ADNAN OKTAR: Connecting with Allah is a matter of very great importance. People assume one just has to perform the prayers, fast and pray to Allah every now and then, just to ask for things. But that is not so. There are inconceivable secrets in prayer. This varies in relation to the power of prayer, to the sincerity in that prayer. Someone may get up in the morning and leave home saying, "O Lord, smooth my way for me." That is a prayer, but there are others who pray to Allah with deep concentration and reverence. The content of what occurs in these kinds of prayers is rather different. They say for instance, "O Lord, bring Islam to rule the world." It may be that 10 people pray this way. Look, and I am not exaggerating, Islam will gain global dominion because of the prayers of these 10 people.

I am stating it quite clearly, I am saying this based on a knowledge. This is clear. For instance, if someone prays, "O Lord, make me a follower of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)," that prayer will be granted. Or they may say "O Lord, make me a follower of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and permit me to know him." And if one is truly sincere, that will also be granted. One may say, "O Lord, acquaint me with Hazrat Khidr (pbuh)." That will also happen. Or "O Lord, show me angels," and that will also happen. But this all depends on the strength and depth of the prayer. Many things like that.

But there are also very childish, superficial prayers. I am curious about Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and want to meet him to see what he is like. Do you know what one has to accept when he or she prays to meet Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)? Death. One has to pray by accepting to give up one's youth and putting up with all kinds of hardship and all kinds of slander. You cannot just say you are curious and want to have a look at him, that is not acceptable. Do you know what one will receive when he or she prays to see the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)? Death. One will be ready for giving up one's youth and accepting all kinds of intense suffering. Following him will happen in that sense and then one will see him. The same with those who want to see and meet Hazrat Khidr (pbuh). As you know, the Prophet Moses (pbuh) could not even abide by 3 of his implementations even though he was a great prophet. This takes strength and vigor; as well as volition, wisdom and determination. Following three of his deeds, he told the Prophet Moses (as) that the time had come for a parting of the ways, insha'Allah. And he [Hazrat Khidr (pbuh)] said, he would first tell him the wisdom behind those three events that he could not endure. When he explained so, the Prophet Moses (pbuh) saw that he was completely in the right.

You gain power of speech through prayer. You may attain excellent power of expression through prayer. There is a dishonest false way of speaking, a classic imposter way of talking used by teachers that we all know about. It is infamous. People listen saying that a teacher is speaking and that classic false tone sells itself, literally. He wants to show off, wants people to say what a great scholar he is, talking a language that nobody else knows, saying things that nobody can understand. He employs all different pronunciation techniques. He talks even though he knows that people cannot understand. That is dishonesty. But there is also wisdom where that person is sincere and Allah bestows this on him distinctively. And that is also through prayer. For example, you can explain people exactly what they need, and that happens through prayer. For instance, you give a brief explanation and change someone's whole world. He may have reached the age of 50 or 60 and heard everything before but nothing has effect on him. And you speak just 4 or 5 words, with the expression on your face and your tone of voice and style that cannot be faked. But this, of course, does not come by play. This comes from a full spiritual connection with Allah. His whole world changes and he can never go back. You understand this right? Someone says he is getting ready to go to university, but if you prepare yourself for Allah, through prayer, then you will benefit from university.

PRESENTER: I would like to ask something about prayer. I often wonder about it. Do you think there is any place for logic in prayer? I would like to give an example. When I pray, I ask Allah for what is auspicious. My submission to Allah thus reveals itself. But I listen to a friend, and she asks for a thing to happen and for it to also be auspicious. Do you think there is anything here damaging to sincerity. Can there be logic in prayer?

ADNAN OKTAR: One must speak from the heart. One may ask for good health. One can ask that directly. One may ask Allah to take away a sickness. But one cannot reproach Allah if this does not take place. In other words, there is good in it. Perhaps a seriously ill person is obviously dying. "O Lord, prolong my life," he says. But you will go to Paradise, so what more do you want? Maybe if you lived any longer, you would fall into disbelief and go to Hell. So that is what is best for you, how nice it is that Almighty Allah takes your soul and you go directly to Paradise. Alhamdulil'Allah. Isn't that right?

Sincerity in prayer is most important. For example, when he fled from Pharaoh, the Prophet Moses (pbuh) comes underneath some trees and stretches out on the grass. "My Lord," he says, "I am truly in need of any good You have in store for me," (Surat Al-Qasas, 24) but at the same time, he is thinking of various things. He has thoughts about various things. And Allah ensures that events turn out just as he wished insha'Allah. But sometimes Allah makes one to pray to Him before something happens. It will happen anyway, but He causes you to feel it in your heart, and then makes you pray, and the thing comes about. For example, during my high school years I regarded the absence of the global dominion of Islam as a dreadful event. I suddenly realized this, in other words. I considered that to be very awkward and I was highly unsettled by the dominion of disbelievers, of the masons and Darwinism, and by the way Muslims were so oppressed. I remember very well that I used to pray really sincerely in those days, during my high school years, for Islam to rule the world. Later, when I found it difficult to expound various matters to people, I said, "O Lord, give me knowledge that is very striking and impressive, that I can expound easily." In other words, I asked for knowledge that would resolve all these issues at once. To that effect, I realized the truth about matter at that time. I became aware that matter formed in my brain. I became knowledgeable that there is matter on the outside, but I have direct experience only with its image.