Faith Compatible with Science


Date posted: July 15, 2013

Taha Akyol

Fethullah Gulen’s book incorporates the concept of “faith” into those of “service, affection, compassion” and such.

Journalists and Writers Foundation President Mustafa Yesil, Cemal Ussak and Erkam Tufan Aytav earlier invited me for a breakfast. We had a worrisome conversation about the severe political polarization and an optimistic one about the recent enrichment of tolerance and dialogue in the society.

I was presented with the honorable Fethullah Gulen’s latest book “Kalbin Soluklari” (Breaths of the Heart). It occurred to me the breakfast was thought as an appropriate occasion for that.

A meticulously published, 570-page book. I’ve read it from cover to cover. In sum, it’s a piece that covers “faith” by incorporating it into concepts such as “service, compassion, affection, tolerance and love for human being.”

Old-fashioned catechism books feel gloomy or even fierce in their narrations. The Honorable Gulen’s book, on the contrary, not only inspires a sense of “serenity” but also arouses “cehd” (struggle for good deeds) in its readers, two concepts both of which are chapters of the book.

The spirit in this book makes it possible to understand how Gulen has energized thousands and how a volunteer network of schools extending from the African jungles to Asian deserts has formed.

“Philosophers” in Islam

I would like to bring up particularly the chapter dedicated to “Knowledge and Love of Inquiry”. Everyone can applaud the scientific developments over the first ages of Islamic civilization. What matters is that Gulen speaks highly of the names that has been rejected by “madrasah” for years.

Besides covering tafsir, hadith and jurisprudence up to the 12th century, the book also hails the scientific developments in math, geometry, chemistry, medicine, astronomy, agriculture, and urban planning.

“Experimental method”, the foundation of the modern science, is argued to have been developed by Muslims and expanded into Western Renascence. More importantly, Gulen lists Farabi, Ibn Sina and Ibn Rusd among the numerous Muslim scholars of the 9th and 10th centuries, in the chapter “Knowledge and Love for Inquiry”

The Honorable Gulen additionally notes that the scientific studies leading to findings on spherical earth, lunar and solar eclipses date back to Abbasid Me’mun period. This period is in no way appreciated in “madrasah” and “Es’ari” (a school in Islam) traditions.

Pre-Islam Science

Gulen regretfully recounts how Library of Alexandria was destroyed and that therefore resulted in stagnation in numerous scientific fields. As a result, in Gulen’s words, “scientific knowledge was overwhelmed by myths, scientific research came to a halt and love of knowledge completely died down.”

Scientific history too confirms the same findings. Gulen underscores the role which employment of each and every piece of knowledge handed down from this old scientific legacy played in the development of Islamic civilization. Needless to say that Gulen encourages to recognize the pre-Islam scientific legacy rather than reducing it to “the ignorance period.”

Seyyid Kutup, on the other hand, was conservative on the issue, so much so that he argued degradation of faith among Muslims started with the translation of these pieces. As for madrasah, it didn’t even show interest in such issues anyway.

The pious today

In addition to arguing these with regard to scientific history, Gulen also ardently encourages study of modern sciences of the age.

Why didn’t Gulen Movement become a community of a narrow, mystic sect but grow into an organized civil movement with its schools, academic and scholarly studies, entrepreneurs and civil institutions? To me, the reason behind this sociological phenomenon is that it offers an understanding of faith compatible with the universal science to the Muslim of our age. This an Islamic perspective that addresses the pious Muslims who are getting urbanized and educated, representing an entrepreneur class, following academic career and expanding into the world.

Source: HizmetMovement.com , May 2013


Related News

PM defends Zarrab, suspected of leading bribery ring

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has praised Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab — who stands accused of being the ringleader of a shady money-laundering and gold-smuggling ring set up to dodge sanctions against Iran — for his contribution to the country’s economy.

Meal and food support for Somalian people during Ramadan

Ramadan, the sultan of the 11 months, is the period of time where most aids and charities are done. Philanthropists are helping both domestic and  international muslims, making this month fertile for muslims. Nil Organization which provides education, health and humanitarian assistance in Somalia, is working hard to make Somalians happy this Ramadan too. There […]

THY’s Topçu defends embargo on papers, defamation campaign

Turkish Airlines (THY) Chairman Hamdi Topçu has confirmed an embargo on the distribution of dailies Bugün, Taraf, Zaman and Today’s Zaman on THY flights and has admitted having withdrawn a huge amount of cash from Bank Asya in an alleged attempt to force the bank out of business.

UK Clears Gulenists Of Turkey’s ‘Coup’ Accusations

On Saturday the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee issued a report on the UK’s relations with Turkey, in which the Erdoğan government’s claim that Gülenists masterminded the 15 July coup attempt is refuted.

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu represents Turkey at UN summit

Turkey-based charitable organization, Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anyone There?), which has been a target of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government’s unwarranted smear campaigns, represented Turkey as a nongovernmental organization at a UN summit that ran from Friday through Sunday.

German intelligence did not warn against Hizmet Movement

The BfV, which is in charge of domestic intelligence in Germany, acknowledged that it analyzed certain articles by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. According to the BfV, this analysis was based on their legal prerogative to check the compatibility of certain documents with the free and democratic constitutional order.

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

Why Gulen Should Not Be Extradited

D-8’s Alam calls on everyone to support Turkish schools

As Gulen movement contracts in Africa, worry over who will fill the vacuum

Tension at home hits Turkey’s brand overseas

What is this bedlam all about?

Hate speech in politics and media

The Turkish connection in India

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News