Toward a culture of coexistence

Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz
Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz


Date posted: November 23, 2011

Ihsan YILMAZ 18 November 2011, Friday

ABUJA, NIGERIA — I am currently attending a conference titled “Establishing a Culture of Coexistence and Mutual Understanding.” As the conference organizers rightly underline, Nigeria is an important and relevant place for this conference not only because of its cultural, linguistic, ethnic and religious diversity, but also because it is where volunteers of the Hizmet movement inspired by Fethullah Gülen’s ideas have established 16 schools, a university and a hospital.

Students from all backgrounds are studying in peace in these schools, in a culture of coexistence of mutual understanding. Renowned professors from many different countries, from Bangladesh to South Africa, from Jordan to the United States will analyze how the movement has been proactively contributing to the establishment of a culture of coexistence through education, dialogue, poverty alleviation and media activities.

I believe the Turkish experience of contemporary attempts to revive the peaceful coexistence of the past, which the Hizmet movement took the lead in, is highly relevant for a diverse Nigerian society, which is unfortunately suffering from attacks targeting its culture of coexistence. Here about 60-65 percent of the nation is Muslim while about 30 percent is Christian and 5 percent are from other religions. In such a society, in order to guarantee its citizens their rights of freedom of speech, expression and religion, the state has to be neutral toward all religions. In such a society in the public sphere there will be some demands based on religion but the faithful must endeavor for a shift in their epistemic attitudes so that they can actively and emphatically contribute to the efforts of politicians to translate religious demands into a secular language.

It is my contention that this is something that has been achieved by the Hizmet movement. With an ijtihad (the decision making in Islamic law by way of personal effort, free from a particular school of thought) and tajdid (Islamic revival) understanding in sociopolitical issues, Gülen has argued, unlike the Islamists, that a human rights friendly passive Anglo-Saxon secularism could provide a wider framework to Muslims to practice their religion comfortably where other religious minorities could also benefit from human rights. He has highlighted that Islam does not need a state to survive and civil society in liberal-democratic settings is sufficient for its individual and social practice. In the political public sphere, religious demands could be negotiated by politicians in a secular language and this is how this has recently been done in the Turkish context.

Former Turkish Islamists have realized that instead of provoking the political public sphere with religious demands, a human rights friendly setting and a passive Anglo-Saxon secularism would be enough for the practice of Islam in the public space and even for making religious demands in the public sphere — even though the Turkish application of laicite does not make room for it at the moment.

The greatest danger to Nigeria’s well-being, prosperity and unity is ethnic and religious nationalism that is intolerant of the other and aims to suppress the other’s demands. This was a mistake made toward the end of the Ottoman Empire by Turkish nationalists who provoked Albanians and Arabs with their narrow-minded Turkish nationalist actions, and we all know the end result of their nationalism. Turks have also suffered a lot at the hands of the nationalists, and our current Kurdish problem is a result of these nationalist policies and attitudes. Having very rich oil reserves, Nigerians must be doubly vigilant and there are good lessons to be drawn from the Turkish experience.

Source: Today’s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-263245-toward-a-culture-of-coexistence.html


Related News

“These schools are cultivating future’s prominent Malians”

The new campus, to be comprised of two schools buildings and a dorm, is rising on nearly 3.4 acres. Established in 2002, the Turkish schools in Mali are currently offering education to some 2 thousand students in the West African country.

Deniz Baykal visits Turkish school in Morocco

Former Republican People’s Party leader Deniz Baykal visited the Turkish school in Morocco. Highly impressed by the students’ Turkish, Baykal expressed his gratitude to their teachers. During his stay in Morocco for Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly meeting, Deniz Baykal -now Republican People’s Party deputy of the province Antalya- visited Casablanca Muhammad Al Fatih Educational […]

Hizmet Relief ends Cataract Campaign, starts Water Well Campaign

Hizmet Relief, shortly after changing its name, starts aid campaigns one after another. It finishes the “Cataract Campaign” and rushes to finalize “Water Wells Campaign.” The cataract campaign started in July, the Hizmet Relief had targeted to collect $10,000 to treat 100 people. $300 more was collected, which will give 103 people their eyesight back.

Nigerians to showcase culture at Abuja festival

Abuja will on May 21 host the Hizmet Movement and commence preparations for the 14th International Festival of Language and Culture aimed at promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Efik and other Nigerian tribes.

Erdogan’s Changing Aspirations for Somalia

Somalia has been one of the centers to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The East African country has been crumbled for long years by many inextricable catastrophes including famine, drought, militancy and instability.

Ethiopian PM: It is an honor to work with TUSKON

The two-day forum produced two important agreements. On the first day, TUSKON signed a commercial partnership deal with the Ethiopia Chamber of Commerce and on the second day, the confederation signed a bilateral commercial agreement that promises to provide advantages to TUSKON members in trade not only with Ethiopia, but also with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which has 22 member countries.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

‘Selam’ – story of teachers in Turkish schools abroad to hit movie theaters in March

Young Peace Ambassadors Academy 2015 Graduation Ceremony

Reuters interview Gulen, he says he would not flee U.S. to avoid extradition to Turkey

Eid al-Adha in Rio

Gülen lawyer denies claims of shooting movie about Erdoğan family

Zaman Media Group receives 5 awards from WAN-IFRA

High competition for Fezalar Institution in North Iraq

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News