Erdogan: Islam is the religion of peace, not a religion of terror

Associated Press Of Pakistan, 6 September 2008

ADNAN OKTAR: I have a book entitled, “Islam denounces Terrorism.” Our publisher had sent it to all the prominent professors, scientists in Europe. This is a very famous book of mine. It is widely popular. You know that it is also downloadable from the Internet. Last year approximately 35 million copies had been downloaded and this year, the number of copies downloaded by now is well beyond 35 million. They are downloaded for free. HOW CAN TERROR EXIST IN  ISLAM? ISLAM IS WATER WHILE TERROR IS THE FIRE. ISLAM IS THE WATER THAT EXTINGUISHES FIRE. WOULD FIRE BURN WATER? WATER EXTINGUISHES FIRE. CONSEQUENTLY SINCE LOVE, COMPASSION, MERCY, RESPECT, DEEP THINKİNG, SINCERITY, COOPERATION ARE IN THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION, IT IS UNLIKELY FOR RELIGION TO SUPPORT TERROR. This is absent in the structure of Islam. Indeed, when someone murders a person, Allah states the murderer to be forgiven. Allah says that it is more auspicious if he is forgiven. Can such a religion ever support terrorism?

Denge TV, 9 December 2008

ADNAN OKTAR: About America considering (Muslims) as terrorists; there are two reasons; first of all, there is no terror in Islam, this is very obvious. Islam means love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness; even Allah wants us to forgive the murderer. There is the concept of retaliation for murder in the Qur’an but Allah says that it is more auspicious if we forgive. It would be very unwise to see the traces of terror in a religion that imparts this. Almighty Allah even wants us to forgive a murderer; this is a religion of peace and love. There is forgiveness everywhere in Islam; there is forgiveness in everything. Forgive, command what is good and forbid what is evil. Love, mercy, compassion and cooperation; they are all explained throughout [the Qur’an]. But also there are terrorists who engage in terrorism. He acts ignorantly and bombs civilians, for instance.He bombs a place where there are women and children. Is he a Muslim? It is open to question. I don’t know if such type of people are Muslims.First of all it would be illogical to call them first Muslims and then to lament terrors carried out by a Muslim. First of all we need to determine whether these people are Muslims or not. In my opinion, if a person recklessly dares to kill a child, he can’t be a Muslim. This is not something acceptable.Darwinist, materialist and Marxist young people consider Islam to be more interesting in time but they remain as Marxists or Darwinists. They carry out acts of communisit terrorism in the name of Islam. That is to say, whatever he does as a communist, he does it in the name of Islam and he claims that it is more legitimate. The fact is however he has desire for terror and for violence in his soul. If he does not call himself a Muslim, he already carries out such acts as a Marxist. If not, as a fascist. He does it in all cases. That is to say, he has a sick soul.

FOR THIS REASON SAYING THAT THERE IS TERROR IN ISLAM IS HAVING A FLAWED UNDERSTANDING OF RESPECT TOWARDS ISLAM. THIS IS A GRAVE ERROR. ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF PEACE AS WE CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND FROM THE MEANING OF ISLAM WHICH IS PEACE. For this reason nobody of sound mind would ever accept it.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated the following about the explosion that occured in Mogadishu, Somali:

“FIRST OF ALL THOSE WHO ASSERT THAT THEY COMMIT IT IN THE NAME OF ISLAM ARE TOTALLY DIVORCED FROM ISLAM. INDEED FOR ONE THING, ISLAM IS NOT A RELIGION OF TERROR. AS ITS MEANING SUGGESTS, ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE. And those who claim that they are a member of it must not attempt to murder people on behalf of Islam. What they have been doing is utterly out of Islam. It has no relation whatsoever with Islam.What is being done in Somalia right now is unfortunately this. Women and children are being killed there and many of them are defenseless. This cannot be explained by Islam.”