Messianic Ideas and Movements in Sunni Islam

‘A wealth of information... This book does far more than fill a gap in scholarship on messianism in Sunni Islam. It offers a far-reaching analysis of mahdis in dialogue with the historic tradition that inspired and shaped them, and provides insights into the patterns of messianic thinking that continues to infuse militant Muslim movements today. It makes a major contribution to our understanding of messianism in Islam, of the study of messianism more broadly, and of the power of religious ideas to change the world.’

* Journal of the American Oriental Society *

‘A significant and thoughtful book on the phenomenon of “mahdism,” a subject that in the Sunni tradition has been traditionally understudied. And, yet, as Friedmann points out, such movements have had a significant impact in Islamic history… As one has come to expect of this well-renowned doyen of religious studies, this latest work is meticulously researched and written clearly, with insightful analysis and evidence of his mastery of the sources and discipline throughout, and a study that can be expected to remain a standard reference for years to come.’

* Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies *

‘Friedmann’s study provides important historical depth… Friedmann reminds us of the potency of the messianic idea.’

* Fitzroy Morrissey, The Critic *

‘Building on his earlier rich forays into Islamic apocalypticism, Friedmann offers a clear and succinct account of Sunni mahdism in history. Deftly choosing his case studies and progressing effortlessly from early Islamic to medieval and modern times, he corrects a significant imbalance in previous scholarship on the figure of the mahdi: the tendency to privilege Shi‘i conceptions. An excellent launchpad for anyone wishing to make the acquaintance of the Sunni mahdi.’

-- Christian Lange, Professor and Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Utrecht

‘For more than five decades, Yohanan Friedmann has patiently and meticulously studied a crucial aspect of Islamic history: the role of prophetic figures in mediating between God and humankind, and the social and political implications of that role. Through his past monographs to this work, he has examined thoroughly, with impressive erudition and subtle reflections, the subject from the earliest days of Islam to the present. He thus reveals – with not only the rigour of a philologist and a historian, but with clarity and great pedagogical skill – one of the most important dimensions of Muslim religiosity in all its diversity and complexity.’

-- Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, Professor, École Pratique des Hautes Études – Université PSL (Sorbonne)

‘This excellent book brings into focus the stories, systems of thought and movements created by four mahdis active in different times and places, from medieval al-Andalus to modern India. Friedmann draws upon his in-depth knowledge of the classical Islamic sources to magisterially reveal the inspiration and the interpretative capacities of these leaders, and in so doing he challenges the idea that mahdism is a phenomenon related to Shi‘i rather than to Sunni Islam. He adroitly uses these four central characters to show how the expectation of a redeemer translates into political movements, with mostly tragic consequences.’

-- Mercedes García-Arenal, Research Professor, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científ