Adnan Oktar interviewed by Hespress News Agency of Morocco

1- Is Harun Yahya, who has been providing documentaries for 30 years, the same person who sits today during dancing and wine gatherings?

Before we start, I would like to clear up a misunderstanding in your question. Neither my friends nor I drink wine or any other kind of alcoholic beverage in any way. According to our belief as Muslims, alcohol is deemed unlawful. I always express in my programs and daily life at every opportunity how alcohol is unlawful, and scientifically explain the harms of consuming alcohol. There was a studio we used to broadcast our live programs, and there were nice, aesthetically pleasing juice bottles placed on the tables as decoration. As there is a common misconception that beverages in nice bottles and packaging are ought wine bottles or other kinds of alcohol, some people initially thought them to be alcoholic beverages.

In order to clear up the misunderstanding, we immediately began to shoot each bottle in close-up in every broadcast to let the viewers see the "non-alcoholic juice" labels. They are commonly sold in almost all markets. In time, we dispelled all doubt regarding this issue.

To answer your original question, and if I understood it right, what you mean is "if preparing faith-related documentaries and writing books on religious topics contradict with dancing and having fun." First of all, I have to say that the Qur'an, the Book of God, is the only resource I abide by, and I believe that this should be the case for everyone. Therefore, we have to refer to the Qur'an to come to a conclusion about whether there is a contradiction here. When we examine the Qur'an, we see that there is no mention of such a contradiction or prohibition.

In fact, the Qur'an makes mention of very few unlawful and forbidden deeds and everything that is not named as unlawful is considered lawful. This is where most people are mistaken; they believe that religion should be difficult and that beauty, joy and cheerfulness have no place in religion, and thus, anything that brings people joy should be forbidden. However, God emphasizes in the Qur'an that religion is easy. God wants His servants to have happy and comfortable lives. And the current situation this misconception has led to is an Islamic world that is plagued by countless prohibitions, limitations, restrictions and fanaticism that lacks progress and development in almost all regards, and relies on and is under the overt - and covert - sway of Western powers.

So, while the majority of Muslims believe that they are living by Islam, their practice of the religion is actually different from, even in contradiction with, the Qur'an, which is something they are unaware of. This is a traditionalist orthodox religious conception that is very complicated and fraught with erroneous traditions, customs, superstitions, distorted religious interpretations, contradictions, alterations and controversies.

However, our All-Wise, All-Merciful, All-Gracious Lord would not and did not hold people responsible for such a complicated and complex religion that is impossible to practice even in total seclusion from the worldly life. It can be clearly seen in the verses of the Qur'an that Islam is an easy and pure religion, that what God wants for His servants is not hardship, controversy or complexity, but peace and comfort.

The number of Muslims who share my opinion on this subject is increasing exponentially every day. There is a strong worldwide re-gravitation towards the Qur'an, the essence of the religion, which has remained abandoned for centuries. Of course, I must say that the numerous books I wrote on these topics also played a significant role in this beautiful development. The reply to your question would actually exceed the limits of this interview and should best be extensively covered in a book. The readers can refer to my book on this subject titled "Bigotry: the Dark Danger" for the answers to all their questions.

2. We know that your real name is Adnan Oktar; what is the secret of your choice of the name of Harun Yahya?

God informs the believers in the Qur'an that Prophet Aaron (as) and Prophet John (as) were sent to help Prophet Moses (as) and Prophet Jesus (as) respectively. Likewise, Muslims are the helpers, friends and brothers and sisters of the Messenger of God. I am using the pen name Harun Yahya as a sign of my prayers and intention to be a helper of the Messenger of God in the End Times. It is a name chosen with the intention to become a person who helps, supports, protects and watches over the prophets as Aaron and John did.

3- What has changed in Harun Yahya in recent years? And what is reason behind such change?

Since the day I dedicated myself to the cause of Islam, there has been no change in my resolve, determination, and enthusiasm for the commitment to my fundamental principles –except for the fact that they only grew day by day. What are my fundamental principles? Pursuing the most of God's approval, carrying out His commands as meticulously as I can, preaching God's religion to people through evidence and rationalistic and scientific methods, practicing the superior conception of morality and love presented by the religion of Islam in the most proper way, and lastly, spreading and preaching all of these beautiful notions to the entire world.

Of course, like many people, I better myself and broaden my knowledge and culture. I try to achieve a better insight on the Qur'an, and abide by its teachings as best as I can. I constantly strive after a greater love, a closer connection, sincerity and a greater fear for God. Without doubt, this helps me gain a better understanding and insight of the Qur'an, have a good grasp of its profundity and secrets, and improve my ability to better analyze events. It is quite abnormal and a grave loss for a person to spend his entire life without undergoing any change.

