French in the Indonesian Education Curriculum

On 28 May 2026, at the Élysée Palace in Paris, President Prabowo Subianto officially declared that French must be taught at all levels of Indonesian schools. During his meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, he stated, “Now, I have instructed that all levels of Indonesian schools must learn French, considering the future development of the world.” This announcement marks a significant diplomatic and educational initiative, contrasting with his earlier statement on Portuguese, delivered on 23 October 2025 in Jakarta while hosting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, which remains a proposal without concrete follow-up.

In an era of unceasing and dynamic globalisation, proficiency in a foreign language is no longer merely an added advantage — it has become a strategic imperative. Indonesia, as the world's largest archipelagic nation with a population of over 270 million, faces remarkable challenges and opportunities in navigating the complexities of global affairs. One of the increasingly pertinent debates concerns the systematic teaching of French in Indonesian schools, from secondary level through to higher education.

Bahasa Indonesia, as the language of national unity born from the spirit of the Youth Pledge of 1928, stands as the primary pillar of national identity. It is far more than a mere instrument of communication — it is a symbol of sovereignty, diversity, and the social cohesion of the nation. Accordingly, any discourse on the introduction of foreign languages must be firmly framed: a foreign language is a strategic supplement, not a replacement or rival to Bahasa Indonesia.

This essay aims to analyse the multidimensional advantages that Indonesian pupils and society at large may gain should French be integrated into the school curriculum. The analysis is conducted through five principal perspectives—ideological, political, economic, social, and cultural—and is complemented by a comparative examination of French against other foreign languages of global prominence.

 

II. IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

A. Bahasa Indonesia as a Symbol of National Unity

Ideologically, Bahasa Indonesia occupies an unrivalled position as the binding force of the nation. In a country that is home to over 700 regional languages, Bahasa Indonesia serves as a bridge of communication across ethnic groups, regions, and generations. The Pancasila ideology and the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika—Unity in Diversity—render Bahasa Indonesia a sacred instrument of national cohesion. It follows, therefore, that any policy on foreign language instruction must be designed in such a manner that it neither displaces nor weakens the standing of Bahasa Indonesia.

 

B. French as a Strategic Supplement

Within a sound ideological framework, French may be positioned as an enriching supplement rather than a threat. Mastery of French broadens the intellectual horizons of Indonesian pupils by granting direct access to the legacy of European Enlightenment thought, existentialist philosophy, and a rich scientific tradition. French is also the language of the global intelligentsia, having produced great thinkers such as Descartes, Voltaire, Rousseau, Sartre, and Camus—figures whose ideas helped shape modern civilisation.

 

C. National Ideology: Nationalism and Global Openness

Indonesia's national ideology need not be inward-looking or defensive. A mature nationalism is, in fact, characterised by the capacity to engage openly with the world without losing one's sense of self. This may be termed "open nationalism"—a paradigm in which the strengthening of domestic identity proceeds hand in hand with active participation in the global community. In this context, learning French is an expression of confident nationalism: a strong nation can engage in dialogue with the world in multiple languages.

 

III. POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE

A. Indonesia–France Diplomatic Relations

From a political standpoint, bilateral relations between Indonesia and France have grown considerably stronger over recent decades. France is a strategic partner to Indonesia across numerous fields, including defence, aerospace technology, civilian nuclear energy, and infrastructure. The agreement to purchase Rafale fighter jets, worth billions of euros, reflects the depth of the strategic partnership between the two nations. In this context, the availability of French-speaking Indonesian human resources becomes a genuine and pressing diplomatic necessity.

 

B. The Role of French in International Organisations

French is one of the six official languages of the United Nations and a working language of numerous prestigious multilateral institutions, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), NATO, the European Union, the International Court of Justice, UNESCO, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Indonesian diplomats who are proficient in French gain a significant competitive advantage in international negotiations, access to diplomatic documents, and the ability to build broader professional networks across nations.

