Al Jazeera: Sir, at the outset I would like to express our pleasure at being able to have this conversation with you. At the beginning, let me also explain that our programme is called “A Special Visit”. The first question I would like to pose has to do with the pseudonym you chose for yourself, Harun [Aaron] Yahya [John], which are the names of two prophets. Why did you choose them?
Adnan Oktar: I made a sudden decision [in choosing my pseudonym]. One of them was the helper of Moses [Musa], and the other of Jesus [Isa]. In respect of their memories, I asked myself what kind of pseudonym to use. After having looked in the Qur’an, I pondered this question for a little while, and picked this name. And it has stayed that way.
Al Jazeera: Was the reason you chose a name such as Harun Yahya to point to a link between Judaism and Islam, or was there another reason?
Adnan Oktar: No no. Moses [Musa] was a prophet of Islam. Aaron [Harun] was also a prophet of Islam. Jesus [Isa] was also a prophet of Islam. John [Yahya] was also a prophet of Islam. They were all Muslim prophets. There is therefore no connection at all with Judaism.
Al Jazeera: Sir, we will return to these topics at a later stage, but for now all I know about you is that your ancestors were migrants from the Caucasus. We would like to get to know you a bit better, would you therefore tell us a little about your family and yourself?
Adnan Oktar: Yes, my roots go back to the Caucasus. I am a Sayyid [descendants of the Prophet Muhammad] from the Caucasus. My family line goes back to the family line of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). I am a Sayyid on my father’s side. My mother’s side is also of Caucasian descent. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, my ancestors migrated to Turkey. I completed my primary, secondary and high school education in Ankara. For translation, should I relate these things in a concise manner, or do you want me to go into further detail?
Al Jazeera: Do not worry about these things Sir, but it would be best if you could keep your replies brief. But, we will not cut into your answers, and you should therefore feel comfortable.
Adnan Oktar: In 1979 I came third in the Academy of Fine Arts exam. The department of painting. And the department of interior design. At that time, I moved to Istanbul, together with my family, in 1979. We came here, and after having studied at the Academy for a while, I transferred to the Philosophy Department of the University of Istanbul. I started working on my writing career after having studied at the Philosophy Department for a while. Can I have that, please? Thank you. Thus it was that I started my writing career. Books and CD’s, I started bringing out works like that. And I have continued doing so ever since.
Al Jazeera: It appears that your ancestry is from the Caucasus, and they were Sayyids, but at the same time, they lived under modest circumstances, in other words, they did not have a lot of money. But they were pious people. For example, your father, was he a pious man?
Adnan Oktar: He was a pious man in the traditional sense of the word. In other words, he did not perform his 5 daily ritual prayers [namaz], but he attended the Friday prayer. But he possessed a deep respect for religion. He would read the Qur’an from time to time. When we were small, when we were children, he would take us to the mosque. He familiarized us with the mosque. He was a pious man in that sense.
Al Jazeera: Is there any religious book which was a major influence on you , do you remember such a thing? Did you maybe read a book which exercised a deep influence over you afterwards so that later on you turned to religion. Did you go through such an experience?
Adnan Oktar: There is a collection of the works of the renowned figure Said Nursî, titled the Risale-i Nur Collection. It is very famous in Turkey, very well-known. It is also well-known in a number of Islamic countries. At first, I was influenced by these works. But I also like Imam Rabbani. I read his books. I also read the works of al-Ghazali. I read Ibn Abidin. I read the works of Ibn Abidin. But I read [Islamic] catechisms [ilmihal] most of all. There is a complete catechism [ilmihal] by Omer Nasuhi Bilmen. It is very famous in Turkey, very well-known. I read these books as basic texts.
Al Jazeera: As such, the influence of al-Ghazali in your works is very clear. Because he started out from doubt and arrived at certainty. You have also gone about your work in this way.
Adnan Oktar: Yes, indeed.
Al Jazeera: When people see you in your fine clothes, they immediately realize that you are a very rich person. Is it your intention to present Islam in this way? Do you want to give people a rich impression of Islam?
Adnan Oktar: Naturally, in the Qur’an the story of Solomon’s [Sulayman (as)] life is told, is celebrated. When the Queen of Sheba visited him in his palace, she converted [to Islam], she was influenced by the brilliance of his palace. This is a sign that Muslims use magnificence and splendor in their presentations [of their faith]. Moreover, in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), there was a saintly figure known as Dihyah; he was a very handsome man and was even sent to Constantinople (Istanbul) as an envoy. He dressed in the utmost elegance and style. When the Prophet Muhammad was to meet foreign envoys he would also dress very finely and richly. This is something which is anchored in the spirit of Islam.
Al Jazeera: Sir, are you rich? Are you very wealthy? If you are rich, how did you come by your wealth? How did you make your fortune?
Adnan Oktar: As an individual, I am involved in commerce. I have my own commercial interests. But my circle of friends is also very wealthy. In other words, they are mostly businessmen. They earn good money, thanks be to Allah and praise be upon Allah. But they all use their money in the way of Allah, not in order to increase their personal wealth, they use their money in a way pleasing to Allah. I also spend my money in this way.
