Foreword

The conditions and some of the information set out in the first edition of this book in 2001 have changed somewhat with the passage of time. However, the fact that there are Muslims all over the world who are oppressed, persecuted, martyred, crippled or forced to flee their homes has not altered. In preparing this edition of the book this has been borne in mind and some of the information has been brought up to date. However, those sections not referring to a specific period of time, that address the conscience of everyone reading this book and that remind Muslims of their responsibility have been kept exactly the same.

The situation of a large part of the Islamic world, described in detail in the course of this book will certainly disturb people of good conscience. But a great many people quickly forget this information they learn on the television, in the papers or over the internet and occupy themselves with their own affairs forgetting all about the ruthless killing of innocent people, the murder of children, the burning and destruction of people's homes and all the people forced to live in refugee camps. Some people sometimes say how distressing they find all this suffering, talk about it for hours on end and even write about it but hang back when it comes to establishing a solution that will put an end to it. Other people look for the solution in the wrong place, imagining that they can find the answer through terror and violence, even though that is totally incompatible with the moral values of the Qur'an and the Sunna of our Prophet (saas).

The fact is, however, that Allah has clearly shown Muslims the path to salvation in the Qur'an and in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas). That path consists of Muslims being united, in the knowledge that the whole Muslim world are brothers, and of the establishment of Turkish-Islamic Union.

Turkish-Islamic Union is the Solution that will Stop the Bloodshed

Unity lies at the heart of Islamic moral values. As Allah reveals in the Qur'an, "…If you do not act in this way (do not help one another and become friends) there will be turmoil in the land and great corruption." (Surat al-Anfal: 73), believers must be friends and allies, united and unified, for the corruption in the world to come to an end. The Turkish-Islamic world must demand this union. Failure to demand union means demanding division instead, and division is of no use to the Turkish-Islamic world. Muslims' strength, power and best interests all lie in unity. As can be seen in detail in the pages that follow, the sufferings in some parts of the Muslim world do not stem from the outside world alone, and there are conflicts between Muslims of different ethnic origins, sects or cultures – in complete violation of Islamic moral values. It is certainly repugnant for Muslims to fight when they should, as Allah commands, be brothers as they all believe in One Allah, one religion, one Book and one Prophet.

But the fact is that as stated in the Qur'an, believers have an obligation to be united. It is revealed in verses:

Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate. Remember Allah's blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided.  (Surah Al 'Imran: 103)

The believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers and fear [and respect] Allah so that hopefully you will gain mercy. (Surat al-Hujurat: 10)

Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not quarrel among yourselves lest you lose heart and your momentum disappear. And be steadfast. Allah is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Anfal: 46)

Those who are unbelievers are the friends and protectors of one another. If you do not act in this way there will be turmoil in the land and great corruption. (Surat al-Anfal: 73)

Those who, when they are wronged, defend themselves. (Surat ash-Shura: 39)

Allah loves those who strive in His Way in ranks like well-built walls. (Surat as-Saff: 4)

These are just a few verses dealing with Muslims being united. From these, and from the Qur'an as a whole, it can be seen that it is a religious obligation for;

• Muslims to be united,
• To be bound to one another as brothers in love and affection,
• To avoid disputes,
• To be one another's friends and guardians,
• To protect and watch over one another under all circumstances,
• To counsel one another,
• And to engage in an intellectual struggle against denial, bonded tightly to one another like the bricks of a building.

Therefore, to do the exact opposite, in other words;

• To be divisive instead of unifying,
• Not to treat one's Muslim brothers with love and affection,
• Not to be forgiving, protective and mindful of one's Muslim brothers, and
• Not to be bonded to Muslims in the intellectual struggle against denial is a sin.

If the Islamic world wants to erect a powerful, stable, and prosperous civilization that guides and illuminates the world in every aspect, it must act in union. The lack of such a union is responsible for the Islamic world's discord and separation, the absence of a common voice, and the defenselessness of innocent Muslims. Countless poor women, children, and elderly people are desperately in need of rescue from oppression in Palestine, Kashmir, East Turkestan (home of the Chinese-ruled Muslim Uighur people), the southern Philippines (home of the Muslim Moro people) and many other regions. The responsibility for these people belongs to the Islamic world before anyone else. Muslims must never forget the Prophet's (saas) following words:

"A Muslim is a Muslim's brother. He does not wrong him or abandon him."

The fact that the Muslims have not been able to create a powerful and active Islamic Union is a major contributor to many of today's ills. When a strong Turkish-Islamic Union is formed, such problems will either not arise or will be resolved far quicker than anticipated.

It is perfectly natural for there to be different cultures, traditions and conceptions in the Islamic world. What really matters is that this diversity must be united under the umbrella of faith and on the basis of mutual understanding and solidarity. Differences of thought, practice, or point of view are normal and common in all societies. Islamic morality requires that Muslims never forget that they are all brothers and sisters, irrespective of their differences. Whatever the race, language, nation, or branch of Islam one might follow, all Muslims are brothers and sisters. Therefore, such differences must be appreciated as a source of richness instead of as a source of potential conflict and fragmentation. Such a mistaken view only diverts one's attention from the real issues and delays urgently needed and important preventive action.

In their mutual relations, faith and good character are important, not race, ethnic origin, language, financial means, status, or office. Love between sincere believers develops through their fear and awareness of and true love for Allah, and good deeds and a good character. If people dedicate themselves to the path of Allah, follow it in all their actions and behavior, and do good in the hope of acquiring Allah's good pleasure and mercy, other believers will love and respect them. As a result, their skin color, race, or financial status will be irrelevant and have no bearing on the love others feel for them. The same criteria must be true for relations between Muslim nations, which must be based on the Qur'anic insight.