What some of our brothers and sisters perceive of as change is in fact a wonderful manifestation of the conception of quality, beauty, art, and freedom the Qur'an offers. This change is the direct result of me getting a better grasp of this conception with each passing day and implementing it in my day-to-day life.

4- Do you consider yourself a thinker, an Islamic preacher or otherwise?

I am a sincere, pious Muslim; I am not a preacher, a scholar, a tariqa leader, nor am I a member of a certain tariqa. I cannot even speak Arabic. I have not received any theological training. So, I have never made any such claims.

The reason I am frequently asked this question is the fact that, in the first news report about me in the 1980’s, I was addressed as 'Adnan Hodja' [Preacher Adnan]. It is common in Islamic communities to address people who abide by and preach religion as 'preachers', 'scholars', etc. Thus, due to the frequent use of the title 'Adnan Hodja' by the press, in time the title has found common use among people. When I go out, many people I am not acquainted with approach me, to meet, converse and have their photos taken with me, addressing me as 'Hodja'. But as I have said, this is not a self-proclaimed title.

My friends do not see me as a cult leader either; they see me as a friend whom they love dearly and I see them as my beloved friends. I am a person who really enjoys having fun, joy, beauty and art. I think people should live their lives to the fullest with enthusiasm, and with a love and passion for God, without overstepping the boundaries drawn by God in the Qur'an.

5- People who were watching you in the past have questions about yourself dancing in wine gatherings. How would you respond to this?

I have just mentioned that neither my circle of friends nor I consume wine, a drink rendered unlawful by the Qur'an, and that I always advise people against it.

The traditionalist Orthodox Islamic conception, which is based on the false hadiths attributed to our Prophet (saas), and on erroneous interpretations and superstitions, considers dancing and entertainment unlawful. In my younger years when I had yet to acquire sufficient knowledge and research on the Qur'an, I, too, advocated and shared the same misconception. However, as I broadened my knowledge, I realized that, just like many issues that are deemed forbidden by the traditionalist Orthodox Islamic conception, dancing and having fun are completely harmless actions so long as they remain within the limits defined in the Qur'an. Besides, many brothers and sisters who criticize us in this regard are the same people who are the first to jump onto the dance floor at weddings or other such occasions and perform exuberant dances. Yet, for some reason, when it comes to my friends and I, the same actions are deemed forbidden to us. They say, "You are a preacher, a scholar; you should not be involved in dancing and entertainment." I have said over and over again that I am not a preacher nor a scholar. Besides, even if one is a preacher or a scholar, why should the blessings that are lawful for everyone be forbidden for them?

If you take a look at my live conversations on A9 TV, you will see that I answer the questions of many people on religious, daily, political, social, personal and various other subjects. People pose their questions via street interviews or email. And I share my knowledge with them and try to be helpful under the guidance of the Qur'an to the extent that God wills. In addition to this, we understand that my comments and views on current political and social developments are also shared by political circles and the authorities since they are put into practice in a very short time. This is another fact that demonstrates – as a blessing from God- the effectiveness, impact and significance of my views and ideas.

However certain people and circles disregard all the beneficial and positive aspects of my live broadcasts and dwell on occasional dance videos, which do not even comprise the one tenth of my programs, and the clothing styles and low-cut dresses of some of my female friends who are among the audience. Based solely on these images, they wage a hateful smear campaign that is way beyond the acceptable level of criticism. As I have said numerous times; "If anyone presents a single verse of the Qur’an which would prove that any one of my actions is unlawful in religion, I will immediately agree with it and heed the advice." But they have yet to provide any such evidence, because there are none. These are nothing more than criticisms and accusations resting on prejudices and an understanding of religion that is solely based on hearsay that lacks any Qur'anic basis.

If I am called mentally unstable for taking only the Book of God as basis and for my stance against the man-made religion of bigotry, then I consider it a great honor and pride. Because throughout history, every messenger, guardian and the believers following them, the steadfast practitioners of God's religion, were accused of mental instability. Our Prophet (saas) decreed that, "A believer's faith is not absolute until they are called insane."

6- Are you still composing books and how many books have you written so far and in what languages?

All my efforts on faith-related, scientific, political books, brochures and documentaries continue unabated. To date, I have written over 300 books that have been translated into 73 languages. They are available at bookstores in over 100 countries. 30 million copies of my books were sold globally and that many were distributed for free in great many countries. There are about 1,000 websites based on these books and my conversations on my television programs. These websites receive 47 million monthly visitors from 167 countries and over one million daily visitors. The films and documentaries featured on these sites receive over 10 million views each month.

