New Book – No Return from Democracy: A Survey of Interviews with Fethullah Gulen
Date posted: August 8, 2017
It was rare, if not impossible, to find in ’80s and ’90s a Muslim cleric who spoke in favor of democracy, integration with the Western world, and universal human values. Fethullah Gülen was one of those. Many of his avant-garde ideas did not only earn him one of the largest and most influential faith-inspired social movements of recent history, but also many foes, especially from the Turkish ruling elite, placing him in the center of many social and political developments in Turkey. Despite the enormous defamation from some political groups in Turkey, Gülen is recognized in the world as a devout Muslim cleric, whose thoughts and life style are deeply rooted in the Islamic faith, but who also believes Islam is not in conflict with the progressive values of the modern world. This book collates Gülen’s ahead-of-his-time comments on some of the debated issues as he phrased in interviews in the past few decades.
Erdoğan put under the spotlight US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone by stating: “Recently, very strangely, ambassadors have gotten involved in some provocative acts. I am calling on them from here to do your job. If you leave your area of duty, this could extend into our government’s area of jurisdiction. We do not have to keep you in our country.” These caustic sentences prove that the AK Party has decided to declare a war not only against the Hizmet movement but also to provoke tensions with the US. Since they have opted for a defensive attack strategy, this reaction does not surprise anyone.
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.
Hizmet Movement discussed at Mexico’s UNAM
A group of Turkish, American and Mexican academics came together at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to discuss the Hizmet Movement’s progression from past to present.
Draft law on state secrets prompts concerns in Turkey amid profiling leaks
The draft bill on what constitutes a state secret in Turkey that brings harsh penalties for disclosure has sparked concerns in Turkey against the background of the revelation of confidential documents that exposed massive government profiling of innocent citizens. Retired military judge Ümit Kardaş, speaking to a Turkish daily on Thursday, said giving such broad authority to the prime minister is anti-democratic. “If enacted, the state secret law will drag Turkey into fascism,” he cautioned.
Islamism is dead!
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is a political party; for this reason, it views the Islamic references it relies on as political ideology. The Gülen movement, on the other hand, is a social movement that mobilizes religiosity and uses it as a source of energy.
“Hizmet Movement making tremendous contributions to Muslim culture”
The Hizmet Movement, as an organization, with Fethullah Gulen’s inspiration for the movement, is a bright light for the Muslim-American community because of the focus of the organization in doing community service through relief work, and in focusing on education, in scientific education in particular, and also, with regards to interfaith and intercultural exchange.
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