This chapter is important because it also talks about the Abomination of Desolation. I have written more about the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel in Revelation 9 & 12, here.

This chapter is often regarded as one of the most difficult passages in Scripture. In this chapter, the reader will frequently come across the word ‘he’. It must be understood that who ‘he’ is, changes verse to verse. It is frequently kingdoms, and occasionally individuals. Sometimes there is a clear statement or signal to indicate that there has been a change between rulers or locations, and sometimes not. The King of the North and King of the South are frequently mentioned, however their identity is not consistent.

Most scholars agree that the focus on the progress of Islam begins at either verse 21 or verse 36. However, since we know that the Abomination of Desolation is constructed by Islam, we will use verse 21 as the starting point.

Brief overview

While the chapter describes events in a mostly chronological fashion, there is a bit of too and fro as passages give an overview and then subsequent passages fill in detail, creating the misleading impression of events out of sequence.

Verse by verse explanation

This is one of many explanations regarding the fulfilment by Islam.

	21 “In his place a despised person will arise; royal honours will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
	Mohammad arises but he never seeks “royal” power or authority. This is not a legitimate transfer of power or influence. Mohammad seized the kingdom. Initially, he obtained power through secretly demolishing all the idols in Mecca at a peaceful time. But he fled and built his follower base in Medina.
	22 A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they will be broken, as well as the covenant prince.
	This summarises the conquests of Muhammad and Islam. Muhammad lead and/or planned 81 battles. And while he personally never defeated Jerusalem, the Caliph Umar Ibn al-Khattab did. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Sophronius, was the ruler of Jerusalem and leader of the church. He wrote and travelled extensively to defend orthodox positions, especially on the God/man natures of Christ. AD.637 Sophronius eventually surrendered to Umar, and after hearing Umar’s plans for the temple mount, declared that it was the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel. As a condition of surrender, Sophronius obtained a guarantee that the holy places would be spared destruction. However, this was betrayed, and Sophronius died in grief over their desecration (see verse 31).
	23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation.
	The treaty signed was called the Pact of Umar, and basically is a licence to abuse and destroy Christians. Mohammad started with a band of just a flew followers, but he broke or betrayed most pacts. Mohammand taught that truces were just to provide more time to get more resources to defeat your enemies.
	24 During a time of peace, he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.
	Muhammad’s method of recruiting the poor was to promise to share the booty equally with his followers. This was unprecedented compared to other armies at the time. This was continued with all the caliphs. Mohammad died in AD.632, but ultimately did not succeed in capturing many. His followers in the years subsequent captured many fortified cities. Ibn Ishaq:3261 “Allah said, ‘No Prophet before Muhammad took booty from his enemy nor prisoners for ransom.’ Muhammad said, ‘I was made victorious with terror. The earth was made a place for me to clean. I was given the most powerful words. Booty was made lawful for me. I was given the power to intercede. These five privileges were awarded to no prophet before me.’“
	25 “With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he [the king of the South] will not succeed, because plots will be made against him.
	AD. 639-645 Islam moved against Byzantine Egypt and conquered it. Heraclius (the emperor) and Cyrus the ruler of Egypt was oppressive and many plots were made to overthrow him. It is said that a Coptic soldier, seeing the size of the Muslim force, expressed amazement that such a small force could stand against the Emperor’s army (this is before the Caliph sent reinforcements). Cyrus (governor) sent ‘Amr an envoy, including the Chalcedonian Bishop of Babylon, with the message ‘You and your army have invaded our country, and seem bent on fighting us. Your stay in the land is long, no doubt: but you are a small force, far outnumbered by the Romans, who are well-equipped and well-armed. Now too you are surrounded by the waters of the Nile, and are in fact captives in our hand. It would be well for you therefore to send envoys with any proposals you wish to make for an agreement, before the Romans overwhelm you. Then it will be too late, and you will regret your error.‘ There, the Muslim advance to Alexandria was blocked by a Byzantine force about 20,000 strong, but ultimately won. On 22 December, Cyrus of Alexandria entered a treaty with the Muslims, recognizing Muslim sovereignty over the whole of Egypt. Cyrus asked Heraclius to ratify the treaty and offered an argument in support. Upon hearing about this, Heraclius was furious and sent Cyrus a letter full of insults, calling him an abject coward and a heathen and asking whether 100,000 Romans were a match for 12,000 barbarians.
	26 Those who eat his provisions will destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain.
	Two caliphs were assassinated by their own people, one after another. The first was the assassination of the 3rd Caliph Uthman ibn Affan was assassinated by subjects who had come to see him to complain about a governor. The second, the assassination of the 4th Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Ali’s own soldiers accused him of blasphemy for leaving the arbitration of the feud between Ali and Muawiyah I, both who wanted to be Caliph (AD.657). Many were won back, but many left and became known as Khawarij (lit. ’those who leave’). The Kharijites denounced Ali as caliph, declared him, his followers, and the Syrians as infidels. They declared the blood of such infidels to be licit, and committed many murders, apparently not even sparing women. Ali was eventually assassinated (AD.661) by Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Amr ibn Muljam al-Muradi, an Egyptian Kharijite.
	27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.
