“I’m lost,” the Iranian pilot cried into the microphone. I was a few months into my jet training course at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, in 1971. At that time, the Shah of Iran, a close ally of the United States, sent his pilots for training in the United States. They were a friendly, capable lot, but this one became disoriented over the Southwest Texas terrain, ran out of gas, ejected from the aircraft and parachuted to safety. His cry of desperation still rings in my ears.
Twenty years later, my wife and I were serving with the IMB in an Islamic fundamentalist country in North Africa. We enjoyed dinner with an American Embassy couple at a restaurant in the capital city. Iranian President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani was on a state visit to the country. Inside the hotel, two Iranian soldiers, somewhat comically, shadowed us step by step, even descending the stairs to a small bowling alley, watching the four Americans try their luck on the lanes.
Robin Hadaway
What happened in Iran during the intervening years? What is different about Iranian Islam than other expressions of the faith? How can Christians respond?
According to Khalid Duran, there are 73 sects in Islam. For simplicity’s sake, there are three major ones. Sunnis compose about 80-90 percent of Muslims. Shi’ites compose about 10-20 percent, while the Sufi’s represent a non-geographical, non-doctrinal, spiritual template over both Sunni and Shi’a Islam. About 40 percent of Sunnis and Shi’ites embrace some form of Sufism.
After Mohammed’s death in 632 A.D., a succession of Caliphs led Islam. The Fourth Caliph, Ali, was Mohammed’s cousin, son-in-law, and the father of the Prophet’s grandchildren. When Ali died, a minority of Islam wanted his sons to succeed him. These Muslims became known as Shi’ites or “partisans of Ali.” The majority of Muslims, however, wanted the Islamic community to choose Mohammed’s successor. These Muslims became known as the Sunnis.
The Shi’a-Sunni divide deepened after Ali’s first son Hassan was poisoned in 670. The split became complete in 680 when Sunni forces killed Ali’s second son, Hussein, at the Battle of Karbala. Ever since, Sunnis and Shi’ites have travelled divergent paths – Sunnis led by a progression of Caliphs and Shi’ites by a succession of Imams and Ayatollahs. Interestingly, Ali is revered by both Sunnis and Shi’ites as the fourth Caliph of Sunni Islam and the first Imam of Shi’a Muslims.
Ninety percent of Shi’ites believe 12 imams have lived from Ali’s death in 661 until Muhammed Al-Mahdi birth about 874. Twelver Shi’ism believes this Mahdi went into hiding (occultation) in the late ninth century and remains alive today. Twelver Shi’a Islam, practiced in Iran, fervently believes this Twelfth Imam will return to defeat Islam’s enemies during a time of world-wide conflict and turmoil. Until this occurs, a series of Imams and Ayatollahs rule in his place in Iran.
Although Shi’a eschatology is distinctive, the principal difference between Sunni and Shi’a Islam concerns the role of their Imams and Ayatollahs. Sunnis see their Imams much as Christians view the pastors of their churches – men of God and trusted confidants but not infallible. Shi’a Islam, however, requires each cleric be a direct descendent of the Prophet and hold that their imams inherit Muhammed’s authority and infallibility.
Sunnis believe their leaders should protect Islamic Law, act as judges, and govern Allah’s people. Shi’ites take this further. They believe their imams and ayatollahs also inherit the inner spiritual power of the Prophet, the ability to interpret the Qur’an, and are infallible in word and deed. Shi’a Islam also believes deceased imams can become saints. Shi’a Islam holds that prayers to departed saints at special Shi’a shrines can intercede for the living. Such beliefs are considered heretical by Sunni Islam. Many Sunnis do not even believe that Shi’ites are real Muslims.
Furthermore, many Shi’ites are convinced that only a world conflagration will prompt the return of the Hidden Imam. For this reason, many Shi’ites embrace war, conflict and turmoil as they believe such events will hasten the return of the Mahdi. Shi’ite eschatology believes that when the situation is bleakest and almost all hope is lost, the Twelfth Imam, Mohammed Al-Mahdi will return. He will miraculously defeat God’s enemies and usher in a new era of peace. In fact, this branch of Islam reveres martyrdom and believes the worse conditions become, the more likely the Mahdi is to return. I believe the new Iranian Supreme Leader welcomes the futility and hopelessness of their situation and believe this is the exact time when Allah will fight for them and win.
Some years ago, I attended a missiology meeting on the East Coast. A fellow attendee told me he had been invited to a prophecy conference in Tehran sponsored by the Iranian government. Surprisingly, besides Jewish leaders from Israel, Christian ministers from America, then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her representatives, had also been invited. Most of the invitees declined their invitations but my new friend decided to go. His takeaway from the convocation was that Iran’s government views everything through Shi’a end times prophecy. Their hope is not in missiles nor military might but on the return of the Hidden Imam, the Mahdi, the Muslim Messiah.
How can we respond to Shi’a Twelver Islam? I believe one way is by proclaiming we have a Blessed Hope as well – just a different One. At just the right time, it is not the Mahdi who will return. Instead, it will be Jesus the Messiah. Jesus Christ will conquer the enemies of righteousness and bring salvation to all who believe in Him. Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.
Many in Iran are crying out today, “I’m lost.” Jesus Christ wants them found.
Robin Dale Hadaway is senior professor of missions (retired) at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of “The Muslim Majority: Folk Islam and the Seventy Percent” (2021), and “A Survey of World Missions” (2020), both published by B&H Academic.
Screenshot of IMB map