Abu Isa - Possible Connection To Shi'ism

Possible Connection To Shi'ism

The arrival of Abu Isa comes at an interesting point in the history of the Jews and the Muslims. Regardless of the which dates are true, each could be seen as during the rise of the radical Shi'a movements in Islam. With the center of these movements being Iraq and later Persia, it should come as no surprise that the other ahl al-kitab or "People of the Book" might be influenced. Some Jews actually saw the coming of the Arabs as the apocalypse that would usher in the new age, but there are distinctive influences that can be noted in this movement from Shi'ism. The idea of the illiterate prophet is equated with the story of Muhammad and his receiving of the Qur'an while the idea of a chain of prophets is notably similar to the Imams and the foreseen coming of the Mahdi. Scholars disagree to what degree Shi'ism affected Abu Isa or whether Shi'ism was at the same time developing and incorporating Jewish elements. However, issues with this include that Shi'a reject the belief Muhammad was unlettered, Imams are infallible, that Shi'asm did not expect the immediate return of al-Mahdi, and that Iraq and Iran were not primarily Shi'a till a few centuries ago.