 

C. Bahasa Indonesia in National Policy

Politically, it is important to affirm that a policy of French language instruction must be positioned as complementary to Bahasa Indonesia. Law Number 24 of 2009 on the National Flag, Language, and Emblem has mandated that Bahasa Indonesia must be used in all official state affairs, formal education, and public documents. French, therefore, serves only as an additional competency that broadens the nation's diplomatic capacity—it is not a threat to the supremacy of Bahasa Indonesia in the governance of the state.

 

IV. ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

A. Investment, Trade, and Technology Opportunities

Economically, proficiency in French opens the door to one of the world's largest economies. France is the seventh-largest economy in the world by nominal GDP and is home to leading multinational corporations such as TotalEnergies, Airbus, L'Oréal, LVMH, Michelin, Schneider Electric, and Renault. Furthermore, la Francophonie—the community of French-speaking nations—encompasses 29 countries across the globe, including regions of Africa that are experiencing rapid economic growth. For Indonesia, which is actively expanding its export markets and attracting foreign investment, the ability to communicate in French is an economic asset of incalculable worth.

 

B. Access to Scholarships and Higher Education in France

France consistently ranks among the most sought-after international study destinations in the world, with tuition fees that are relatively affordable compared to those in the United States or the United Kingdom, owing largely to government subsidies. Scholarship programmes such as Campus France and various Erasmus+ initiatives present extraordinary opportunities for Indonesian students. With a command of French, Indonesian pupils gain access to prestigious universities such as the Sorbonne, École Polytechnique, HEC Paris, and Sciences Po—institutions that have produced world leaders and renowned scholars.

 

C. The Competitiveness of Indonesia's Workforce

In an increasingly competitive global labour market, proficiency in French significantly enhances the professional value of Indonesian workers. French multinational companies operating in Indonesia, the tourism industry serving Francophone visitors, and international organisations based in French-speaking Africa all require linguistically competent personnel. French language ability is also frequently combined with technical expertise to create highly sought-after and exceptionally valuable professional profiles.

 

V. SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE

A. Social Mobility Through Foreign Language Proficiency

From a social perspective, foreign language proficiency has been empirically demonstrated to be one of the key factors in social mobility. Individuals who command more than one foreign language generally enjoy broader access to educational opportunities, employment, and social networks. In Indonesian society, which continues to grapple with socio-economic inequality, proficiency in French can serve as an equaliser—an instrument for the democratisation of opportunity, enabling individuals from diverse backgrounds to advance and prosper.

 

B. The Global Francophone Network

The global Francophone community comprises over 321 million speakers spread across five continents. Joining this community affords access to an extensive social, professional, and intellectual network. International Francophone forums, film festivals, academic congresses, and French-language media platforms create a rich space for the exchange of ideas. Indonesian pupils who are fluent in French can participate actively in this global ecosystem, broaden their perspectives, and bring fresh insights back to Indonesia.

 

C. Bahasa Indonesia as the Primary Language of Communication

It is essential to underline that the acquisition of French will not, and should not, displace Bahasa Indonesia as the primary medium of communication in the everyday social life of Indonesian society. Bahasa Indonesia will continue to function as the language of the home, the community, and democracy itself. French is merely one layer of the linguistic competence possessed by an educated Indonesian citizen—a skill activated in specific contexts without replacing the fundamental loyalty to the national mother tongue.

 

VI. CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

A. Insights into the World's Art, Literature, and Philosophy

Culturally, French is a window onto one of the richest intellectual and artistic traditions in human history. French literature has produced more Nobel laureates from a single country than any other, with names such as Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Samuel Beckett (who wrote principally in French), and Annie Ernaux. In the visual arts, the Impressionist movement, born in France, transformed the way in which humankind perceives the world. In music, France gave rise to the distinctive and enduring tradition of the chanson. Accessing this wealth of culture in its original language affords a depth of appreciation that cannot be achieved through translation alone.

