There is a religious war going on in the world. People are always talking about the danger of the Islamic world and how they are causing destruction - how they are destroying many historical monuments unnecessarily. Is this a way to build the religion?

That is a very good question actually. At the same time, it needs people to understand it well. The problem is how brave we are to listen to the truth. The media all over the world should be singing the truth and telling the public what is right and wrong. The media is like a mirror. Politicians have problems; even if they know the truth, first they have to see what fits in their agenda. But the media doesn’t have any agenda for except looking for stories that can sell like hot cakes. However the media can really help, because it is the media which will carve the minds of the public.

The question that you asked is my favourite subject these days. What is religion to do with the lives of people and how important - especially in the recent times - is the religion in one’s life? Is it going  to bring any good change in his or her life? Is it going to jeopardise the peace of people either in one country or on an international level?

There are many religions and it is very unfortunate that in almost every religion there is a group of people who have adopted extremism. They become very narrow-minded and they have taken it to harm others. But no extremist group in any religion has taken extremism as far as ISIS has.

ISIS has become a global threat. Especially in America, Canada and countries in Europe, they become worried about how to resolve this issue. How to stop ISIS from committing humanitarian crimes every day. Brutality has gone to its peak. Another global problem is that every now and then from countries like Australia, America, Canada, England and countries in Europe, they seek concealed, discreet supporters of ISIS.

Do you mean the Wahhabi sect?

Yes. In order to understand ISIS and their ugly plans, one has to go through the history of the Wahhabi sect. The principle supporter of Wahhabism is Saudi Arabia. Any politician in any country would think at least ten times before they can obviously take a decision against Saudi Arabia. But you cannot deny the fact that Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism are two different pictures of the same face. A lot has been discussed in the international media.

We need to understand what Wahhabism is and what Saudi Arabia’s role is in Wahhabism. I want to give you a brief history. Wahhabism starts from Mohammad bin Abdul Wahhab Najadi. Najd is the central province in Saudi Arabia. He was born there and he became a self-proclaimed Islamic scholar. He said, ‘They must follow Islam the way it was practised at the time of Prophet Mohammad.’

But that’s just one thing. And then there are all the other th

 

ings were added from himself. [He said], ‘What Prophet Mohammad and his followers practised at that time was pure Islam. So we have to go back to that old practice. And whoever among Muslims do not accept it should not be regarded as Muslims. They must be killed, their properties taken as forfeit. Their daughters must be snatched away from them; you can sleep with them and can kill them.’

Any religion, when it was established, its directives that came from God through the prophet or messenger from that religion were in accordance with the people and their civilisation at that time. But when the religion grows with the elapse of time, so many things change according to the need and necessity of people at the time. So many modifications come into place. If you do not accept those modifications and replacements in the directives, then this is what happens.

Do most Muslims in the world follow Wahhabism?

No, that's not true.

No true Muslim can be a terrorist.

Wahhabism is not the mainstream Islam. Islam has been the religion of peace and representation of true Islam comes from Muslim Sufis who taught love and peace, who did not hate anybody. People of all religions met with Sufis and obtained their spiritual grace. Some of these non-Muslims were so inspired by the Sufis that they accepted Islam and became Sufis.

This Wahhabism started to rise after the birth of Saudi Arabia. This part where Saudi Arabia is now in the Arabian Peninsula was under the government of the Ottoman Empire.

So those extreme in their love of their religion become Wahhabis?

Wahhabism is a different ideology. It is an ideology which was presented by an individual who did not have spiritual insight into the religion. Wahhabism does not come from any prophet; Wahhabism does not come from the Quran.

Wahhabism is a set of beliefs which was concocted and fabricated by one individual and supported by like-minded people.

This part where Saudi Arabia is now was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the late 19th century, a man from Britain came to the Arabian Peninsula. We know him by Lawrence of Arabia. He then got Britain on his side and Britain decided to help the Al-Saud family. The Al-Saud family were Wahhabis. With the help of the British, they defeated the Ottoman Empire. This is how in the early 20th century, Saudi Arabia was formed by this family. Then a treaty was signed. Abdul Wahhab Najadi’s followers and the Al-Saud family joined hands together. This treaty was signed under the blessings of the British.

