ADNAN OKTAR:"Why are followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) only 313 people?" Notice that I have told this before. Prophet Moses (as) comes to Khidir (as) and says, "I want to be your disciple." Only after the third converse he remains obliged to leave his position as a disciple; he could not be his disciple.

It is not easy to be a follower of Hazrat Mahdi (as). It conflicts with your life, with your family, with your job, might conflict with your school, your pleasure, your enjoyment. I can cite these interests which might be in conflict until the morning. It may conflict with all of them. You can see Hazrat Mahdi (as) only if you accept it despite all these. You would not resist exhaustion, you cannot resist fear, which is the most severe. What does Bediuzzaman say? "In the End Times the anti-Christ will employ fear. The most influential psychological effect upon people is fear, the vein of fear. And they will influence the scholars with this." Notice that a great part of the scholars remain silent out of fear. Let me briefly say this; It is not easy for people to come over that fear. When one is in the company of Hazrat Mahdi (as), when he becomes his follower, he both remains distant to his interests and he is inflicted with trouble and he faces deep trouble. He faces worldly fears. Now at that point, he must be the bravest among the most courageous. He must be pure-blooded lion-heart. Otherwise he cannot cope with it.

The man will say, "As-Salamun Alaykom." Yes. "I have come to struggle in the Way of Allah." Fine. "First of all find me a job." Alright. "Also I want to get married, make sure that I get married." That is also alright. "Then when I get married, my kids also need to be taken care of; also make sure that it happens." That is alright too. "Also keep me away from perils, that is, the threat of police etc. Never make me get involved in such incidents." That is all right too. "This aside, I fall asleep a little bit early at nights, I hope you can find a proper place for me." That is alright too. "I also don't want to be separate from my friends, I also love them very much." What's more? "We must also be in full compliance with my relatives. They must not be against us either. My parents must not object me either. Their approval is also needed." That is all right too. We keep saying "alright," until the morning. Then he says; "I want to be the follower of Hazrat Mahdi (as)." Now this is not alright. Only that is not OK. The rest are all OK. That wouldn't do. You would conflict with your own interests in hundreds points, thousands of points. If you accept this, Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears to you like a day. I mean it would be like light itself, claiming that you haven't seen wouldn't do.