Fethullah Gülen grieving for Islamic world amid Eid al Fitr holiday


Date posted: August 8, 2013

Fethullah Gülen celebrated eid al fitr with the Turkish American community members. He listened to the sermon after the Eid Prayer with tears in his eyes. After the sermon, he exchanged eid greetings with his guests and gave out small gifts and treats to the kids present.

Osman Şimşek who is the editor of herkul.org led the eid prayer and gave the eid sermon. In his sermon, he mentioned the current problems facing Muslims and the Islamic world. He said, “Although we are full of joy for our holiday and are thankful to God-All Merciful, we also feel grief and sorrow because of the horrid situation, which the Islamic world is currently in.” He continued with words of hope, stating that, “There’s nothing that can’t be done through faith and reason. One day, the world will become a place of justice, love and peace.”

fethullah-gulen-eid-al-fitr-2013

Fethullah Gülen spent the first day of this holiday with his fellow community members. He had warm moments with the kids who came to visit, giving each one a treat and asking them to all to include him in their prayers. Aside from the community members who reside in America, Fethullah Gülen also had a visitor from Turkey – his brother Seyfullah Gülen. After his visitors left, he spent time with his brother and called his relatives in Turkey to exchange eid greetings with them as well, as it is in the Turkish culture to exchange eid greetings with family and relatives on the first day of the three-day holiday.

Disclaimer: The original article is in Turkish. Slight deviations from the original meaning may have occurred due to the difficulties in translating phrases and idioms. PII volunteers translated the article.

Source: Zaman America , August 8, 2013


Related News

Questions we dare not ask: Gülen and the coup

Gareth Jenkins once criticized Turkey’s infamous Ergenekon indictments on the grounds that they were “products of ‘projective’ rather than deductive reasoning, working backwards from the premise that the organization exists to weave unrelated individuals, statements and acts into a single massive conspiracy.” Other than being a far more extreme example of “projective” rather than “deductive” reasoning, how is the Turkish government and its media’s attempt at connecting Turkey’s failed coup with Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet movement he inspires any different?

21st century Pharaoh rises: The tragedy of Turkey’s failed coup

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, even before the coup occurred, has been seen as a dictator who has constantly sought to crackdown on his opponents, and consolidate his power within the country. Turkey has one of the worst freedoms of expression record globally, with tons of journalists imprisoned for criticizing the Turkish Government.

Erdoğan says his gov’t will carry out ‘witch hunt’

There are rumors that the only criteria behind these purges is links to a “parallel state,” a term the government has been using to define the Hizmet movement, which is a grassroots movement based on voluntary participation to spread interfaith dialogue and tolerance, with a particular emphasis on education.

Nizamiye Will Perform 15,000 Cardiac Procedures In Nigeria

For Muslims, myself included, the inspiration to serve humanity through education is coming from Hizmet philosophy which states ‘Serve human beings irrespective of differences in colour, race, ethnicity or nationality, in order to please the creator’. Otherwise, it can be rephrased to read ‘Serve the Created, in order to please the Creator’.

Turkish engagement with Southern Africa depends on the Turkish attitude towards Hizmet

Turkish engagement with Southern Africa will not be without challenges. The success of this engagement will depend on the Turkish attitude towards the Hizmet Movement. If Turkey decides to tackle the Hizmet Movement head on as it has done in Turkey and in other countries, it will risk alienation in South Africa and the wider region. The Hizmet Movement is generally popular in Southern Africa, with long standing ties to civil society and the political elite.

Turkey Coup Attempt: Who is Fethullah Gülen, The Cleric Being Accused Of Orchestrating The Turmoil?

In an address to his supporters at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport early on Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Fethullah Gülen — a cleric living in a self-imposed exile in the United States — of orchestrating the coup attempt against his government. Here’s what you need to know about Gülen, who has denied being involved in the […]

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

The Erdoğan-Did-It Conspiracy

Yet another woman detained due to Gülen links shortly after delivery

The recent fight between Kemalo-Islamism and Civil Islam

Local Muslims share Ramadan meal with each other and the community

Hizmet Movement’s Responsibility

Fear Grows in Turkey as Crackdown on Gulen Followers Continues

Pakistan Today Editorial: The Turkish connection and Turkish schools

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News