My articles are regularly featured on 216 newspapers, journals and websites in 47 countries. My live broadcasts reach millions of viewers every day in English, Arabic, Russian and French. God willing, as a result of this major effort, far fewer people believe in Darwinism today. Even the most famous advocates of Darwinism have taken a step back. Public surveys clearly attest to this fact as well. Thank God that me and my friends have been influential in spreading Qur'anic Islam to the world.

7- Arabs and Muslims have been shocked in recent years by the videos that show you with girls who are said to be dancers. Are they really dancers? What relationship do you have with them?

Those ladies are not professional dancers; they are my friends. They like dancing, music and entertainment just like many of us do. Some among them are particularly skillful and apt in this regard. They are delighted to practice this wonderful artistry on A9 TV broadcasts. And they are also delighted to see me, a person whom they cherish and love, watching and occasionally dancing along with them. Thousands are fondly watching their dancing videos, as we can deduce it from their congratulation and complimentary messages.

What I cannot get my head around is that why the Arab world would be shocked by these videos. Since ancient times, dance, music and entertainment are notions that have been associated with the Arab world. There are many world-renowned professional Arab dancers and singers; all of them are widely loved and celebrated by people around the world.

Besides, belly dancing originated in the Arabian world. From Morocco, Tunis, Algeria to Egypt, Lebanon, Dubai, millions of people fondly watch belly dancers on TV. Not only artists, but thousands of common people dance, sing, listen to music in entertainment venues; they sing and dance along singers in concerts. We frequently come across such images on Arab TV channels and watch them fondly.

For this reason, I do not believe that –with the exception of certain groups– the Arab community would be shocked by these images on our channel. On the contrary, I think that they found these videos entertaining and dance along to them. Arabs are quite friendly, level-headed people, the majority of whom are pious Muslims. Therefore, it would be against reason to say that they feel as if they are committing a sin when they dance and have fun. Because none of these behaviors go against the teachings of the Qur'an and Islam; on the contrary, they are perfectly natural and lawful. I have myriad Arab friends in many Arab countries, and all of them are of the same opinion.

The Arab world has recently entered a period of casting bigotry aside. Saudi Arabia, a country particularly known for its extremely strict and conservative stance and laws regarding women, undertaking modernist and libertarian initiatives, gradually abolishing the prohibitions and restrictions on women, and sending the message that these initiatives are not just temporary are very promising developments concerning the near future of the Islamic community. Likewise, we have lately been hearing similar pleasing news from Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and even Iran.

8- How come that you sit with them that way and sometimes dance with them. Aren't grooming and nudity forbidden in Islam?

Up to this point, I have expressed my views on dance, music and entertainment in detail. According to the Qur’an, there is nothing wrong with men and women being in the same place. Moreover, I am before hundreds of thousands of people during my broadcasts. My every move, every word is being watched each second; it is not possible for anything covert, dubious or objectionable to exist in such an environment.

Once again, we learn from the Qur'an about what nudity is and the standards about how women should dress and cover themselves. When we examine the Qur'an, we see in the 31st verse of Surat an-Nur that women are given complete freedom. According to the Qur'an, women are obliged to temporarily cover themselves from head to toe with a burqa only when they think they might be subjected to harassment. If they feel safe, merely covering their adornments, that is their breasts and genitals, as stated in the 31st verse of Surat an-Nur, will suffice. We can clearly deduce the most basic way of covering one's self from the verses that describe the Prophet Adam and Eve covering their relevant body parts with large leaves. This detailed information is particularly given in the Qur'an.

Additionally, in the 59th verse of Surat al-Ahzab, God commands women to rely upon their own conscious and judgment to cover their bodies with a burqa in certain situations and conditions such as avoiding harassment and harm or in unsafe places.

But one should pay attention to the fact that God leaves it up to the woman's conscience to decide in which conditions a burqa should be worn. If a woman feels safe and believes that she is in the company of people whose wisdom, faith and consciences she trusts, she can even wear a bikini in that setting. There is nothing about such a situation that is incompatible with the Qur'an. In fact, not only in the Western world, but also in the Arab world and other Muslim countries, millions of Muslim women wear bikinis on the beach and for swimming. So long as their peace, safety, lives and chastity are not threatened, they can use their freedom to their hearts content. (For further and extensive information on this subject, our brothers and sisters can refer to the following book: Bigotry: The Dark Danger).

Regarding women as potential sinners, dictating to them what they must and must not do, surrounding them with prohibitions and restrictions are the parts of a foul tradition passed down to Islamic societies from the ancient bigoted tribal cultures. However, God wants women to become free of all pressures and grants them great freedom in the Qur'an. Suppressing women, curtailing their freedoms, seeing them as second-class people, confining them to a life of slavery, and virtually turning them into the living dead as a result of the practices in certain regions of the world is terrible oppression and a grave crime committed against God. One can deduce from the disaster bringing clouds looming over the Islamic world for centuries the consequences of abandoning the commandments of the Qur'an and fabricating a religion that is completely different from what had been sent down by God.