If situations prevent them from doing so, they should consider the following questions:

"Is this issue more important than the unity of Islam?"
"Is it beyond resolution?"
"Is it acceptable to dispute with another Muslim community instead of working against irreligious ideologies?"

Everybody who answers these questions conscientiously will know that the higher priority is to refrain from endless disputes and to establish a union based on the Qur'an's values.

The Islamic world must put its various disputes aside and remember that all Muslims are "brothers" and "sisters" so that it can provide role models who reflect the true character of Islam and its ideals. This unity of the believers is a gift and grace of Almighty Allah. Sincere Muslims must thank our Lord for these benefits and obey His command "not to separate."

To Abide by the Path Shown by Our Prophet (saas)

Our Prophet (saas) has described the End Times in which we are living in considerable detail. One of the main features of the End Times is that, in that period Muslims will face many difficulties, troubles and pains. That is because, as our Prophet (saas) reveals, this period is one in which irreligion will spread, materialist and Darwinist ideologies will engage in intensive propaganda. During this period many people will abandon religious moral values altogether, true believers will be few in number, Allah will be blatantly denied (surely Allah is beyond that), Islamic countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan will be invaded, Muslims will be besieged in Bayt al-Maqdis, tyrannical rulers will oppress the public in many Islamic countries. In this period disorder and terror will enfold the world, corruption will spring up somewhere else as it dies down in one place and innocent people will be unjustly killed, women and children will be slaughtered, people will live in fear and terror and despite all this Muslims will still be fragmented. (For more detail in this subject, seewww.endoftimes.net)

However, while warning Muslims in great detail about these problems they will encounter, our Prophet (saas) has also shown them how they can be saved from these difficulties. Almighty Allah will free the Islamic world and all mankind from difficulties and troubles of all kinds by sending Hazrat Mahdi (as) when the calamities of the End Times are at their fiercest. Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a holy individual descended from our Prophet (saas), who, according to the hadiths and statements by Islamic scholars, will appear in Hijri 1400, in this century in other words, and will lead people out of the darkness into which they have fallen, towards the light. Rasulullah (The Messenger of Allah) (saas) has described in detail Hazrat Mahdi's (as) physical characteristics, the kind of struggle he will wage, where he will come from and what he will do. He has provided amazing details about all this. According to these details, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will serve in Istanbul, will wage an intellectual struggle against Darwinism and materialism, will neutralize the corruption that turns people from religious moral values, will construct the Turkish-Islamic Union by uniting the Islamic world, will put an end to all forms of injustice and unfairness, will be instrumental in people growing and becoming very wealthy in both material and physical terms and, together with the Prophet Jesus (as), will make the moral values of Islam rule the world. He will be instrumental in a time like the Age of Felicity taking place across the world, when Allah fully manifests His title of al-Hadi (Who Guides), when people fully abide by the moral values commanded by Allah, when there is plenty and abundance everywhere and when joy and happiness reign. (For more detail, see www.awaitedmahd.net)

Therefore, these troubles taking place all through the Islamic world and the corruption and disorder all over the world, herald the coming of this holy individual. Each one of the hundreds of events that our Prophet (saas) foretold as signs of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) have taken place one after the other as of Hijri 1400. Just like our Prophet (saas) foretold, the waters of the Euphrates have been stopped, the Iran-Iraq War broke out, a bloody attack occurred at the Kaaba, there have been lunar and solar eclipses at 15-day intervals during the month of Ramadan, Afghanistan has been invaded, all of Iraq has been occupied, Halley's comet has come by, a fire was seen from the East when the oil wells were set on fire during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, a corruption of darkness and smoke was seen when the Twin Towers in America were attacked on September 11, the rulers of Sham and Egypt were killed, Azerbaijan was invaded, the comet Lulin, which had two tails and flew in the opposite direction to all other comets, was seen and hundreds of other portents have all come about. These things are all proof we are in the age of Hazrat Mahdi (as).

In this holy age foretold by our Prophet (saas) it is unacceptable for any sincere Muslim who follows our Prophet (saas) not to seek Hazrat Mahdi (as) and prepare the way for him by striving for the unity, union and salvation of the Islamic world. The whole Islamic world must be united in the fervor and excitement of living in the age of Hazrat Mahdi (as), must seek out Hazrat Mahdi (as) and must strive for the world to attain peace, calm and prosperity with him being instrumental. It must not be forgotten that the emergence of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the global dominion of the moral values of Islam is the destiny ordained by Allah. Allah will make Hazrat Mahdi (as) successful whether people support him or not. Through him, He will eliminate all the corruption of denial and will impose the dominion of Islamic morality. Therefore, everyone who intends to be one of Hazrat Mahdi's (as) helpers and strives to become one, who desires the unity of the Turkish-Islamic world and who wages an intellectual struggle for the salvation of Muslims who are oppressed all over the world, is actually striving for himself. As our Lord reveals in Surat al'Ankabut,

"Whoever strives [in the way of Allah] does it entirely for himself. Allah is Rich Beyond Need of any being." (Surat al-'Ankabut: 6)

Introduction - A Call To All People of Conscience ...

What people come across frequently, they tend to eventually grow used to. This familiarity can so develop over time that things which elicit violent surprise or protest when first witnessed become routine matters just a short while later.

