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.