9- You like gold as it looks and wear it, too. In Islam, men are not allowed to wear gold. What do you think?

Gold and silk are blessings of heaven that are praised in the Qur'an. There are no verses in the Qur'an that forbid men from using these blessings as jewelry, accessories etc. Therefore, this prohibition, just like thousands of others, is not imposed by Islam, but the traditionalist Orthodox Islamic conception that is a far cry from the Qur'an.

Our Prophet (saas) was the one in command, that is, the head of the Islamic state during his era. As far as we understand from the historical record, due to the warlike atmosphere and economic difficulties of the time, gold was most likely incorporated into the economy and abstained from in terms of ornamental usage. However, this in no way indicates that gold is unlawful. Moreover, our Prophet (saas) did not have any permission to amend or abolish what is established as lawful and unlawful by God in the Qur'an. So the matter of gold was a temporary decision taken as a financial measure as necessitated by the circumstances of the time.

Equating the orders and prohibitions issued by our Prophet (saas) in his capacity of the head of the state at the time with the absolute commandments of the Qur'an and confusing them with each other is one of the biggest mistakes of the traditionalist Orthodox religious conception. For example, in the story of Talut (pbuh) in the Qur'an, as the then leader of the believers, he prohibited the army from excessively drinking water from a river they crossed during a military campaign, only allowing drinking in small amounts. It is quite clear that this is merely a temporary prohibition and wartime precaution and that it does not mean water is forbidden at all times. From this perspective, if our Prophet (saas) had temporarily forbidden drinking water from a place for a similar purpose, the traditionalist Orthodox conception would come out and claim that water has been rendered unlawful until the Day of Judgment: This mentality is obviously illogical.

10- Do you see that your ideas are accepted in Turkish society?

Yes, in fact, they find significantly increasing acceptance. Especially the young people show great interest, adherence and support for my publications. This is also apparent with the more than one hundred-thousand street interviews we have been conducting over the last few years. We receive messages of support and appreciation from all walks of life.

Through our views and lifestyle based on the Qur'an, we have shown not only in Turkey but the whole world that Muslims can lead beautiful, lively, high-quality lives where arts and science are given great importance. God willing, we have become the bright face of Muslims. Islam used to be associated with unkempt, introverted, unhygienic, ghetto-dwelling, antisocial individuals who do not appreciate music, paintings, sculptures, or a life of joy and beauty.

We have shown that this is not the real Islam, and that Islam is the religion described in the Qur'an. Islam is the religion that brings beauty into people's lives. Thus, we have eliminated the influence of the evil system that alienates people from Islam and inclining them towards atheism. There used to be a large group of people who were involuntarily alienated from Islam due to prejudices and the model presented by the traditionalist Orthodox religious conception. God willing, we’ve played a significant role in reigniting their sympathy, enthusiasm and fervor for Islam.

11- How does Harun Yahya institution operate? Where do you receive funding from, particularly as you have a satellite channel in Turkey with dozens of employees in your organization?

Asking for payment in return for preaching God's religion is forbidden in the Qur'an. In Surah Yasin, God commands "Follow those who do not ask you any wage..." Therefore, neither my friends nor I do not ever ask for any payment in return for preaching Islam and we never did so. Our sole purpose is to establish the reign of Islamic moral values, love, peace and brotherhood across the entire world through the guidance of the Qur'an. Most of my friends are renowned and wealthy traders and businessmen. I personally do not ask for any fees or royalties from the books I write, which makes it possible for the publishing house to distribute millions of free books worldwide.

Like all other similar institutions in Turkey, both the publishing house and A9 TV are official and registered institutions and are subject to periodic audits by the relevant governmental agencies.

12- What is your objective in your activities?

My objective is to gain God's approval and wage a struggle through science, knowledge and love until mischief is wiped off the face of the earth and the global reign of Qur'anic moral values is established.

13- Are you are watching the political situations in Arab countries? And how do you see the disputes and the divisions among Muslims?

Yes, I am indeed watching the situation very closely. I also keep our viewers informed about developments in the Islamic world, and express my views, opinions and suggestions in this regard. I constantly suggest measures, methods and policies that can be implemented which might benefit Muslims and keep them from harm's way.

