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Al-Malḥamat Al-Kubra (Arabic: الملحمة الكبرى, lit. 'The Greatest Battle'), is an apocalyptic war set to occur in the end times according to Islamic eschatology. The Malhama Al-Kubra is prophesied to be the most brutal battle in human history. It generally corresponds to the battle of Armageddon in Christian eschatology, and occurs soon before the emergence of the Dajjal.^[1]

Meaning

Al-Malḥamat Al-Kubrā literally means "The Greatest Battle". In Arabic malḥama or malḥamat (plural malāḥim) can signify a fierce war with considerable atrocities and killing,^[2] a similar battle within such a war, bloody combat, or massacre or slaughter. In the plural form Malāḥim also came to signify a distinct genre of hadith narrations concerning prophecies of apocalyptic wars and battles.^[3] Kubrā is the feminine superlative degree version of the word kabīr, which signifies immensity or greatness. The prefixed article al- makes both words in the phrase definite.

Significance

The Malhama Al-Kubra is detailed in multiple hadith narrations with details. However the basic narrative framework of the cycle of prophecies found in Islamic eschatology is as follows. This battle is said to occur after the Muslims and Christian Romans victoriously fight alongside each other against a common enemy.^[4]^[5] Following their victory a conflict will break out in which a Christian claims that the cross brought them victory, a Muslim in response claims that God brought them victory and proceeds to destroy the cross, which leads to further reprisals from the Christian side.^[6]^[7]^[5] This culminates in the Malhama Al-Kubra, an apocalyptic scale battle so intense, according to some hadith narrations, that were a bird to pass their flanks, "it would fall down dead before reaching the end of them."^[8]

The traditional account continues, in the immediate wake of this battle, Constantinople will be conquered by the Muslims(some say this conquest will be made by restoring sharia law in Turkey), which will be followed by the coming of the Antichrist, known in Arabic as Dajjal, which will be followed by the Second Coming – the descent of Jesus Christ (Isa).^[4]^[9] He will kill the Dajjal, the tradition continues, kill the swine, abolish the jizya tax and destroy the cross.^{[citation needed]}

Certain places are significant in the Malhama Al-Kubra narrative cycle. One of the significant locations is Dabiq, Syria where many texts say it will take place.^[5] Alexandria, Egypt, Damascus, and Jerusalem are also significant places in the prophecies.

Contemporary interpretations

Some contemporary exegetes have linked the Malhama Al-Kubra to an apocalyptic nuclear war within the Middle East between the Israelites and their opponents.

Some contemporary Muslim exegesis^{[clarification needed]} suggests that the Romans referred to in the prophecy variously correspond to the Gulf War coalition,^[10] or the Russians, because Russia is the most populous Orthodox Christian country and considers itself the inheritor of the Eastern Roman Empire, or contemporary Europeans.^[11] Other contemporary interpretations have claimed the Romans referred to as being the inheritors of Rome, including the Ottomans.^{[clarification needed]}

References

^ Sulaymān Bashīr (2004). Studies in Early Islamic Tradition. JSAI. pp. 181–. ISBN 978-965-7258-01-9.
^ Sulaymān Bashīr (2004). Studies in Early Islamic Tradition. JSAI. pp. 180–. ISBN 978-965-7258-01-9.
^ Gerrit Jasper Schenk (20 March 2017). Historical Disaster Experiences: Towards a Comparative and Transcultural History of Disasters Across Asia and Europe. Springer. pp. 210–. ISBN 978-3-319-49163-9.
^ ^a ^b Dawud, Abi. "Battles (Kitab Al-Malahim)". Sunan Abi Dawud. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Wars with the Romans & Muslims' Conquest of Constantinople & Rome". 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2020-10-29. The Hour (of Resurrection) will not come until the الروم Romans land in Al-A'maq (valleys in Antioch, southern Turkey) or in Dabiq (a plain near Aleppo, Syria).
^ Majah, Ibn. "Book of Tribulations". Sunan Ibn Majah. Retrieved 2020-10-29. I went with them and he asked him about the peace treaty (with the Romans). He said: 'I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: "The Romans will enter into a peace treaty with you, then you and they will fight one another as enemies, and you will be victorious; you will collect the spoils of war and be safe. Then you will come back until you stop in a meadow with many hillocks. A man from among the people of the Cross will raise the Cross and will say: 'The Cross has prevailed.' Then a man among the Muslims will become angry and will go and break the Cross. Then the Romans will prove treacherous (breaking the treaty) (and will gather) for the fierce battle." '
^ Haddad, Sh G F (2001-06-23). "SIGNS OF THE HOUR". Retrieved 2020-10-29.
^ ibn al-Hajjaj, Muslim. "Sahih Muslim 2899a - The Book of Tribulations and Portents of the Last Hour - كتاب الفتن وأشراط الساعة - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)". Sahih Muslim. Retrieved 2020-10-29. Sahih Muslim Hadith 2899 a: "Yusair b. Jabir reported: Once there blew a red storm in Kufah that there came a person who had nothing to say but (these words): `Abdullah b. Mas`ud, the Last Hour has come. He (`Abdullah b. Mas`ud) was sitting reclining against something, and he said: The Last Hour would not come until shares of inheritance are not distributed and there is no rejoicing over spoils of war. Then he said pointing towards Syria, with the gesture of his hand like this: The enemy shall muster strength against Muslims and the Muslims will muster strength against them (Syrians). I said: You mean Rome? And he said: Yes, and there would be a terrible fight and the Muslims would prepare a detachment (for fighting unto death) which would not return but victorious. They will fight until night will intervene them; both the sides will return without being victorious and both will be wiped out. The Muslims will again prepare a detachment for fighting unto death so that they may not return but victorious. When it would be the fourth day, a new detachment out of the remnant of the Muslims would be prepared and Allah will decree that the enemy should be routed. And they would fight such a fight the like of which would not be seen, so much so that even if a bird were to pass their flanks, it would fall down dead before reaching the end of them. (There would be such a large scale massacre) that when counting would be done, (only) one out of a hundred men related to one another would be found alive. So what can be the joy at the spoils of such war and what inheritance would be divided! They would be in this very state that they would hear of a calamity more horrible than this. And a cry would reach them: The Dajjal has taken your place among your offspring. They will, therefore, throw away what would be in their hands and go forward sending ten horsemen, as a scouting party. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I know their names and the names of their forefathers and the color of their horses. They will be the best horsemen on the surface of the earth on that day or amongst the best horsemen on the surface of the earth on that day."
^ ibn al-Hajjaj, Muslim. "The Book of Tribulations and Portents of the Last Hour". Sahih Muslim. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
^ David Cook (21 July 2008). Contemporary Muslim Apocalyptic Literature. Syracuse University Press. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-0-8156-3195-8.
^ Sayyid Rami al Rifai (12 May 2015). The Syrian Uprising and Signs Of The Hour: The End Of America, The End Of The Arabs, The Rise Of Europe and The Mahdi's Army. Sunnah Muakadah. pp. 319–. GGKEY:1WEZCL339BN.