Adnan Oktar: I have no possessions registered in my name. I do not possess a house, a car, or comparable possessions registered in my name, either in Turkey or abroad. But I earn a lot of money, and I spend it just as I earn it for the benefit of Islam.
Al Jazeera: But it is also plain to see that you benefit from your own wealth as well. That is obvious from your clothes.
Adnan Oktar: But of course. In that sense, of course. If I did not use it myself then there would be no meaning to it, it is a powerful tool in the presentation of Islam, it is a vehicle and highly useful as such. A Muslim should be powerful in every regard. From the point of view of reason, culture, knowledge and material benefits, he has to be perfect and superior in every regard so that he can successfully present Islam as well. The Qur’an points to this. And we can also see this in the Messenger of Allah.
Al Jazeera: Sir, let us now turn to the books that you have written. There is a book of yours called The Evolution Deceit. You mention a lot of things in that book. You claim that racism, fascism and materialism as well as terror all stem from this theory, the theory of evolution.
Adnan Oktar: Yes.
Al Jazeera: Sir, would you mind expanding a bit on this. Could you maybe explain the link between terror and the theory of evolution?
Adnan Oktar: Darwin states that life consists of a struggle between the weak and the strong. In other words, the strong always conquer the weak, and consequently the strong survive. There is a belief system in place that maintains such ideas. When people applied this theory to social Darwinism, it meant that the side which is powerful in a military sense, in a political sense, in a technical sense, will always prevail over the side which is weak, and will obliterate them and rule over them. These ideas can be found at the root of Hitler’s thinking, of Mussolini’s thinking. Marxism also has the idea of thesis/anti-thesis at its heart. In other words, a certain thesis is put forward, an anti-thesis emerges in reaction to this thesis and a struggle between the two ensues. There is constant conflict, a constant struggle, this therefore leads to bloodshed. It is an idea of life as a constant struggle. As a result, fascism and communism have a mutual base and both sprang from Darwinism.
Al Jazeera: Now, in our own day there are quite a few voices, in the West as well as in certain Islamic countries, that say that terror has its roots in Islam. Has terror developed in that way? And is there a connection between the two in your opinion?
Adnan Oktar: The structure of Islam is built upon [the principles of] love, clemency, mercy, friendship, protection, [and] succoring of the weak. As a result, Islam is completely closed to terror. Those who utter this offensive calumny [against Islam] are pursuing a nonsensical claim, and noone actually believes them.
Al Jazeera: Do you, for example, defend Bin Laden?
Adnan Oktar: I do not defend Bin Laden, of course. I do not accept his position as he has launched his movement as an act of terror. Cultural supremacy, intellectual supremacy, will soon lead the world to accept Islam. In other words, there is no reason to attempt to do this with the help of weapons. You can easily achieve this goal by intellectual means. Look, that is the struggle we are engaged in, the struggle to defeat the philosophy which has sprung up in connection with Darwinism, and it will subsequently lead to the further advance of Islam. That is something that can be achieved by means of an intellectual struggle. This can, for example, clearly be seen in the case of Turkey. In Turkey today, the number of those who do not believe in Darwinism has risen to 90%. In other words, these are not the kind of results you can achieve through armed struggle. It is something to be achieved by means of an intellectual campaign. For example, in Turkey there is the terrorism associated with the PKK. But the solution to that cannot be achieved by means of force. One also needs to engage in an intellectual struggle [against the ideas propagated by the PKK]. Results can be achieved very easily by means of an intellectual campaign. If the world were engaged in an intellectual struggle, Islam would become dominant all over the world in a period of 5 to 10 years. It is completely incomprehensible, completely pointless to engage civilized people, people who are open to [new] ideas, in an armed struggle, when there is the possibility of engaging them with the help of culture and information.
Al Jazeera: Sir, could you give an example of the successes that you have achieved? Could you provide us with an example of an activity of yours, maybe in the intellectual struggle against Darwinism or against the PKK, which has been effective? Could you give us an example of one of your successes?
Adnan Oktar: In the past, the left was always dominant in Turkey. After having opposed Darwinism in a forceful way, the right has now started to enjoy a position of total dominance. This is [an example of] a clear success [we achieved] in Turkey. That is the first of our successes. The PKK has started to lose [wide] popular support. That was after we initiated our activities which stressed the true face of the PKK, its Marxist, materialist face. Later, after we explained the invalidity of Darwinism, the PKK suffered a major loss of political support. This has been very apparent in recent times. If you take a look at the general picture of Turkey, this can be seen in a clear and open fashion.
Al Jazeera: I understand that you support Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Adnan Oktar: I do not just support Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, I support the whole of the right [in the political arena]. I support Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, I also support the MHP [Party of National Unity], I also support the Saadet Partisi [Felicity Party]. I support all the right-wing parties in Turkey. In other words, I support any party that defends belief in Allah.