The dissents, disputes and conflicts plaguing the Muslim world stem from abandoning the duty of constituting a single, united community around the tenets of the Qur'an. Muslims insistence on disregarding this greatest religious duty which God commands in the Qur'an is a mistake that incurs God's wrath and endless disasters upon the Islamic world. It is a major trick of satan that some Muslims are very particular about the fabricated commandments not found in the Qur'an, while they act in complete disregard and abandonment of their greatest religious duty. The dajjal seeks to alienate Muslims from the Qur'an and the unity. He aims to tear the Islamic community apart by dividing it into myriad factions and groups. Satan tries to devastate the Islamic world by pitting brothers against each other.

The dajjal movement, in other words, the British deep state, is utilizing British Shiism and British Sunnism to incite further discord. The British Shiites despise Sunnis and the British Sunnis despise Shiites; they consider it an obligation to kill the members of the other denomination. Muslims should never accept such an evil mentality. Our God, our Qibla and the Prophet are one and the same.

It is the time that Muslims awaken to and pull away from these evil indoctrinations.

However, both the hadiths and the ongoing state of affairs, which has remained insoluble for years, indicate that it is none other than the Mahdi movement that can establish the unity. Only by virtue of Hazrat Mahdi (as), whose appearance is anticipated soon, that Muslims will form a grand Islamic unity, the like of which has never been seen throughout history. And the system of dajjal will suffer a devastating defeat and be wiped out from the face of the earth, insha'Allah.

14- Do you travel outside Turkey? Have you performed Hajj pilgrimage?

I have never traveled abroad. I have been in İstanbul for almost 40 years and carry out my activities of spreading Islam from Istanbul. Within that 40 years, let alone traveling abroad, I have never been out of Istanbul more than a total of perhaps 10 days.

We are currently going through a period that is critical both for the Islamic community and Turkey. Major incidents and developments seem to be close at hand. We may face times of great hardship; not just us, but the whole world. In such an atmosphere, I think that the place where I am now is where I can prove most useful, share my opinions, views, suggestions with the masses, and carry on my intellectual efforts most efficiently. There may come a time in the future, but in these critical times, I have no time to spare on traveling.

As I have stated many times, I consider myself a spiritual student of Hazrat Mahdi and I pray that I can become one of his personal students when he comes. The hadiths about the End Times say that Hazrat Mahdi will not leave the Roman realm. The Roman realm, that is, the Byzantine territory of the time, refers to modern-day Istanbul and a portion of Turkey. Likewise, another hadith foretells that Hazrat Mahdi will appear in Constantinople, in other words, İstanbul. Based on what the hadiths tell about the portends of Hazrat Mahdi's coming, I believe that, as of today, he has already appeared and is carrying out his actives here in Istanbul. Therefore, me leaving the place where he is already present - even for a second unless I absolutely have to - is out of the question.

I have not had the opportunity to fulfill my religious duty of going on a pilgrimage to Mecca. I hope that God will soon grant me the possibility to carry out this wonderful worship.

15- Do you have any messages to address to Arabs and Muslims?

Arabs are our brothers and sisters. They are a pure, beautiful people. We are on the eve of a blessed, auspicious era and the anguish and disasters that are still being suffered on earth, particularly in the Muslim community, are the labor pains of the birth of this era, so to speak. Together, we will very soon witness the end of the system of dajjal, the chief perpetrator behind these disasters. This will be closely followed by the dawning of the Mahdi movement era, where the world will be relieved of all the pain and misery and enter into a period of peace, tranquility, happiness, safety, prosperity and opulence, insha'Allah.

A great majority of the numerous portents regarding the End Times foretold 1,400 years ago by our Prophet (saas) has subsequently come true in the last 40 years and still continue to come true. All of these miraculous developments signify the fact that we are on the eve of this blessed era.

But right before this, the dajjal movement, on the verge of defeat, will launch its final desperate and vicious attacks. For that reason, we will clearly go through one last challenging phase of trial in the next few years. Such wonderful trials are the religious duties assigned by God to Muslims in every era. The hadiths, indications of the Qur'an, predictions of renowned scholars such as Said Nursi, and the current course of global events that are miraculously in parallel with this information all point to this vital truth. Of course, the true knowledge of all things lies with God.

What I wish for all my believer brothers and sisters during this period is to maintain a hopeful, stoic and resilient attitude in complete reliance on God. Sincere believers who only fear God, who serve only Him and seek only His assistance, who only rely on and trust in Him, and who exercise patience will honorably and successfully pass this trial without any harm. God willing, wonderful days await us, insha'Allah.

My dear brothers and sisters can access my books about the End Times and download them for free over the website 'harunyahya.com' to acquire further extensive information on the subjects I have mentioned above.

16- You mentioned that the advent of Mahdi is near and you pointed out that he might be located in Istanbul! We want to understand your opinion clearly and we want you to explain in detail what you mean by this talk. Do you think that he has shown up or hasn't shown up yet?

