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 calls for respect for the sacred, denounces terrorism

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has called on everyone to respect each other’s sacred values while at the same time strongly condemning the use of violence and engagement in terrorism in so-called attempts to protect these sacred values.

Fethullah Gülen’s Message of Condolences for the El Paso and Dayton Attacks

These attacks which are assaults on the sanctity of human life shatter our hearts but should strengthen our eagerness in serving the goal of living together peacefully and should also lead us to a societal self-examination.

Fethullah Gulen expresses sorrow for deadly Connecticut shooting

AYDOĞAN VATANDAŞ, NEW YORK Well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has expresses sadness over the mass shooting in Newtown, saying he prays that such an incident never happens again. Gülen on Sunday issued a message on the tragic shooting incident, which took lives of 26 civilians, mostly children, at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. “I […]

Former Norwegian PM: Our center takes same approach as Gülen

KADİR UYSALOĞLU, OSLO Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik has said the ideas of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish-Muslim scholar, and the activities of his movement are in complete harmony with the approach of The Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights, which Bondevik currently heads. Bondevik yesterday paid a visit to the En Verden i […]

‘If you are against us, you are the other’

Turkey has been witnessing a rigorous debate for the last couple of weeks over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) vow to finish off the test prep schools, which are a source of both money and influence for its old ally, the Hizmet Movement led by the self-exiled leader, Fethullah Gülen. Like many controversies in Turkey, the issue of closing the courses and integrating them into Turkey’s poorly-established and -organized education system was not only about the prep schools, which was only the tip of the iceberg.

Archbishop Fitzgerald: Fethullah Gülen has inspired many Muslims to be engaged in interfaith dialogue

The English-born Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, one of the Catholic Church’s main experts on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations, has said that Fethullah Gülen has inspired many Muslims to engage in interfaith dialogue, and that this is a good thing.

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

Call for paper for “International Family Policy Conference”

Samanyolu news faces cyber attack from abroad

After Reunion: A Quiet Transformation Within the Hizmet Movement

Arab Students in Turkey Facing Arbitrary Arrest

Turkish Schools for a Brighter Future in Somalia

Turkish delegation visits Crimea Simferopol International School

Hizmet and the interfaith movement

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News