 

B. Cross-Cultural Appreciation

Learning French does not merely open a door to French culture alone, but to the entire spectrum of the diverse Francophone world—from the cultures of the Maghreb in North Africa to the dynamic societies of sub-Saharan Africa, from the unique traditions of Québec in North America to the exotic cultures of the Pacific islands. This diversity fosters the development of empathy, tolerance, and an appreciation of difference—values that are entirely consonant with the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika that underpins Indonesian national life.

 

C. The Synergy of Local and Global Culture

Within the paradigm of glocalisation—the integration of globalisation and localisation—proficiency in French can serve as a vehicle for showcasing the richness of Indonesian culture on the world stage. Indonesian artists, writers, and cultural practitioners who command French can directly promote batik, gamelan, wayang, the Nusantara culinary tradition, and other forms of local cultural heritage to the global Francophone community. This is not cultural subordination—it is an equal and mutually beneficial cultural dialogue.

 

VII. A STRATEGIC COMPARISON OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

In order to assess the relative advantages of French, an honest comparative analysis of other foreign languages of potential relevance to Indonesia is required:

 

A. French

• An official language in 29 countries across five continents, spoken by over 321 million people.
• An official working language of the United Nations, WTO, NATO, IOC, the International Court of Justice, and the European Union.
• An unrivalled force in culture, diplomacy, and academia on the global stage.
• Access to a scholarship ecosystem, research opportunities, and quality higher education at a relatively affordable cost.

B. Dutch

Dutch holds historical relevance for Indonesia given over three centuries of colonial rule. However, its global reach is severely limited — it is spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium (alongside French and German), and a few small Caribbean territories. Its relevance in multilateral diplomacy, global business, and world culture is considerably smaller than that of French. There is also a psychological dimension to consider: requiring Indonesian pupils to learn the language of their former colonisers may engender a counter-productive resistance rooted in national identity.

 

C. Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is the language with the greatest number of native speakers in the world and is of considerable importance in the context of Indonesia's deepening economic relationship with China. However, the highly complex system of Chinese characters (hanzi) makes the learning process far more lengthy and intensive—requiring two to three times longer than a European language to achieve equivalent proficiency. Mandarin also plays a very limited role in multilateral diplomatic forums and international institutions outside the Asia-Pacific region.

 

D. Russian

Russian holds relevance in the fields of energy, space technology, and military studies. As an official language of the United Nations, it also carries diplomatic weight. However, its global reach is largely confined to the Eurasian region and the former Soviet states. The current geopolitical situation, which has placed Russia in an increasingly isolated position at many international forums, further limits the practical utility of Russian beyond specific contexts. Compared to French, Russian offers a considerably narrower cultural and diplomatic network for Indonesia's younger generation.

 

E. Spanish

Spanish is a widely spoken language that is relatively straightforward to learn, particularly for speakers of other Romance languages. With over 580 million speakers worldwide, primarily in Latin America, Spanish commands considerable market potential. Strategically, however, Indonesia's bilateral relations with Spanish-speaking nations remain relatively limited compared to those with France. The role of Spanish in the multilateral organisations most relevant to Indonesia is also smaller. Nonetheless, Spanish remains an attractive option as a third or fourth language, to be learnt after Bahasa Indonesia, English, and French.

 

F. Arabic

Arabic carries profound significance for Indonesia as the country with the world's largest Muslim population. Its relevance is multidimensional: religious (as the language of the Qur'an and classical Islamic literature), economic (trade with Middle Eastern nations), and demographic (migrant workers in the Gulf region). However, in the context of multilateral diplomacy, technology, and access to international higher education, Arabic's role remains more limited than that of French. Arabic also employs a script that differs from the Latin alphabet, adding a further challenge to the learning process.