The wars and conflicts taking place in our world are a case in point. When a country is first occupied and a slaughter or genocide first begins, this can lead to violent protests worldwide. Let us, for instance, consider the first days of the Bosnian conflict, or Chechnya, or Palestine… The image of a Palestinian child on his father's lap who will be a target for the bullets of Israeli soldiers, Chechen babies murdered in their nappies, women, the elderly and children alike subjected to a terrible genocide in Bosnia…

When people first see such images, they often talk about their feelings of outrage and say they want to do something. However, over time the never-ending stream of horrific reports ceases to attract their attention anymore. More people die every day, women are raped, and children are shot or lose a foot after stepping on mines… However, people's reactions in the early days are replaced by an odd insensitivity. When they buy a newspaper, they are often more interested in celebrity gossip than stories of war. That is because the deaths of a few people in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq,, Kashmir or East Turkestan have become more or less "routine news."

Moreover, propaganda at the same time portrays all this savagery as political developments. Thus it is that many people see the slaughter experienced in Chechnya as an internal Russian affair, what is going on in Palestine as a struggle for land between Israel and Palestine, and the Hindu oppression of the people of Kashmir as a problem rooted in the region's strategic position. Among others, it is true that historical and economic factors do play a role in the emergence of conflict. However, internal or economic problems have not been the only cause of the oppression visited on the Chechen people in recent years by some Russians, nor the conflicts that go on in the Middle East, nor the violence that Muslim peoples in Africa are subjected to, nor the violent cruelty and ethnic cleansing suffered before the eyes of the whole world by Muslims in the Balkans. As we shall see in later chapters of this book, these people's being Muslim is one of the main reasons for these conflicts.

Since these people believe in Allah and want to live their lives according to the demands of their religion, and want to raise their children to be believers too, they are subjected to various forms of oppression. The existence of strong states upholding spiritual values or a strong union of Islamic nations that would protect the rights of Muslims within a legal framework of justice gives rise to grave concerns among certain circles in the West and poses a threat to the interests of certain others. The fact is, however, that a country or union that fully abides by Qur'anic moral values is the protector of everyone, no matter what their religion or beliefs, and not just of Muslims. The existence of such a union is no threat to anyone. On the contrary, it guarantees the peace and security of all countries and peoples in the world.

Another aspect of the matter is that some people know nothing about the people who live in these countries, and often have never even heard of the countries themselves. The situation of someone who has no idea of the difficulties, oppression and acts of violence, hunger and poverty suffered by Muslims living in Sudan, Algeria, Indonesia, Patani, Myanmar, Djibouti, Tunisia and Bangladesh is certainly food for thought. It is impossible for such a person to extend a helping hand to believers whom he does not know even exist. Other people are aware of this cruelty and injustice. Yet it does not even occur to them that they might be able to help or try to put an end to the oppression. Furthermore, they so convince themselves that they are unable to do anything about it that neither the reports they read nor the images they see on the television screen trouble their consciences in the slightest.

A true believer, however, is responsible for all that he hears and sees. Allah calls on Muslims in the Qur'an:

What reason could you have for not striving in the Way of Allah – 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!" (Surat an-Nisa': 75)

There is no question, of course, of people of conscience who obey the command contained in that verse closing their eyes and ignoring what is going on. It is impossible for a Muslim to sleep irresponsibly in his comfortable bed, fritter away his time, and think only about his own pleasure and interests when such violent cruelty is going on in the world. That is because a believer knows that the fundamental solution to unjust wars, massacres, cruelty, hunger and moral degeneration, in short to all of the world's problems, lies in spreading the morality of the Qur'an. That knowledge places a great responsibility on his shoulders: that of explaining the religion of Islam and the beautiful things it brings with it, propagating the morality of the Qur'an, and waging a war of ideas against atheism…

Those who take on that honorable duty will free all those who are oppressed in the world by the guidance of the Qur'an:

... A Light has come to you from Allah and a Clear Book. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 15-16)

The intention behind this book is to lay bare the plight of innocent Muslims all over the world, and to invite people of conscience to consider this situation and seek a solution. This is not a time to remain silent, behave uncaringly, dedicate ourselves to the petty benefits of this world and kill time with pointless debates and squabbles. At a time when millions of Muslims are suffering such terrible cruelty, it could be an act of the greatest heedlessness to refuse to shoulder any burden for Islam. There is also no doubt but that it will bring with it the gravest consequences in the hereafter.

Muslims Must Struggle through Knowledge and Ideas

REPORTER: Yes, could you talk about terror a bit? There are suicide attacks taking place in Afghanistan. Is that acceptable in Islam? Can one wage jihad by killing oneself? ADNAN OKTAR: What need is there for suicide? For one thing, suicide is a sin. To kill an innocent person for no reason is something deserving a punishment of eternal hell. Someone who kills himself has killed a human being and thus committed a terrible sin, and since he departs without repenting he risks spending eternity in hell. That is why a Muslim should educate, rather than kill himself, and increase his knowledge, love, affection, compassion and strength, and should go and preach to people. There is no need to go and bomb people. Go and preach to them, tell them about Islam. There was a period, as you know, in the early years of our Prophet's (saas) coming when he did not reveal himself. They began preaching in secret, and only later openly. They were insulted, oppressed, beaten and sworn at, they were alienated and subjected to sanctions, and they even abandoned their country and migrated to another. They preached amid all these many difficulties, and Müslüman kendini öldüreceMuslims must preach in the same way, preaching and explaining. But they cannot be of any use by bombing and hanging people. That is wrong. It is incompatible with the Qur'an, with the moral values of the Qur'an and with logic and reason. . If they open madrassas, that is great, masha'Allah. Let them explain faith and the religion and talk about science. They can work against Darwinism and demolish its philosophies and engage in serious intellectual activities against Marxism, Leninism, communism and fascism.Let them raise their levels of culture, wear spotless clothes and spread moral virtues all around. That is how to spread Islam. But there is no room in Islam for shedding the blood of innocent people with nothing to do with anything, bombing them and tearing them to bits. These are things our Prophet (saas) never encouraged, that have no place in the Qur'an, were introduced subsequently are horribly ugly. And they are sinning through these ugly actions. The right thing to do is to make those madrassas into gardens of peace. To establish fine, modern madrassas, to teach and enlighten people there, isn't it? To spread love, peace, brotherhood, lovableness, humanity, eagerness to help others, in short, to teach and spread moral virtues. You cannot spread the faith by bombing people, that has the exact opposite effect. Terror is totally harmful. But the faith will snowball through activities of the kind I have described and these will cause Islam to rule the whole world, insha'Allah. (From Mr. Adnan Oktar's interview with Afghanistan Ayna, December 12, 2008)

