Fethullah Gülen urges followers to stick to path despite attacks

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. (Photo: Cihan)
Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. (Photo: Cihan)


Date posted: November 25, 2013

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen called on his followers on Monday to “just keep walking and not stop” in the face of controversial government plans to abolish privately-funded educational institutions known as dershanes, which assist medium and high school students to prepare for national college and university admission examinations.

“When you stop, you fall down,” he said, signaling that followers of the Hizmet (service) movement should strive further in multiplying their efforts to serve their communities and humanity.

He said Hizmet followers should be dedicated and committed to their cause without any expectations in return, material or otherwise, saying that all efforts should be made to please Allah.

“The only thing we seek is the pleasure of Allah and to be able to present this matter [asking Allah’s pleasure] to Him with ultimate sincerity,” Gülen explained.

He cautioned that various groups will try to prevent Hizmet followers from walking along their path by setting up numerous obstacles, stressing that those who believe in the Hizmet ideals for the sake of Allah should not mind these efforts. “We must walk the path without being shaken,” he emphasized.

Gülen stated that all these attacks should not let Hizmet followers give in to despair.

The Hizmet movement operates roughly a quarter of some 3,500 prep schools in Turkey while the rest are owned and operated by individuals or companies. Since all are privately funded, the government’s plan to shut down these schools is seen as blow to the right to free enterprise, the right to education and the right to provide services.

The plan was interpreted as a political maneuver by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government headed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as an attempt to punish the movement for being critical of the government on the lack of bold human rights reforms, the stalled EU process, its blunders in foreign policy, lingering corruption, weakened transparency and the lack of accountability in governance.

The government’s plan to forcibly abolish all private prep schools received huge criticisms across the board from business community and the academia to opposition parties, media and civic groups. It was also seen as an attempt by Erdoğan to distract the public from the great problems in public education including drug and alcohol abuse.

Erdoğan has kept up his attacks on prep schools relentlessly for a week now, marginalizing some 100,000 employees in prep schools. He wowed to push the legislation through Parliament no matter what others say or do.

In a series of speeches published on herkul.org, a website that usually broadcasts his conversations, Gülen has been calling for calmness and patience despite the attacks from pro-government circles.

“A believer can be shaken but he won’t be toppled. This is how we should interpret this situation. One should be patient over tribulations,” he noted.

Commenting on the insulting attacks leveled on Hizmet followers, he said: “You might hear terrible things but I beg you, we should not be responding in kind.”

He also underlined that the most important asset Hizmet followers have is trustworthiness and confidence, saying that “leading by example” will solve all sorts of problems.

In the draft bill, the government threatens private prep schools with hefty fines if they do not stop their operations.

Source: Today's Zaman , November 25, 2013


Related News

Turkey’s failed coup could worsen Nigeria’s recession

For an economy almost in recession, these kind of controversies could be worrisome. This is actually not the time to close down any legitimate business in Nigeria. Turkish schools and their promoters have not really given the Nigerian government any reason to worry. They have been law abiding citizens in Nigeria.

Erdoğan’s harsh, xenophobic rhetoric damages fight against Islamophobia

The increasingly punitive and xenophobic discourse adopted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in recent years has done a huge disservice to the fight against Islamophobia, dealing a blow to the decades-long efforts of organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Hizmet movement in international forums.

Ongoing tussle: Students, parents protest closure of Pak-Turk School in Khairpur

“It is a matter of life and death for us and our children. We will not allow anybody to cast an evil eye on this school,” said a woman, whose two children student in the school in Khairpur. She also appealed to the government to not to slaughter “one of the best schools” at the expense of politics.

‘Every minister I met in Africa asked for more schools’

İSA YAZAR, ABUJA “I meet with my colleagues in every African country I visit. The common wish they all have is for more [Turkish-run] schools to be opened. I care very much about these schools. I visit them every time,” Çağlayan, who is on an official visit to Nigeria, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, said during […]

Coup in Turkey, Turkish Schools in Nigeria, and Implications for Nigeria’s National Security

President Erdogan has also asked the Government of Nigeria to close down all Turkish schools in Nigeria allegedly because Fetullah Gulen was the main architect of the failed coup in Turkey. Is this request in Nigeria’s national interest? In which way is the Turkish failed coup likely to impact on Nigeria’s national security? How important is Nigeria-Turkish relations in the country’s overall global relations?

Fethullah Gülen awarded Manhae Peace Prize

Well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen was awarded the Manhae Peace Prize for his contributions to world peace at a ceremony held in South Korea on Sunday. Among the prominent recipients of the Manhae awards since they were first presented in 1997 are former South African President Nelson Mandela, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and Iranian rights advocate Shirin Ebadi.

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

Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy On Assault on Press Freedom in Turkey Senate Floor

More Academics, Teachers, Charity Staff Detained Over Alleged Gülen Links

Tanzania to host int’l language, culture festival

A new book by Esposito and Yavuz on ‘The Gülen Movement’

AK Party VP Sahin: We can only be grateful to Hizmet people

Turkey investigating 4,167 Gülen followers in 110 countries

Grade 12 Pupil Receives A Bronze Medal At 61st International Maths Ambassador

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News