 

G. Comparative Analysis: Why French Stands Out

Based on the comparative analysis above, French emerges as the most strategically superior choice, offering an optimal balance across four dimensions: (1) recognised global diplomatic weight within the most important multilateral institutions; (2) economic leverage through access to Francophone markets and French multinational corporations; (3) the depth of a rich cultural and intellectual heritage; and (4) relatively favourable learnability, given its use of the Latin alphabet and the numerous loanwords that have entered Bahasa Indonesia via Dutch and English. No other language simultaneously meets all four of these criteria to a comparable degree of excellence.

French has been adopted as either an official language or a recognised second language in a wide range of countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. In Europe, it is the principal language of France and Monaco, and it shares official status in Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. In Africa, it serves as the administrative and educational language in numerous states such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Gabon, among many others, where it functions as a lingua franca despite the diversity of local tongues. In the Americas, French is co‑official in Canada, particularly in Quebec and New Brunswick, and it is also spoken in Haiti alongside Haitian Creole. In Oceania, Vanuatu recognises French as one of its three official languages, and several Pacific territories under French administration continue to use it extensively. Although countries such as Vietnam no longer accord French official status, it remains a respected second language in education and diplomacy. Altogether, French is spoken by around three hundred million people worldwide, the majority of whom use it as a second language, and it continues to be valued as a medium of international communication, culture, and diplomacy.

 

VIII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of a comprehensive analysis from ideological, political, economic, social, and cultural perspectives, as well as a comparative examination of other foreign languages, it may be concluded that the teaching of French in Indonesian schools offers genuine and multidimensional strategic advantages. French is not merely a language of communication — it is a key that unlocks access to global diplomatic networks, world-class educational ecosystems, priceless intellectual and artistic heritage, and extensive economic opportunities.

These advantages, however, can only be realised optimally within an appropriate framework: Bahasa Indonesia must remain the core of national identity, the principal language of formal education, and the firm foundation of all national language policy. French is present as an enriching supplement—not as a threat that supplants.

This essay therefore recommends that the Indonesian government formulate a balanced and carefully planned bilingual policy, with the following measures:

• Strengthen the teaching of Bahasa Indonesia as an unshakeable foundation at all levels of education, including through the revitalisation of Indonesian literature and the appreciation of regional languages as cultural treasures.
• Integrate French as an elective subject or specialist programme at the senior secondary (SMA) and vocational secondary (SMK) levels, particularly within streams related to international relations, tourism, and global business.
• Build strategic partnerships with institutions such as the Institut Français d'Indonésie (IFI) and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) to support teacher training, curriculum development, and student exchange programmes.
• Ensure that the French language policy does not divert the allocation of resources and attention that ought to be devoted to strengthening Bahasa Indonesia and to the preservation of regional languages as the nation's invaluable cultural heritage.

Ultimately, the vision to be realised is the cultivation of a generation of Indonesians who stand firmly rooted in a strong national identity, whilst at the same time being able to reach out and contribute to the world with full confidence—including through the mastery of French as one of the vehicles for their global engagement. This is not a choice between nationalism and cosmopolitanism; it is a synthesis of both, embodied in the figure of an Indonesian citizen who is whole, intelligent, and empowered.

To conclude this essay, Indila’s “Love Story” stands as a symbol of harmony between language, culture, and human emotion that transcends borders. Through its gentle melody and evocative lyrics, the song reminds us that language is not merely a tool of communication but a bridge of feeling and understanding between nations—much like the growing connection between Indonesia and France.

REFERENCES

Fishman, J. A. (1972). The Sociology of Language. Newbury House Publishers.

Graddol, D. (2006). English Next. British Council.

Institut Français d'Indonésie. (2023). Rapport Annuel 2023. IFI Jakarta.

Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. (2022). La Langue Française dans le Monde. OIF.

United Nations. (2023). Official Languages of the United Nations. UN Publications.

Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 24 of 2009 on the National Flag, Language, Emblem, and Anthem.

Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2003 on the National Education System.

Weber, G. (1997). The World's 10 Most Influential Languages. Language Today, 2, 12–18.