Muslims' Struggle Should Be Consistent with the Moral Values of the Qur'an

All Muslims should live according to the ethics Allah revealed in the Qur'an. However fair and just Muslims are in their everyday life, their business affairs, or in their personal relationships, they must demonstrate the same values during times of war, while defending themselves, or even while being driven from their lands. They must still put their trust in Allah, obey His laws, and adhere strictly to His instructions.

The word "Islam" has the same meaning as the word "peace" in Arabic. The Qur'an calls people to the ethics of Islam, through which the world can be made a haven for peace, love and compassion. Allah commands us to rule justly and without discriminating among people, to preserve people's rights, oppose cruelty, support the oppressed in the face of cruelty, and help those in need. This justice requires each Muslim to protect the rights of both parties, evaluate events objectively, and think without bias. It requires justice, honesty, mercy, and compassion.

As the Qur'an states: "O you who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just, for that is closer to heedfulness. Have fear of Allah. Allah is aware of what you do."  (Surat Al-Ma'ida:8), true Muslims must not let their decisions or practices be tainted by such feelings as resentment, hatred, and rage. Muslims must always conduct themselves according to the Qur'an, behave with patience and restraint, and avoid exaggerated responses. As Allah reminds us: "We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits. But give good news to the steadfast." (Surat al-Baqara: 155). Thus, this life on Earth is merely a trial. Allah has forbidden the killing of guiltless and defenseless women, children and the elderly in verses from the Qur'an.

A closer examination of the Prophet Muhammad's (saas) life reveals that war was a method resorted to for defensive purposes only in unavoidable situations.

The revelation of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad (saas) continued for a period of 23 years. During the first 13 years of this period, Muslims lived as a minority under a pagan order in Mecca and faced much oppression. Many Muslims were harassed, abused, tortured, and even murdered, their houses and possessions plundered. Despite this, however, Muslims led their lives without resorting to violence and always called the pagans to peace.

When the oppression of the pagans escalated unbearably, the Muslims emigrated to the town of Yathrib, which was later to be renamed Medina, where they could establish their own order in a freer and more friendly environment. Even establishing their own system did not prompt them to take up weapons against the aggressive pagans of Mecca.

Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) established a secure and peaceful social environment for Muslims and pagans alike by signing the peace agreement of Hudaybiya which conceded to the pagans most of their requests. The party who violated the terms of the agreement and started hostilities once again were the pagans. With rapid conversions into Islam, the Islamic armies mustered a great force against the pagan Arabs. However, Muhammad (saas) conquered Mecca without bloodshed and in a spirit of tolerance. Our Prophet (saas) did no harm to any one of the pagans who had so persecuted and tortured him and other Muslims in the past. He forgave them and treated them with the utmost tolerance. In the words of John Esposito, a Western expert on Islam, "eschewing vengeance and the plunder of conquest, the Prophet instead accepted a settlement, granting amnesty rather than wielding the sword toward his former enemies."

Pagans, who would later convert to Islam of their own free will, could not help admiring such nobility of character in the Prophet (saas).

Not only during Mecca's conquest, but also in the course of all the battles and conquests made in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), the rights of innocent and defenseless people were meticulously protected. The Prophet Muhammad (saas) reminded believers numerous times about this subject and by his own practice became a role model for others to follow. Indeed, he addressed believers who were about to go to war in the following terms: "Go to war in adherence to the religion of Allah. Never touch the elderly, women or children. Always improve their situation and be kind to them. Allah loves those who are sincere."3 The Messenger of Allah (saas) also clarified the attitude Muslims must adopt even when they are in the middle of a raging battle:

Do not kill children. Avoid touching people who devote themselves to worship in churches! Never murder women and the elderly. Do not set trees on fire or cut them down. Never destroy houses!

Suicide is Forbidden in Islam

Some people are gravely misinformed about Islam, believing that this religion of peace permits suicide bombings; nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Islam forbids a Muslim from taking his or her life, just as it forbids taking somebody else's life. Allah explicitly condemns suicide: "do not kill yourselves" (Surat an-Nisa':29), regardless of the reason. The Prophet also told his Companions that suicide leads one to eternal damnation:

Whoever purposely throws himself from a mountain and kills himself will be in the (Hell) Fire falling down into it and abiding therein perpetually forever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself with it, he will be carrying his poison in his hand and drinking it in the (Hell) Fire, wherein he will abide eternally forever. Whoever kills himself with an iron weapon will be carrying that weapon in his hand and stabbing his abdomen with it in the (Hell) Fire, wherein he will abide eternally forever. (Sahih Bukhari Hadiths)

As explained in the hadith, committing suicide and engaging in suicide bombings – not to mention killing innocent people thereby – violates the moral values in Qur'an.

