‘Hizmet Movement and Fethullah Gulen inspire uniting people around spiritual ideals’


Date posted: March 28, 2015

Dr. Gerald Grudzen is a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religion at San José City College. He teaches Humanities, American History and Comparative Religion. Prof. Grudzen received his MA in Theology from the Maryknoll School of Theology. He completed his Ph.D. in History at Columbia University in New York.

“I would say that the most significant aspect of the Hizmet Movement is its interfaith work. We live in a world that is segregated by different types of classes, groups, religions.. and, in order for humanity to understand that we’re linked together as one family, we need to reach beyond our denominations and realize that we all share a common humanity and a common spiritual principle.

And, I think, in the modern world, since a lot of the spirituality has been secularized, what I like about the Hizmet Movement is that it’s a spiritual movement but it also is attempting to help humanity unite.”

“The Hizmet Movement and what Mr. Gulen is inspiring is uniting people around spiritual ideals. And I like the idea in your schools that you don’t really teach religion directly; you teach ethics. I think that’s another hopeful sign that out of this spiritual movement you’re bringing people together of different religious-cultural backgrounds, but they’re uniting around a certain ethical principle of love and care for humanity and service of humanity.

If we can all share that ideal, then there’s a positive future for humanity.”


*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 , May 5, 2014


Related News

Predictability in Erdoğan’s Turkey

The most significant damage beleaguered Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has inflicted on Turkey in a frantic effort to rescue himself, his children and close associates from legal troubles amid massive corruption, money laundering and illegal land-zoning deals was a blow to the “credibility” of Turkey and “predictability” in its political and economic environment.

Retired ambassadors slam government orders over graft probe

“Will ambassadors tell their foreign colleagues that a corruption investigation started, which includes some members of the government, and that the government found the solution in changing a number of bodies such as the HSYK [Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors] and judicial police regulations?” asked former ambassador Deniz Bölükbaşı.

America’s first Islamic university starts academic journey

The first university to be founded by Muslims to teach Islamic studies in the United States has started its new academic year, promising to be a leading institution in educating future scholars, including imams.

Kurdish singer Perwer says freedoms should be gained via peaceful means

HAŞİM SÖYLEMEZ, ARBIL Renowned Kurdish singer Şivan Perwer has voiced his support to the ongoing peace talks between the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to resolve Turkey’s long-standing Kurdish problem and urged that freedom should be taken through peaceful means. In an exclusive with Sunday’s Zaman […]

Only educational efforts of groups such as Hizmet can eradicate extremism

In sharp contrast to Boko Haram, there is a faith-inspired group, a civil society movement that engages in education, dialogue and charitable activities and has grown out of Muslim grass roots. Check out how disturbed Boko Haram is about Hizmet’s education campaign, which offers opportunities for both boys and girls. Check out how ISIL publications outline exactly how they hate the Hizmet movement’s efforts and why they see Hizmet as their “enemies.”

HIzmet centre takes on Erdogan regime

The London-based Centre for Hizmet Studies has accused Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his regime of systematically trying to provoke the followers of the Hizmet Movement into violence and portray the movement as a violent organisation.

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

Construction of Turkish hospital in Haiti begins

Steller: For Turks, post-coup purges make U.S. safe harbor

Art exhibition tells story of deficiency

Turkey coup and Fethullah Gülen: Why blame a progressive Islamic modernist?

WSJ: Turks fleeing Erdogan fuel new influx of refugees to Greece

8-year-old cancer patient denied passport due to father’s alleged links to Turkey’s Gülen group

Building bridges through knowledge, experience and friendship

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News