Weinreich, U. (1953). Languages in Contact: Findings and Problems. Linguistic Circle of New York.

Zein, S. (2020). Language Policy in Superdiverse Indonesia. Routledge.

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Awaiting Al-Mahdi or Setting One’s Own House in Order?

Among the subjects that most readily animate discussion within Muslim communities—whether in scholarly circles, on social media, or in online forums—few rival the topic of the End of Times. The signs of the Final Hour, the emergence of Imam al-Mahdi, the coming of the Dajjal (the Antichrist), the descent of the Prophet ʿIsā (Jesus), peace be upon him, and various apocalyptic scenarios are debated with considerable fervour. Yet beneath this enthusiasm lies a more fundamental question: for what purpose did the Prophet ﷺ actually convey all of this? Was it to turn the Muslim community into passive spectators of history, patiently waiting for prophesied figures to appear? Or was it to galvanise believers into action—to reform themselves and their societies?

This is far from a merely academic question. It bears directly upon how a Muslim chooses to live: whether one’s energy is consumed by speculation about an uncertain future, or channelled into the very real and pressing work of self-improvement and service to others. The scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah have articulated a clear and coherent answer to this question—and that answer is far more practical than is often assumed.

The Five Phases of Leadership: Reading History, Not Predicting the Future

A fitting starting point for understanding the true purpose of these traditions is a report transmitted in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad from the companion Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān. In it, the Prophet ﷺ foretells that the history of Muslim governance will pass through five phases: prophethood (nubuwwah); a caliphate modelled upon prophethood (khilāfah ʿalā minhāj al-nubuwwah); a biting kingship (mulkan ʿaḍḍhan); a coercive kingship (mulkan jabrīyyan); and finally, a return of the caliphate upon the prophetic model.

Scholars have understood the first phase as the era of the Prophet ﷺ himself, when revelation was still descending and every aspect of communal life was guided directly by Divine instruction. This era represents the unrivalled ideal. The second phase is generally associated with the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs—Abū Bakr, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, and ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, radhiyallahu 'anhum—with some scholars including Hasan ibn ʿAlī (appointed caliph in 661 AD after the death of his father. He ruled for about 6 to 7 months before peacefully handing over the caliphate to Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan to prevent civil war—and was characterised by leadership chosen through consultation (shūrā), justice as its cornerstone, and authority regarded as a trust rather than a privilege.

The third and fourth phases—the “biting” and the “coercive” kingships—reflect a gradual departure from that ideal. Power became hereditary, consultation waned, authority grew centralised, and dissent was suppressed. Scholars are nonetheless careful to note that the third phase was not wholly dark: the spread of Islam, advances in learning, and the flourishing of civilisation continued within it. What was lost was not everything, but rather the spirit of shūrā and the austere simplicity that had marked the earliest caliphs.

The fifth phase—the return of a caliphate upon the prophetic model—is widely linked by scholars to the events of the End of Times, including the emergence of Imam al-Mahdi. Yet it must be noted that the Prophet ﷺ gave no specific name, date, or constitutional blueprint for this phase. This is precisely where many go astray: attempting to fill the silence with speculation, the identification of contemporary figures, or claims that lack any sound basis.

The most important lesson of this tradition, therefore, is not a map for determining which phase we presently inhabit. It is a reminder that human governance is ever-changing in form, whilst the Muslim’s duty remains constant: to have faith in Allah, to hold fast to the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ, to improve oneself, to uphold justice, and to remain steadfast until one meets Allah.

The Meanings and Wisdom Embedded in the Traditions of the End of Times

History Rests in Allah’s Hands

When the Prophet ﷺ foretold events yet to come—from the minor signs of the Final Hour to its great upheavals—this was not a mere display of supernatural knowledge. There is a profound theological message contained within: human history does not unfold without direction or purpose. Not a single event lies beyond the knowledge and will of Allah.

