is our Mother, and called the most blessed of women- by the Muslim as well as the Catholic. She called for repentance, for suffering to appease God and to convert sinners. All of us are sinners, but I place emphasis on the word ‘convert’ because that seems to call to those outside of the Faith.

Eight years ago, when I was converting to the Faith established by Our Lord, I was standing in the vestibule of St. Mary’s Church in Annapolis, Maryland. There was a woman there with me, head covered in the Muslim way; and she was crying. I asked her why: she said she was Muslim but wanted to convert to the Faith. Surprised, I asked her what had brought her here to this church, so out of the blue. She replied, “It was Our Lady Mary- she brought me here.” I smiled, and told her that I, too, was coming into the Faith. So Protestant and Muslim met in the vestibule of St. Mary’s. I often think of her, and wonder: was she one of the small, first drops of rain- the first of millions of Muslims to come into the Faith?

Archbishop Sheen was a prophetic voice: anyone who has listened to his tapes, especially on abortion, will recognize this gift in him. He spoke once, about Fatima. With passion, he shone light on the fact that Our Lady came to Fatima, a name so symbolic to Muslims, most especially the Shi’ite (who are most probably the most anti-Western, and conflate Western culture with Catholicism). He believed that Our Lady of Fatima would be instrumental, perhaps essential, in the conversion of the Muslim.

This scenario reminds me of the situation in Mexico when Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared. She came to the hill of Tepayac, the hill reserved for the “Snake-Goddess”- here we have a similar pattern to Fatima, in that Our Lady came to a place that the Indians would recognize as significant, a feminine presence, and yet Our Lady, with the power of her Son, converted them; by the millions in a space of a few years. Also interesting is that “Guadalupe” is an Islamic word, from a river so named in Spain during the time of the Moors.

So in these days of turmoil, let us gird ourselves in the Faith, keep our lamps lit and pray- especially now for the conversion of the Muslims. With God, nothing is impossible.