Inside the UK Doomsday Cult Where Parents Are Moving In—and Giving Up Everything

In the quiet town of Crewe, England, a red-brick former orphanage is now home to what experts are calling one of the most dangerous internet-age doomsday cults—and it’s attracting families from around the world. At the center is Abdullah Hashem, a self-styled religious leader who proclaims himself both the Mahdi—a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology—and “the new Pope.” His movement, called the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), is preaching the imminent end of days—and asking followers to sell their homes, hand over their assets, and join him for salvation.

“It’s the only thing that will save you from the punishment that is about to come,” Abdullah Hashem, both the Mahdi and the New Pope, says in one of many high-production videos blasted across YouTube, TikTok, and two satellite TV networks. The group’s media machine is slick, multilingual, and relentless—part spiritual awakening, part psychological warfare.

What makes AROPL especially alarming is how it targets families and children. As reported by VICE, at least a dozen children are being homeschooled within the cult’s Crewe UK headquarters. Parents are uprooting their lives, leaving jobs, and surrendering all financial independence to live under Hashem’s command.

Former members describe an atmosphere of control, manipulation, and fear. One ex-follower recalled being told he was the reincarnated Zeus, and claims to have given over $200,000, including loans and business proceeds, to fund the cult’s operations. “He’s asking for absolute submission,” the man said. “I was tricked and scammed.”

Male followers copy Abdullah Hashem’s dark, beanie-wearing aesthetic, while women in testimonials speak of finding “husbands” in the community and pledging eternal loyalty to Hashem. Devotees recite chilling oaths on TikTok: “Upon this I shall live. Upon this, I shall die.”

Abdullah Hashem’s teachings blend Islamic prophecy with science fiction-level absurdity—including claims of alien overlords, shapeshifters, and giant talking rabbits ruling distant planets. His past includes exposing other cults, only to morph into one of the most charismatic and controlling figures on the religious fringe.

Despite the outlandish beliefs, the consequences are real. AROPL (Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light) has millions in assets, a growing global influence, and is increasingly under scrutiny. Former members allege spiritual abuse and financial coercion. Activists and cult-watchers warn that the group checks every box for a high-control doomsday movement, especially with minors involved.

Still, the cult maintains it is a “peaceful and progressive” spiritual organization persecuted by Islamic governments. In a statement to VICE, AROPL (Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light) denied any wrongdoing and said it is “open, lawful, and committed to human rights.”

But with a growing number of desperate families handing over everything, the line between salvation and exploitation is blurring fast, with a claim of being the Mahdi and the New Pope.

Here is a detailed story that appeared in Vice.