Hizmet’s approach to politics and politicians

Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz
Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz


Date posted: March 14, 2014

İHSAN YILMAZ

The Hizmet community is aware of the social and political aspects of the principle of “encouraging good and forbidding evil” (emr-i bil ma’ruf ve nehy-i anil munker) as being some of the most important requirements and promises carried out by Muslims.

As a civil society organization, it will never shirk from calling on everyone (including politicians) to behave within the parameters mentioned above and making criticisms when they do not — within the framework of rights and democracy and without abandoning the principles that the movement is based on.

If one examines the legacies of figures like Imam-i Azam Ebu Hanife or Mevlana, one notes that they never hesitated to criticize political leaders, and instead encouraged and called on these leaders to act with justice, honesty, tolerance and the law. Many intellectuals and thinkers — such as Imam-i Azam — placed as much importance in their independence as they did their honor, in order to make sure these values could be maintained. It was for this reason that they rejected salaried state positions — even at the cost of being tortured in prison.

If the greatest losses faced by the world of Islam are wisdom and reason, the second greatest loss is the fact that leaders and states — and the communities that have  followed them without objection — have weakened the functioning of the structure Islam over hundreds of years.

Fethullah Hoca and his students — as well as the intellectuals, academics, journalists and writers who come forward in this climate of reason — are essentially keeping alive the same tradition of maintaining a critical distance from powerful leaders that previous figures like Imam-i Azam, Mevlana and Bediüzzaman once did. In this, they are espousing the concept of “emr-i bil ma’ruf, nehy-i anil munker” (as mentioned above, encouraging good and forbidding evil.)

This is also the approach that has been taken for decades by media organs close to the Hizmet movement. Over the years, these media organs have of course focused on more than just popular culture or sports news; and yet, the attention they are paying now to politics and criticism in this arena seems to present a problem. The same principles that have shaped the criticism these media organs have issued to various politicians and leaders over the years are in play today. Fethullah Gülen noted in 1994 that “we can no longer turn back from the direction democracy is taking us”; in 2010, he said, “let even those lying in graveyards rise and cast a vote in the referendum.” Today, he is making the same sort of criticism, in his own way, as he did in the past against those who supported coups and other anti-democratic practices. For the Hizmet movement is today directing strong criticism at a government that — despite high-pitched objections from the EU, civil society organizations and intellectuals — seems bent on eliminating both democracy and the Constitution (and in the process dragging the country into a “one man” regime), which is the duty of citizens who are reasonable, honorable and good believers.

Throughout the past, the Hizmet movement has never formed alliances or been in a natural relationship with any political party. At the same time, the Hizmet movement has never asked any political party for anything that would be illegal, undemocratic or not fitting with Allah’s wishes. In fact, the Hizmet movement gets its strength from this independence. Because the movement gets money from no other sources than its own volunteers, it does not take orders. No doubt this is why certain people are made so uncomfortable right now by the Hizmet movement. And so it is that the Hizmet movement has never formed alliances with anyone, nor will it in the future, with the permission of Allah. But the volunteers of the Hizmet movement, who have never embraced the immoral philosophy of “he steals, but at least he works,” will always be able to differentiate between those who are honest and those who are corrupt, those who are moral and those who simply insult citizens with their own free will.

The Hizmet movement has arrived where it is today not because of the state or the ruling parties, but rather mostly despite a series of unjust and anti-democratic attitudes [of the government]. From now on, the Hizmet movement will continue to take the same stance toward states and governments that it embraces today. Certain circles who may now be desperate and panicked over their own position are clasping onto every lie they can manufacture about Gülen, who has served the people for 60 years, and who has never enriched himself or his relatives, and never embarrassed his followers. But these untruths will never, ever damage Gülen and his extraordinary conscience. For to wit, the people of Turkey have the powers of perception that make them capable of easily distinguishing the liars from the honest. As it is, even if there were a shred of truth in any of this evidence, none of it would be poured out like gossip in city squares, but it would rather be brought before courts with concrete proof.

Source: Todays Zaman , March 14, 2014


Related News

Turkey, The great purge – Four lives upturned by Erdogan’s ‘cleansing.’ Episode 2 – Mehmet

Following the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, Erdogan promised to “cleanse” Turkey of a “virus” that has plagued its state institutions. That cleansing has been primarily directed at two organisations: the PKK and the Gulen movement. But the crackdown on both organisations began long before the July coup attempt.

Coup plotter or moderate religious leader? Finnish State TV Yle meets Turkey’s most wanted man

“The future is in God’s hands. People who believe in our cause will continue our work. The world feels sympathy for our movement,” says Gulen.

Turkey’s MGK says discussed organizations threatening national security

Although Erdoğan insists that there would be a legal move against the Hizmet, opponents and critical voices point to lack of evidence necessary for a criminal investigation against the Movement.

Gülen says praying for kidnapped schoolgirls, Nigerian people

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said he is praying for kidnapped schoolgirls, their families and the Nigerian people, calling on the kidnappers to immediately free the girls.

Religion as a force for peace

ŞAHİN ALPAY One of the great advantages of Turkey, surely, is the dominance of religious scholars who have promoted conceptions of Islam promoting peace, socio-economic development and democracy. In this context, contributions of Said Nursi (1878-1960), a Kurd from Bitlis, and Fethullah Gülen, a Turk from Erzurum, are surely exceptional. In Turkey hopes for an […]

Imam Sytari praises Gulen as a global thinker

“Gulen is a global thinker, praised by all. What he has managed to build up nowadays, is something that many others have not done, for especially building the confidence in youth, and teach them how to be good citizens of their country, so to be constructive Muslims in their country. And his philosophy for religious coexistence at a global level, i think has brought good things to humanity and tothe Islamic world.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

Education in Mother Tongue: Eventual Solution to the Problem

The Gülen Movement and human rights values in the Muslim world

Turkish Cultural Center reaches out to Syracuse community to share its unique culture

New book looks closer into Hizmet Movement with questions, answers

Washington mute as Turkey spying allegations cause outrage

Gülen Speaks to Süddeutsche Zeitung daily, warns of on-going witch hunt against Hizmet

Liberia: Turkish School to Remain Open

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News