Article 41 — The Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation: the prophecies of the end of times and the fear that imprisons people
The Goal of the Wise — Door Number Forty-One
Read aloud in English
Why do the prophecies of the end of times arouse so much fear? And what if this fear sometimes prevented us from understanding the spiritual messages they contain?
Revelation is one of the most mysterious books of the New Testament.
Its visions, its symbols and its announcements have given rise to numerous interpretations.
In the forty-first Door of The Goal of the Wise, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) addresses the question of prophecies and how they are understood.
But he begins with an unexpected theme: fear.
1. Fear as an obstacle to knowledge
The chapter asserts that many people make their religious decisions under the influence of fear.
Fear of Hell.
Fear of being deceived.
Fear of the Antichrist.
Fear of change.
According to the author, these fears can prevent believers from freely examining certain questions.
The problem would therefore not be ignorance alone.
It would also concern the mechanisms that prevent people from seeking knowledge.
2. Fear and religious authority
The book examines the way in which certain authorities can use fear to strengthen their influence.
The author compares this situation to ancient accounts concerning Egypt and the power of Pharaoh.
This comparison serves to illustrate a mechanism: a worried person may be more inclined to accept assertions without examining them.
The chapter thus invites reflection on the difference between respect for a teaching and submission founded on fear.
3. The symbols of Revelation
The Book of Revelation uses a language rich in visions and images.
The extraordinary figures that appear in it have been interpreted in many ways.
The author examines these themes within the framework of his conception of the end of times.
He connects the Christian traditions to certain Quranic announcements and to the doctrine of the Qaim.
4. The Beast of the Earth
The chapter notably mentions verse 82 of Surah An-Naml, which announces a creature emerging from the earth and speaking to people.
This figure has given rise to different interpretations in Muslim exegesis.
The book integrates it into its reflection on eschatological events.
The author thus seeks to establish correspondences between the symbols of the Christian and Muslim traditions.
5. Knowledge against manipulation
One of the major teachings of this Door concerns the need to examine beliefs.
Fear can prevent us from asking questions.
It can also lead us to reject an idea before even having understood it.
The chapter therefore defends the importance of spiritual seeking.
This seeking also requires testing interpretations against the texts and distinguishing facts from hypotheses.
6. The Apocalypse as revelation
The word apocalypse is associated with the idea of unveiling or revelation.
This meaning makes it possible to view the text as something other than a mere announcement of catastrophes.
From the book's perspective, the events of the end of times also concern the manifestation of truths hitherto unknown.
Conclusion — Does fear prevent us from recognizing the truth?
The forty-first Door of The Goal of the Wise links apocalyptic prophecies to a reflection on freedom of conscience and knowledge.
It invites us not to let fear replace the examination of religious teachings.
What if understanding the prophecies first required us to free ourselves from the fear that prevents us from studying them?