To say that Harun Yahya, the leading proponent of Islamic creationism, is a controversial character is an understatement. It is thus rather strange that Arab News runs this piece, an interview with him in which he expounds on his theories, his thoughts on Middle Eastern peace, Turkey’s entry into the EU, and the Second Coming. He certainly shows diverse interests. His prolific writing may be reduced in the future as he’s been sentenced to jail in Turkey for criminal threats and encouraging young women to make sex tapes. He is appealing that verdict.
His use of courts and government to shut down critics of his fallacious arguments, however, is as troubling as the arguments themselves. Unfortunately, he has an enormous following in the Islamic world where facts rather than paranoid fantasies are needed.
Harun Yahya: Win over Darwinism
P.K. Abdul Ghafour | Arab NewsHarun Yahya is the pen name of Adnan Oktar, a prominent Turkish intellectual and writer based in Istanbul. His research findings, proving the fallacy of Darwinism, have won him international acclaim. A strong advocate of Turkish Islamic Union, Yahya believes that the formation of such a union would solve many problems facing the Muslim world today.
Speaking to Arab News in Istanbul, he said he was seeking a world of peace and love. “I am dreaming of a world where all people live together in peace and harmony. I also want to see terrorism and violence eliminated, sectarian differences and conflicts among Muslims eradicated and the Islamic faith and ethics promoted across the world.”
Yahya has so far published over 300 books of which 60 have been translated into different languages including Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish. “I have written and published over 45,000 pages. About 80 million copies of my books have been downloaded from our websites in 2008. These are astonishing numbers which show that people are interested in my work and this makes me extremely happy,” he said.
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November:23:2008 - 11:43
It seems like he may be a cult leader writing the books for his own personal satisfaction and monetary and sexual gain?? I don’t think so but after seeing his picture…maybe.
That would be disgusting if that were the truth. However he wouldn’t be the only one who has gone to that level and used religion as a means for getting sex and money.
I think everyone should have a right to an opinion (whether it be pro creationalsim; anti-mason or anti-jew or whatever) as it is not harming others or encouraging people to harm others.
November:23:2008 - 13:56
I don’t know about that… encouraging others to hold extreme views is exactly the problem that Saudi Arabia is trying to roll back now. It does do harm, if not directly, then pretty directly. Encouraging people to not think about things is pretty dangerous in my book.
November:24:2008 - 10:17
“Encouraging people to not think about things is pretty dangerous in my book”
I don’t think that is what Harun Yaya was doing by writing his books “asking people not to think”. He was presenting an argument to what he believes to be true. I have read some of his books and I don’t believe he ever asked people not to think… He is just presenting a different story or his truth. People still have the choice to think about its validity.
November:24:2008 - 12:47
That was one of the worst pieces of hagiography, even by Arab News standards. I love how the reporter, says Oktar has proved that evolution is wrong and that “polls” says that 85-90% of Europeans don’t believe in evolution. Where did these facts come from? Out of the butt of the guy who wrote the story, of course.
I don’t think the guy’s a extremist as much as a self-serving two-bit car salesman version of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon: a charlatan and hack. And AN should have at least feigned objectivity by pointing out that this guy is appealing a three year prison term handed to him in May by a Turkish court for profiting off his “non-profit” organization.
And finally, elevating this man to the level of a scientist and thinker is a disgrace to Muslims who are actual scientists (engineers, etc.) and it’s a disservice to Islam’s more enlightened past, when real scientists were creating mathematical algebra, progressing astronomy, inventing the abacus, etc. The problem with this story was that the writer (a super-devout Indian Muslim who wouldn’t know biology from a hole in the ground) had an agenda and Arab News has no editorial direction, so writers are allowed to publish whatever nonsense they want as long as it’s not something sensitive. It’s annoying, especially that made up fact about how 85-90% of Europeans reject evolution, which is a preposterous lie.
November:25:2008 - 16:33
I’m writing from Turkey. Harun Yahya is a follower of the Ahl al-Sunnah, so there’s nothing controversial about him. What you are referring to is just the false accusations and lies made up about him and his organization by certain circles. There are no such tapes, for example. Nor are there any piece of evidence showing that he threatened anyone. The verdict of the court is controversial. Still he loves his country and respects the legal system. And in each and every occasion he openly states that, though he will take his legal measures, he respects the court’s decision no matter what. And he is admired by a great many Muslims and non-Muslims, here in Turkey as well as around the world.
November:25:2008 - 16:42
i think the european polls mentioned in the article are shown at the following link:
http://www.harunyahyaimpact.com/haberDetay.php?haberId=892
November:25:2008 - 21:01
What’s controversial about him is that he uses religion to argue against science. Two different realms whose standards of proof vary considerably. One relies on faith; the other on reason.
Faith is not the way to deal with issues of science, just as science isn’t the proper tool to discuss religion.
Luckily, science doesn’t depend on popularity or admiration, either. Many people admired the clerics (Muslim and non-Muslim) who believed that the earth was the center of the universe. That did not make it true, however.
November:26:2008 - 06:35
Adnan Oktar is one of the leading scholars of our century. This interview by Arab News was a very successful, putting forward his views on various topics like peace in the Middle East, solutions to economic crisis, peace and brotherhood among all Muslims as well as the People of the Book etc.
The court case in Turkey, by the way I am living in Ankara for a certain period of time, is highly questionable due to the fact that there is no evidence of any crime in the court case. They have been acquitted for several times by local courts, but now there are efforts to bring about a twisted verdict by the court to put these intellectuals in prison. I wonder who will benefit from imprisoning 3 young women, with no past convictions also Adnan Oktar with his efforts for Islam and peace.
Surely, he has smashed down Darwinism and the Masonic conspiracy hand in hand with the evil. Let us see what happens but surely, their faith in God will prevail with more enthusiasm and zeal.
November:26:2008 - 08:13
I’ve no opinion on the court case. I posted what was reported.
On a ‘Masonic conspiracy’, well, that’s been debunked (again and again) over the past few hundred years, so if he’s still believing it exists in order to ‘smash’ it…
On Darwinism, he hasn’t a clue what it says. He repeats the canards of the American Creationist movement and gives them an Islamic topspin. Nothing new there; nothing creditable there, either.
November:26:2008 - 10:46
Something to ponder is if even science is an absolute truth. I think your last post brought up very good and important points though in which neither religion nor science should be used to explain each other. It only muddles thing further!
It is being theorized that we are living in a holographic universe.
November:26:2008 - 11:05
And which universe is that?
November:26:2008 - 11:36
I like reading about all that stuff…it is mind boggling!
Of course I am referring to Sparky’s universe
(giggling)
November:26:2008 - 11:57
Oh! That universe… the one where only the brave dare enter….
November:26:2008 - 12:04
Yep that one
“Quantum Theory Demonstrated: Observation Affects Reality”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/02/980227055013.htm
My sister was ordered out of the room by family and friends and put into a secluded area at Superbowl time…trust me LOL