Reviewing the Views of Timothy Furnish with Regard to Messianism

Contemporary western Mahdism scholars have done more particular and distinguishable researches than their predecessors on the issue of Islamic Messianism، and it is due to the wider scientific communications and more authentic resources and more focus on this topic. “Timothy Furnish” is one of the orientalists who has specialized in Islamic history، sects and beliefs، was engaged in the subject of Messianism and has written the books and articles in this regard; in a way that his views have been numerously referred to in the scientific meetings and western media. Investigating Furnish’s views in the field of Messianism، in addition to knowing his assumptions، evidences، documents and conclusions، paves the way in criticizing his colleagues’ and his own views as well and helps us explain the western scientific meeting’s approach (toward this issue) in modern times. This paper has classified and mentioned the raised discussions by Furnish-especially in the field of Messianism، and tried to trace and find the roots of his intellectual bases. Then، the methodical and thematic flaws of his speeches، which have led him to incorrect conclusions، are raised. Mentioning the positive and negative components of Furnish’s reaches as well as verification and criticism of his opinions are among the other raised discussions in the current paper. The methodology of this paper is based on library and software and is written with a descriptive-analytic view.