Excerpt from Mr. Adnan Oktar's Live Conversation on A9 TV dated March 23rd, 2012
ADNAN OKTAR: Well you go on please; you've said that we have a guest.
MS. DIDEM : Yes, Master, insha'Allah. Rabbi Abraham Cooper from Los Angeles is being put through. Newsweek described Rabbi Cooper as one of the most influential rabbis in U.S. He is the associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, America's leading Jewish human rights organization. It is a major civil society organization recognized by the UN, Unesco and the Council of Europe. The center also has a film division that works with Hollywood stars. They are also known for various Oscar-winning documentaries. Rabbi Cooper regularly meets with world leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI, heads of states and prime ministers. He has issued statements to the UN, the U.S. Senate, the French parliament, the National Diet of Japan and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He was the first Jewish leader to meet Sudanese President Al Bashir. He has also met with many leading Muslims, including King Hussein, King Abdullah, Prince Hassan of Jordan, former Indonesian President, and Grand Mufti of Egypt, Sheik Tantawi. Rabbi Cooper also has a web site called AskMusa.org, which he established in order to develop further understanding between Muslims and Jews, in which it is declared that Jews believe in the Oneness of Allah insha'Allah.
ADNAN OKTAR: Masha'Allah, excellent, nice..
MS. DIDEM : Insha'Allah.
ADNAN OKTAR: As-Salamun alaikum Mr. Abraham. How are you?
ABRAHAM COOPER: Thank you; shalom from Los Angeles, and it's very nice to speak with you.
ADNAN OKTAR: Alaikum salam. Well you go on, let us benefit from your excellent conversation.
ABRAHAM COOPER: Yes. My first question is what is the reaction in Turkey to the terrible events this week in Toulouse, France?
ADNAN OKTAR: Of course, we were stunned at first. We thought that it must have been a mental patient doing that. We then heard the news that he was a member of al-Qaeda. Yet we still would not want that to be true, either. But unfortunately you get a great many crazy and psychopathic people, who do not want love, who approach things in bigotry, who remain devoid of affection or compassion, both in Islam and in other faiths. And there are those who support them. But we are convinced that they will be defeated in this century. This is because people in the world are now enlightened and well-informed. We are in the age of the internet. People can access all kinds of information and documentation. We believe this ruthless, bigot mindset will disappear. The history of violence toward Jews goes back a very long way. Satan wants to eliminate these people, the line of the prophets. But we will not allow it.
ABRAHAM COOPER: My next question is; what do the younger generations in Turkey know about our religion, the Jewish religion, about Jewish people in general and about the Jewish state of Israel?
ADNAN OKTAR: The fact is that even most Jews in Turkey are ignorant of Judaism. The Jews in Israel are more devout. But the attitude towards Jews in Turkey is positive. I mean modern youth has no hostility towards Judaism or Christianity. A handful of fanatics carry bloody thoughts, they carry some ruthless ideas. But these are cower and frustrated people who are generally hidden. Consequently [I should say that] the Turkish nation are generally enlightened and intellectual. They hold Ataturkist views, democratic views and are full of love. That is most important. They are full of love and very compassionate and merciful. You know that during that fiercest, most ruthless time in Spain, we have taken Jews in ships and we carried them to our finest city, to Istanbul. We welcomed them here. Our point of view towards Jews have always been like this all through the history. And that is how it will always be.
ABRAHAM COOPER: My next question to you, sir, is I had the opportunity to visit Turkey once or twice in the past; I even met with Mr. Gul when he was the Foreign Minister after the suicide bombing of the synagogue in Istanbul. When I come to visit you in the next few months would it be safe or appropriate to bring my grand-children from Jerusalem with me?
ADNAN OKTAR: Of course. I have many guests who come from Israel. Rabbis come, and other important people. The chief rabbi himself was even here recently. They went all around Istanbul in perfect safety, all over the streets and roads. We went to restaurants. They visited museums. It was as if they were at their homes. Furthermore, you can be sure they were safer here than in their own homes in Israel. And you will be safer and more comfortable here. You will be entrusted to us. You will first be entrusted to Allah, and then to us, for the sake of Allah, in the name of Allah, insha'Allah.
ABRAHAM COOPER: We are thousands of miles away from the Middle East here in Los Angeles, but we have many people living in California whose homes are throughout the Middle East, in Turkey, in Israel, even in Syria. What is your view of the current situation in Syria and what do you think the final outcome will be of the current problems?
ADNAN OKTAR: In my opinion, I do not think there can be any putting the clock back in Syria after this stage. It will just get worse. The current regime will eventually collapse. Assad will probably go on trial for his actions. I said this before, but he did not listen. It seems that his fate will be the same as that of Saddam or Gaddafi. But I do not think these events will come to an end with that man's departure from Syria. It can only stop, and the world can only attain peace and ease, with the coming of the King Messiah, the Mahdi, who has been awaited for 3000 years in the Torah and 1400 years in Islam. That will mean a warm, loving and excellent life. It means the Golden Age, when democracy, art, science and all good things rule the world. The state of Israel, the Israeli nation, will live in an abundance and blessings that have never been seen before. The Islamic world will live in an abundance and blessings that have never been seen before. They will live like brothers. That careful watching over Israel will come to an end. Israel will live and do business at ease in the region. It will live in the whole region. Muslims will also embrace them with compassion. And such an age of peace and brotherhood will dawn. We are in it now, the time of the King Messiah has come. This is what the Torah indicates. That is the position according to the Judaic calendar. We will start seeing all the delights of this age as of 2012, insha'Allah.
