Fethullah Gulen: ISIL Actions, Disgrace to Faith


Date posted: September 20, 2014

Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen has sent out a strongly worded statement, against the barbarity of the ISIL militant group.

“As a practicing Muslim, I strongly condemn the brutal atrocities of the ISIL terrorist group. Their actions are a disgrace to the faith they proclaim and are crimes against humanity.”-Fethullah Gulen

This is not the first time the renowned thinker has criticized the group that uses religion as a guise to mask its motivations. To that Fethullah Gulen’s reply is:

“Religion provides a foundation upon which to establish peace, human rights, freedoms and the rule of law. Any interpretations to the contrary, including the abuse of religion to fuel conflicts, are simply wrong and deceitful.”

Fethullah Gulen, who has inspired the grass roots Hizmet, or service movement, has been an outspoken critic of all groups like ISIL.

ISIL has been accused of horrible acts of torture against minorities in Iraq. And Fethullah Gulen has come out strongly against any form of persecution.

Gulen, who espouses inter-cultural faith and dialogue as essential tenets of his philosophy has offered condolences to the victims of ISIL’s violence- the families of James Foley, Steven Sotloff and others.

Fethullah Gulen’s message has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, La Times in the US.

Source: Ebru News , September 17, 2014


Related News

Gülen extends condolences over death of Saudi King

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has expressed condolences over the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah.

Renewing Islam by Service: A Christian View of Fethullah Gulen with Pim Valkenberg

Renewing Islam by Service offers a theological account of the contemporary Turkish faith-based service movement started by Fethullah Gülen, and placed against the backdrop of changes in modern Turkish society. The life and works of Gülen are analyzed against the background of developments in Turkish society, and of spiritual Islamic tendencies in the transition from the Ottoman empire to the secular republic.

Gülen calls for broadening freedoms, improvement in Kurdish rights

Well-known Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has encouraged the broadening of rights and freedoms of people and the improvement of ties with Kurds to restore peace and security in areas long plagued by a simmering conflict that has killed at least 40,000 people. Speaking to Rudaw, an online newspaper in northern Iraq’s Arbil, Gülen touched […]

New book looks closer into Hizmet Movement with questions, answers

ŞULE KULU, İSTANBUL A newly published book by Professor Muhammed Çetin, a sociologist who has done extensive academic work on social movements and who now serves as a lawmaker in the Turkish Parliament, offers comprehensive information on the faith-based Gülen movement, answering hundreds of questions on the movement. The book, titled “Hizmet: Questions and Answers […]

Debunking The Gülen-Erdoğan Relationship

Yes, at one time, there had been rapprochement and mutual support, but reality and history show that such an alliance has long been overstated. The truth is, Erdoğan and Gülen only came together when Erdoğan’s stated goals reflected deeply held beliefs by Gülen. As is often the case, perception is mistaken for reality. Gülen is not Erdoğan’s biggest threat, nor was he his chief ally.

German minister says state not investigating Gulenists

The German authorities are not investigating Gulenists, the country’s justice minister said Tuesday, much to the frustration of Turkey which has asked that action be taken against the shadowy group.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Turkey’s post-revolutionary civil war

Arınç calls Gülen’s extradition request a ‘political move’

Main opposition CHP says received no message from Fethullah Gülen

‘Hizmet is a social movement worldwide, that has a heart, and it’s always from the heart.’

Turkish students win Int’l Environmental Project Olympiad medal

That is Why the Turkish Government could Pay 1 Billion Euros

A legal guidebook for ‘perception engineers’

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News