Al Jazeera: Sir, I would like to ask you a question so that our viewers can understand you better. How do you practice your faith? Do you, for example, perform the 5 daily ritual prayers? Do you fast? Have you performed the pilgrimage to Mecca? How do you practice Islam?
Adnan Oktar: I belong to the People of the Sunnah. I follow the Hanafi School. I perform my 5 daily ritual prayers. My friends do, too, as well as my friends in my wider circle [perform the 5 daily ritual prayers]. I fast, as do my friends. I perform all the requirements of the Ahl al-Sunnah, everything which is fardh [an obligatory religious duty]. I cannot discharge all the Sunnah duties. But I perform all those acts of worship which are fardh [obligatory].
Al Jazeera: What are the duties in the Sunnah that you cannot practice? Which are not fardh?
Adnan Oktar: As you can see [from looking at me], quite a few things pertaining to the Sunnah are lacking.
Al Jazeera: Do you do that on purpose?
Adnan Oktar: Of course.
Al Jazeera: Why?
Adnan Oktar: To display an attitude which is compatible with the people around is the most reasonable way to give a religious message. This is the most rational method of being able to establish contact with the people around me.
Al Jazeera: Sir, I have tried to read your books. I obtained a lot of information from them, particularly in connection with the second coming of the Prophet Isa (as). You mention that with his second coming the Prophet Isa (as) will spread Islam throughout the world. Do you see the second coming of the Prophet Isa (as) as a certainty? Do you think that it is really going to happen?
Adnan Oktar: Of course. Definitely.
Al Jazeera: So, at his second coming, will he practice Islam? How will that take place?
Adnan Oktar: The second coming of the Prophet Isa (as) is an evident certainty, which has been related by the most reliable [sahih] sayings of the Prophet (saas) [hadith], sayings that cannot be denied, as well as in numerous Qur’anic verses. Allah says that “He is the sign of the Hour”. In another verse, Allah states "There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in him before he dies; and on the Day of Rising he will be a witness against them.” For this reason, his second coming is irrefutable. The second coming of the Prophet Isa (as) is a certainty. The appearance of the Mahdi [the guide who will appear in the company of Prophet Isa (as) at the End Times] is also certain. Nearly all of the portents of the End Times have taken place. We are now awaiting the appearance of the Mahdi. We are also awaiting the descent of the Prophet Isa (as). The portents of this, hundreds of portents, have taken place. This cannot be denied. If they had not happened, there might be room for doubt, but they have all come about, they have all come about in such a way as to leave no room for doubt.
Al Jazeera: Sir, we will return to the coming of the Mahdi, but first I would like to deal with the Messiah. Let’s talk about the Prophet Isa (as). Will the Prophet Isa be a Christian again when he returns? Or will he be a Muslim? Will he practice Islam or Christianity?
Adnan Oktar: In various hadith, we are told that he is a hafidh [someone who knows the Qur’an by heart]. The Prophet Isa (as) will know the Qur’an by heart. He will of course be a Muslim. He will come [to the world] as a Muslim. It is said that he will kill the cross and the pig upon his return. In other words, he will break the cross, he will obliterate the erroneous [belief] system which Christians have been following, he will act in accordance with the rules of that which is lawful [halal] and that which is unlawful [haram] and he will perform the prayer [namaz] behind the Mahdi. In his time, Islam will become the dominant force in the world.
Al Jazeera: Where did you read that he would break the cross?
Adnan Oktar: There are a number of collections of hadith which are very sound [sahih]. This is very clear. In the collections of Abu Muslim. And also in all the other collections of hadith.
Al Jazeera: Sir, do you know Arabic? Can you read Arabic?
Adnan Oktar: No, I do not know Arabic. But I can pick out certain words, of course.
Al Jazeera: Sir, there are those who criticize you for not knowing Arabic. They question the validity of your analyses of Islam given your lack of Arabic. What would you say to them?
Adnan Oktar: I know at least ten people who know Arabic, who know Arabic very well. Moreover, here in Turkey we are able to benefit from various professors who know Arabic. Moreover, I have friends who are true Arabs, in other words in terms of nationality, not just of knowing the language. I am able to make use of their services. In other words, you don’t need to be an Arab to understand the Qur’an. One can obtain [good] results by making use of the services of people who know Arabic; in fact, one can achieve even better results.
Al Jazeera: Better than Arabs?
Adnan Oktar: Someone who just happens to be an Arab may not be conversant with all the intricacies of [Arabic] linguistics, may not be totally at ease with all the intricacies of Arabic. In the sense, a person who is a specialist [in Arabic and Arab linguistics] will have a better knowledge.
Al Jazeera: Sir, are you a hafidh? [Do you know the Qur’an by heart?]
Adnan Oktar: No, I am not.
Al Jazeera: Have you maybe memorized a number of Surahs [chapters of the Qur’an]?
Adnan Oktar: Of course.
Al Jazeera: Sir, which Surah could recite for us?
