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.
Journalist reveals inspiring story of Turkish schools in book
Ankara-based journalist Mesut Çevikalp has written a book about the little-known stories of Turkish schools opened by Turkish entrepreneurs in various parts of the world, including the moving and hardship-laden stories of education volunteers working at these schools, most of whom left a better life in Turkey with the hope of promoting universal values of peace, dialogue and peaceful coexistence with others.
Gülen won’t change his stand, urges followers’ patience
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen vowed to defend what he believes despite an organized attack by the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that employs hate speech, slander and outright lies in order to discredit him and members of the Hizmet movement.
Turkey Deports Journalist for Criticizing Government on Twitter
The editor in chief of Today’s Zaman, Bulent Kenes, said that Mr. Zeynalov’s deportation was an attempt to intimidate the foreign news media after Mr. Erdogan’s government had moved to suppress critical reporting in the local media. “I consider his deportation as a lesson the government tries to teach at micro level,” Mr. Kenes said. “It is intimidation of everyone doing international journalism.”
‘State of rule of law suspended in Turkey, if not completely eliminated’
I’ve been in the military judiciary for years and I haven’t observed anything like it [“parallel state” in regards to the Hizmet movement], and I haven’t observed it in the civilian judiciary, either.
What is going on in Turkey? Who is Fethullah Gülen?
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the president of Turkey, a NATO member nation that hosts our nuclear weapons. Evidence indicates he’s an Islamist. Erdogan’s fundamentalist convictions led to persecution of Fethullah Gülen whi has been compared to Gandhi, Luther, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr., but Erdogan accuses him of launching the recent military coup. Gülen is a scholar and man of the cloth.
Saving the soul of Turkey [amid the graft probe]
In terms of fundamental rights, Erdoğan does not tolerate any dissent or critical media at all. He publicly bashes reporters, labeling them traitors or foreign agents just because these members of the press corps are exercising their right to freedom of expression. Civic groups like Hizmet are unable to avoid his wrath as well and are easily accused of running “parallel structures” or “gangs” within the state apparatus with no shred of evidence to back these claims.
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Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet
In Case You Missed It
Gülen urges Turkey to preserve, advance achievements in democratization
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Hate Speech is Undermining Turkey’s Fragile Democracy
Are the Turkish Leader Erdogan’s Claims of Terrorist Coup Plotting to Be Believed?
Philippine education minister invites Turks to open more schools in his country
Erdogan targets Hizmet inspired schools on Africa visit
Gülen calls for peaceful coexistence, warns about deceit and oppression
