Gülen’s latest book launch celebrated at İstanbul forum

A panel discussion was held to discuss Gülen’s new book. Professor Mehmet Altan presided over the panel which many journalists, intellectuals and religious leaders, including İstanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, attended. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
A panel discussion was held to discuss Gülen’s new book. Professor Mehmet Altan presided over the panel which many journalists, intellectuals and religious leaders, including İstanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, attended. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: January 25, 2012

Journalists, politicians and writers gathered together for a forum in İstanbul on Tuesday to mark the launch of renowned Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s latest book, “Yaşatma İdeali,” (The Ideal to Let Others Live).

The event, organized by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), was held at the Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel. Among the participants of the event were GYV President Mustafa Yeşil, İstanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, Assyrian Catholic Church leader Chorepiscopus Yusuf Sağ, Zaman Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı, Media Association President Salih Memecan, former Democrat Party (DP) leader Süleyman Soylu and Fatih University Rector Şerif Ali Tekalan, in addition to many high-profile journalists.

Gülen sent a message to the participants of the gathering in which he dwelled on the importance of self-sacrifice for others.

“As you will agree, a person who only thinks of himself is not a human at all, but a human with a deficiency. The way real humanity can be achieved is through self-sacrifice for others. The value of a person in the eyes of God can be measured by the level of their benevolence. The most obvious sign of a high level of benevolence is sacrificing one’s personal pleasures and joys for the happiness of others,” Gülen said in his message.

A panel discussion sharing the name of Gülen’s book was organized for the event. Professor Mehmet Altan, also a journalist and writer, presided over the panel. Delivering a speech to the panel, journalist Şahin Alpay talked about the contribution made by Gülen’s followers through the opening of schools all around the world. He said these schools are of great benefit to humanity and will play a significant role in raising new generations.

The Gülen movement is a group of volunteers engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue, inspired by the ideas of Fethullah Gülen, whose teachings promote mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures. Now residing in the US, Gülen has pioneered educational activities in a number of countries, along with efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the world.

Former DP leader Soylu said, having read Gülen’s latest book, it could be described as a guide for the world which diagnoses the “the diseases of this era” and proposes treatments for them.

Media Association President Memecan said: “Recently, the identity of the individual has been highlighted while being a human being has been placed on the back burner. We should not forget humanitarian values just for the sake of promoting individual identity. People are thirsty for dialogue, but despite this we have become a society in which we are alienated from each other. I have learned much from the speeches made here. It is obvious that I will learn much from the book, too.”

Professor Altan said the most difficult thing in life is to become a human being; hence intellectuals should open dialogue on the importance of being one. “The ‘ideal to let others live’ is a crucial concept for me, for it looks at life from above the human and accepts that humans are the most valuable and sacred beings. Culture injects into us the notions of a religion, ethnicity or a religious sect more than the feelings of humanity. We cannot cope with problems when we divide people into religions, languages and ethnicities. This panel discussion is a step forward to overcoming these problems,” he said.

Source: Today's Zaman , 25 January 2012


Related News

‘A bridge should not demolish other bridges,’ says scholar Gülen

Gülen said today via his website that naming the bridge “Yavuz Sultan Selim,” after an Ottoman Sultan historically known for slaughtering Alevis, should not demolish “others bridges.”

Gülen says prefers staying longer in US to avoid ‘harming positive things’

16 June 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM Turkish and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said he prefers staying in the US longer to avoid damaging positive developments in Turkey in a first public response to Turkish prime minister’s invitation to Turkey. “If [my return] halts positive developments in Turkey, [I prefer] staying here if my lifespan allows […]

Al-Azhar has examined and approved all the works of Mr. Gulen

Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, one of the most respected Islamic Sciences centers in the world, and the Islamic Research Association, has examined the works of Gulen found no contradiction to the school of Sunni Islam. Beyond these works, in some universities, especially Al Azhar, many master’s and doctoral theses on the subject of Hizmet and Mr. Gulen have been published.

John Suthers on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet (aka the Gulen Movement)

John Suthers is the Attorney General of Colorado since 2005. George W. Bush appointed him as United States Attorney for the District of Colorado in August 2001. He was awarded the Kelley-Wyman Award by the National Association of Attorneys General in 2012. He is also adjunct professor at the University of Denver School of Law. […]

Foreign Policy Magazine Interviewed Fethullah Gulen

When Foreign Policy and Prospect magazine asked readers to vote for the world’s top public intellectual, one man won in a landslide: Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, an inspirational leader to millions of followers around the world and persona non grata to many in his native Turkey, where some consider him a threat to the country’s […]

Gülen ‘speechless’ on gov’t action plan against Hizmet movement

Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gülen has described himself as “speechless” and expressed his disappointment about a National Security Council (MGK) decision in 2004 signed by the government and recommending an action plan against Hizmet movement. A secret national security document recently discovered by the Taraf daily has revealed that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK […]

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

Turkish imam spy affair in Germany extends across Europe

Who is the winner?

US-based think tank says Gülen movement progressive in terms of pro-Kurdish reforms

Today’s Zaman celebrates 6th anniversary with columnists, editors

Opposition condemns Erdoğan’s vindictive remarks against Gülen movement

Chestnut Retreat Center offers a look inside their Saylorsburg facility and its mission

Young Peace Builders Honored

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News