Adnan Oktar: I know quite a few Surahs. Would you like me to recite the SurahAl-Ikhlas? “Say: ‘He is Allah, Absolute Oneness,
Allah, the Everlasting Sustainer of all.
He has not given birth and was not born.
And no one is comparable to Him.”
Al Jazeera: So you do know Arabic.
Adnan Oktar: Yes.
Al Jazeera: Sir, there are three basic issues which permeate all of your books: that which is beyond time, that which is beyond space and that which is beyond matter. You cite one particular example in your books. If somebody is flying in a plane and he looks down at a city, the space between him and that city is an illusory distance. Even if somebody were to look at a book he is holding this would also constitute an illusory distance. Would you mind explaining this in some more detail?
Adnan Oktar: All students know this; it can be found in biology books, in books about medicine. And I am saying the same thing, there is no difference. You are looking at me, and light rays are being emitted from me. They reach your eyes, where the image is turned upside down and transmitted to the iris, where it is turned into an electrical signal and transmitted to your brain. You actually see me in your brain.I am here, but you are talking to an image of me. You do not see me directly. That is all that I am trying to say.
Al Jazeera: I am looking at you; you have put on your glasses and really look like a famous celebrity.
Adnan Oktar: Thank you.
Al Jazeera: The light that we perceive could also be illusory.
Adnan Oktar: Of course, that is the way it is. That light enters my eyes. It is turned upside down in my eyes. The image is then forwarded to the iris, from where my brain. The image is processed in the visual center and I perceive it, in other words, I see it, in the middle of my brain. This is a fact, and no-one can claim otherwise.
Al Jazeera: The reason I asked is that you say that there is nothing beyond Allah, and that only He is exists, that existence only obtains solely by virtue of Him, and that everything else consists of illusions.
Adnan Oktar: Matter exists in the outside world, but we can only interact with its image.
Al Jazeera: What does that mean?
Adnan Oktar: Nobody denies this, and I am merely stating what everyone else says. As a matter of fact, you are also maintaining this point, but maybe because it is expressed in a roundabout way, people become confused. For example, this glass exists in the outside world, but I do not interact with it, I only perceive the image that enters my brain. For example, you exist, but I can not see you directly, I can only see your image in my brain. Nobody can suggest otherwise. If you know anybody who does, please bring him here.
Al Jazeera: As a matter of fact, Sir, nobody has ever set such a theory out for me before. I have tried to read your books, but I could not understand them. These books of yours, do you write them yourself?
Adnan Oktar: Let me tell you about my method of writing. I have a very broad team, a staff of collaborators. Many of them are very well-versed in foreign languages. They research all the available information, either from books or from the Internet. They present their findings to me in the form of reports, as texts containing information. I evaluate these and pick the illustrations I am actively involved in getting these books ready, right down to the design of the front-cover. I then send them to the editor, and they are later printed in book form.
Al Jazeera: But only your name appears on the covers of these books. Is this deliberate, as your name is so well-known?
Adnan Oktar: As it is me who prepares these books, it should be my name on the cover. Because I interpret and prepare the books, as it is me who collects the raw material and turns it into a book, it should definitely be my name that appears on the cover. This is a very normal procedure. But as for my technical team, is it really necessary to credit my supplementary technical team by name? I could do that, but it is really not such an important matter.
Al Jazeera: Sir, how many books have you written to date?
Adnan Oktar: 250.
Al Jazeera: Sir, you have written 250 books. Let’s look at it this way, say you write a book a month. And even that would be very difficult because your books contain a lot of important information. I believe you, but how can we convince the public that you have personally written 250 books?
Adnan Oktar: If one looks at these books, for example, at the Atlas of Creation, then one might form the impression that the book has just been written from start to finish. But that is not actually the case. 95% of the contents consist of quotations. In other words, they are books of quotations. The original component is very small. The analysis comprises just one, two or sometimes three percent, the rest consists of quotations.
Al Jazeera: Sir, this is a very splendid book, a very heavy one, even from the point of view of scientific content it is very weighty. That is the truth, and it is also a very attractive book. All the elements of the book, starting from the paper used, is of a very high standard and undoubtedly very expensive. How do you meet those expenses? Because we know that you distribute these books free of charge.
Adnan Oktar: I do not collect any royalties from my books. 8 million copies of my books have so far been sold. The publishing company has been able to use the royalties for their own purposes. Moreover, they have also made substantial profits. It is very easy to produce these books using the profits from earlier works.
Al Jazeera: Sir, who enjoyed the royalties?
Adnan Oktar: The publishing company.
Al Jazeera: Eight million books?
Adnan Oktar: Eight million.
Al Jazeera: Where have these books mainly been sold? In which countries?
Adnan Oktar: They sell in great numbers abroad, but let me give you some detailed information. They have been translated into 57 languages. Approximately 2 million copies have been printed in foreign languages. And 8 million in Turkey. Approximately 190 documentary films have been distributed world-wide, more than ten million copies. The documentaries have been aired in 20 different countries, on 100 separate television channels. The publishing company also collects these royalties. There are more than 200 websites in approximately 40 languages. These are also used for sales purposes. Books are sold through regular booksellers in 40 countries. I think that this is probably sufficient information.