When we look at the Qur'an, we see that all Muslims have had a leader throughout history. At no point in history have Muslims been without a leader. From the smallest companies to the largest communities, everyone has a leader. Catholics have their Pope, Orthodox Christians have their Patriarch, Masons have masters, even ants have a queen, but the Islamic world of 1.5 billion people has no leader. Muslims should not consider this as normal. Getting together through a leader is a Sunnah that God proclaimed in the Qur'an. We call the person who will realize this Sunnah during the End Times on Earth and become the leader of the Islamic world, as the Mahdi. And it's the Messenger of God (saas) who told us that the Islamic world would only come together around the Mahdi. At the moment, no denomination wants a leader from another denomination and no sect wants a leader from another sect. The only person whom everyone can unanimously accept is Hazrat Mahdi, the coming of whom was heralded in the hadith.

Our Prophet (saas) told us what qualities Mahdi will have, what his activities will be and where he will appear. Our Prophet (saas) depicted the Mahdi with such great detail from the events that will take place at his time, to his physical appearance and his morality. When we examine the hadiths with the questions such as "where will the Mahdi be, where will the Mahdi operate" in mind, we come up with one answer: Istanbul. Many hadiths state that the Mahdi will emerge in the city where the sacred relics are located. What are these holy relics? The blessed belongings from the time of the Messenger of God (saas), like the mantle and the battle standard of our Prophet. Where are these sacred relics located? in Istanbul. In addition, our Prophet also clearly gave the name of Istanbul as the city where Mahdi will carry out his activities:

Narrated from Ibn Amr: Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Oh Umma! There are six things that will happen and before those six things happen, the apocalypse will not arrive. The sixth is the conquest of Medina (the city). "Which Medina?" it was asked. (Which city?) -It was stated: Constantinople. (Allâme Muhammed b. Rasul al-Husayni al- Barzenci from Medina, Signs of Apocalypse, 204 Ramuz-el-Ehadis, 296)

Our readers can read all of the related hadiths on this website: http://www.awaitedmahdi.com/

I understand, based on the hadiths and the accounts of the great Islamic scholars, and from the sociological, political and economic situation in which the world is in now, that the Mahdi is currently engaged in his activities. Everyone who carefully examines the events sees that the Mahdi is on duty and that there is a historical intellectual struggle between the followers of dajjal’s and the Mahdi. In three to five years, our brothers and sisters will understand what I mean more clearly.

17- If it's like this. What is your evidence on the appearance of the awaited Mahdi?

With over 600 hadiths, our Prophet (saas) drew a timeline of the events that will happen at the time of Mahdi, detailing what events will follow what other ones, and upon witnessing these events the believers will realize that the Mahdi has appeared.

The main characteristic of these events of the End Times is that they happen consecutively like a string of beads, which is a very important; some of these events may have happened at some other time, but what is important is that this is the first time when all these events have happened consecutively at the End Tmes which we are experiencing right now. Now let's take a look at some of the events which were reported in the hadiths and have happened since the Hijri year 1400 (ie 1979):

1. Euphrates drying up
2. The occupation of Afghanistan
3. The raid and bloodshed at the Kaaba
4. Iran-Iraq war
5. Lunar and solar eclipses that took place consecutively during Ramadan
6. The birth of Halley's Comet
7. The occupation of Azerbaijan
8. The emergence of a two-pointed star that resembles horns (Lulin comet)
9. The Bethlehem star passing close to the Earth
10. Syrian civil war
11. The occupation of Iraq
12. The burning of Baghdad
13. The unrest in Damascus
14. The events in Haresta region in Damascus
15. The turmoil in Damascus, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia
16. Embargo on Iraq and Damascus
17. The murder of the kings of Damascus and Egypt
18. Anarchy and terror everywhere
19. Great economic crises
20. The emergence of false Mahdis and messiahs
21. The disappearance of peace on Earth
22. Destruction of big cities in wars
23. Conflicts in Kufa, the destruction of the dome and the wall of the Kufa Masjid
24. The chaos and unrest in Egypt
25. The increase of massacres
26. The increase of civil wars and conflicts
27. Brothers fighting brothers
28. The killing of innocent children
29. The killing of people for no reason

These and over 600 more signs have happened and continue to happen. One who assesses the situation reasonably and rationally will draw the conclusion that the Mahdi is alive and active right now. If you think about it, our Prophet (saas) explained what will happen in a way as he saw it with his own eyes and the things he said are happening exactly as he told. This is something that Muslims should be very excited and happy about, because they are witnessing to the miracles of the Prophet (saas). When something Nostradamus said comes true, it makes a tremendous impact all over the world. Over 600 of the events that our Prophet (saas) foretold have come true, and what is strange and astonishing is that some Muslims do not want that these are being proven correct. The events our Prophet (saas) heralded are coming true and this is not a matter to hide.

