Iran: Why August 22nd?

The insistence that it be August 22nd by the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to the obscenely generous nuclear package gifted by the EU3 and the US back on June 6 is puzzling. Knowing Ahmadinejad's obsession with the 12 imam Madhi and his fanatacism with hidden messages in the Koran, we too must familiarize ourselves with this who do voodoo.
Epaminondas at The Villagers with Torches blog reveals an extraordinary piece of Islamic intel (hat tip Linda);

Apocalyptic signals from Iran worry U.S. intelligence

The European Union and the United States demanded that Iran reply to the Western incentive package of nuclear technology, fuel and aircraft by June 29. But Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Teheran would submit an answer by Aug. 22.

The U.S. intelligence community has been trying to figure out why Ahmadinejad chose that date. Sources said the community was stumped until some Islam experts translated the Gregorian date to that of the Muslim calendar.

Then came the surprise that has the intelligence community worried.

Aug. 22 corresponds to Rajab 27 on the Muslim calendar. The date is called Lailat Al Israa, when Mohammed ascended to heaven from the Al Aqsa mosque to receive the five daily prayers. Later, Al Aqsa came to represent Jerusalem.

The Muslim commemoration is meant to be a night of struggle, accompanied by thunder and lightening, resembling the story of Moses ascending Mount Sinai to receive the Old Testament.

Ahmadinejad could be hinting to the West that he is preparing a major attack on Israel. Or, the Iranian president could be warning that unless the West caves in, he would escalate tension in the region. The lightening in Mohammed's story could represent Iranian missiles.

What is clear is that Ahmadinejad does not see himself as an Iranian leader, but a Muslim prophet, using imagery to portray himself as a messiah for both Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims.

John Bolton said we will not wait that long, under any circumstances. I believe him. Iran must respond by July 12.

Our present predicament with Iran revolves around the Twelfth Imam, or Hidden Imam, believed by Shiite Muslims to be the last in the line of spiritual/political rulers. The Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, ascended to his position upon the death of his father, the Eleventh Imam, in 874 AD. Al-Madha at that time was five years old. Shortly after the funeral of his father, al-Mahdi disappeared, believed by Shiites to have been hidden by Allah until his return at some future point. The easiest way for westerners to think of the Hidden Imam is as the Islamic Messiah, Except the Islamic Messiah is to come at the hour of greatest peril for Muslims, come to battle the forces of evil and unite the entire world in an Islamic Caliphate.

[...] However, Ahmadinejad belongs to a small sect of Shiites, called Hojjatieh, who believe that they can hasten the arrival of the Hidden Imam.. Even more threatening for the west, the Hojjatieh believe that it is chaos that will induce the Hidden Imam to reveal himself. They have a spiritual investment in destruction. The worse things get — the worse believers can make things get — the more likely it is for the Hidden Imam to return. None of which would matter much except that Ahmadinejad is adamant about the right of Iran to develop its own nuclear program. Robert's Blog, Prayers for the Assassin

Ahmadinejad has spoken many times of his strong belief in the second coming of Shi'ite Muslims' "hidden" 12th Imam.

Ahmadinejad refers to the return of the 12th Imam, also known as the Mahdi, in almost all his major speeches since he took office in August.

A September address to the U.N. General Assembly contained long passages on the Mahdi which confused Western diplomats and irked those from Sunni Muslim countries who believe in a different line of succession from Mohammed.

It was at this meeting of the General Assembly that Ahmadinejad claimed a “green aura” enveloped him and also held everyone’s eyes open so they could not blink. He finished his speech to the world body with a prayer for the Mahdi's appearance: "O mighty Lord, I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository, the Promised One, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace."

Ahmadinejad recalled the effect of his U.N. speech:

one of our group told me that when I started to say "In the name of God the almighty and merciful," he saw a light around me, and I was placed inside this aura. I felt it myself. I felt the atmosphere suddenly change, and for those 27 or 28 minutes, the leaders of the world did not blink. … And they were rapt. It seemed as if a hand was holding them there and had opened their eyes to receive the message from the Islamic republic. Pipes

[Iranian] Presidential aides have denied a popular rumor that he ordered his cabinet to write a letter to the 12th Imam and throw it down a well near the holy city of Qom where thousands of pilgrims come each week to pray and drop messages to the Imam. More here.

