Gülen urges patience over prep schools row

Fethullah Gülen (Photo: herkul.org)
Fethullah Gülen (Photo: herkul.org)


Date posted: November 15, 2013

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen expressed unhappiness over government [in Turkey] plans to abolish educational institutions that assist high school students to prepare for the national university admission examination and urged people to be patient in the face of this move, which is interpreted as a blow to education in the country.

In a speech published on herkul.org, a website that usually broadcasts his speeches, Gülen said: “A believer could be shaken, but he won’t be toppled. This is how we should interpret this situation. One should be patient over tribulations.”

The government has finished work on the draft version of a law that foresees the closure of all kinds of prep schools, or dershanes, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and imposing fines on those that continue to operate. The move is seen as a huge blow to free enterprise and others have criticized the idea for its potential to block upward mobility in Turkish society.

Gülen said the Hizmet movement has faced similar situations in the past during coup periods, [as this move is considered by many against Hizmet movement only, but not for the sake of improving education in the country].

“We have been seeing these [situations] since the 1960 coup. We saw the 1970 coup and we got its kick. We saw the 1980 coup and we got its horse kick. We got something from all of them. But those who did the kicking are now being brought to account. We did not do this [bringing them to account]. Divine destiny passed that judgment and the people divine destiny used did this to them,” Gülen said referring to recent judicial cases launched against perpetrators of Turkey’s past coups.

Gülen suggested his admirers almost a year ago to adapt to Goverment’s this negative approach by saying:

“If they close your homes, you should open dorms. If they close your dorms, you will open new homes. If they close your schools, you will respond by opening a university. And when they close your university, you should open ten schools. You should never stop marching.” 

Source: Today's Zaman , November 15, 2013

Tags: | | |


Related News

Bosnian Schools Feel Heat From War on ‘Gulenists’

However, Vibor Handzic, head of the smaller Nasa Stranka party in the Sarajevo municipality of Stari Grad, said, “We must not accept the logic by which Erdogan’s regime can be both prosecutor and judge and may persecute people [in Bosnia] with no evidence,” Handzic said. Bosna Sema concedes that Gulen’s ideas inspired its founders but dismisses claims that it is linked to terrorism or to the failed coup.

Why is the Hizmet community alone?

Some people I have talked to recently have started to ask the following question, which is also discussed on social media from time to time: Why is the Hizmet community still alone even though it is clearly on the right track?

Reports of en masse wiretappings denied by prosecutors

Pro-government newspaper reports claiming thousands of people were wiretapped by prosecutors as part of an investigation into an unfamiliar terrorist group have been denied by both prosecutors who handled the investigation.

Erdoğan steps up campaign against Gülen-inspired schools abroad

In a clear sign of his intensified campaign and escalating political vendetta against the movement, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on Turkish diplomats on Tuesday to lobby in foreign capitals for the takeover of Gülen-inspired Turkish schools by a Turkish government-run foundation.

Targeted by dictator, Turkish family seeks refuge in Albany

Three generations of a Turkish family were stripped of their livelihoods, life savings, friends and culture in a sweeping purge by the authoritarian regime of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They languish as political refugees in a cramped apartment along a busy commercial stretch of Delaware Avenue.

Turkey, ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ and ‘Titanic’

Questions to challenge the primary and unjustified premise: What judicial (or other) process determined that these corruption investigations were a coup attempt against the government? What proof or evidence do you have to support this most serious claim? What disciplinary process did you undertake to determine that the people that were purged were members and culprits of this ‘coup’? In the absence of evidence and disciplinary process how did you determine these people’s association with Hizmet? When is government corruption not a judicial coup? How can you have the right to unilaterally determine the intent and purpose of these ongoing judicial investigations when your government is implicated in them? If your government can purge over 7,000 police officers (and thereby affect and prevent these investigations) without evidence, due process or disciplinary procedure, do you not set a precedent for every future potentially corrupt government to follow?

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

Kimse Yok Mu helps flood victims in Tajikistan

Islam: Peace or Terror | Fethullah Gulen’s Response

64-year-old bedridden woman in 17th month of her imprisonment on “terror” charges

Standing by the Education Rights of Schoolgirls

Abant Platform raises support for EU process, criticism for parties

Reaction mounts against PM’s witch-hunt remarks

Belgian minister presents Turkish schools as example of high quality education

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News