You may find more information in my book, Portents and Features of the Mahdi's Coming.

18- In the previous interview, in most cases you gave proof from Qur’an and said that you are "Qura’nic" and don't believe in Hadiths attributed to the Prophet (saas), while all the evidence you brought about the Mahdi belongs to the Hadiths, and actually to hadiths that most specialists doubt.  How do you explain this?

I am not a person who denies the hadiths. I think there has been a misunderstanding about this issue. The Qur'an is the Word of God and the Word of God is complete, the Qur'an is sufficient. Still, there is no such thing as hadiths are totally invalid. There are two ways to tell whether a hadith is valid or not. First, we look at whether the hadith is in conformity with the Qur'an. Our Prophet (saas) did not utter a single word that is not in conformity with the Qur'an. Our Prophet did not add a commandment to the religion outside the Qur'an. For example, if there is a hadith saying that women are half beings, this does not conform with the Qur'an, so that is a slander to our Prophet (saas). And it might be that our Prophet (saas) temporarily banned silk and gold to his Umma due to the conditions of the warfare at his time. This does not mean that silk and gold are haram. Our Prophet (saas) does not forbid something that is not forbidden in the Qur'an. Another way to understand the authenticity of a hadith is to see whether the events told in the hadith has become true or not. If an event that our Prophet (saas) foretold is realized, for instance let’s take "There will be conflicts in Syria," and we see that this happens now, so we understand that this hadith is authentic. The hadiths of our Prophet (saas) about the Day of Judgment and Hazrat Mahdi are valid.

19- Is there evidence in the Qur’an on the appearance of the Mahdi? Can you tell us about it?

The Qur'an and the Mahdi movement are integrated with one another. God revealed the Mahdi movement to us in countless verses of the Qur'an. To those who say "The Qur'an does not make any mention of the Mahdi movement; thus, there is no savior in Islam” our Lord has given the best and most profound answer. In the Qur’an, God mentions that believers asked for a helper, a savior from God in times of hardship, pointing Muslims to the fact that anticipating and willing the coming of Mahdi is right:

"What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of God: – for those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, ‘Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!’?" (Surah an-Nisa, 75)

Stemming from the root "h-d-y" in Arabic, the word Mahdi means "he who is guided in the right way" and the name is used to refer to the spiritual leader who will come before  Judgement Day and in the Qur'an, the words "hadi" (he who guides to the right way" and "muhtadoon" (he who is in the right way" are frequently used as a synonym of Mahdi. For example, in the 21st verse of Surah Yasin, God commands: "Follow those who do not ask you for any wage (for preaching religion) and who have received guidance." This verse clearly and doubtlessly points to the Mahdi movement. There are many verses like this. Then again, every verse in the Qur'an which informs Muslims about the necessity of being united and heralds the glad tidings that Islamic moral values will prevail in the world, are in fact pointing to the Mahdi movement. When Muslims unite and the reign of Islam is established on Earth, the Mahdi is the one who will be the leader. Likewise, as heralded in the hadiths, the story of the Prophet Solomon, the life of the Prophet Joseph, the experiences of the Companions of the Cave (al-Kahf), and the struggle of Dhul-Qarnayn all contain significant symbolism about the Mahdi movement.

20- Is it true that you had said that you were the Mahdi? Why?

It is not true. I have never had, nor will I ever have any claim of being the Mahdi. I have sworn in the name of God many times that I would never have any claim of being the Mahdi. I am a sincere Muslim. I love God dearly. And I want people to also love God and lead peaceful, pleasant lives as brothers and sisters. I enjoy life, arts, aesthetics, beautiful people and everything that is beautiful. I have no claims of being a preacher, scholar or the Mahdi.

Even if all the signs heralded in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) fits a person, that person cannot make any claims about being the Mahdi. Doing so is unlawful according to our religion. By doing so, a person would be renouncing his religion because saying "I am the Mahdi" means "I am a pure, innocent person, so I do not have to go through the trial as I am already deserving of Heaven." A Muslim cannot make such a statement for the rest of his life.

Also, the rank of Mahdi is not attained through making a claim. Yes, it is true that many of my physical qualities perfectly fits the Mahdi (as) as heralded in the hadiths. However, a person having green and slightly slanted eyes, a small nose, curved eyebrows, a large body, a big head, a perfect set of teeth, a light-colored mole on the cheek, a single frown line and carrying many other similarities do not offer any basis for being the Mahdi. We can only surely know that a person is actually the Mahdi after Islam prevails on earth, after Islamic Unity is established, and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) comes and performs prayer behind that person. 

