Saudi Scholar: Turkish gov’t must give up ‘terrorist’ slander against Gülen

Professor Hatim b. Arif al-Awni
Professor Hatim b. Arif al-Awni


Date posted: November 23, 2015

RIYADH

One of Saudi Arabia’s prominent scholars and academics, Professor Hatim b. Arif al-Awni said that Fethullah Gülen is far from terrorism, extremism and violence.

In an exclusive interview with Cihan News Agency at his home in Mecca, Professor al-Awni said he was very surprised that Fethullah Gülen is in most wanted list of terrorists.

“I was very surprised that Sheikh Fethullah Gülen was put on the terrorist list,” said al-Awni, and “Because Sheikh, all in one well-known scholars in the Islamic world, he is the man of science, civilization and peace. He and his ideas are far away from extremism using violence,” he added.

Stating that Gülen movement emphasized peace, civilization and education in its activities, the former member of Shura Council also pointed out that Gülen movement spreads projects, including building mosque, hospital, school and university. “Actually, worldwide offering such widespread human services, who invites to God, founded on humanitarian case, we have did not witness a terrorist group working to civilization’s improvement.” Said Al-Avni.

“We have not seen that the people, who lead such an institution or community, embraced the idea of terror or extremism,” he also said.

‘POLITICAL PROBLEMS ARE NOT SOLVED WITH SUCH BLAMES’

Stating that the accusation was a mistake against Gülen and he hopes Turkish government avoids this as soon as possible, al-Awni, “Such blames, with the removal of any person, the political problems or political disagreements cannot be resolved,” he said.

Pointing to need to decide on the issue of Turkish law and academics, if there’s anything hidden in the hands of the Turkish government, which no one knows, scholar Al Avni, “If they have evidence to prove the argument that says El Sheikh Fethullah Gülen is terrorist, they must put forward evidence. So, this is far from the only one you’re being charged with a crime because of political attitudes,” he said.

‘WE ARE SURPRISED AGAINST TURKISH GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE’

Saying that the Turkish Government is an Islamic government and seeking that the interests of the development of Islamic world, al-Awni, “They had great success. No one can deny even in Turkey. We are amazed at the face of this attitude for it. So we see this as out of the situation we witnessed during the Turkish Government’s attitude. We really hope that the Turkish government to solve this problem by appropriate means of the general politics of the Islamic world. We really expect that for our ethics,” he said.

Al-Avni continued his words as follows:

“I say, before taking a political stance on issues that need to decide if you will be referred to the law of laws. If you get a clear proof of the crime for which anyone, for Sheikh Fethullah, for whom decides about terrorist acts or terrorist embraced the idea, that this time everyone will see stance taken by the Turkish government excused. But before the fair is proven by evidence, it would be wrong without a fair legal decision and not politicized. What neither the interest of which cannot meet the policy adopted by the Turkish government nor the services of the Islamic world.”

‘PARIS ATTACKS CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ANY RELIGION ESPECIALLY TO RELIGION OF PEACE ISLAM’

Mentioning about terror attacks in Paris, al-Awni stated that such attacks are condemned by each religion and nation and cannot be accepted by any mind in the world. “The perpetrators [of the attack] are murderers. It is not right to show them as the follower of a religion on earth. Especially to Islam, religion of peace,” noted al-Awni.

He also underlined that even if Muslims nay have carried out such an attack and some terror organizations claimed responsibility of the attack, such organizations are rejected by the Muslims and people involved in such acts cannot be regarded as Muslims.

A former member of Saudi Arabia Sura, al-Awni teaches at Umm al-Qurâ University and authored more than 40 books.

Source: CIHAN , November 22, 2015


Related News

Lawrence Seidman on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Rabbi Lawrence Seidman earned a Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. After retiring from the Boeing Company, he dedicated himself to religious and spiritual studies. Lawrence Siedman was ordained as a rabbi in 2009 by the Academy for Jewish Religion.

Ministerial bureaucrats being purged over their alleged affiliations with Hizmet

Radikal said the only criteria in these purges is the “parallel state,” a term the government uses to define those bureaucrats known to favor the Hizmet movement, which is a grassroots movement based on voluntary participation to spread interfaith dialogue and tolerance with a particular emphasis on education.

US Congressional Record: President Erdogan’s Assault on the Human Rights of the Turkish People

I rise to remind our government that the human rights abuses committed by Turkish President Erdogan are grave and ongoing, and to distinguish between the Turkish president and the Turkish people–and to stand with the people.

A useful guide to understanding the Hizmet-AK Party tension

Mustafa Yeşil, head of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), of which Fethullah Gülen is honorary president, talks about the reasons for the increasing tension between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and the Hizmet movement, which conducts praiseworthy activities in Turkey and around the globe with inspiration from well-respected Turkish-Islamic scholar Gülen.

Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement discussed in New York

A special conversation on Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movementby Peace Islands Institute was held at NY Turkish Cultural Center on April 9. The professor of Political Science and Public Administration, analyst and columnist Prof. Dogu Ergil was the guest speaker of the event hosted by Peace Islands Institute President Zafer Akin. In his opening speech, […]

Fethullah Gülen versus Ayatollah Khomeini?

Gülen will not return to a society that is expecting him as the Savior or the true representation of Turkishness or the antidote to current political failures. Although it is true that Gülen’s imminent return would cause tensions, it would only be tensions created by political interest groups which would use his presence for their […]

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Kimse Yok Mu provided aid to 14,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey

Pak-Turk schools issue: Foundation moves court for fear of closure

Erdogan’s Arch-Enemy Accuses Turkish President Of Staging Coup, Compares Him To Hitler

The tragic echoes of Turkey’s anti-Gülen campaign in Turkmenistan

Erdoğan’s personal propaganda tool, the MGK

You are free to touch Hizmet movement

Turkish Scholar Fethullah Gulen Speaks about PKK [terrorist organization]

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News