قُل لَّن يُصيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا

“Say: Nothing shall befall us save that which Allah has decreed for us.”

— Qur’ān, Sūrat al-Tawbah (9): 51

The traditions of the End of Times, therefore, instil serenity and trust in Allah (tawakkul), rather than panic or dread. A Muslim who truly grasps that Allah governs history will not be easily swept along by sensationalist narratives about imminent catastrophe, knowing that whatever comes to pass does so within His design.

 

Warning Against Tribulation, Not a Calendar of Its Arrival

The majority of the prophetic traditions concerning the End of Times consist of warnings about the various trials (fitan) that will afflict humanity: the appearance of impostors claiming prophethood, the spread of religious ignorance, the temptation of wealth, moral dissolution, and unjustified bloodshed. Most significantly, they speak of the Dajjāl—a figure of such danger that every prophet before Muhammad ﷺ was commanded to warn his people of him.

“There is not a single prophet but that he warned his community about the Dajjāl.”

— Recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

What must be carefully observed is that the purpose of these warnings is not to prompt the calculation of the Dajjāl’s arrival date, nor to draw up maps of his anticipated movements. The purpose is to enable believers to recognise the symptoms of tribulation and to keep their distance. The emphasis is on active vigilance, not passive identification.

A Call to Hasten in Good Deeds

One of the most direct traditions concerning the orientation Muslims should adopt in the face of the End of Times is the following saying of the Prophet ﷺ:

“Make haste in performing good deeds before tribulations descend like portions of a dark night.”

— Recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

Notice the urgency and the active voice of this command. The Prophet ﷺ did not say, “Sit and wait for those tribulations.” He said, “Make haste in good deeds.” This reveals the genuine orientation of all the traditions on the End of Times: not fatalistic passivity, but productive immediacy. The tribulations that lie ahead are intended to serve as a motivation for multiplying one’s good works, not as a pretext for resignation or for awaiting a saviour from the heavens.

Hope in the Midst of Darkness

The pedagogical wisdom of the Prophet ﷺ is evident in the balance with which he conveyed the news of the End of Times. On one side, he warned of tribulations and moral decline; on the other, he announced tidings to strengthen the heart: the appearance of Imam al-Mahdī bringing justice, the descent of the Prophet ʿIsā, the destruction of the Dajjāl, and the ultimate triumph of truth.

These glad tidings are not meant to generate speculative euphoria, but to plant a firm and enduring hope: that, however dire the state of the world becomes, Allah does not abandon His servants. His mercy is ever-present, and history shall ultimately conclude with His justice. A Muslim, for this reason, must never succumb to despair over the condition of the age. 

A Reminder of the World’s Transience

There is a profound dimension of renunciation (zuhd) embedded in the traditions of the End of Times. When the Prophet ﷺ conveyed that the whole of human civilisation—its kingdoms, its governments, its wealth, its technologies, its powers—will eventually perish, this was an invitation not to cling too dearly to the world at the expense of the Hereafter. Many classical scholars have linked the discourse on the End of Times with the theme of zuhd and preparation for one’s meeting with Allah, for both ultimately rest upon the same awareness: this world is transient, and what endures is only what one brings before Him.

Two Extremes to Be Avoided

In their approach to the traditions of the End of Times, Muslims frequently find themselves drawn to one of two equally mistaken poles. Understanding both is essential to adopting a sound position.

The first extreme is speculative obsession. A considerable number of people expend a great deal of time and energy on fixing the year of al-Mahdī’s emergence, accusing particular contemporary figures of being the Dajjāl, or drawing equivalences between every political development and a prophetic narration. Social media is saturated with such content, often packaged with dramatic effect. Yet scholars of the stature of Imam al-Nawawī, Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, and Ibn Kathīr have stated plainly that the signs of the Final Hour are matters to be believed, not instruments of groundless speculation. The Companions of the Prophet—who lived closest to the age of prophethood—were not preoccupied with such guesswork. They busied themselves with knowledge, worship, calling people to Islam, refinement of character, and building their communities.