Al Jazeera: Sir, looking at your works one cannot escape certain impressions. You have written quite a few works which are explicitly opposed to Freemasonry and Zionism. What is the real reason for this? Sami Bey has read a number of books that you have written. What is the reason behind this? Why did you start up a number of initiatives aimed against these movements?
Adnan Oktar: Freemasonry is a Darwinist idea, it is an atheist movement in its principles. In the same way I am opposed to Marxism and Fascism, I am also against Freemasonry.
Al Jazeera: Sir, would you mind giving some more examples of the links between Freemasonry and Darwin?
Adnan Oktar: They say as much themselves, in their own books. They praise Darwin. They say that they are Darwinists. They claim that it is necessary to spread this theory across the world. They equally claim that there is no belief in Allah. In other words, they say that men have created Allah. These are obvious in their own books. Al Jazeera: Sir, that is a very general answer, could you give a more detailed response?
Adnan Oktar: The Freemasons have a periodical called Mimar Sinan, they also have a periodical called Şakül. They write about these things in them. I have [copies of] these publications.
Al Jazeera: Have you acquired this information solely from these periodicals, or have you also read some of their books?
Adnan Oktar: These are their official periodicals, their own books also obviously contain such statements. But the periodicals are their official periodicals.
Al Jazeera: And what about Zionism?
Adnan Oktar: Zionism is the same, of course. If there is an ideology that aims to rule the world, that rejects other religions, that claims the dominion of a single religion and rejects other people and tries to impose its ideology on them, I will of course fight it. But if somebody does not espouse such ideas, then there is nothing I can say. The Jews are a People of the Book. If they want to practice their own religion, if they want to live in their own country, they should stay and live freely in their own country. I respect that, but, if they say “This is not enough for me. I am going to rule the whole world and will destroy all other religions, so that only I survive”, that I cannot accept.
Al Jazeera: Sir, we all know that you have been arrested. You were accused of using drugs. And there is more. You were also accused of having raped little girls. Do you have proof that could disprove these accusations?
Adnan Oktar: I have already been acquitted of all these allegations. But these claims continue nonetheless. For example, I was arrested as part of a cocaine conspiracy. At the police station, they offered me a kebap. I accepted the meal. Cocaine had been mixed into the food, and then entered my body. That is how they were able to come up with such a claim. Later, the judge became suspicious of the situation. Normally, he should have placed me under arrest, but instead he set me free. He then investigated the matter. After the investigation of the whole affair, it was established by forensic medicine that the drugs had been mixed into my food when I was under arrest. And I was acquitted of that charge.
Al Jazeera: Sir, you say ‘they’ did this, ‘they’ said that . . . who are ‘they’?
Adnan Oktar: After I first published my book Judaism and Freemasonry, they put me in a mental institution. As a kind of reward for my first book, they put me in a mental institution. I was locked up in the midst of mental patients who had committed murders eight months. Later, a report was published which stated that I was not a mental patient, after a period of eight months.
Al Jazeera: Sir, I repeat my question.
Adnan Oktar: Of course, the Freemasonry of that time, the Freemasons.
Al Jazeera: Sir, but who? Were these Masons represented inside the state, or had they come from abroad? I hope you don’t mind if I stress this subject. But who?
Adnan Oktar: Freemasonry has thousands of members, it is a secret society that has infiltrated all the highest levels of the state apparatus. They base their beliefs on the Torah. It [FreeMasonry] is based on the Torah. At the present moment . . .
Al Jazeera: Sir, let’s continue.
Adnan Oktar: Yes, Freemasonry is a global organization. Their real power [base] is in England and France. But they also have large organization in the United States. They have branches in Russia, everywhere in the world. In India, they have taken hold of the key positions in the government. They even can exert power over the courts. Sometimes they lay hands on the security forces. They can assume control over of every kind of sector
in the state. They can worm their way inside. If they want to organize any kind of action, they use their members to set up these things.
Al Jazeera: But, Sir, how did you find this out? Did the Masons set you up? Did the Masons in Turkey set you up?
Adnan Oktar: The Freemasons sent me a message. “If you don’t publish your book on Freemasonry, if you do not reprint it, we will get you out of the mental institution, we will put an end to the pressure on you and support you”. These words were communicated to my lawyer through a high-ranking member of the Lodge. Freemasons make up the bosses, the managers of the papers that attack me in Turkey. Even their columnists are Freemasons. If you investigate the people who publish writings directed against me, then you see that they are all Freemasons. And when we ask ”Who is the Muslim writer most targeted by the press?” The answer is ”me”. Al Jazeera: Is there anything that upsets you? It is very well for us.