There is No Terror in Islam

Those who emerge today and carry out acts of terrorism in the name of Islam and those who back such acts, representing a tiny minority in the world of Islam, stem from Darwinist, atheist and materialist ideologies, not from Islam itself. Failing to understand the essence of Islam, which is essentially a religion of peace and justice, they foolishly make it a tool of barbarism, which is simply an outcome of their social and cultural structure. The origin of this barbarism is Darwinism and materialism, and is the benighted initiatives of people who are devoid of love for their fellow human-beings.

It is a fact that, for the last few centuries, Muslims in all corners of the Islamic world, have been subjected to violence by some Western forces and their allies. The colonialist European states, local oppressive regimes or colonialists backed by certain Western circles have caused great suffering to Muslims at large. However, for Muslims, this is a situation that has to be approached and responded to from a purely Qur'anic stance.

In no part of the Qur'an does Allah command believers to respond to violence with violence. On the contrary, Allah commands Muslims to "respond to evil with goodness":

A good deed and a bad deed are not the same. Repel the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. (Surah Fussilat: 34)

It is no doubt a legitimate right of Muslims to react against this cruelty. However, these reactions should never turn into a blind hatred, an unjust enmity. Allah warns about this in the following verse:

... Let not the hatred of a people [who once] obstructed you from the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgress. Help one another in benevolence and piety, and help not one another in sin and transgression…  (Surat Al-Ma'ida: 2)

Consequently, carrying out terrorist acts against the innocent people of other nations under the pretence of "representing the innocent nations in the world", is by no means compatible with Islam.

Another point that deserves a special mention here is that all Western nations and communities cannot be held responsible for the aforementioned violence and oppression by certain circles in the West against Muslims. Actually, the materialist, irreligious philosophies and ideologies that prevailed in the 19th century are in the main responsible for these dismal acts. European colonialism did not originate from Christianity. On the contrary, anti-religious movements opposing the values of Christianity led the way to colonialism. At the roots of the greatest brutalities of the 19th century lies the Social Darwinist ideology. In the Western world today, there are still cruel, mischievous and opposing factors, as well as a culture dominated by peaceful and just elements that have its roots in Christianity. As a matter of fact, the main disagreement is not between the West and Islam. Contrary to the general opinion, it is between the devout people of the West and of the Muslim world on the one hand, and the people opposing religion (materialists, atheists, Darwinists etc.) on the other.

Another indication that those who resort to terror in the name of Islam, at least in their own eyes, have nothing to do with Islam is that, until recently, such actions were identified with communist ideology. As is well-known, similar anti-Western acts of terror were carried out in 1960s and 1970s by Soviet-backed communist organizations. As the impact of the communist ideology faded, some of the social structures which gave birth to communist organizations claimed to have appeared in the name of Islam, at least in their own eyes. This "brutality presented under the guise of religion", which is formulated by the incorporation of some Islamic concepts and symbols into the former communist literature is entirely against the moral values which constitute the essence of Islam.

A last remark about this issue is that Islam is not peculiar to a particular nation or geographical region. Contrary to the dominant Western perception, Islam is not an "eastern culture". Islam is the last religion revealed to mankind as a guide to the true path that recommends itself to all humanity. Muslims are responsible for communicating the true religion they believe in to all people of all nations and cultures and making them feel closer to Islam.

Consequently, there is a unique solution for people and groups who, in the name of Islam, resort to terror, form oppressive regimes and turn this world into a dreadful place instead of beautifying it: revealing the Islamic morality and communicating it so that the masses can understand and live by it.

Darwinism is the Source of Terror, But Islam is the Solution to Terror

ADNAN OKTAR: All those who perpetrated the September 11 attacks were people who had received a Darwinist, materialist and atheist education, who had been educated in Europe and who held materialist views. Their identity papers may describe them as Muslims, but that is irrelevant. There used to be communists in Palestine, there used to be communists in Syria and there used to be communists in Iraq, but Alhamdulillah these countries have now all become very devout. But it makes no difference whether someone who has been raised as a Marxist and who has received a left-wing, Darwinist, materialist education is called Hassan or Mehmet. A materialist is a materialist. An action carried out by a Darwinist, a materialist, is a Darwinist, materialist action. It is a Marxist action. There is therefore no sense in ascribing it to Muslims. In other words, when we look at the people who perpetrate terrorist actions of all kinds, we inevitably see they have had a Darwinist education. We see they have had a materialist education. Can someone who fears Allah, who loves Allah with all his heart, who believes in the Hereafter and who believes in Paradise and Hell possibly bomb innocent women and children? What kind of courage is that? Could someone who fears Allah have the strength to do that? They could not even conceive of such a thing. It would never enter their minds, let alone actually carrying it out. The people who do these things are generally of the kind I have described, people who have had a religious education but who hold Darwinist, materialist views. We cannot put this down to Islam. The cause of terror is Darwinism and materialism. There is Marxism-Leninism. Terror is a precondition in Leninist thinking. Marxism is theoretical communism and Leninism is applied communism. It is communist thought in action. Lenin says the way to put it into practice is through terror. Lenin cannot imagine a communism without terror. Terror is essential in classical Marxist and Leninist thinking. These people just do what is necessary. Look, they are former members of the Baath Party and people trained by them. Iraqi and Syrian Baathists all received a Marxist-Leninist and Stalinist education. Iraq in particular is riddled with Stalinists. Violence is one of the main elements of Stalinism. There is no Stalinism without violence. Iraqi head of state Saddam tried to model himself on Stalin and was a great fan of Stalin. He had Marxist-Leninist views. He expressed his admiration for Stalin many times. And his practices were those of Stalinism. Mass slaughter, killing vast numbers of people, is one of Stalin's methods. Because of his admiration for him, he did the same things. Baathist troops, some Baathist people, were dispersed among the public. They are still carrying out these attacks. Saying that they will go to Paradise is a superficial addition. Nobody who fears Allah and believes in Paradise and Hell can kill young children and the like. He cannot kill innocent people. There is a law regarding war in Islam. And this is set out in the Qur'an. It is enshrined in the Sunnah of our Prophet (saas). Wars are defensive and women and children are not to be touched. Never... War to a country has to be declared. War has to be legal, a struggle in a legal framework. Peace agreements with a country one has signed peace treaties with are inviolable; it is unacceptable for three or four people to announce that they have declared war. And attacks on children and the like are particularly unacceptable. Islam can be spread through people's minds with culture, knowledge, love, affection and art. Not through outrages. Not through bloodshed. Our Prophet (saas) would go to the market of 'Ukaz, and people would insult that lovely, radiant individual. They would throw thorns in his path. They threw camel entrails at him. But he still preached the word. He described Islam and the Qur'an. He did it with love, tirelessly and for years. Eventually, as you know, he was unable to withstand the pressure and went on the Hegira. He continued to preach in the places he visited on the Hegira. All the Prophet's (saas) wars were defensive wars. Wars of self-defense. He never went anywhere and took control of it by force of arms. He always fought defensive wars.