21- Many believe that the idea of Mahdi is superstitious, and that helpless people depend on it as a hope to deceive them that there should come one day without them having to exert any effort. Don't you believe they are right?

This is an irrational and unreasonable discourse those who seek to cover up the Mahdi movement resort to. If it was really risky or wrong to anticipate the Mahdi, would our Prophet (saas) herald the glad tidings of his coming? God has planned out the entire End Times in accordance with the Mahdi movement, and we can see this through the successively occurring incidents. Our Prophet (saas) mentioned Hazrat Mahdi (as) in hundreds of hadiths. The Prophet Jesus Messiah (pbuh), an Ulu'l Azm [who possess a great responsibility] prophet will decent from heaven to assist the Mahdi (as). The Mahdi movement is the most vital subject of the end times. We see that those who do not anticipate the coming of Mahdi are in a state of apathy and indifference whereas those who anticipate his coming are full of vigor, enthusiasm and diligence. Not anticipating and rejecting the coming of the Mahdi is actually what leads to lethargy.

A person who anticipates the coming of the Mahdi puts in a tremendous effort to be able to assist him and become one of his students. Such a person is always full of enthusiasm. Our Prophet gives believers the glad tidings of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi, saying, "He is a person from the Tribe Quraysh and among my Ahl al-Bayt." (Al-Kitab Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 13) The great Islamic scholars such as Abdul-Qadir Gilani and Imam al-Rabbani had anticipated and heralded the coming of Mahdi with tremendous anticipation. Who can claim that these great individuals were in a state of lethargy? Who can claim that these individuals encouraged Muslims to be lazy? On the contrary, all scholars who anticipated and heralded the coming of Mahdi did tremendous service to Muslims. The anticipation of the Mahdi's coming did pave the way for the development of believers. Both my friends and I are anticipating the Mahdi's coming and we want to become his students; this is why we wage an intellectual struggle with all our strength. And you can as well see the spectacular worldwide impact and success God has granted us as a result of this.

22- In the previous interview we had with you, you were focusing on the British Shiites, and that they are plotting against your nation. Why do you focus only on Shiites in Britain, while the most important Shiite State is Iran?

I think there has been a misunderstanding here. My criticism is not about the Shiites living in Britain. The Shiites are a people as pure as divine light. They are perfectly loyal to our Prophet (saas) and his family. My criticism is towards a philosophy, a mindset called "British Shiism." This mentality is an insidious ploy of the British deep state, with an aim to create a conflict between Shia and the Sunnis. As a matter of fact, Iran is also concerned about British Shiism. In many of his speeches, Khamenei warned the public about some of the Shiite TV channels in central London. Khamenei mentioned these channels as "a group of mercenaries adding fuel to the Sunni-Shiite conflict."

The concepts of British Shiism and British Sunnism are the ideologies developed by the British deep state to divide Muslims. The aim is to provoke dissent between Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims and tear the Middle East apart through sectarian wars, causing bloodshed. These sectarian wars are one of the most insidious schemes the British deep state has ever devised to bring about the collapse of the Islamic world.

It is up to Muslims to thwart this plan. These hostile games, which have been devised under the concepts of British Shiism and British Sunnism and flies in the face of Islam, should not be allowed to come to fruition. It is up to the alliance of Shiites and Sunnis to frustrate these schemes. Especially if our Shiite brothers and Sunni brothers come together, Shia and Sunni countries form an alliance and new friendship agreements are signed, and Muslims cooperate in solving their problems, then the British deep state will definitely not succeed. It is important that these alliances are forged to be strong and in public.

23- Why is this focus on Britain; why not America or any other country?

First of all, I must say that the issue is not Britain or the British people. And it's not the British state, but it's the British deep state. The British deep state is not the British state itself, but a secret organization that was formed within the British state and has been maintaining its existence for centuries, causing turmoil, wars, and misery in the world. Both the British state and the British people are also victims of this dark organization, or indeed, any other state you might point out, including the USA. There would not be chaos, conflict, oppression or injustice anywhere if it were not for the incitements, pressure games and manipulations of the British deep state. When you look at the news, you will see the name of  “Country X”; but upon closer inspection, you will realize that there is actually the design of the British deep state behind it. The British deep state has been able to avoid public detection to date because it is usually quite good at disguising itself. However, after we have exposed the real meaning of the events and unmasked this organization with thousands of evidential documents, it has initiated an awakening in the world at large. Therefore, the schemes of this insidious organization, which harasses both the people of Britain itself and the people of other countries, should be exposed nonstop. Thus, it will be easier to eliminate the influence of the conniving underground organizations, put an end to the disagreements between the states and the people, and establish the reign of love.

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