A Peaceful and Harmonious Turkish Islamic Union

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) "Interior of the Mosque of the Metwalys," by British painter David Roberts.

The Turkish Islamic Union must work to bring peace to all people, not just Muslims, and compassionate and peaceful in its decisions and practices. The core of Islam is the good morality revealed in the Qur'an, which requires Muslims to be friendly, gentle, compassionate, just, understanding, patient, and devoted. Islam invites people to a peaceful world:

O you who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara: 208)

Muslims are defined as people who obey Allah's commands, try to practice the Qur'an's morality diligently, make the world a nicer place, build it up, and deliver peace and happiness. They strive to do good, pleasant, and nice things for people, and make a great effort to reflect our Lord's infinite compassion and mercy. Allah told His followers to be good to people, take an interest in his or her surrounding environment, and call people to the right path. Allah describes in the following verse the difference between people who have no positive effect on their surrounding environment and those who always try to do good:

Allah makes another metaphor: two men, one of them deaf and dumb, unable to do anything, a burden on his master, no matter where he directs him he brings no good. Is he the same as someone who commands justice and is on a straight path? (Surat an-Nahl: 76)

The message of this verse must guide the Turkish Islamic Union, which must be a platform for implementing Islamic morality's understanding of devotion, unity, friendship, honesty, justice, loyalty, fidelity, and service. Islamic morality guarantees people's freedom of thought and life, discourages tension and dispute between people, and even forbids suspicion, negative thoughts and words about one another. Our envisaged union must be formed by Muslims who operate on that basis and work for world peace.

Not so! All who submit themselves completely to Allah and are good-doers will find their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara: 112)

The Qur'anic morality requires that Muslims refrain from war and conflict and resolve disputes by dialogue and agreement. In the Qur'an, Allah considers war to be an unwanted necessity and a last resort that must abide by strict humanitarian and moral rules. Muslims are charged with always siding with peace and agreement, and fighting only in self-defense if attacked by the enemy. Allah reveals that it is evil-doers who begin war and that He does not like them:

Each time they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it. They rush about the land corrupting it. Allah does not love corrupters. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 64) 

Our Prophet Muhammad's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) life shows that war is only fought for defensive purposes when all else has failed. The Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) over a period of 23 years. For the first 13 years, Muslims lived as an oppressed minority community under pagan rule. Many Muslims were physically tortured, some were killed, and others had their property looted. As a community, they were constantly exposed to humiliation and threats. Nevertheless, they remained peaceful and continued to invite the pagan Meccans to peace. When the oppression reached unbearable levels, the Muslims migrated to Yathrib (later Madinah), where they found freedom and friendship, and where they gradually established their own rule. Not even then did they declare war on the aggressive pagans of Mecca.

The nature of an Islamic society is measured and balanced, for people are invited to do good and commanded to refrain from evil. Allah states in Surat al-Baqara: 143 that Muslims are witnesses as well as role models to people as a "middlemost community." Allah reveals in another verse that they are required to be an example of good for humanity:

You are the best nation ever to be produced before mankind. You enjoin the right, forbid the wrong, and believe in Allah. (Surah Al 'Imran: 110)

An organization formed by Muslims who abide by Allah's teaching is obviously required to protect and represent this good morality and show the Turkish Islamic Union's way forward. It must first resolve intra-Muslim disputes and deliver peace to the Islamic world, oppose any movement that incites violence and war, and constitute a preventive force against all warmongers. Furthermore, it must cooperate with the international community on terrorism and international crime, as well as on matters of general concern (e.g., weapons of mass destruction), and even lead the fight against these threats.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY TASCA (TURKISH ARAB ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE, CULTURE AND THE ARTS), NOVEMBER 21st, 2008) Adnan Oktar: The Turkish-Islamic Union will protect the integrity of all countries. Pakistan will still be Pakistan. Turkey will still be Turkey, and Iran will still be Iran. In other words, there is no pretension to a regime change. But there is joy, love and brotherhood spreading across the whole foundation and being implemented as a national policy. It is a union that will result from the unification of hearts, of love. That will be a real Turkish-Islamic Union. Some people may think of a union established by state force, intimidation or fear. The fact, however, is that love lies at the heart of Islam, and peace and peace of mind, and openness and joy. An atmosphere of rejoicing.Friendship. Establishing these among Muslim countries and Turkic states. Establishing a Turkish-Islamic Union under the leadership of the Turkic states, themselves led by Turkey. We want good intentions and honesty to rule here and reciprocal investment in industry, science and technology. We want all such investment to be unfettered, and for there to be no passport or visa regime. We want that obligation to be lifted so there can be free trade and a free exchange of love and friendship. In other words, we want anyone producing an ID card to be able to cross the border. In fact, there should be no need to show it to anyone. I must be able to take my ID card and go to Azerbaijan. Or Syria, or Kazakhstan. I must be free to go to Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria. I will get on a ship and go to Tunisia and Algeria. And I will talk with my brothers there. We will dine together in the evening and remember Allah. And I will come back the next day. And if trade and business are required, I will do business. That system will be a union of love. In the presence of pre-existing states and a ready functioning system, why should these be annulled?... Terror, disorder, conflict and poverty will all disappear in this climate of love. It will be based on love and sincerity, not on imposition. Once you have love and sincerity, the moral values of Islam will rule everywhere. Some people try to resolve these issues with swords in their hands. That is out of the question. Reporter: You talk about Turkey and the Turks being in the vanguard. Do you think Turkey is ready for the task? Adnan Oktar: It is ready. And the historic conditions are driving it in that direction. All Islamic countries and Turkey are currently uneasy. Turkey is uneasy internally. There is the PKK problem, the high cost of living. Our nation is now devoid of joy. It has lost its joy. That also goes for Islamic countries. It is what happens in all systems without a head. No body can live without a head. When there is a system with a head, Turkey is a country to lead it excellently. It has its experience from the Ottoman Empire. It has a mature and well-trained administrative staff. The managing class in Turkey is very large and rational. This means a highly successful power. And nobody denies that. Why should people object to Turkey if they are happy, if Turkey's leadership and playing the role of older brother serves them and if they benefit from it? The benefit for Turkey will be this; terror will come to an end. In a moment. And Turkey will become wealthy. And all the oppression in Islamic countries will end.