Danger Facing The Islamic World - The Anti-Islamic Alliance Facing Muslims

Subsequent chapters of this book will examine the Islamic world country by country, and will reveal the oppression and cruelty inflicted on Muslims. Before that, however, we need to look at the roots of the attacks directed at the Muslim world.

The area known as the Islamic world consists of those countries which have a majority Muslim population. It stretches from Morocco and Mauritania in the West and as far as Indonesia in the East. The great majority, some 1,5 billions, of the people living in the region are Muslims. Over the last 200 years, they have come face-to-face with attacks, oppression, and terror and have even been massacred because they are Muslims. That is because many Muslims have been obliged to live under some non-Muslim regimes, which look with hatred at Islam.

When we look at the Islamic world today, we can clearly see that there is an effort to crush, oppress and eliminate Muslims in Bosnia, Algeria, Tunisia, Eritrea, Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kashmir, East Turkestan, Chechnya, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar and Sudan. At first glance, the Muslims in these different regions may seem to be facing different threats. The Serbs in Bosnia, the Hindus in Kashmir, and the oppressive regimes in countries such as Algeria, Egypt and Morocco all target Muslims. Yet these anti-Islamic forces, which appear independent from one another, all act with a similar logic, follow similar strategies and employ similar methods. The singular factor they all have in common is that they act out of religious morals but have materialist and Darwinist natures.

These forces which deny the existence of Allah and see divine religions as the greatest threat for their own systems that oppose religious moral values and so declare violent wars on religion and believers, actually represent atheist ideologies. That is why the real threat facing Muslims and all sincere believers who have faith in one Allah is not actually some nations or various oppressive regimes, but the understanding that affects the world in general while covering ateist, materialist and Darwinist ideologies and also the people who carry these out. The roots of this oppression of Muslim people draw nourishment from atheism and go back a very long way.

Colonialism and Opposition to Islam

Colonialist nations such as Britain, France and Italy inflicted the most terrible tortures on the Muslims living in the Islamic lands they conquered, and carried out mass killings.

The Islamic world was not always in such a position. A few hundred years ago, it was ruled by Muslim empires. At the start of the 1700s almost all of the Islamic world was governed by three great empires. There was the Mogul Empire in India, while the Safavid Empire ruled Iran and its surrounding area. The third and greatest power was the Ottoman Empire, which held sway over the entire Balkan Peninsula as well as Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq and Syria), the Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa.

However, these three empires gradually disappeared from world maps. The Mogul Empire grew weak, shrank and finally collapsed. The Indian sub-continent then fell into the hands of British colonialism. The area known as Indochina was colonized by the French. The Safavid State in Central Asia came under British and Russian rule. The Ottoman Empire, the third and greatest Muslim empire, was progressively reduced in size beginning in the nineteenth century. Ottoman lands in the West fell into the hands of Russia and the Balkan states encouraged by it. The Middle East, Arabian Peninsula and North Africa were occupied by the British, French and Italians. By the end of the First World War, a large portion of the world's Muslims were ruled by non-Muslim governments.

All of these governments had a colonialist mentality. In the 1920s, Soviet Russia and fascist Italy joined the ranks of such traditional colonialists as Great Britain and France. Each of these countries occupied and colonized a part of the Islamic world. They did not hesitate to inflict the most ruthless slaughter and torture upon the Muslim populations under their rule. Britain and France "administered" the Muslims in the Middle East, North Africa and the Far East. In other words, they reaped and used the Muslim countries' natural resources for their own interests. Soviet Russia took over all of the Caucasus and Central Asia, and the Muslims in those regions were enslaved under the pressure of the communist regime. Italy occupied Libya in 1911, and then set about a bloody invasion of Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) in the 1930s.

One important feature of the Middle East policies of Britain and France was to divide the region to serve their own interests. This artificial order in the Middle East was a poisoned seed of never-ending wars. These two colonialist European powers were forced to abandon the region after the Second World War.However, an environment of disorder and trouble has never left the region and the blood has never stopped flowing.