Adnan Oktar: No, no. Everything’s all right. Adnan Oktar: I can give details if you like. For example, being sent to a mental institution as a result of the pressure exerted by the Freemasons was not the only thing that happened to me. I have been arrested on numerous occasions. I have been picked up [by the police] so many times that I have actually forgotten how many. On numerous occasions I have had legal proceedings filed against me. I have been acquitted of nearly all the proceedings filed against me so far. Charges regarding a criminal organization have also been made against me, and I have also been acquitted of that charge. Nevertheless, these slanders continue, one incredibly after the other. This is being done against everyone who is fighting in the name of Allah. If I had not been fighting in the name of Allah such pressure would not have been exerted. Everyone who fights in the name of Allah, even our Prophet (saas), has been subjected to similar pressures. Our Prophet (saas) was called crazy. I have been called crazy. Every kind of unjust slander and allegation was made against our Prophet (saas). Such things [unjust slander and allegations] have also been directed against me. The Companions of the Prophet who were following in Allah’s way, even religious scholars, were slandered in this way. I have also been slandered in this way. This is very normal. In other words, it shows that we are moving in the right direction.
Al Jazeera: Is the Turkish state by any chance Masonic?
Adnan Oktar: They infiltrate [the structures of] the state. They infiltrate the institutions of the state. But of course, the Turkish state is not Masonic. But they are trying to do this by infiltrating the institutions of the state. The Masons write as much in their own publications and in their writings directed against me; they do not hide [their intentions]. They openly state in their own periodicals that they are against me, that they are fighting me.
Al Jazeera: Sir, do you think there are many Freemasons active in Turkey? What might be the total numbers of Freemasons be?
Adnan Oktar: The latest information I have indicates that there are 5,000 registered Freemasons [active in Turkey]. But these are all either professors, directors or senior officials in the structure of the state. These people have now begun secret activities within the state, popularly known as the “Deep State,” which is based on Communist principles. Through this organization they can now implement their most effective powers. We have brought this out in the open under the name of the Communist “Deep State.” There is such an organization, an invisible Communist structure within the state.
Al Jazeera: Sir, let me ask you this: Do you hate the state of Israel? You have written publications which are directed against Zionism. Do you hate Zionists?
Adnan Oktar: I can only feel compassion for the People of the Book. In other words, I am full of compassion for Christians and Jews. The People of the Book protected and supported Muslims in the Prophet’s (saas) time. There is no enmity towards the People of the Book in Islam. Their rights are protected and they can live a life of ease in their own lands. They can perform their acts of worship unmolested. But if they exhibit an aggressive stance, then Muslims will protect themselves. But under normal circumstances there can be no hatred of or grudge against the People of the Book who perform their own acts of worship in their own way without causing offence to anyone.
Al Jazeera: Do you hate Israel?
Adnan Oktar: There is no question of me hating Israel. They are after all a People of the Book, they are a nation Allah has created in this way. Allah does indicate the existence of Jews in the Qur’an. There is such a nation and it is very normal for them to live in Israel; of course they can live there. But if they exhibit an aggressive attitude then Muslims must defend themselves. Apart from such circumstances, there can be no mention of hatred. In other words, we will not do anything which is not mentioned in the Qur’an, anything which was not practiced by our Prophet (saas). If it says so in the Qur’an, if our Prophet (saas) says such a thing, then we’ll do it. But given that there is no such mention in the Qur’an, and given that the Qur’an has granted the People of the Book their rights, we must treat them equally, too.
Al Jazeera: Sir, let us now talk a bit in more concrete terms. When you think of Ariel Sharon what do think of him? Do you maybe think that you cannot harbor any kind of hatred against him as he is a member of the People of the Book? Or, do you hate him as a result of the policies that are being pursued by the state of Israel?
Adnan Oktar: If somebody oppresses others and commits murder, then that person is a sinner. And feelings of hatred and disgust must naturally be entertained against them. No Muslim can approve of such a person’s actions. The reaction will be feelings of hatred and disgust. But one cannot hate a whole nation because of the actions of a few individuals or of one particular group. We cannot do what our Prophet (saas) has not done. On this subject, we should take the life of the Messenger of Allah (saas) as an example. We should behave in the same way that he treated the People of the Book. We cannot come up with a new law of our own.
Al Jazeera: This suggests that you support the policies of the state of Israel.
Adnan Oktar: There is no reason for me to support the policies of the state of Israel. It would be a good thing if Israel were to remain on its own and not inflict any damage on Muslims. That would be all right. It is quite natural that the People of the Book should live there. If a man lives in his own country, and does not inflict any damage on anyone, that is fine. But if he pursues an aggressive stance, a counter-reaction will inevitably follow. Our Prophet (saas) went to the lands of the Negus [the king of Abyssinia]. He was a Christian and also belonged to the People of the Book. Our Prophet (saas) migrated there, in other words, he did not hate them. He exhibited a peaceful attitude. The Sunnah of the Prophet (saas) tell us to treat the People of the Book with compassion. We behave in accordance with the Sunnah in this respect. But all Muslims will unite against oppression. This is also stated in a verse of the Qur’an.
