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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Era of Imam Mahdi the New Global The Doctrine of Mahdism. Tradition and Modernity - Man's Relation With Nature. an Anthropological Approach, a Pathway Out of Clash and Conflict 1. "Expectation". Islam - with its own concrete culture and reality - can no longer be disregarded. It does represent a pivotal moment. No doubt, it is a key-factor on the stage of history. The sentence "the world is a global village" is a well-known cliché.

But this global village is pluralistic in a religious and cultural sense as well, and within this global village Islamic civilisation has forged its own order and dimension. Islamic reformism was a modern movement, which came into being in the wake of European supremacy and expansion. It first emerged in the nineteenth century, and gave life to various schools of thought and religious thinking.

Neo-reformism is emerging at the dawn of this present new age, the response to foreign challenges, to the integration of the Islamic order into the Western secular/economic system. Without going into the details of another long, thorny topic, in the following discourse I purposefully leave aside both the political-strategic dimension and ensuing military-security issues on the one hand, and inter-religious dialogue on the other.

In these respects there are more appropriate and authoritative forums. Conversely, I wish to focus my attention on some realities within the Muslim world, its beneficial experience on other peoples' civilisation (with whom it has come into contact), and its own highly significant cultural heritage and legacy within the world order which is nowadays dawning: the Doctrine of Mahdism and Expectation. Obviously, these notes are the reflection of my academic life and personal experience.

Both as a Catholic and as a human being, I have spent many years in the Islamic world, sharing with my Muslim friends sorrow and grief, joyful days and merry events: mutually beneficial relationships, which have largely contributed to shaping some of my worldviews. The Doctrine of Mahdism has always been at the core of Muslim thinkers and philosophers.

In other Religions too, the ideal and doctrine of a Saviour, who will come back one day to judge and reform the situation of the world, represents a focal point, is very deep in thoughts and forges Men's life, attitudes and behaviours. The concept of 'Expectation' is a culture. It can give reasonable answers to some essential questions.