Zaman Stanizai on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement


Date posted: October 27, 2014

Dr. Zaman Stanizai is a Professor of Mythological Studies at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California and he teaches Political Science at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He has written on political theory with emphasis on the viability of third world states encountering globalization, and on political identity focusing on the politicization of ethnic, national, and religious identities as a contributing factor in regional and world conflicts.

Relating the problem with most movements as being the fact that “they wear their piety and religiosity on their sleeve”, Dr. Zaman Stanizai notes that the Hizmet Movement actually “acts upon what matters rather than talking about what doesn’t really matter”.

“The Hizmet Movement is doing the thing that matters and that is to serve humanity. The Prophet had said that “the best of you is those whose fruit of labor benefits other human beings”, and the fruit of labor is labor, its service, its not talk.”

Dr. Stanizai states that if the claim that the Prophet was sent to all of humanity is true, then ‘the focus or field of operation must include all human beings’.

Referring to the Hizmet Movement as a pioneer in the forefront of making a difference in the world, Dr. Stanizai called attention to a ‘forgotten’ sunnah, or tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, that concentrated on interfaith dialogue.

“Most of the problems that we experience today in the East-West conflict and the South-North conflict, economic and political; they are due to the lack of communication.”

Critizing the Muslim world for lack of education, he notes, “The reason we, our “Islamic Movements” are so backward, so rigid, so xenophobic, so self-centered is because we don’t even know our own religious ways.” And in conclusion, he states, “So, that is why if the Hizmet movement or the Gulen Movement, in general, is pursuing social reform through education, I don’t think there would be any sound mind to object to that.”


*Produced by Spectra Media exclusively for Irmak TV, Atlas of Thoughts (Fikir Atlasi) connects the scholars, politicians, jurists, religious figures, journalists, and academics reflecting on Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen and the Hizmet Movement with the audience. Each episode features a person from a different segment of the society with diverse experiences regarding the Hizmet activities and its volunteers. If you are interested to hear about the Hizmet and Mr. Gulen from these people’s perspectives, do not miss this show!

Source: Spectra Media


Related News

American reporters got an intriguing glimpse into the political mind-set in Turkey

Turkish leaders said they were astonished that they had so far been unsuccessful in persuading the United States Justice Department to even ask a federal judge to extradite Fethullah Gulen. The Turkish government said it had provided the United States with extensive proof against Mr. Gulen, who has denied involvement. But Turkish officials refused in several interviews to publicize a single piece of that evidence.

Why didn’t Chuck Hagel visit Turkey?

The government took new measures to prevent the graft probe from proceeding, in an attempt to create the public perception that the corruption allegations are the making of the Hizmet movement and its alleged foreign collaborators. For instance, a new measure introduced by the government to tighten control over the Internet, including powers allowing the authorities to block websites for privacy violations without a court decision, is part of a campaign to prevent news related to the corruption scandal from being disseminated further through the Internet.

Gülen’s book “Eternal Light” under spotlight at Pakistani fair

Public had chance to access many kinds of books at the fair. Speaking to Cihan news agency, head of Harmony Publications Yakup Un said there is a huge interest to the book Sonsuz Nur by Pakistani people.

Unimpressed by Turkish ‘parallel structure’ defense, MEPs approve critical report

A EP committee has approved a report on Turkey that criticizes the government’s handling of a corruption investigation, despite a last-minute letter from the Turkish government claiming that a set of controversial measures taken in the wake of the probe were designed to fight a “parallel structure” within the state.

Deutsche Welle: Power struggle between old friends in Turkey

Gülen argued that Muslims should work against “the decline of morality” in society, calling for conservative values like faith and family to be put before modern individualism – but always within the existing secular state structures.

‘A bridge should not demolish other bridges,’ says scholar Gülen

Gülen said today via his website that naming the bridge “Yavuz Sultan Selim,” after an Ottoman Sultan historically known for slaughtering Alevis, should not demolish “others bridges.”

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

Yet another Turkish school inaugurated in Nigeria

Erdoğan distorts Gülen’s NYT op-ed, says it is about Bank Asya operation

Journalist reveals MGK decision to fight against all religious groups

Fethullah Gulen turns coup accusations on Erdogan

Ikbal Gürpınar Hospital is connecting Sudanese people to life

Newly launched book tells stories of purge victims after Turkey’s July 15 coup

Karzai honored Turkish schools in his country

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News