| Publication |
2006.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Many Sunni and Shiite groups have embraced a more radical version of Islam spawned by Al Qaeda. Those who adhere to this version view the struggle within Islam and against the West as a perpetual jihad ordained by God until a just caliphate emerges. Their jihad must be viewed through the lenses of eschatology. This view focuses on the five prophetic stages of Islam. Four of these stages have come to pass with a future stage to result in the rise of the caliphate and the return of the Mahdi. In order to fulfill this fifth stage, Al Qaeda and other Sunni and Shiite networks are actively promoting jihad activity.
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