ADNAN OKTAR: The state is secular but our people are religious. There is good in the state being secular. Because when it is secular then the hypocrite can't do his or her hypocrisy. There would be no crooked Muslims. There would be pure, honest and clear Muslims. For example, look, if there is no secularity in Turkey, Mahdism and Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) would be lost. He would be lost. There would be such an awkward environment; there would be such artificial men that they would be engaged in unthinkable activities and business with their turbans and frocks in a saint-like mood. Just imagine it in your head. Mahdism would not be able to move, it would be paralyzed within the laws of Allah's tradition. Allah opened the door of Mahdism with secularity. For example, this is also an innate science. For example, many people are against secularity. But Mahdism grows in a secular environment. It is the only medium it can develop. As a matter of fact, our Prophet (saas) says, "When Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) appears, Muslims will have no leader as their head." So he says that there is no khalifa. If there is no khalifa, then okay, right? Therefore, Allah creates everything with goodness. For example, if Allah created secularity then there is a good in it for sure. So when we look at the structure and expression of the Qur'an, Allah commands us to say: "You have your religion and I have my religion."

What is this? Secularity. But not in the sense that the Qur'an adopted secularity later on. The Qur'an thaught them secularity. The Qur'an thaught it. Freedom of every religion and every thought and every idea. For example, masons came. These are children of man. I talk to them. I mean, is it reasonable to cut them with a saw, or to talk to them like a person with love, for the good pleasure of Allah? For example, there are some people who cut the man's head off; there are movies and they show it on the internet. He lifts it up into the air and shows it like it is something of value. What is this now? This is oppression.

They will pay for this in the Hereafter. How could it be? What does it mean to take a life? Its punishment is very big in Islam, in the Qur'an insha'Allah. If he is ignorant, if he doesn't know, you explain it to him. If he still doesn't understand, you explain it again and if still doesn't understand then again and again. But if he doesn't understand at all, then you leave him to be. Allah created him that way. We are not obliged to make him believe perforce. Because Allah says, there is a command in the Qur'an: "There is no compulsion in religion." My brother we are saying this but he says: "That was told for that period." What kind of an impertinence is this? The Qur'an is valid until the Day of Judgment. Until the Day of Judgment. Its command is perpetual and the commands in it are valid till the end. If the Almight Allah says, "There is no compulsion in religion" then there is no compulsion in religion. Let's assume that there is. You forced him and made the man pray by force. You forced him to fast. You forced him to become a Muslim. How does it benefit you? The man will become a hypocrite. This is far worse than an unbeliever. Because the command on an unbeliever is mild, that is because the unbeliever openly says, "I don't believe." The man is honest and he tells openly. Also our Prophet (saas) doesn't see unbelievers as a threat for the ummah.

PRESENTER 2: Excuse me. Something a person is forced to do would not be accepted, as he doesn't really want to do it, right?

ADNAN OKTAR:So he becomes a hypocrite. He is not honest so it would not be valid at all. For example, he marries a girl. He says, "Look, I have a condition." She says, "What is it?" He says, "You will wear a turban." The girl says, "Alright." He says, "You will also perform your prayers." She says, "Okay." And he is happy with this. They get divorced. At the moment that she is divorced, she leaves the turban again. She stops to perform prayers.

PRESENTER 1:So she is not doing it for Allah.

ADNAN OKTAR: She doesn't do it for Allah. Brother, is this reasonable? Of course it is not valid. She has to live by Islam sincerely. Allah says sincerity in the Qur'an, meaning geniunely sincere servants. It is important that the person is sincere. Therefore, when there is compulsion in religion, a segment of tricksters, hypocrites and crooks sprout. This is what I mean with secularity. But the religious have to be free as much as possible in the sense of secularity that I'm talking about. As free as possible. There should not be any doors in front of the religious. They can perform their prayers as they please. They explain their thoughts as they like. But masons also explain their ideas, do whatever they want and talk as they please. They would be completely free. Christians would be completely free as well. They can open up their churches as they want and perform their prayers. No one would bother them. They can go to the pub if they want to. You tell them the harms of alcohol, that's another issue. But since it is lawful according to his faith then he can do as he pleases. We can't get interfere with that. Therefore, there is no compulsion, insha'Allah.