Falnama in the context of "Bibliomancy"

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⭐ Core Definition: Falnama

The Persian word Falnama (Persian: فالنامه, romanizedfalnameh, lit.'omen/divination book') covers two forms of bibliomancy (fortune-telling using a book) used historically in Iran, Turkey, and India. Quranic Falnamas were sections at the end of Quran manuscripts used for fortune-telling based on a grid. In the 16th century, Falnama manuscripts were introduced that used a different system; individuals performed purification rituals, opened a random page in the book and interpreted their fortune in light of the painting and its accompanying text. Only a few illustrated Falnamas now survive; these were commissioned by rich patrons and are unusually large books for the time, with bold, finely executed paintings. These paintings illustrate historical and mythological figures as well as events and figures associated with the Abrahamic religions.

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Falnama in the context of Al-Masih ad-Dajjal

Al-Masih ad-Dajjal (Arabic: الْمَسِيحُ الدَّجَّالُ, romanizedAl-Masih ad-Dajjal, lit.'the deceitful Messiah'), otherwise referred to simply as the Dajjal, is an antagonistic figure in Islamic apocalyptism who will pretend to be the promised Messiah and later claim to be God, appearing before the Day of Judgment according to the Islamic eschatological narrative.The Dajjal is not mentioned in the Quran, but he is mentioned and described in the Hadith. Corresponding to the Antichrist in Christianity, the Dajjal is said to emerge out in the East, although the specific location varies among the various sources.

The Dajjal will imitate the miracles performed by Jesus, such as healing the sick and raising the dead, the latter done with the aid of demons. He will deceive many people, such as weavers, magicians, and children of fornication.

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Falnama in the context of Mahdi

The Mahdi (Arabic: ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, romanizedal-Mahdī, lit.'the Guided'), also Masih al-Mahdi (Arabic: المسيح المهدي, romanizedal-Masīḥ al-Mahdī, lit.'the Guided Redeemer'), is a messianic figure in Islamic belief. He is comparable to the Christian idea of the return of Jesus and the Mashiach ben David in Judaism. He is believed to appear at the End of Times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad and will appear shortly before Jesus.

The Mahdi is mentioned in several compilations of hadith, but absent from the Quran and the two most-revered Sunni hadith collections (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). As such, he plays only a marginal role in Sunni Islam and some Sunni theologians have rejected the concept of the Mahdi altogether. However, the Mahdi plays a significant role among Twelver Shias, who believe that the Mahdi is Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth Imam, son of the eleventh Imam Hasan al-Askari (d. 874), who is said to be in occultation (ghayba) by divine will.

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