	There are two possible explanations for this & both are satisfactory: Byzantine and Sasinid rulers AD.628-658 Byzantine Emperor Heraclius and Persian Shah Khosrow II did attempt peace negotiations during the Byzantine-Sasanian War. The prolonged conflict between the Byzantine Empire and the Persian Empire resulted in significant losses and exhaustion for both sides, leading to a desire for a resolution. Around the year 628, after a series of back-and-forth campaigns and territorial gains, Heraclius sent emissaries to Khosrow II with a proposal for peace. The Byzantine emperor offered significant concessions, including the return of territories and the payment of a large indemnity. These negotiations eventually led to the signing of the Peace of Dara in 628. The Peace of Dara marked a temporary cessation of hostilities between the Byzantines and the Persians. However, the peace was short-lived, as internal conflicts and power struggles within the Persian Empire, along with external pressures from the rising Islamic forces, further destabilised the region. The peace agreement was ultimately broken, and the war resumed until the decisive victories of the Byzantine forces under Heraclius in 627-628, which significantly weakened the Persian Empire, which ultimately fell. Competition to become Caliph after the assassination of Uthman c.AD.657 Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and Muawiyah I, the governor of Syria and a prominent member of the Umayyad clan. Both tried to claim the caliphate after the assassination of the 3rd caliph Uthman ibn Affan. The most significant attempt at a peace negotiation between Ali and Muawiyah took place at the Battle of Siffin in AD 657. The two sides agreed to arbitration to settle the dispute, and representatives from both camps were chosen to act as arbitrators. However, the arbitration process itself became mired in controversy and disagreement, leading to further division and ultimately the breakdown of the negotiation. This resulted in the continuation of the conflict between the two sides. Ali was eventually assassinated for his approach to dealing with the conflict.
	28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; he will take action, then return to his own land.
	This refers to the successful military campaigns of Emperor Heraclius against the Persians above. After suffering initial defeats, Heraclius launched a counter-offensive and managed to regain several territories, including Jerusalem, which was considered a significant victory. However, despite his military successes, his later policies strained relations with the Christian population, especially due to his religious compromises and attempts to reconcile with the Monophysite Christians. During Heraclius’s reign, the Christian world was deeply divided by theological disputes, particularly the conflict between the Chalcedonian and Monophysite factions. Heraclius, seeking to restore religious unity within the empire, pursued a policy of religious compromise known as Monothelitism. Monothelitism was a theological doctrine that aimed to find a middle ground between the Chalcedonian position (which affirmed two distinct natures, divine and human, in Christ) and the Monophysite position (which emphasised the unity of Christ’s nature at the expense of his humanity). Heraclius, influenced by Sergius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, issued the Ecthesis in 638, which proclaimed the acceptance of Monothelitism as the official imperial doctrine.
	29 “At the appointed time he will come again to the South, but this time will not be like the first.
	In this verse, “he” refers to Islam not the King of the North. The Battle of Qadisiyyah in 636 CE marked a significant turning point in the conflict between Islam and the Persian empire. It was a major battle fought between the Rashidun Caliphate under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid and the Persian Empire led by General Rustam. The Arab Muslim forces emerged victorious, leading to the conquest of key Persian territories. Following the Battle of Qadisiyyah, the Muslim forces continued their advances into Persian territories. The cities of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Persian Empire, and Babylon fell to the Arab Muslims in subsequent years. In 642 CE, the Battle of Nahavand took place, which is often considered the final blow to the Persian Empire. The Muslim forces, led by Numan ibn Muqarrin, defeated the Persian army, and the city of Nahavand was captured.
	30 Ships of Kittim will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favour those who abandon the holy covenant.
	Byzantium and Rome could not continue to see Islam expand, and a naval army was brought against Islam. One particular naval conflict between the Byzantine Empire and the early Islamic forces was the Byzantine-Arab War of 674-678 AD. During this conflict, the Arab Muslim forces, led by the Rashidun Caliphate, launched a series of invasions against the Byzantine Empire, aiming to capture Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) and expand their territories. The Arab Muslims assembled a formidable fleet, including ships from their own naval forces and additional vessels provided by their North African allies. They conducted a major naval siege of Constantinople, seeking to blockade the city and cut off its supplies. However, the Byzantine Empire, under the leadership of Emperor Constantine IV, prepared a strong defense and employed various strategies to counter the Arab naval threat. The Byzantines utilized a combination of their own navy, the use of Greek fire (a highly effective incendiary weapon), and other defensive measures. The Byzantine navy, despite being outnumbered, successfully repelled the Arab Muslim forces and inflicted heavy losses upon them. The superior naval tactics and the defensive capabilities of the Byzantines played a crucial role in forcing the Arab fleet to retreat and abandon their siege of Constantinople, although a massive storm that sank many ships in the Arab fleet no doubt played a significant role in determining that Allah was not on their side at this time. By incentivizing conversions, the caliphs sought to create a more cohesive and united empire. In some cases, converted Jews and Christians were granted privileges and favorable treatment within the Muslim society, such as exemption from certain taxes and access to higher positions in the administration.
