Gülen: Democracy dealt yet another blow in Egypt


Date posted: July 9, 2013

Well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said democracy was once again dealt a blow in Egypt as he commented on the ouster of Mohammed Morsi in a military coup last week.

In his latest weekly speech, broadcast on website Herkul.org on Monday, Gülen shared his views on the military coup in Egypt. Recalling that the government toppled in Egypt had come to power through elections, Gülen said the ouster of this administration through a coup similar to those in Turkey on May 27, 1960, March 12, 1971, and Sept. 12, 1980, will go down in history as “evilness.” “Democracy has been once again dealt a blow,” Gülen said.

The Egyptian military on Wednesday overthrew the country’s first democratically elected president, suspended the constitution, called for new elections and announced it would install a temporary civilian government. The country’s chief justice was sworn in as interim president on Thursday.

Noting that it is “mercilessness” to topple Morsi on the grounds that he made mistakes, Gülen said one year is a very short period of time for a president to meet expectations of him. “A Muslim state nearby us is heading to elections with a democratic understanding to which is attached much importance with respect to today’s criteria. One is coming to power and just a year passes since the elections. One cannot even go beyond apprenticeship in a year.  This is a huge job, the job of running the state. And he [Morsi] is being toppled due to his mistakes according to some,” Gülen said.

According to Gülen, it is of no use today to blame Morsi for what has happened or for failing to get to know his close circle.  Noting that one should keep in mind that every human being can make mistakes and become the victim of his good opinions of people around him, Gülen said Morsi should have been warned beforehand.

“A believer nurtures positive opinions about someone but he or she can be mistaken… We can be the victim of our positive opinions one day. If someone sees this [mistake], they should warn and these people and prevent them from being mistaken,” Gülen said.

“Sometimes a group with their own interests surrounds a person. But their support just aims to maintain their own interest. They applaud and praise him. That person would assume that these people are his sincere friends. He calls what they say good as good and what they say bad as bad. That person [Morsi] might have been deceived in such a way as well. He should have been warned. The [intelligence] services I have just named should have warned him. The incitement should have been prevented from the beginning,” he added.

Gülen also warned that some circles would be making plans to see what happened in Egypt happen in other countries too. “Some who think that ‘the winds of fall began to blow somewhere and let’s make these winds blow everywhere and get away from this spring’ may make use of this issue in a different way. The utmost caution is needed,” Gülen added.

Source: Today's Zaman , July 09, 2013


Related News

‘Fethullah Gülen and Today’s World’ to be a reference book in Eurasia

ŞULE KULU , İSTANBUL A conference was held two weeks ago in Almaty to introduce a new book titled “Fethullah Gülen and Today’s World” written by Kazakhstan’s Sciences Academy’s Philosophy and Politics Institute along with two other books, a Kazakh translation of “Beyan” (Exposition) written by Fethullah Gülen and a Russian translation of “A Dialogue […]

My Nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize is Fethullah Gulen

Fehmi Koru, Houston, Texas 15 October 2005 I do not have a voting right for Nobel nominations, but if I did, my nomination for the peace prize is ready: Fethullah Gulen. Of course, I know he’s controversial even in Turkey, he doesn’t appear in public anymore, he seldom grants interviews, yet nevertheless many in Turkey […]

Council of Europe concerned over government’s ‘hasty’ judicial bill

“This was approved in a referendum. To revisit this in a very hasty manner after that long process of consultation and democratization that took place at that referendum raises a lot of questions on why this is being done so quickly and what the aim of it is,” Muiznieks said.

What would Carl Schmitt say about Turkish politics today?

The Hizmet movement has been identified as a “domestic enemy” collaborating with foreign forces and legal and political channels were used as a tool to deal with this “enemy” after the corruption scandal became public. Thousands of policemen were reassigned and the government has taken important steps to place the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) under the control of the executive branch, which is totally at odds with rule of law.

TUSKON event to yield $350 mln in trade with Africa in one day

Pedro Bayeme Bayeme Ayingano Guine,  from Equatorial Guinea, says,  “A Turkish construction company built the largest convention center in our country and there is a Turkish school which provides quality education. … TUSKON also is a bridge between us and Turkey… We are keen to engaging in partnerships with Turkish firms.” 16 December 2011 / […]

More than 60 countries attend panel organized by GYV at UN

Representatives of more than 60 countries attended a panel discussion organized by the İstanbul-based Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) at UN headquarters in New York.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

Turkic American Alliance’s iftar brought diplomats together in Washington DC

Fethullah Gülen in the Wikileaks Documents

CSOs slam ongoing black propaganda against Hizmet movement

Embracing the World: Fethullah Gülen’s Thought and Its Relationship to Jalaluddin Rumi and Others

Gulen`s Interview with the German Newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung

International festival of language and culture held in Ulaanbaatar

Turkey introduces new decree law to seize all Gulen-related companies

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News