ADNAN OKTAR'S LIVE INTERVIEW ON KACKAR TV (8 January 2009)

ADNAN OKTAR: The word Mahdi means someone to whom Allah has imparted a special path to salvation. It means a person whom Allah makes instrumental in people's guidance. It comes from one of the names of Allah, Hadi, and originates from the idea of guidance. 

ADNAN OKTAR'S LIVE INTERVIEW ON KANAL 35 TV (18 January 2009)

ADNAN OKTAR: Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a leader. Not a prophet, of course. Jesus (as) is a prophet, but he will not bring a book with him; he will abide by the Qur'an. He is a guide. Hazrat Mahdi (as) is the greatest guide there has ever been. He is extremely important. There are many hadiths of our Prophet (saas) that praise Hazrat Mahdi (as). Some even say he will be superior to the prophets of People of Israel, superior to Hazrat Abu Bakr and Omar. In other words, he says he is very important and encapsulates the characteristics of many prophets. He cites these at length, as if Hazrat Mahdi (as) encapsulates this prophet in one aspect and another prophet in another aspect. Hazrat Mahdi (as) embraces all the beautiful aspects of other prophets. His dominion will be the first such in the history of the world. Allah will use him as His instrument, for which reason Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a very important person.

The Hazrat Mahdi (as) who will come will also be so. It is stated that he will reign from his home. He is a spiritual leader. He is a leader of love. He is a leader of affection. He is a leader [guiding people] to love of Allah. He is the leader that tells Allah to people, spreads His Word to humanity. He is not a leader who tyrannizes, who uses force. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will advocate freedom, democracy, brotherhood, peace, modernism, culture, love, belief in the light of Ahl al-Sunnah, bliss and happiness and he will turn the world almost into Paradise. That is his attribute. Prophet Jesus (as) comes for him. As you see, a highly devout prophet like Jesus (as) is sent by Allah so that he can serve as a vizier to Hazrat Mahdi (as) and he is sent miraculously. Also a verse in the Qur'an indicates this. Allah tells thatHe took an oath from the prophets in the dhar world, from all the prophets. Allah says that He took an oath from you, "you" here meaning our Prophet (saas). He says He took an oath from Jesus (as), from Prophet Musa (as) and Prophet Ibrahim (as). Then He asks if they accepted it. He says that He would send a messenger, a person who is charged with duty, that is, someone who would spread the message of Islam. And Allah wants them to help him. And asks if they accept this duty? In the dhar world, all the prophets say, "We accept it, our Lord". They say that they accepted this duty. Now, according to this verse, this oath is also taken from our Prophet (as). Because our Prophet (saas)also gives this promise. Jesus (as) also promises. When Hazrat Mahdi (as) comes, Jesus (as) helps Hazrat Mahdi (as). That is one of the meanings indicated by this verse. That is one of the aspects implied in this verse. This is how one implication of the verse is manifested. Hazrat Messiah (as) will come and he will be subject to Hazrat Mahdi (as) and be his vizier. We can understand Hazrat Mahdi's (as) extraordinary nature from here. A highly devout prophet becomes a vizier to Hazrat Mahdi (as). 

ADNAN OKTAR'S LIVE INTERVIEW ON KON TV (8 February 2009)

ADNAN OKTAR: Hazrat Mahdi (as) is like a magnet, the light of Allah, a manifestation of the light of Allah. The path to salvation that Allah imparts in him will have a very powerful effect. And he will attract the whole Ummah of Islam like a magnet. In other words, people will be bound to him in a manner over-riding their free will.