Daniel Pipes writes;

 

As mayor of Tehran, for example, Mr. Ahmadinejad appears to have in 2004 secretly instructed the city council to build a grand avenue to prepare for the Mahdi. A year later, as president, he allocated $17 million for a blue-tiled mosque closely associated with mahdaviat in Jamkaran, south of the capital. He has instigated the building of a direct Tehran-Jamkaran railroad line. He had a list of his proposed cabinet members dropped into a well adjacent to the Jamkaran mosque, it is said, to benefit from its purported divine connection.

So while we may think he is one mad tin pot dictator, we must acquaint ourselves with his Islamic beliefs in order to strategize and out maneuver the fanatic. August 22nd may very well mean something, or not.

But John Bolton said we would not wait until August 22nd. Under any circumstances. And I believe him.

Nic Burns OTOH .... watching him on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace was painful. He sounded just like a Clintonista. All diplomatic psychobabble but no answers. If I closed my eyes it could have easily been _{not so}Albright speaking.

Comments

[Ramin Rabii]

Dude, all I can say is that you are just simply NUTS!! So are also all those US intelligence officials looking for the meaning behind 22 August. Let me tell you the hugely significant and history-making decision why he chose 22nd of August. It is just simply the end of the Iranian month of Mordaad (23 July-22 August).

All Ahmadi-nejad said was this: "we will reply by the end of Mordad" and the stupid translator chose the date 22nd of August and gave it all the importance you and your buddies in US intelligence needed to keep yourself busy for a while!!!

you guys are great... you can always bring a laughter to my face.

Best of luck finding other significant points in Ahmadinejad's comments!!

Ramin

[Ray]

I agree with Ramin. This is one of the silliest blogs on the Internet..

[John Hammer]

They are stonewalling us while they upgrade their air defense with new Russian SAM systems.

[jimmythegeek]

Thank you Ramin!

Unlike Bush who only has to consult Pres. Cheney, Iran's El Supremo actually has to get all of the country's different factions on board before they can make a decision.

These mullahs are a bunch of shrewd, rich fat-cats who don't want to lose their power and wealth. They're not self-destructive.

[hass]

Hey, I hear Ahmadinejad eats small children too. Islam requires it, don't you know?

Sheesh.

[Xavier]

By all means, carry on --

a few more 'blogs like this and the Democrats
will recapture the House and the Senate
in November.

Vaya con dios, Senor Arbusto.

[Rancher]

Not to pile on but what Ahmadinejad believes doesn't matter, as long as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is Supreme Leader. He is a powerless puppet.

[Dmitry]

If Rand were alive, she’d be embarrassed by your association with her. Reason was her primary value. And you appear to have none.

[hass]

Not to pile on but what Ahmadinejad believes doesn't matter

Yes, yes - nevertheless, he still eats small children. Islam says so!

Will we allow the Evil Islamofascists to eat our children? No! We should bomb Iran immediately! WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE MUSHROOM CLOUD!

[Xavier]

perhaps the Neo-Con Kooks believe
"the evil islamoetceteras"
only eat Democrat kiddies

[Old & Dizzy]

The Iranian Prez says nothing that he is not told to say by his boss. Its evident his boss believes it also. I think it is wise to investigate the madman, why folks make fun of educating one self is beyond me. It doesnt hurt anyone, but it sure brings out those that dont want you to figure it out. I think that the 22nd was also the day back in history where Saladin took Jerusalem. Yes, I think it is a major date in history. One way or the other you will know on the 22nd

[seergirl]

You know, I bet that some of you are the same people that ranted about the US not being prepared for 9-11 and that they should have known better and blamed Bush for it all too.

Whether or not August 22nd is the day, there is another attempt on the US coming- 9-11 is by no means the last of it. So far, the govt that some of you are so quick to condemn and put down has been successful in warding off more attacks- a miracle that is beyond most of your comprehension.

It does not hurt to be aware of things and look into them. It is better than doing nothing but condemning and criticizing everything you don't like. Such useless behavior reminds me of the diversion techniques used when someone draws attention somewhere else so no one notices them or what they are or are not doing.