They were bound to help each other and not interfere with each other. The Wahhabi sect will not interfere with the affairs of the Royal Family and the Royal Family will not interfere with the religious affairs of the Wahhabi sect. So the survival of both was totally dependent on each other.

The kingdom would survive due to the help of the Wahhabi sect and the Wahhabi sect would survive because of the help of the Royal Family.

Now they had oil, money and everything. So with the help of that money they started to publicise the Wahhabi sect from their own. It has been only 120 years since the rise of Wahhabism. Before that, there was no Wahhabism.

They want to rule the world.

To their understanding, if you do not accept their ideology - whether you are a Muslim or non-Muslim - you are a Kafir (infidel). They must kill you.

If you are not Wahhabi, you do not have the right to live. This is their mind.

They are the same as the Taliban then.

Taliban, ISIS, Al-Qaeda - They’re chips off the same block. They’re all Wahhabis.

Are Wahhabis a threat to Sri Lankans?

In my previous interviews, I pointed out the presence of the Wahhabi sect in Sri Lanka. What happens is: religious criminals (Wahhabis, terrorists) from Pakistan and India come to Sri Lanka. They stay here in exile.

The Muslim community in Sri Lanka is really powerful. Most of them are businessmen; they have a lot of money. The Sri Lankan government should be keenly observing them and not allow them to establish any religious denomination in Sri Lanka. It is not very difficult: just observe Wahhabis and you are safe.

Kattankudy is where you might see the base of ISIS.

[I hear] there is Saudi funding in the area?

That’s true.

What are their plans for Sri Lanka?

They want to rule the world but Sri Lanka is not on their immediate agenda. It’s like saying, ‘I will drink this bottle of water first and then the other bottle.’ I will definitely drink the bottle of water that is near me.

On their immediate agenda is Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. Obviously when they are so powerful, they would want to go anywhere.

However we represent Kalki Avatar Ra Gohar Shahi.

Yes, my next question is: what about Kalki Avatar?

This is why we are here. We are preparing people to learn to love and have spiritual powers. To understand the purpose of religion and forget their differences, such as, ‘He is Hindu, he is Sikh, etc.’

The impact of all these religions has diminished now. What we want is mutual love and love for humanity. Whoever is peace-loving, we should support them. Obviously the might, strength and power of Kalki Avatar will help peace-loving people all over the world including Sri Lanka.

The [Wahhabi] ideology is really deceptive. They are not Muslims. They are just killers, terrorists. Sri Lanka is a multi-religious society where Christians, Muslims, Hindus are all living under peace - until recently when some extremist Buddhists started to make everybody feel their presence.

However, Buddhists have always been very peaceful. I was really surprised as to how a Buddhist person can become an extremist. But it happens when the religion loses its spiritual system. You become empty inside. When you become empty inside, the negative forces occupy your heart and emotions. Then it doesn’t matter whether you are Buddhist, Hindu, Christian or a Muslim - you become an extremist.

Our message is love for everybody. We want everybody to learn spirituality whoever they are. Whether you are a Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or Muslim, if you have learnt spirituality and your heart is illumined and enlightened, you can never become an extremist. Whoever you are, if your heart is pure, if your heart is clean, then you will love each other.

We want good Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims. You can be a Hindu, you can be a Christian - however you must be a good Christian. Not just Christian. Our goal is to make Christians good Christians, to make Hindus good Hindus with enlightenment in their heart. They should be practising spirituality. Our aim is teach them how to become spiritual and how to get rid of those negative forces inside which can turn a normal human being into a terrorist.

ISIS is a threat but who knows how many Wahhabis in any country are discreet followers of ISIS? If you practise the same ideology, you can pick up the weapon any time.

They are not recruiting people; they are relying on their ideological upbringing. For example, if you live in Sri Lanka, were born here and are playing cricket, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board can call you any time. Because they know you are playing cricket.

In a similar way, if you practise the same ideology wherever you are - if your mind is already made up that Wahhabis are the best Muslims and any other Muslim is not acceptable, and [that they should be killed], one call will come from Syria and you will join them because you are already practising their ideology.