	31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the regular sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.
	We know that this is not fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes despite what many commentators claim. Jesus said this was future from his time. To see a comparison between candidates for the Abomination, refer to the Start AD. 637 By the time Islam conquered Jerusalem, it was a fortress, having been rebuilt after the Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem who captured it from the Byzantians in AD.614, who recaptured it in AD.622. Caliph Umar told Sophronius of his plans for the Dome of the Rock, at which Sophronius declared that it was the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel. The Dome of the Rock started construction in AD.688, although the ground was cleared of the Church that had been built on the site as early as AD.684. It is indeed interesting that a significant scholar living in Jerusalem did not consider AD.70 as the Abomination of Desolation. This is explained in more detail here.
	32 With flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong and take action. 33 Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to many, yet they will fall by the sword and flame, and they will be captured and plundered for a time. 34 When they fall, they will be helped by some, but many others will join them insincerely. 35 Some of those who have insight will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. 36 “Then the king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, because what has been decreed will be accomplished. 37 He will not show regard for the gods of his ancestors, the god desired by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above all. 38 Instead, he will honour a god of fortresses—a god his ancestors did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. 39 He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honour those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.
	Verses 32-39 stop prophesying specific events but focus on the type of kingdom/empire that this final beast has. This suggests a significant break in time between the events of verse 31 with verse 40 onwards. Mohammad and subsequent Caliphs attempted to persuade Christians that Muhammad was the final prophet and that he was anointed by God, who they called Allah. Incentives were frequently provided to encourage people to betray fellow Christians. Mohammad, despite claiming that he was only a prophet, he declared himself the greatest of prophets. While Mohammad never personally stepped foot on the Temple Mount, he did claim to have supernaturally travelled there in a vision. His followers/empire did however magnify him above every god, and say outrageous things against God. The Dome of the Rock (the Abomination of Desolation) was erected to celebrate his ascension to heaven to lead the saints, patriarchs, and Jesus in prayer. The Dome’s inscription denies that God has a Son and that it is an affront to declare Jesus is the Son of God. This declaration and Abomination will be successful until the time of wrath is complete (Daniel 9:27 – 2 This also suggests that verses 41 onwards are immediately at the time at the end of the wrath, or some time after that. Pre-Islam Arabic society was poly-theistic. Mohammad’s family were the guardians of the idols in the Kaaba in Mecca. Mohammad destroyed all the idols except for Allah who was a very minor deity among many, many idols. Mohammad elevated himself and Allah above all other prophets or gods. Mohammad himself is described as “the perfect man” and claims to be greater than Jesus, who he claims to have lead in prayer in heaven. Islam infamously does not care about women; equating them with dogs and donkeys. Women annul a man’s prayers, and according to Islam, are the majority of people in hell. Allah describes himself as a god of war, a destroyer – it is one of his names – and became the god of the Arabs. This is the fulfilment of Revelation 13:4 – “And they worshipped the dragon (Allah) which gave power unto the beast (Mohammad/Islam): and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” Mohammad and the caliphs offered booty for participating in the battles, and offered rulerships and gave them much land and booty.
	40 “At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the beautiful land, and many will fall. But these will escape from his power: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of the Ammonites. 42 He will extend his power against the countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape. 43 He will get control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt. The Libyans and Cushites will also be in submission.44 But reports from the east and the north will terrify him, and he will go out with great fury to annihilate and completely destroy many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, but he will meet his end with no one to help him.
	This concludes the time break between verse 31 and verse 40 by “At the time of the end…”. If the Abomination was in AD70 or in AD688-692, there is a break until the “time of the end”. Whether that time is a reference to the end immediately before the 1000 years at the battle of Armageddon, or after the 1000 years such as the Gog/Magog war, or whether this is a reference to the USA, as the King of the North dominating the middle east, particularly from 1991-2022, is unclear. However, some scholars believe this is a reference to the Ottoman empire’s expansion and collapse.3 Alternatively, others believe this is a reference to the Caliph Umar who defeated Egypt, Libya, and made inroads into conquering Cush. Yet others believe this conclusion refers to Saladin his conquering of Egypt, Libya, and parts of Cush, of his and his defeat and loss of Ashkelon by King Richard. Saladin died the following year virtually penniless, not even having enough money for his own funeral expenses.

Further Reading:

Daniel Chapter 11 – The Most Detailed Prophecy In The Bible Of The 2520-year Period Known As The “Times of the Gentiles”

https://daniel11truth.com/daniel-11-explained-condensed-commentary.htm

1. Ibn Ishaq was an 8th century historian and hagiographer, he collected sayings and quotes of Mohammad and is considered authoritative.”
2. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate – Daniel 9:27.
3. https://neohistoricism.net/2018/09/27/daniel-chapter-11-the-most-detailed-prophecy-in-the-bible-of-the-2520-year-period-known-as-the-times-of-the-gentiles/