ADNAN OKTAR:A person can be very beautiful and happy with lawful blessings(halal). He can benefit all sorts of blessings. It is possible to live the perfect life within the circle of lawful blessings. Therefore, when lawful things and things forbidden by religion(haram) are compared, the limitation brought by forbidden things is a blessing for us. For example, Allah commands us, let us say: "Don't drink alcohol." Not drinking brings us health. Our heads become stronger and we brighten up. For example, He says, "Don't lie." It is very pleasant to talk to an honest person. What does honesty mean? A sincere person.. A sincere person; you get to be with that person's essence. This is a very big blessing. Therefore, there are many lawful blessings anyway and forbidden things are very few. The things forbidden by religion are already harmful things.  I mean they are not things that a person's lower self would find alluring.  The things forbidden by religion are not things that appeal to one's lower self. For example, pork is really bad. A person wouldn't eat it even if it were lawful. If I was given to the option for example, I would prefer mutton.

OKTAR BABUNA: It is very unhealthy.

ADNAN OKTAR:Yes it is very unhealthy. Its appearance is also weird; I don't know if you saw any pork meat?

PRESENTER:I didn't see.

ADNAN OKTAR:I saw. They cut one; it looks weird, the fat is wear and its meat is also weird. Those who eat also say, "It tastes weird and it's strange." It smells weird, it has a repulsive smell. Therefore, it's a blessing not to eat pork and not to gamble. Gambling disturbs the nerves and strains people. And gambling is a wearing thing. Things like that. But how beautiful the lawful things are.. There are millions of types of fruits and vegetables. You can eat all of them. You can have great fun on acceptable grounds. There are so many pleasures on legitimate grounds. But if the man enters into things forbidden by religion; then the world blackens. Pleasure gets destroyed, joy gets destroyed. Peace gets destroyed. Everything gets destroyed. A person, may Allah forbid, would stay in the dark. But the opposite has light and you would be with a very clear conscience. You would not suffer the pangs of conscience. And your heart would be at ease towards Allah and thus you live happily.

PRESENTER:Then Master, what causes us to fall into the mistake of choosing forbidden things? We know what is right but what appeals to us, when choosing forbidden things?

ADNAN OKTAR:One thinks that he will supposedly be more cheerful when he drinks alcohol. Because they have fun at the same time, laugh, for example they see those who drink alcohol and it seems like very fun and posh. It seems as if it is a nice thing. But it's not so in practice. Drinking gives the person confusion and distracts the mind. It causes difficulty in breathing. It overwhelms the person and thus takes his happiness away. It is different to have fun with a sober head. It is different to have fun with a drunken head. A drunken person would be distressed, one loses his attention. But it seems like a nice thing just because of their propaganda. The system of the antichrist explains it in such a way that it presents it to the people as if there is an immense pleasure in it. That is why people see it like that. For example, he gambles and earns a lot of money in a moment. He gains some things without having to work. It seems as if it is appealing. But it's not so; what's more you harm another person through gambling.  Because you destroy the man and take all of his money and possessions in one night. Right? It causes pangs of conscience. And you make an enemy to yourself. The man gets grudge. He either tries to shoot you or kill you. A great hatred begins to surface. Allah says, "satan wants to stir up enmity and hatred between you by means of wine and gambling."

Therefore, this is a system that harms, disturbs and unsettles us. But within the circle of lawful things, we become very healthy. We become really happy with everything. We enjoy the food, having fun, love and we like all of it. But when we do something contrary to Allah's commands (Allah is beyond that), when we do something against the Qur'an, our soul gets strained. It gets severely strained. May Allah forbid, we would collapse due to guilty conscience. And therefore, Allah would not give us any happiness there. But within the circle of lawful blessings, there is always happiness.

OKTAR BABUNA:You have said that before Master, even if a thing forbidden by religion were beneficial and very beautiful, just because it is forbidden by religion, one would not do it anyway insha'Allah.

ADNAN OKTAR:Well additionally, there is nothing scientifically determined as beneficial about anything forbidden by religion. There is nothing seen that is unlawful and benefiting people. It might have been that way. It might have been very beneficial to people in terms of appearance and physically. But you would leave it nevertheless for the good pleasure of Allah. But there is no such thing. This is a miracle. Every one of them is harmful, really harmful.