It is not one day preaching. It is not one week preaching. There is a special religious group which was formed in India: Tableeghi Jamat. They are those who carry their bedsheets on their shoulders and their water pot with them. They go to different countries and they preach Islam to Muslims.

When I was a child I used to ask my father, ‘I’m already a Muslim. Why have they come to teach me Islam?’ My father didn’t have an answer.

Then when I met my spiritual father Lord Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi, He told me, ‘They do not think you are Muslim. They think only Wahhabis are Muslims. Because they only practise pure Islam; your Islam is not pure in their eyes. They have come to tell you of their version of Islam.’

So when they come to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and other countries in the world, people think they are just preachers, preaching Islam. They are not preaching Islam; they are laying foundation of terrorism. They are turning your mosques into terrorist factories. It is very dangerous. You can see aggression.

Sufi Muslims are very calm, mellow and meeky. These Wahhabis are very aggressive.

If you are a Hindu you cannot share your food with them. To them, you are ‘unclean’. This is hatred. If you love your religion, how come you hate people? Whether you are a Christian, Hindu or a Sikh you are creation of the same God. Why do you love one creation of God and hate another? God doesn’t discriminate. How can he discriminate when a mother doesn’t? If a mother has three or four sons and one of them is good and the other is bad - well, she knows one is bad and one is good but she loves both equally. She doesn’t discriminate. Whereas God says he loves his creation more than 70 mothers. So when God does not discriminate, how can you? You claim to love god and be so religious and you are killing humanity!

Whereas Prophet Mohammad said, ‘Killing one person is equal to killing the entire humanity.’

The Prophet was in a battle and one companion of the Prophet was next to him fighting so bravely, killing the enemies. When he was fighting with others he got injured to a degree where he was in extreme pain. At one point, he realised that he could not take this pain anymore and he killed himself. He was fighting with the enemies bravely but do you know what the Prophet said? ‘This man who has just killed himself was not from among us; he will go into hellfire.’

His intention was not to harm and hurt others; he killed himself to escape from the pain yet the Prophet did not appreciate it. How can these people, on purpose, wear bomb jackets and then jump into crowds? They die and let others die with them - and they call it help for Islam? This is nonsense. The religion doesn’t support it. This is a piece of atrocity, brutality, murder, carnage, massacre; the prime example of hatred. This is not Islam.

Without religion coming into this world can we live in this world?

We understand religion has created a lot of problems everywhere. Can we live in this world without religion? Yes we can. Can we live in this world without God? Yes we can.

The problem is: spirituality will make you a better human being. There are times you need God’s help. You can live without God, but you will not live without God in peace. You better live without religions - that’s very okay. But you need spirituality to be in perfect harmony. You need God’s help.

It was understood previously that God doesn’t exist without a religion. If you believe in God you must be a Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, etc. but now the time has changed. God’s love, God’s help is available without a religion; through spirituality. Through spirituality, you protect yourself, become strong and become a better human being. If there are no moral values, we cannot have a good society. People will be cutting each other’s throats. If they are not cutting each other’s throats for a religion, they will be cutting each other’s throats for money, land, lust, women. So we can’t completely ignore spirituality and God. We need spirituality,

Spirituality will take out the negative traits from everybody and carve human beings a better character. We don’t need religions anymore because religions are corrupt now. But we need spirituality. Loving God will solve the problem, not create a problem. God is not part of the problem; religions are part of the problem. People should love God.

Thank you so much. Do you have anything else to add?

Sri Lanka is such a beautiful country and the people are really nice. I just wish all people in Sri Lanka, whether they are Singhali or Tamil, live in peace and love each other. Politicians should also make sure that they provide for the Sri Lankan people a society where everybody is living in peace, happiness and nobody is suppressed. Whether you are Singhali or Tamil, whoever you are, we should respect that fact that everybody who was born here is Sri Lankan. This should be the prime thing for everybody: he is not Singhali, he is not Tamil; he is Sri Lankan. The national integrity should be observed. That is my message.