When we look at the picture whose general outline we have just summarized, we can clearly see that the Islamic world has been a target for foreign powers ever since the beginning of the nineteenth century. Throughout the ensuing 200 years, the world's Muslims have been occupied by these powers, colonized, and subjected to oppression and cruelty. The puppet regimes these powers installed in some of the Muslim countries also greatly oppressed Muslims, and they continue to do so to this very day. Moreover, the outside powers imposed a number of ideologies that were utterly foreign to the Islamic world, such as extreme nationalism, fascism and communism. Then they used those who were duped by these ideologies to work against their own Muslim communities.

The Basis of Ideologies Opposed to Islam

When we analyze the oppressors of the Muslim world, we encounter three basic ideas:

1) Western imperialism: For instance, British and French colonialism as described above.
2) Fascism-extreme nationalism: Italian fascism and pro-fascist groups that cause civil wars in the Islamic world.
3) Communism: Soviet Russia, China, Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, communists in Afghanistan and various communist groups in the Middle East.

Close inspection reveals that each of these three is based on ideas that emerged in the nineteenth century, and developed in the twentieth. Extreme nationalism and the fascism that came in its wake are ideologies that emerged entirely in the nineteenth century, and were practiced to the greatest extent in the twentieth century. Communism began with the theory of dialectical materialism proposed by Marx and Engels in the nineteenth century, although the first communist regime was not installed until 1917, in Russia.

One can say that only Western colonialism goes back to earlier centuries, although it then consisted of limited economic initiatives and again came to a position of global domination with its philosophy and ideological foundations in the nineteenth century.

This shows us that the enemy of the world of Islam is not this or that nation or civilization (Western civilization, for instance), but the "ideologies" that turned these nations or civilizations into bloody oppressors. These ideologies dominated a great part of the world in the nineteenth century, and brought cruelty and savagery with them wherever they held dominion. It was actually these ideologies that occupied, divided, plundered, enslaved and slaughtered the Muslim world.

When we look at these three ideologies, we see that what lies behind all of them is keeping Western civilisation from religious moral values. Each of them emerged as the Western world moved away from a belief in Allah and religion and began to take on a materialist worldview.

One important truth confirming this is that each of these three ideologies is based on Darwin's theory of evolution, which was portrayed as the so-called scientific basis of atheism.

The Continuing 200 Years of Cruelty in The Islamic World

For nearly half a century Palestinian Muslims have been forced from their homes for no reason, shot, and subjected to torture and violence. Yet the whole world is silent in the face of the occupying power: Israel.

It is no particular nation or society that is the enemy of the Islamic world, but rather "ideologies" that have turned those nations and societies into oppressors. These ideologies came to dominate much of the world in the nineteenth century, and everywhere they prevailed became scenes of cruelty and violence in the twentieth.

The Links between Darwinism, Colonialism and Fascism

Darwin's lie about the struggle for survival was an important source of inspiration for racism, communism and fascism, as well as imperialism

Darwinism is the so-called scientific foundation of colonialism. That is because Darwin placed the various categories of the human race at different levels in his imaginary evolutionary process. He foolishly considered the European white race to be the most advanced, and portrayed Asian and African tribes as being almost at the same levels as the apes. Furthermore, although he had no scientific support, he suggested that all of mankind was in a constant state of conflict and a fight for survival, and said that it was a so-called "law of nature" that the West should win this fight and enslave the other races. In his The Origin of Species, he wrote:

At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous (human-like) apes... will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest allies will then be wider, for it will intervene in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as baboon, instead of as now between the negro or Australian and the gorilla.1

Darwin arrived at this interesting conclusion by means of a lie about the struggle for survival. According to this claim, the weak are eliminated in the fight for survival, and the strong and fit go on to survive. Moreover, he maintained that this was necessary for universal development, in other words that the disappearance of some races was a process that would allow man to progress and move forward.

This unscientific idea, known as "Social Darwinism," saw wide acceptance in the primitive scientific conditions of the time and came to be the basic justification for European colonialism. In short, Darwinism is the "scientific" foundation of colonialism.

Social Darwinism is as much the source of extreme nationalism and fascism as it is of imperialism. All of the nineteenth century theoreticians who are regarded as the founders of fascism (Friedrich Nietzsche, Heinrich von Treitschke, Francis Galton, and Ernst Haeckel, for instance) were strongly influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, and particularly by the concept of the "fight for survival." Mussolini, the Italian dictator who established the first fascist regime, was a convinced Darwinist in his youth and drew attention with his articles in praise of Darwin. It is quite clear from the writings of Hitler and other senior Nazis that they were also inspired by Social Darwinism. (For further details, see Harun Yahya, Fascism: Darwinism's Bloody Ideology, Istanbul, Vural Yayincilik, 2001)

Communist Ideologies' Hatred for Islam

Darwinism also forms the basis of communism. This was clearly stated by its first founders, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Both were convinced atheists, both saw the elimination of religious beliefs as essential for communism, and both fully understood that the theory of evolution served that end.

As soon as Darwin's book was published, Engels wrote to Marx as follows: "Darwin, whom I am just now reading, is splendid."2 On December 19, 1860, Marx replied, "This is the book that contains the basis in natural history for our view."3 In a letter to another socialist friend, Lassalle, dated January 16, 1861, Marx wrote, "Darwin's work is important and suits my purpose in that it provides a basis in natural science for the historical class struggle,"4 thus revealing the importance of the theory of evolution for communism.

