Gülen’s teachings discussed this time in New York

Columbia University in New York hosted a symposium titled, “Islam in Turkey Today” to discuss Fethullah Gülen and his ideas.
Columbia University in New York hosted a symposium titled, “Islam in Turkey Today” to discuss Fethullah Gülen and his ideas.


Date posted: November 5, 2007

The academic world around the globe is holding conferences and symposia one after another to discuss the ideas and dialogue activities of Fethullah Gülen, one of the greatest Islamic scholars of our age.

Following a conference titled “Muslim World in Transition: Contributions of the Gülen Movement” held in London in the last week of October, Columbia University in New York hosted a symposium titled “Islam in Turkey Today,” where Gülen and his ideas were discussed once again.

The conference, where Justice and Development Party (AK Party) İstanbul deputy Nursuna Memecan also made a presentation, was attended by over 300 people from various countries.

On the first day of the conference, during the afternoon session titled “The Gülen Movement: An Analysis,” Bekim Agai, Ph.D., from the department of Islamic studies at Bonn University, presented a paper on “The Success Secret of the Movement: Understanding the Emergence of the Global Education Movement.” Agai spoke about the Islamic understanding of Fethullah Gülen from a wide perspective. Stating that the Turco-Islamic understanding pioneered by Gülen was a great opportunity for the world, Agai noted, “Mr. Gülen proved that unconditional tolerance could be shown not only amongst Muslims, but also toward the members of other faiths.”

Professor Paul Parker, chairperson of the department of theology and religion at Elmhurst College, dwelled on the direct positive impact of the Turkish schools around the world on global peace. “Education cannot guarantee a 100 percent peace; however, if schools like Gülen’s aren’t founded, peace can never be established. That is, trying to establish peace without giving education would only be a dream,” Parker said.

The sessions on Friday focused broadly on the role of Islam in the Ottoman Empire, along with Islamic movements that sprung up in the aftermath of its collapse, from the more traditionally based to the well-known Gülen movement, while Saturday’s sessions spotlighted the current relationship between Islam and politics, examining both the 2007 elections and the interplay between culture and religion in Turkish politics.

Source: Today's Zaman , November 5, 2007


Related News

Nigeria – Our students should not be victims of Turkey’s high-handedness and authoritarianism

We strongly condemn the arrest, detention and deportation of some Nigerian students from Turkey’s capital city, Istanbul, over the botched coup in the country. The harassment and intimidation of our students by the Turkish Government over a matter that does not concern them is undiplomatic and utterly reprehensible. The Turkish government should not visit the punishment for the alleged actions of its political enemies on innocent Nigerian students.

Azerbaijan detains Turkish teacher under UN protection as wife fears deportation

Taci Şentürk, a Turkish teacher who was working in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, was taken by police to an unknown place after UN officials stopped his deportation to Turkey at Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport on June 7, his wife said.

Turks fleeing post-coup reprisals find shelter in Pittsburgh

Until this summer, Cetin Gul of Istanbul, Turkey, worked as a videographer for a company that did promotional work for clients that included a charity organization. That charity, Hizmet, is associated with the movement of Fethullah Gulen. After a deadly and unsuccessful coup attempt by some in the Turkish military in July, the government began suppressing organizations associated with him. “Because of the direct association with Hizmet, I was a direct target,” Mr. Gul said.

US Congress members reaffirm unbreakable bonds with Turks

Dozens of members of the United States Congress have reaffirmed strong ties and growing friendship between Turks and Americans in an annual grand convention that also brought together businessmen and public figures. Organized by the Turkic American Alliance (TAA) and the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), which represents six regional federations and over […]

Award-winning US screenwriter: Without freedom of speech and media, we’re all slaves

Terry Spencer Hesser, director of the first feature-length movie about Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet movement, a grassroots initiative inspired by the Islamic scholar, spoke to Sunday’s Zaman at the Strasbourg screening of the biopic titled “Love Is a Verb,”

Romanian gov’t congratulates Turkish schools for international achievements

Turkish schools’ teachers and students were among those presented with awards in a ceremony at the Prime Ministry in Romania in order to celebrate international achievements in the field of education.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Deviation, crisis and opportunities…

Turkish Airlines discriminates against critical newspapers on planes

78 detained for raising money for post-coup purge victims

Gulen followers encourage education, awareness

Opposing the majority

Parents: Pak-Turk institutions’ control should not be transferred

The AKP-Israeli thaw

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News