Christian author Joel Richardson asks Mr. Adnan Oktar about Jesus Christ's (pbuh) second coming

Christian author Joel Richardson asks Mr. Adnan Oktar about Jesus Christ's (pbuh) second coming

(Istanbul, 22 June 2009)

JOEL RICHARDSON:  Okay thank you. With regard to Jesus; you have said “in my view the prophet Jesus has already returned to the earth but he is hidden. He is obliged to conceal himself because of the terrorist and political attacks he would be exposed to. However he too will emerge in the very near future and together with the Mahdi will embark upon his intellectual struggle.” Do you believe that when Jesus return he will abolish Christianity as we know it today, do you believe that he will abolish the doctrines of the trinity of the divine incarnation of the Messiah as well as the Christian doctrine that the Christ was crucified died resurrected and sent to heaven?

ADNAN OKTAR: The essential belief in Christianity is the Oneness of Allah, belief in the hereafter, justice, the idea that Allah will provide justice. It is loving Allah and being careful over what is lawful and unlawful. It is treating people well. These are other matters, the belief in Trinity and other things. If with the coming of the Jesus, if it undergoes a change in the sense we are familiar with then Christianity would return to its former perfect state. It will return to its original form. According to our beliefs, it will return to the true Christianity. Again according to our belief, the original and the true Bible will also be found in that time. Maybe they will examine it using the Carbon 14 technique or using other methods, but the original form of the Gospels will be found. I mean, when the prophet Jesus comes and says that Allah is One, that is not something that will do away with Christianity. He would be saying something that reinforces Christianity. I mean, Christianity is in any case a religion of Islam. If we had lived in the time of the Prophet Jesus, we would have been Christians as well. If we had been around in the time of the Prophet Musa, we would have been Jews. Consequently the religion of the Prophet Ibrahim was also the true deen at the time and unaltered Christianity brought by the Prophet Jesus is the true Christianity. The Torah and the religion brought by the Prophet Musa is also the true faith, but according to our belief it has gradually been altered over the course of time. When the Prophet Jesus comes-  there are some Christians sects that are against the Cross. They do not have the Cross. I believe there are even some such sects and various groups in America.  But they still say “We are Christians,” I mean this does not stop them being Christians.  In other words, it is their believing in the Oneness of Allah and in the statements of the Prophet Jesus on other matters, their acceptance of statements compatible with the Qur’an, that makes them truly Christian and that makes them a true Muslim, it makes their belief a true religion of Islam.

In our belief, when the Prophet Jesus comes he will correct certain altered aspects of the New Testament. He will restore the New Testament to its original form and consequently he will be following the Qur’an. That is to say a New Testament whose altered aspects have been corrected will in any case be restored to its pure and original form. But since the Qur’an is the final scripture, of course the Prophet Jesus will follow the Qur’an. But the pronouncements of the New Testament will not be invalidated. I mean the pronouncements of a true scripture will not be lifted. For example, the true pronouncements of the original form of the Torah will not be invalidated; I read the Torah night and day, for instance. I read the New Testament. There is no reason for those pronouncements to be lifted. For example, the Torah says that Allah is One. That delights me, it is a most excellent thing to say. Only those parts that are incorrect according to our belief will be put right. Otherwise no pronouncement of that book can be lifted. But I follow the Qur’an, of course. And when the Prophet Jesus comes he will also follow the Qur’an. But Muslims will also benefit from the New Testament and will read it. They will abide by the correct pronouncements in it. And they will abide by the correct pronouncements in the Torah as well. Because all three, the Qur’an, the Torah and the New Testament, say the same things, so if you comply with one you would be complying with all. A Christian who complies with the original New Testament does not leave Christianity rather consolidates it. When the New Testament turns into its original form I will abide by it too.  Of course I follow the Qur’an, but I also apply the correct and proper pronouncements in the New Testament. I will also apply the correct and proper pronouncements in the Torah when it is found, and if there are parts of it that have been changed by the pronouncements of the Qur’an, then of course I follow the Qur’an. But I comply by all those pronouncements that are the same in all three.