Al Jazeera: I ask these questions as I am aware that you speak out in favor of resisting oppression in your books.
Adnan Oktar: That is true.
Al Jazeera: I would like to ask you about President Ahmedinejat, or about the activities of Hizbullah in Lebanon or about Hamas. Do you support their actions? Do you recognize them?
Adnan Oktar: I do not follow these events closely. I do not occupy myself with recent developments. But it is very normal for Muslims to protect themselves if they are being oppressed. If somebody were to attack me, I would defend myself. But it would not be possible for me to attack anybody else.
Al Jazeera: Sir, from your books and speeches it appears that you believe in the Mahdi. Do you really believe in the Mahdi? And is it certain when he will appear? Around what time will he appear on Earth?
Adnan Oktar: The Mahdi should already have appeared according to the writings of Said Nursi, and according to the accounts in reliable hadith and signs have already taken place. For example, we are told that Afghanistan will be occupied at the time of the appearance of the Mahdi. That has happened. There is also the fact that Iraq will be occupied, which has also taken place. An attack on the Kaaba was predicted, and that has happened as well. The waters of the Euphrates would be cut off. And the dam has done so. We are told that during the month of Ramadhan in the year of his appearance both the Sun and Moon will be eclipsed in a space of 15 days, and that has happened as well. Approximately a hundred portents like this have already taken place. For that reason, I am convinced that the Mahdi has appeared.
Al Jazeera: Could you be the Mahdi?
Adnan Oktar: There is a rumor that has been going round for a long while that I have claimed to be the Mahdi. The reason for that is that I have written a book on that subject. I have cited all the relevant hadith in that book. They said that I had described myself, that the information about the Mahdi in the hadith was the same. As a result, [they said] you are claiming to be the Mahdi. They say that his forehead is broad, and your forehead is broad, too. That his brow is curved, and your brow is also curved. They say that the Mahdi has a small nose, and a big body. He is a Sayyid of medium height, they say. He has a mole on his cheek, and one on his back. Because you have all these characteristics, you are probably claiming to be the Mahdi. But if everyone who writes a book [on the End Times] were to claim to be the Mahdi, and as there have been at least fifty to sixty books on the Mahdi published in Turkey and as they have all written about him in the same terms, those authors must also have been making such a claim. In fact, they do maintain that those people have been making such a claim. Therefore, they say, you must be the Mahdi. There is a writer called Mustafa Kaplan. They also say that he claims to be the Mahdi, as he has also written a book on this subject. You are probably the Mahdi, they say to him. That is inaccurate. No claims can be made regarding the Mahdi. Nobody can claim to be the Mahdi. Nobody can say I am the Mahdi. Identification with the Mahdi can only be measured in terms of success. In other words, a figure will emerge and will be successful. From his success the conclusion may be drawn that he is the Mahdi. Even if the Mahdi were to appear, we could never say for certain that he was the Mahdi. We can only have a good perception of him. We can only say that he is probably the Mahdi. The Mahdi himself will never claim to be the Mahdi. He cannot say that. He will not say that. That is haram [not permissible]. He would be apostatized if he were to say such a thing.
Al Jazeera: Is celibacy also one of the preconditions for being the Mahdi?
Adnan Oktar: I do not remember such a tradition.
Al Jazeera: Why did you never marry, Sir? It has been said that you never married because you are too busy or because you are waiting for the Mahdi.
Adnan Oktar: My [spiritual] teacher Said Nursi never married, either. And he commanded those who fought alongside him his special followers, not to marry, either. I see myself as a loyal follower of Said Nursi. In accordance with this advice, I have never married. Of course, I need a lot of time to devote to my struggle and to set aside a lot of time to it. Because I devote myself to communicating my faith, to writing books, to pursuing my struggle, from morning till evening. In other words, I would be unlikely to have any time left to devote to my wife and children, to spend with my family.
Al Jazeera: Sir, the majority of our viewers are either married or want to get married. Do you reject the idea of marriage? Do you reject marriage as a matter of principle?
Adnan Oktar: No, no. It is because I don’t have time left over from my struggle to communicate Islam. If Islam had already been victorious, in other words, if Islamic morality had already enveloped the world, if this oppression, this torture of Muslims had come to an end, then I would have got married straightaway.
Al Jazeera: But Islam encourages marriage.
Adnan Oktar: But there are number of hadith which indicate that it is virtuous not to get married in the End Times.
Al Jazeera: For example?
Adnan Oktar: There is a hadith which states that anyone who is unmarried in the End Times is a good [virtuous] man. The Ulema [Islamic scholars] know of this hadith.
Al Jazeera: Where did you read such a hadith?
Adnan Oktar: Right now I do not recall the source, but I can give you the reference later. We can also find this [reference] in the works of Said Nursi. You will be able to find it on the Internet if you look the term up in the Risale-i Nur Collection of Said Nursi.
Al Jazeera: That is also why I am not married. That means we are both genuine. Do you regard yourself as a follower of Said Nursi?
