Gülen extends condolences over death of Saudi King
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen
Date posted: January 23, 2015
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has expressed condolences over the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah.
Gülen said in a statement on Friday that he extends his condolences to Saudi Arabia’s “valuable” king and the “custodian of the Noble Sanctuaries” and wished patience for the new king, Salman.
A royal court statement said early on Friday that the king died at 1 a.m. on Friday. His successor was announced as 79-year-old half-brother, Prince Salman, according to the statement carried on the Saudi Press Agency. Salman was Abdullah’s crown prince and had recently taken on some of the ailing king’s responsibilities.
Amir Hussain on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement
Dr. Amir Hussain is a professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. He has written numerous scholarly articles, and his area of research is on the study of Islam, specifically contemporary Muslim societies in North America.
Erdoğan and Gülen: The Marriage of Convenience
Religiously, the Gülen Movement both reflects the long tradition of Turkish Sufi brotherhoods, and Gülen’s own emphasis on societal change through education, humanitarian activism, and interfaith dialogue. Gülen never sympathized with, or adopted, the AKP’s more conservative form of political Islam.
Turkish cleric calls for international body to examine coup charges
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania since 1999, told the German broadcaster ZDF in an interview broadcast on Friday that there was no evidence linking him to the thwarted putsch, which he has denounced. He accused Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan of using the coup to silence opponents.
Why Gulen Should Not Be Extradited
To extradite Gulen would not only imply a high chance of an unfair trial, but would also sound the death knell of a blueprint for global peace. Gulen’s ideas have all the potential for a global approach to peace-building. John L. Esposito, a professor at Georgetown University and a highly respected expert on Islam, called Gulen’s initiatives “extraordinarily unique”, and suggested it would be “wise” for other Muslim movements to emulate them.
Erdoğan steps up hateful speech against Gülen
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stepped up his attacks on Monday against members of a leading civil society group who are critical of his divisive discourse and discriminatory policies, calling the group modern “Lawrences of Arabia.”
Symposium concludes: Hizmet movement contributes to world peace
Professors said that Hizmet is an anti-violence group that uses education and dialogue to achieve its goals. Dr. Amidu Olalekan Sanni, Lagos State University, Nigeria: “I think the Hizmet group has been very influential in terms of human development, basically in the area of education and health. The first Hizmet university is actually based in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.”
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