Arab world should embrace the Gülen model

Mohammed Babaammi (PHOTO SUNDAY’S ZAMAN)
Mohammed Babaammi (PHOTO SUNDAY’S ZAMAN)


Date posted: March 25, 2012

25 March 2012 / ZEYNEP HAŞLAK , İSTANBUL

An Algerian author, Professor Mohammed Babaammi, said the biggest problem that the Muslim world faces in today’s world is that there are significant mismatches between the thoughts and actions of Muslims.

He adds that there is a lack of connection between the heart and the mind, and between thought and conscience. “So far I have seen this connection only in Fethullah”, Babaammi said. According to the Algerian professor, the transformation of Gülen’s ideas into reality was the outcome of the successful connection between the heart and the mind, and he calls this the “Gülen model.” “Gülen is not someone who separated mind and action, he has brought these two aspects together and acted upon this,” he said. “This is what makes this movement different from other Islamic organizations.”

Babaammi says if the Arab world embraces the Gülen model, it will be able to find a cure the problems it has had for centuries. “In fact I believe that the Arab world would embrace such model as it is coming from people who share the same belief and geography with Arabs,” he said.

The Algerian professor says that both the Western and Muslim worlds’ systems are problematic. He says that in the West, humanitarian values are mainly far from friendship and brotherhood and solely based on principles. On the other hand, the Muslim world’s humanitarian values are based on brotherhood and loyalty but very far from discipline and based on loose principles. “In The Gülen model, we see that the positive sides of West and East work perfectly in harmony. There are both principles and discipline, and also brotherhood and loyalty, too. This is what distinguishes the Gülen movement from others.”

According to Babaammi, the Arab world is currently going through an era of finding an appropriate system for their countries after their regimes either collapsed or started reforms. He added that the thing they call a “Spring” is in fact a fire that burns the Arab nations.

“Gülen has been saying for many years that he is expecting to see a golden generation, which will strive to change the corrupted system of Muslim countries. In fact he has built his system around this idea. However, the revolution that Gülen expected is not about holding demonstrations on the street but in peace with talks, according to Babaammi.

The Algerian professor added that he learned about Gülen through 13 of Gülen’s books that have been translated from Turkish to English.

Source: Summarized from an article on Today’s Zaman entitled ‘Biggest obstacle of Muslim world: disconnect between thought and action’ http://www.todayszaman.com/news-275310-biggest-obstacle-of-muslim-world-disconnect-between-thought-and-action.html


Related News

On the internal workings of the Gulen Movement

HAKAN YAVUZ* In general terms, the Gulen movement reflects a new understanding of Islam and modernity from within an Islam that is informed by Anatolian modern history and secular progress: This is a civil Islam that has successfully found fresh ways to inspire social activism through piety. It has modernized the humanistic treasures of Islam […]

German view of Hizmet Movement (2)

Seufert writes the Hizmet movement has arrived in Germany 30 years late, homed in on schooling and education rather than mosques; and that, currently, the number of schools and education centers has reached 24 and 300 respectively. “Gulen Movement is not a threat in Europe. If it was to pose any form of threat, it would be to its members who submit to authoritarian bodies. Yet, there has been no example of anyone forced to stay within the body against his/her will.”

GYV President meets Minister of Gender Equality and Family of the Republic of Korea

President of the Journalists and Writers Foundation Mustafa Yeşil traveled to South Korea to receive the Manhae Peace Prize on behalf Mr. Fethullah Gülen. While in Seoul, Yeşil also paid an official visit to the Minister of Gender Equality and Family of the Republic of Korea Yoon-Sun Cho who offered Yeşil her congratulations and noted she was glad that a prominent figure from Turkey has been awarded this significant prize.

TURKISH FOUNDATION HIT IN ARSON GETS POLICE PROTECTION; 2ND GROUP VICTIMIZED

The municipality of Deventer will be placing surveillance cameras at the building of Turkish foundation Gouden Generatie on Tuesday. The building was set aflame on Saturday. Until the new cameras are in place, police surveillance will be intensified around the building, a spokesperson for the municipality said to RTL Nieuws.

The Gülen Movement: a modern expression of Turkish Islam – Interview with Hakan Yavuz

In a way, they [the Gülen movement] represent a new model of Islam in Turkey, at peace with democracy and modernity. This also reflects the Anatolian understanding of Islam, i.e. the Sufi conception of morality is at the centre of the movement. I would consider it as a movement based on the re-imagining of Islam and consisting of loose networks under the guidance and leadership of Fetullah Gülen.

German view of Hizmet Movement (1)

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.

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

Wife: Jailed Former Prosecutor, Heavy Cancer Patient, Needs Urgent Health Care

Didier Reynders welcomes a delegation of young artist of the International Festival “Colors of the World” in the Egmont Palace

Kimse Yok Mu lends helping hand to 1,650 Somali families during Ramadan

Turkey’s permanent state of crisis

Afghan minister praises Turkish schools, calls for more to be built

GYV summit highlights link between education, sustainable development

Panicky parents calmed over Feza Schools closure reports

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News