The Road to Damascus: Anglo-French Presumption in the Levant and theUnfulfilled Promise of Pan-Arabism

The Road to Damascus: Anglo-French Presumption in the Levant and the Unfulfilled Promise of Pan-Arabism from Paul Coker on Vimeo.

British Officer: 

"We can't just do nothing, sir..!"

General Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby GCB, GCMG, GCVO, 

The Scourge of Armageddon: 

"Why not, it's usually best... And get us something to drink, Tracey!"

It may be fairly assumed that after 700 years of Ottoman rule and nearly a further thousand years prior to that under the Caliphate, Damascus in 1918 was I'm all likelihood a dry town.

The Revelation of St.John

Chapter 16

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.


15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.


21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Hudhaifah b. Usaid al-Ansari said: 

We were sitting in the shade of the chamber of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) discussing (something) and when we mentioned the last hour, our voices rose high. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: The last hour will not come or happen until there appear ten signs before it : the rising of the sun in its place of setting, the coming forth of the beast, the coming forth of Gog and Magog, the Dajjal (Antichrist), (the descent of) Jesus son of Mary, the smoke, three subsidence’s, one in the will issue forth from the Yemen, from the lowest part of Aden, and drive mankind to their place of assembly. 

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4311. 

In-book reference: Book 39, Hadith 21, 

English translation: Book 38, Hadith 4297

Al-nawwas b. Sim’an al-Kilabi said: 

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) mentioned the Dajjal (Antichrist) saying: If he comes forth while I am among you I shall be the one who will dispute with him on your behalf, but if he comes forth when I am not among you, a man must dispute on his own behalf, and Allah will take my place in looking after every Muslim. Those of you who live up to his time should recite over him the opening verses of Surat al – Kahf, for they are your protection from his trial. We asked: How long will he remain on the earth ? He replied : Forty days, one like a year, one like a month, one like a week, and rest of his days like yours. We asked : Messenger of Allah, will one day’s prayer suffice us in this day which will be like a year ? He replied : No, you must make an estimate of its extent. Then Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He(peace be upon him) will then catch him(Antichrist) up at the gate of Ludd and kill him(Antichrist). 

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4321. 

In-book reference: Book 39, Hadith 31. 

English translation: Book 38, Hadith 4307

Narrated Abu Hurayrah: 

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He(Jesus) will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him. 

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4324. 

In-book reference: Book 39, Hadith 34. 

English translation: Book 38, Hadith 4310