ABRAHAM COOPER: Well, that's a very inspirational message and vision; we pray that this is the world we can leave to our children and grand-children. But in the meantime, can you also offer some insights from your vantage point on the situation in Iran in terms of the threats that have been made by the leaders there to Israel and to the entire region? What do you see in the next year so far as Tehran's government and the situation about their nuclear program and their treatment of their own minorities?
ADNAN OKTAR: I do not in the least think that Iran will initiate any kind of attack if it is not openly attacked itself. They would not do such a thing even if 100 years pass by. To be more accurate, it would never dare. But Iran's worst mistake, its worst deficiency, is the belief in the invisible Mahdi. They talk about an entity who has been lost for 1000 years, who travels around like a spirit and who has properties like those of Allah, may He forbid. They superstitiously believe he can be seen in stones, in walls, in human form, and that he can enter everyone's homes. This is a terribly dangerous belief. But I do not think the Iranian leadership will say, "Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) told us to do this, so we did it." I do not think they would do something so crazy and insane. But of course this superstitious belief is putting Iran in a most invidious position. It prevents their unity with Sunni Muslims as well. The same fanatical belief can also be found among Sunni Muslims. There is a belief in a rabid and bloodthirsty Mahdi. Yet the distinguishing feature of Hazrat Mahdi in the Torah and the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) is that he never sheds blood, but prevents it being spilled. Indeed, our Prophet (saas) says, "He will not permit one drop of blood to be spilled." They are trying to portray a man of love and compassion as literally the dajjal [anti-messiah]. Both the Iranian regime and some Sunni Muslims are making that mistake. But we will soon all see this nightmare come to an end. I believe that Iran will renounce these crazed ideas. But it is impossible for it to launch atomic weapons against and attack Israel. No Islamic country would permit that. Turkey would not allow it, either. To do such a thing would mean the end of Iran, may Allah forbid. They would never dream of doing such a thing. That would be very, very dangerous. So you can relax on that. I mean, Allah will protect Israel, the Israelis, and all the Muslims, Christians and Jews there. Finally, let me say, as I always say, if they were to try to do such a crazy thing, we would bring the roof down about their heads. Whoever tries to do that..
ABRAHAM COOPER: Let me ask one last question. In our center, we monitor how extremist groups use the beautiful internet technologies for very ugly reasons, to spread hate and to teach terrorism. What kind of influence does the internet have on young people in Turkey, and has this also helped the small number of extremists to have a much bigger influence?
ADNAN OKTAR: The internet benefits good people and bad as well. It supports the work of those who advocate peace and brotherhood in the finest way. But we do see that there is a tendency towards the prevalence of hatred when we enter the internet in the world as a whole, that the way of the dajjal [anti-messiah] is inciting people towards this cruelty and ruthlessness. Lovelessness, hatred, anger, grudge and vengeance are mostly being encouraged there. But if Christians, Jews, Muslims and all rational and loving people support one another and forge an alliance, they will rout the army of the dajjal [anti-messiah] and neutralize them. Because these people are coward, weak and are of no character. I mean people who are cruel and ruthless, are generally inferior types who operate in fear and in secret. But we, Christians, Muslims and Jews, all those who say that, "Allah is One," must come together and forge an alliance to support goodness, peace and brotherhood. In that case, we can be very strong, and will see they will behave themselves before us, and become right people. That is why an alliance would be so useful.
ABRAHAM COOPER: Thank you, Mr. Oktar; you've been very generous with your responses and your time. I am a rabbi, and usually a haham or rabbi is asked questions, and doesn't do so much asking. So before we say goodbye, do you have a question for me?
ADNAN OKTAR: All right, let me ask you one question. Firstly I would like to invite you to Turkey. That would be an honor for me. I would be even more delighted if you would come here with other rabbi friends of yours. Let us forge an alliance with Jews and Christians and our Muslim brothers and together tell people of love and peace and friendship. Let us show them we are in alliance. What do you say to that?
ABRAHAM COOPER: Well, I think that is the main reason why God put us on earth; is to do good deeds and to work as His helpers, if you will, to make this world the blessed place He planned for us. But it is up to people of different faiths to work together to make the world what God wanted us to do in the first place. So we certainly welcome the friendship, continuing start friendship with the Turkish people. We hope that some of their political leaders, when they have differences with Israel, we use a different kind of dictionary and language. But I hope to visit with you not only in Turkey but to greet you here in Los Angeles. Or maybe a shorter distance for you; we can walk together in the streets of Jerusalem.
ADNAN OKTAR: That would be most excellent, masha'Allah, insha'Allah.
ABRAHAM COOPER: Insha'Allah. Shabbat shalom, thank you for having me.
ADNAN OKTAR: I also thank you. Fine. Very well, thank you. Good night.
ABRAHAM COOPER: See you soon. Good bye.