Communist Oppression is Still Taking Place...
	Communist powers that continued to inflict suffering on Muslim lands always targeted the defenseless: men, women, children, and even babies in arms.
	In the eyes of communist ideology, influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, society is nothing but a "herd of animals." Man himself is a soulless automaton, lying somewhere between human being, animal and machine. The savagery perpetrated in Chechnya is evidence that reveals all these was carried out under the influence of this ideology.

Dictators such as Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin and Mao Tse-tung made their own comments about communism, stating and demonstrating its ideological links to Darwin. The theory of evolution came to be the basis of education and even agricultural policy in communist regimes. All communist movements found the ideological foundation and justification they were looking for in Darwinism.

For communist ideology, so greatly influenced by Darwinism, society is just "a herd of animals." Man is a soulless, dull creature, a "man-animal machine," and quite worthless. The logic of "There are many in the herd, so it doesn't matter if one is lost" rules the day. The handicapped and those unable to work are cast out of the herd and left to die. They are seen as sick and harmful. There are no feelings of compassion, mercy or loyalty. Since they believe that life stops at death, they cling to life with all their power. Since everyone is seen as an enemy and rival in the fight for survival, everything is held against them, and hatred prevails.

It is natural that communist ideology, which creates a society with no human or spiritual values or morality, should also be inimical to religion. Virtues such as morality, love, affection, compassion, self-sacrifice, cooperation and forgiveness have no place in the model aimed at by communism. When one looks at the writings of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky, Mao and other communist ideologues, one can see this stated quite clearly. Due to his ignorant mentality, Marx described religion as "the opium of the people" and a culture formed by the ruling class to keep the poor asleep. Moreover, he suggested that religious beliefs would have to be eliminated if communism was to be achieved.

In Lenin's article "Socialism and Religion," published in 1905 in the Russian magazine Novaya Zhizn, he foolishly described religion as a "fog" that needed to be supposedly dispersed, and set out the atheist propaganda that communists needed to set in motion. In his "The Attitude of the Workers' Party to Religion," published in the magazine Proletary in 1909 as leader of the Russian Social Democratic Party (later the Communist Party), Lenin wrote:

The philosophical basis of Marxism, as Marx and Engels repeatedly declared, is dialectical materialism, which has fully taken over the historical traditions of eighteenth-century materialism in France and of Feuerbach (first half of the nineteenth century) in Germany a materialism which is absolutely atheistic and positively hostile to all religions. "Religion is the opium of the people." This dictum by Marx is the corner-stone of the whole Marxist outlook on religion. 5

Those words express Marx's enmity towards religion, and also reveal his ignorance of it. These statements do not reflect the truth. Allah commands people to think and inquire. It is communism and other atheist ideologies that encourage people not to think, and to do what they are told without question. It is clear that people who do not think will also never come anywhere near the truth, and will thus lead lives rife with deception and error. By thinking, man can understand the reason for the creation of the world, and the reason for his own existence. This truth is revealed in the Qur'an thus:

We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them as a game. We did not create them except with truth but most of them do not know it. (Surat ad-Dukhan: 38-39)

For this reason, every individual must ponder the reason for first of all his own creation, and then that of every being or object he sees in the universe and will encounter throughout his life. Someone who fails to think will only understand the truth after he is dead, in the presence of Allah, but by then it will be far too late. Thinking while we have the opportunity in this life, and then drawing conclusions, will be of great benefit to us in the life of the hereafter. That is why Allah calls on all people, by means of his messengers and books, to consider their own creation and that of the whole universe:

Have they not reflected within themselves? Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them except with truth and for a fixed term. Yet many people reject the meeting with their Lord. (Surat ar-Rum: 8)

People who oppose to the religious morals, however, like communist leaders, make all sorts of unfounded allegations to turn people away from religious moral values, even going so far as to claim, illogically, that religion prevents people from thinking. As we have seen here, which is also very clear in the verses of the Qur'an, though, on the contrary, religion actually commands people to think.

Conclusion

In short, it is evident that the three ideologies hostile to the Islamic world all stem from the Darwinist, atheist and materialist culture that took over the Western world in the nineteenth century.

This demonstrates once again the importance of the intellectual struggle that needs to be waged against atheism, which is not just a force that tries to ruin people's lives in the hereafter by destroying their religious beliefs. Rather it also, at the same time, aims to ruin the world, turning it into a wasteland of disorder and war, and it views Muslims as its most important target.

That is why waging an intellectual struggle for the good is both a service to true belief and also a great "cultural struggle" against the "corruption" pervading the earth. The existence of large numbers of Muslims who are still being crushed by atheist systems all over the world reminds us how important this intellectual struggle really is. Every ideological victory over atheism (and over philosophies, ideologies and so-called scientific theories such as Darwinism that lie at its foundations) is also a moral victory which helps oppressed Muslims all over the world.

Footnotes

1. Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man, 2nd ed., New York: A.L. Burt Co., 1874, p. 178

2. Conway Zirkle, Evolution, Marxian Biology and the Social Scene, Philadelphia; The University of Pennsylvania Press, 1959, p. 527 (emphasis added)

3. Conner Cliff, "Evolution vs. Creationism: In Defense of Scientific Thinking," International Socialist Review (Monthly Magazine Supplement to the Militant)", November 1980 (emphasis added)

4. MECW, Volume 41, p. 245, http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1861/letters/61_01_16.htm (emphasis added)

5. Vladimir Lenin, "The Attitude of the Workers' Party to Religion," Lenin Collected Works, Volume 15, pp.402-413, first published in Proletary, No. 45, May 13 (26), 1909 (emphasis added)