"The Book of Tribulations": The Syrian Muslim Apocalyptic Tradition

David Cook is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University, Houston (Texas). He is the author of numerous books including Studies in Muslim Apocalyptic (2002), Contemporary Muslim Apocalyptic Literature (2005), Understanding Jihad (2005) and Martyrdom in Islam (2007).

• Introduction GlossaryKing/caliph-listNu`aym b. Ḥammād al-Marwazī, The Book of TribulationsWhat was related by the Messenger of God and his Companions after him concerning the Tribulations to comeNaming of the Tribulations which are to come, and their Number from the death of the Messenger of God until the Rising of the HourThe Loss of Intelligence and Absence of People’s Dreams during the TribulationsAllowance for People’s Desire to Die because of the Prevalence of Trials and TribulationsThe Regret of Some of the Prophet’s Companions and Others with regard to the TribulationThe Desirability of having Few Possessions and Children during the TribulationsThe Number of the Caliphs after the Messenger of God in this CommunityThe Caliphs who were mentioned after the Messenger of GodDistinguishing the Caliphs from the KingsNaming those reigning after the Messenger of GodThe Dominion of the Umayyads and Naming them after `UmarThe End of the Umayyads’ DominionProtection from Tribulations and the Desirability of Holding Back and Withdrawing during them, and Undesirability of Looking out over themThose who believed in Withdrawal during TribulationsThe Portents of the end of the Umayyads’ DominionAppearance of the `AbbāsidsThe First Portent of the end of the Period of the `AbbāsidsThe First of the Portents of the end of their Dominion will be the Appearance of the Turks after a dissension between themPortents in the Heavens concerning the end of `Abbāsids’ DominionBeginnings of the Tribulation in SyriaThe Triumph of the Lowliest and Weakest of PeoplesRefuges from TribulationsThe Center of Islam is in SyriaThe First Portent will be the Portent of the Berbers and the WesternersThe Appearance of the Berbers and the WesternersThe Corruption and Fighting of the Berbers in Syria and Egypt, and whoever fights them, and the end of their appearance, and the evil conduct that will happen at their handsThe Description of the Sufyānī, His Name and AncestryThe Beginning of the Appearance of the SufyānīThe Three FlagsThe Flags that will disperse in the Lands of Egypt and Syria, and other [countries], and the Sufyānī and his Victory over themThe Conflict between the `Abbāsids, and the Easterners, and the Sufyānī and the Marwānids in Syria towards IraqThe Conflict between the People of Syria, the `Abbāsid rulers at al-Raqqa, and what the Sufyānī will doWhat the Sufyānī will do in the Suburbs of Baghdad and Madinat al-Zawra’ when his Expedition will reach Iraq, and the Destruction that will happenThe Sufyānī and his Army enter al-KūfaThe Mahdi’s Black Banners after the `Abbāsids’ Banners, and what will happen between the Sufyānī’s army and the `AbbāsidsThe Beginning of the End for the Sufyānī, and the Appearance of the Hāshimi from Khurāsān leading the Black Banners, and the Fighting between them until the Horsemen of the Sufyānī reach the EastThe Sufyānī will meet the Black Banners in Battle, and there will be an Apocalyptic Battle between them, in which the People will desire the Mahdi and seek himSending the Troops to Medina and the Killing that will happen in itSwallowing up of the Sufyāni’s Troops that he will send to the MahdiThe Signs of the Mahdi in his AppearanceAnother Sign at the Time of the Mahdi’s AppearanceThe People’s Gathering Together at Mecca to swear to the Mahdi in it, and the Confusion, Fighting, Seeking the Mahdi that will happen that year in Mecca after the Battle and their Gathering to himThe Mahdi’s Departure from Mecca to Jerusalem and Syria, after which they will swear to him, and His Traveling towards the Sufyāni and his SupportersThe Conduct and Justice of the Mahdi and the Plenty of his TimeThe Description of the MahdiThe Name of the MahdiThe Ancestry of the MahdiThe Length of the Mahdi’s ReignWhat will happen after the MahdiThe Raid on IndiaWhat will happen in Ḥimṣ during the administration of thhe Qaḥțānī, and between Quḍā`a and Yaman after the MahdiAl-Ᾱ`māq and the Conquest of ConstantinopleThe Imam of the Muslims in Jerusalem and his Victory on the Plain of Acre, and the Conquest of ḤimṣConcerning the Appearance of the Byzantines in Alexandria, the Edges of Miṣr and its mawāḥīzWhat will happen to People previous to the Appearance of the AntichristSigns before the Appearance of the AntichristWhere will the Antichrist appear?The Appearance of the Antichrist, his Conduct, and the Corruption at his handsThe Length of the Antichrist’s StayingJesus son of Mary will kill the Antichrist at the Gate of Lydda at the distance of 16 CubitsRefuges from the AntichristJesus’ Return and his ConductThe Length of Jesus’ Staying after his ReturnThe Appearance of Gog and MagogSwallowing up by the Earth, Earthquakes, Tremors and Metempsychosis Concerning the Fire that will Gather [People] to SyriaAmong the Portents of the HourThe Portents of the Hour after the Rising of the Sun from the WestThe Rising of the Sun from the WestThe Appearance of the Beast from the Earth (Dābba)The EthiopiansThe Appearance of the EthiopiansThe TurksThe Times, Months and Days that are Dated in the TribulationsBibliographyIndex