The second extreme is dismissiveness. At the opposite end, some regard the traditions of the End of Times as irrelevant or unworthy of attention. This too is mistaken, for the Prophet ﷺ conveyed them with a clear intention: that the Muslim community might recognise and prepare for the trials that lie ahead. To disregard these warnings is akin to entering perilous terrain without provisions.

The More Important Question: “What Have You Prepared?”

There is a brief exchange preserved in both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that may well be the most eloquent response to the entirety of this discussion. A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked:

“When will the Final Hour come?”

Rather than answering with a time, the Prophet ﷺ replied with a question of his own:

“What have you prepared for it?”

— Recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

This response is remarkable for the way it redirects attention from the question of timing to the question of personal readiness. For most human beings, their personal “final hour”—death—arrives long before the great eschatological events. What is therefore most pressing is not knowing when al-Mahdī will emerge or when the Dajjāl will appear. What is most pressing is this: whether one’s prayers are sound, whether one’s heart is free from its hidden maladies, whether one has repented from accumulated sins, whether one has discharged the rights owed to others, and whether one’s provisions for meeting Allah are sufficient.

A Productive Response: From the Individual to Society

Translated into concrete action, the approach of the mainstream Sunnī scholarly tradition to the traditions of the End of Times produces an agenda that is strikingly immediate—rooted not in the realm of speculation, but in the fabric of everyday life.

At the individual level, the priorities are clear: to rectify one’s creed and purge it of deviation, to maintain and improve the quality of one’s prayer, to seek repentance frequently, to pursue sound religious knowledge, and to continually refine one’s character. At the level of the family, the focus shifts to raising children upon a firm religious foundation, guarding the household from the moral tribulations that press upon it from all sides, and cultivating an atmosphere of Qur’ānic recitation and remembrance of Allah within the home. At the level of society, the responsibilities extend to upholding justice, defending the vulnerable, combating corruption and oppression, and spreading both knowledge and moral refinement.

None of this is an agenda that awaits the coming of al-Mahdī to be set in motion. It is an agenda that can—and must—be commenced today, by anyone, wherever they may be.

Conclusion

Having traced the various dimensions of the prophetic traditions on the End of Times, the answer to the question posed in this essay’s title becomes considerably clearer. Awaiting al-Mahdī and setting one’s own house in order are not mutually exclusive. Yet if one must identify the primary orientation, the scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah have answered without equivocation: it is self-reform.

For al-Mahdī—should Allah ordain his appearance—will not come to those who have done nothing but wait. He will arrive into a particular moment in history, and those fortunate enough to be counted amongst his companions will be those who had already prepared themselves: whose creed was sound, whose deeds were consistent, whose character was noble, and whose contribution to their communities was real.

The practical message bequeathed by generations of scholars from the entire treasury of these prophetic traditions may be distilled into a single sentence: be a servant of Allah who is ready should al-Mahdī arrive, and equally ready should you depart this world before he does.

For in the end, what will be asked of us before Allah is not how accurate our analysis of the signs of the Final Hour was. What will be asked is: what did you prepare?

Bibliography 

1. Al-Bukhārī, Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl. Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. Beirut: Dār Ibn Kathīr, 1407 AH. [Traditions concerning the Dajjāl; the ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib narration on preparation for the Final Hour]

2. Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj. Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʼ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, n.d. [Traditions on hastening to perform good deeds before tribulation; the narration on preparation for the Final Hour; traditions concerning the Dajjāl] 

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4. Al-Nawawī, Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf. Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʼ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, 1392 AH. 

5. Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī. Fatḥ al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. Beirut: Dār al-Maʿrifah, 1379 AH. 

6. Ibn Kathīr, Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUmar. Al-Nihāyah fī al-Fitan wa’l-Malāḥim. Beirut: Maktabat al-Manār al-Islāmīyah, 1988. 

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