As Americans gather around Thanksgiving tables today, it is a moment to celebrate and reflect on the bounties of God, express our gratitude to Him and to celebrate our common humanity. People from all faiths and political persuasions are able to put aside their differences and engage in dialogue, reminding them that the world is large, humanity is diverse and that every human being has inherent value and something special to offer.
I pray that God, the Most Merciful provide food, shelter, and clothing to those who are hungry, homeless or otherwise in poverty, through the generosity in the hearts of their neighbors and fellow citizens. For those who are suffering from disease or strife, May God end their suffering and provide them comfort.
I remember the late, right-minded orientalist Annemarie Schimmel’s words saying, “The most attacked and least understood religion in the West is Islam.” Today, we come across a similar statement in a recently published scholarly report too. I’m referring to the report titled, “Überdehnt sich die Bewegung von Fethullah Gülen?” by Stiftung für Wissenschaftund Politik (SWP), which put the Hizmet Movement under a scholarly microscope.
Turkish Repression Targets Americans
It’s an old story with dictators. If unopposed, they become ever more brazen in their aggression. Case in point: Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On May 16, during a state visit to Washington, Erdoğan’s bodyguards beat up peaceful protesters, many of them American citizens, in front of the Turkish embassy. At least 11 protesters were injured.
Division at home, cooperation abroad
Last week I visited Canada to speak at a panel on Turkey in Ottawa and give a lecture on Turkey-EU relations at the Munk School for Global Affairs in Toronto. The panel was part of the first Turkic-Canadian Convention intended to boost economic and cultural relations between Canada and Turkey. The convention was organized by the Anatolian Heritage Federation and was also attended by five members of the Turkish Parliament from the three major parties.
Gülen movement-backed Abant Platform to discuss Alevi-Sunni ties
The Alevi issue is the key theme of this year’s Abant Platform, which started on Dec. 13 by way of the organization efforts of the Gülen Movement-affiliated Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV). The three-day meeting which has gathered intellectuals from various ideological camps came at a time when tension between the government and the movement has become extremely visible in the eyes of the public due to the former’s plans of “transforming” the private “cram schools.”
Indian scholar: Fethullah Gülen a great blessing for Turkey, World
7 June 2012 / OSMAN ÜNALAN, NEW DELHI Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, an Islamic scholar in India, has praised the Hizmet movement (aka Gulen movement) and its activities for helping Turkey get rid of negative and biased views about Islam and transforming it into a much-admired center for more self-aware Muslims. Speaking at a symposium titled […]
Religions Come Together To Celebrate Unity Amid Tragedy
“Today is the highest Islamic holiday,” said Ismail Akbulut for the Multicultural Mosaic Foundation. “We are commemorating the story of Prophet Abraham when he was going to sacrifice his oldest son. Today we are getting together as cousins and celebrating this festival,” Akbulut added. “We have a future in this country together.”
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‘The work of Hizmet followers is really tackling the fundamentals of what is needed in the society’