In its 20 June, 2007, edition Die Welt, one of Germany’s main dailies, carried a long report headed “The Struggle against Evolution with the Qur’an.” The report contained the following statements:
Adnan Oktar has initiated a relentless campaign against Darwinism. The Muslim author, who regards the origins of fascism and terrorism as being rooted in the theory of evolution, is distributing his Atlas of Creation to all Europe in order to disprove Darwin’s teachings.
Adnan Oktar is taking great strides in his campaign against the theory of evolution. The Turkish writer is sending out his Atlas of Creation, consisting of 800 pages, in order to disprove Charles Darwin’s theory of “the development of species.” As well as to teachers in France and Turkey, this glossy book has also been distributed to a large number of teachers in Germany, Switzerland and other countries. Adnan Oktar, who writes under the pen name Harun Yahya, does not only want to prove Allah’s creation. He wants to fight the theory as the root of fascism and terrorism.
Adnan Oktar says, “The myth of human evolution has absolutely no scientific basis.” The hundreds of pictures of fossils in his Atlas prove that all species were created by God in their final form… For him, man’s development from the ape is a totally inconceivable claim. Accordingly, Adnan Oktar says, “The beliefs of Darwinists are as incredible as crocodile worship appears ridiculous and impossible to us today.”
Adnan Oktar attacks the conspiracy of atheists and materialists he maintains exist with missionary eagerness and the Qur’an. The author, once a student of fine arts, seeks to reveal the dark liaison between Darwinism and such bloody ideologies as fascism and communism. He says that terrorists who claim to be religious are in fact social-Darwinists. He also states that Islam brings peace.
Born in 1956, the author has written a great many books. More than 100 have been published. Industrious followers have translated many of these, of which the Atlas of Creation is one. The books are printed with many extracts from the Qur’an. Web pages, publishing houses and a foundation called the Science Research Foundation spread the author’s views. …
Adnan Oktar is not unknown in Germany … All the author’s work seems to be devoted now particularly to opposing Darwinism.
… Alaaddin Dincer, chairman of the Turkish education trade union, says that with the Atlas of Creation Adnan Oktar is attempting to influence teachers teaching the theory of evolution and to show pupils that evolution is an unproven theory. Many French high schools have received the tome. The Paris Education Ministry panicked and called for the book not to be taught in classes. The book has now reached teachers in Germany.
… On his web site Oktar explains how sincere Muslims in the past were also subjected to unfounded accusations. The author uses the names Harun and Yahya (Aaron and John in the Bible) in a reference to two prophets in Islam who courageously espoused their beliefs.
The author’s struggle continues. Indeed, the volume available is solely the first in the seven-volume Atlas of Creation series.
This report published in Die Welt also appeared in other press publications and web sites in Germany. One of these is the news portal netzeitung.de.