About Me

My name is Timothy R. Furnish and I'm a Ph.D. in Islamic history (Ohio State, 2001) who works as a consultant, researcher and author on the topics of Islam, Mahdism, Jihadism, Shi`ism, other Islamic sects, the Caliphate and Eschatology in general. During the Reagan years I was an Arabic linguist in the 101st Airborne Division; later I was commissioned and trained as a (Christian) Army chaplain, although eventually opting for an academic, rather than a military-pastoral, career. My personal research specializations are Islamic eschatology (end of time beliefs), Mahdism, Islamic fundamentalism, jihadism, the Hidden Imam and how all of these relate to modern politics. I am also a huge J.R.R. Tolkien fan and writing, believe it or not, a new book on the military and political history of Middle-earth. I live near Atlanta, Georgia.
A one-page PDF "media card" of my publications, lectures, TV and radio appearances (with relevant embedded links) is below:

Doctorate in Islamic/Middle Eastern, African and World history (Ohio State, 2001)
Consultant to US Special Operations Command and Intelligence Community
Specializations: Islamic sects and movements, jihad, political Islam, Mahdism (Islamic messianism), Islamic eschatology (End of Time beliefs), Iran, Islam in Africa, Sufism, Shi`ism
Books: Sects, Lies, and the Caliphate: 10 Years of Observations on Islam
Ten Years' Captivation with the Mahdi's Camps: Essays on Muslim Eschatology, 2005-2015
Holiest Wars: Islamic Mahdis, their Jihads, and Osama bin Laden
Popular articles in: “The Weekly Standard,” “History News Network,” “The Washington Times,” “PJ Media,” “The Lutheran Witness,” “Frontpagemag,” “Atlanta Journal & Constitution.”
Scholarly articles in: “Journal of International Security Affairs,” “Middle East Quarterly,” “World Alamanac of Islamism,” “Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis,” “Journal of the Psychological Operations Association.”
Lectures: Hudson Institute, Hebrew University (Israel), Haifa University (Israel), US Army War College, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Rice University, Islamic Centre of England, Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Israel), Mahdism Conference in Iran, Joint Special Operations University, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Combatting Terrorism Technical Support Office, Defense Institute for Security Assistance Management, Georgia State University, Concordia University-Irvine, Madison Forum, Georgia Tea Party.
Media: Fox News Channel, FNC "Greta: Investigates ISIS," Israel Public Radio, al-Jazeera, BBC-Ireland, Radio Liberty, Janet Parshall Show, Janet Mefferd Show, Bill Bennett’s “Morning in America," Alan Colmes' Radio Show, “Studio A” (St. Louis), “The Martha Zoller Show” (Gainesville, GA), “The Denny Shaffer Show” (Atlanta), “Chuck Morse Speaks” (Internet radio), “Glazov Gang” (Internet radio).
Contact Info:
Email: trfurnish@reagan.com
Twitter: @Occidentaljihad

Doctorate in Islamic/Middle Eastern, African and World history (Ohio State, 2001)

Consultant to US Special Operations Command and Intelligence Community

Specializations: Islamic sects and movements, jihad, political Islam, Mahdism (Islamic messianism), Islamic eschatology (End of Time beliefs), Iran, Islam in Africa, Sufism, Shi`ism

Books: Sects, Lies, and the Caliphate: 10 Years of Observations on Islam

Popular articles in: “The Weekly Standard,” “History News Network,” “The Washington Times,” “PJ Media,” “The Lutheran Witness,” “Frontpagemag,” “Atlanta Journal & Constitution.”

Scholarly articles in: “Journal of International Security Affairs,” “Middle East Quarterly,” “World Alamanac of Islamism,” “Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis,” “Journal of the Psychological Operations Association.”

Contact Info:

Email: trfurnish@reagan.com

Twitter: @Occidentaljihad