Islamic messianism has taken two main forms: one is the masīḥ, or "messiah," which is the title given to the prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) in the Qurʾān; the other is the mahdī, or the "divinely guided one." These two messianic figures are closely associated with al-masīḥ al-dajjāl, or the "false messiah." In its most basic definition, Islamic messianism consists of the belief that at the end of time, when the world has degenerated into moral corruption and depravity, a mahdī will be sent by God to revive Islam, restore faith in God, and bring justice and prosperity to the world. The arrival of the mahdī will trigger the emergence of the dajjāl, which will in turn be followed by the return of the prophet ʿĪsā. The dajjāl will then be defeated by the mahdī, by ʿĪsā, or...