Adnan Oktar: Yes.
Al Jazeera: Were you very influenced by him?
Adnan Oktar: Yes. I regard him as the most special, the strongest and most sincere Muslim of this century. In other words, I see him as the most pure, the most privileged and sincere Muslim of the 14th century of the Hijra.
Al Jazeera: Sir, there is a very famous book of yours. A very important book of yours. The Evolution Deceit. This is a very important book. Would you mind telling us the basic idea behind the book?
Adnan Oktar: In brief, millions of fossils of animals which lived millions of years ago appear when you dig underground. If you look at these fossils, you will notice that they have not undergone any significant changes over the course of time. We see that the same animals have not undergone any changes over millions of years, for 80 million or 100 million years. Contrary to what the proponents of the evolutionary theory claim, we encounter no intermediate form fossils. In fact, I was talking about this only yesterday. Let them bring me one of those intermediary fossils, and I will give them 5 trillion lira. But there are no such fossils. The absence of any kind of intermediary fossil is enough to show that living things have not changed at all over millions of years, and this brings Darwinism to its knees. There is no need for a better proof than that. The book explains that.
Al Jazeera: Do you have that much money? 5 trillion?
Adnan Oktar: We can collect the amount.
Al Jazeera: Do you receive any support from any Arab countries or organizations?
Adnan Oktar: No, no. My circle, my friends are among the richest people in Turkey. They are influential businessmen. They make a lot of money, mashaAllah, but they also know how to spend it. I am like that, and my friends are like that.
Al Jazeera: Why do they offer you these gifts? Do they see you as the communicator of Islam? Or, because you are a Sufi [mystic]? Or do they give you money because you support Said Nursi? Why, I wonder?
Adnan Oktar: Nobody gives me any money. For example, when a certain function is going to take place, if things are going well for them at the time, my friends will go there and take along a thousand books with them and distribute them. Another friend will take ten thousand books along and distribute them. They distribute them to obtain the approval of Allah. No money changes hands. It is not as if someone needs such and such an amount of money.
Al Jazeera: Do they donate money because it is for a religious cause?
Adnan Oktar: Of course, to gain the approval of Allah. The books in question are Islamic books. The books that are distributed are Islamic books. As a result, these books are bought and distributed. No money is donated.
Al Jazeera: Sir, I read an important thing in this book and would like to ask you about it. You mention a secret that lies behind matter.
Adnan Oktar: Yes.
Al Jazeera: You say that there is a secret beyond matter. If we can understand this secret, then we can understand death, heaven and the afterlife. And we can find the answers to other questions of that kind. Such as where is Allah? We can know how long we will spend in the grave. And then we can say what existed prior to Allah. If we unravel that secret, we will be able find answers to all these questions. What is that secret, I wonder?
Adnan Oktar: Yes. I am looking at the view over Istanbul from here. When I look at Istanbul, Allah shows it to me in my brain. In other words, there is an Istanbul out there, But I am unable to directly perceive it. I can only see an image of it, the image which Allah created. For example, a businessman is walking towards his factory. What he sees when he arrives there is an image of it. Allah shows him an image of his factory in his brain. He cannot see the factory itself. This is an explanation that takes off from there.
Al Jazeera: In your books you mention Allah a lot. You also talk a lot about death. What was there before Allah? Where is Allah located? You talk about these issues. You try to answer questions generally asked by those who want to spread doubt.
Adnan Oktar: Yes.
Al Jazeera: What I would like to ask is what does Allah mean to you? What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of death? What significance do these things have?
Adnan Oktar: Allah is infinite reason, infinite power. Allah is everything which is infinite. Allah creates men as His servants. Just as man is created as a servant, his destiny is also determined. In other words, man has a beginning. But he has no end, he can either go to heaven, or he can go to hell. But there is no end here. For example, we are having a conversation. This is taking place in the year 2007, but we have already had this conversation before you were born. I had this conversation before I was born. Its words are predetermined. For example, the number of glasses of water I drink, the number of flowers here, that handkerchief which was blown to the ground just a minute ago. These have all been determined by destiny. All these details have been predetermined. And it is impossible to change any of this. Because we are servants, we are subject to our destiny. We see what Allah has created.
Al Jazeera: That is all very complicated.
Adnan Oktar: No, it makes things more beautiful. We are under Allah’s control. Allah created destiny so that we should not experience any discomfort. It is a very great blessing. For example, every question you ask me was already pre-determined by destiny. The answers I give were also pre-determined by destiny, word for word. There is nothing difficult for us. The spots the cameras would occupy were pre-determined as well. The ship that passed by. What man has to do is not to strain himself. He has only to submit to Allah and surrender to his destiny. He will observe the beautiful images that Allah will show him and should thank Him and praise Him. He must pronounce Allah’s greatness. He should recite the names of Allah, and say ‘Perfect Glory is to Allah” [subhan'Allah]. In other words, he must discharge his obligatory duties.
