Private and Individual Rights Must Be Just and Respected

In a society shaped by true Islamic morality, individual rights and freedoms are very important. Personal rights and freedoms are guaranteed so that people can live a free and dignified life. Allah has revealed in the Qur'an that all people are equal in His Presence, for superiority is based upon one's awareness of Allah, and He commands Muslims to be just, compassionate, forgiving, and understanding toward people. Therefore, they must respect differences and be fair when evaluating them.

Our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) practices in the first Islamic society (Madinah) have shown the way for all Muslims with regard to social structure and governance. The "Constitution of Madinah," considered the Muslims' first constitution, reflects an advanced level of understanding of law and exemplifies Islamic society's sense of justice and individual rights. Under it, all people of whatever religion were given their fundamental rights and freedoms, and people's property, life, family, and places of worship were safeguarded. With this agreement, everyone could live under one political entity and peace was brought to tribes that had been feuding with one another for many years. Outside of the Constitution of Madinah, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) always treated the pagans fairly, honored their pleas for safety and protection and desired friendly and civilized relations between people.

Fourteen centuries ago, Islam brought such values as individual rights, law and order, equality before the law, and economic freedom to humanity. As Islam spread, the justice that prevailed throughout its domain became the envy of all nations. This sense of justice, which is still remembered today with respect and approval by many Western thinkers, led many people and nations to embrace Islam and welcome Muslim rule. Our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) practiced the Qur'anic system of justice in the best possible way, and his Companions and Muslims in general continued to practice this superior morality. This enabled the Muslims to become a community that achieved justice between people:

Among those We have created there is a community who guide by the Truth and act justly according to it. (Surat al-A'raf: 181)

Islam teaches freedom of thought and participation in government. A broad-based consultation process is one of Islam's most fundamental social requirements, for Allah commands Muslims to govern by mutual consultation, namely, to discuss their affairs among themselves:

[Believers are] those who respond to their Lord and perform prayer, manage their affairs by mutual consultation, and give of what We have provided for them. (Surat ash-Shura: 38)

When action follows consultation, all individuals will have had an equal right to voice their opinions and then to consider the matter from many different perspectives. This reduces the possibility of error and, therefore, results in an agreed-upon and appropriate decision.

The most important aspect of consultation is that each representative does his or her best to respect and understand the different viewpoints. Their main concern is to find the right ideas, rather than who proposed them. In other words, consultation's main purpose is to make those decisions that are in society's best interest. Islamic morality requires that Muslims not insist upon their own views, but adopt the view that is closest to their conscience and justice. Muslims must refrain from the insistence and pride inherent in thinking that "my views are the best, my views must be recognized by all," for such behavior does not please Allah. Muslims must know that that there is always someone who knows more than they do, and that it would be a grave error to insist that their own ideas are the best:

Over everyone with knowledge is a knower. (Surah Yusuf: 76) 

The Islamic principle of consultation is a leading light for the Turkish Islamic Union, which must be built on a political culture of free speech without fear of recrimination, where their rights are safeguarded, and where everyone's views are listened to with equal respect. In this way, its member nations will develop societies in which people respect each other's views; where equality, justice, and freedom rule; and where oppression and injustice are eradicated.

Such achievements will enable the Islamic world to guarantee the Muslims' safety and happiness, and also will become the driving force of our world's culture and civilization.

Oil complexes in Azerbaijan and Indonesia Projects of "greening the deserts" play an important role in the Muslim world's economic recovery. The projects carried out in Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco have been quite successful. Economic cooperation among Muslim countries will yield better results in similar projects.

... He gave you refuge and supported you with His Help and provided you with good things so that hopefully you would be thankful. (Surat al-Anfal:26) The Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, 452 meters tall, are the second tallest buildings in the world.

Islamic morality instructs people to avoid waste and extravagance. This is a key element in establishing social justice in Islamic societies. Social justice in Islam can be established by the society's prevalent moral values. Consequently, living by the Qur'an's values and Islamic unity will cause the Islamic world to become more prosperous.

They will ask you what they should give away. Say, "Any wealth you give away should go to your parents and relatives and to orphans and the very poor and travelers." Whatever good you do, Allah knows it. (Surat al-Baqara: 215) ... so that it (booty) does not become something which merely revolves between the rich among you... (Surat al-Hashr: 7) Nadir Divan Begi Madrasah, 1622, Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Alaaddin Caravanserai, 1229, Aksaray, Turkey. A caravanserai dating back to the 17th century, Punjab, India. Sher-Dor and Tilla Kari Madrasah, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN, SEPTEMBER 6th, 2008  Adnan Oktar: If we take one brick nothing will happen, and nothing will happen if we take a second brick. But if we put all the bricks together and plaster over them and clad them with timber, then we can make a palace. The Islamic world is now like that, like scattered bricks. That being the case, no art, civilization, beauty or reason cannot emerge. That beauty will emerge when we have union and unity and act as one. So this union must be officially supported by all Islamic countries, and without delay. For example, there was a problem between Georgia and Russia. That would not happen if we had Turkish-Islamic union. It would be resolved at once, because the Russians are excellent people worthy of respect and the Georgians are excellent people who also need respect. There is currently nobody to be an intermediary in the region. Yet there is a legitimate reason, is there not? A consistent reason. The most reasonable decisions could be made and the best results obtained, and decisions could be taken that are in favor of and benefit both sides. But that is not happening. Decisions that go against both sides are taken. Both sides are unhappy at the end and then conflicts of this kind result. The Turkish-Islamic Union will be the older brother of the region and the world. This is a system of spiritual altruism, not of self-interest. By Allah's leave, once good manners exist there will automatically be plenty and abundance. Of course oil and minerals will be worked in the most perfect manner. Both Europe will make use of these and also China, Russia and the whole Turkish-Islamic world. But, for example, the oil and minerals in Afghanistan are not being processed. The underground oil and minerals in East Turkestan are not being extracted and processed. Turkey's capacity is known, it has a certain amount of capacity. All these powers coming together means an extraordinary power and bears the seeds of a glorious civilization. We can see this. It is clear that a glorious civilization will emerge from these roots.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY KUSADASI TV, JULY 14th, 2008 Presenter: What can you tell us about the Turkish-Islamic Union? Many people regard it as utopian. That is how many people look at it. Do you really believe it will happen? Adnan Oktar: If, may Allah forbid, Konya, Izmir and Adana were separated from us, and we then said, "But we are brothers, how is this possible? We must unite" would it be at all logical for someone to then say that they are separate entities, that the idea is utopian and out of the question? No. In the same way, it is illogical for the Turkic states to be separated from us. We share the same religion, speak the same language and share the same racial roots. Everything about us is the same; our culture, customs and traditions. There is no reason for us to be separated. That is why the passport requirement must be lifted between these countries, between the Turkic states and Islamic countries. And the visa. People must be free to come and go as they please. Trade must be as free as possible. Connections must be as free as possible. That happens in the EU, so why not in the Turkish-Islamic Union? People travel and settle to the country they choose in the EU. They do not need passports or visas. And we are brothers, so why should we not do that? There is no reason at all. Of course it can happen. The Turkish-Islamic lands are the most attractive in the world and have the world's greatest mineral reserves and the largest oil reserves. We have flour, butter and sugar, and now we just need to bake the cake. That is what all the Turkish people want.