Fethullah Gulen’s message in memory of Nelson Mandela
Date posted: December 9, 2013
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has expressed condolences over former South African President Nelson Mandela’s death, lauding him for dedicating his life to principles such as peace, democracy, social justice and equality.
In a letter he sent to the South African Embassy in Washington, Gülen said, “We remember Mandela’s honorable life and his heritage.”
“We pay tribute to the honorable life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, who devoted himself to the principles of peace, democracy, social justice and equality. Faced with extraordinary challenges and adversity, he chose reconciliation over retaliation and, in doing so, set an example of living a more noble life. As we remember the lessons and wisdom of Mandela, we must reaffirm our commitment to the dignity of all humans, and to our shared values of peace, mutual understanding and respect through open dialogue.”
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Fethullah Gulen
The Muslim religious scholar from Turkey preaches a moderate form of Islam — one that regards terrorism as blasphemy and a woman’s headscarf as secondary to education. Gulen is also a wanted man. He is accused in Turkey of leading a terrorist organization that has attempted to topple the government. A Turkish court has issued three arrest warrants for him.
Why is Fethullah Gülen so influential?
In addition to his admirers, Gülen has enemies who have obliged him to live in the United States far away from his beloved country since 1999. It is clear that the animosity towards Gülen stems from Kemalist hard-line secularism, which sees in any manifestation of Islam the worst enemy of modernization and wants to exclude religion from all spheres of society.
Erdogan pushes to close down Gulen-inspired Turkish schools in Africa
Turkish President Erdogan is pressing ahead for the closure of Turkish schools affiliated with the Gülen movement (aka Hizmet movement) in African countries. There are more than 100 Gülen-inspired schools in Africa, as well as other parts of the world. The government praised these schools in the past as key institutions promoting Turkish culture abroad.
Domestic Violence and Smoking According to Gulen
Gülen’s says, “Women beaten by their husbands should seek a divorce if they have no children. Beating is an unjustifiable physical attack and is a crime. Defending yourself against this attack is legitimate” and “Nonsmokers who share the same atmosphere with smokers should open lawsuits against smokers, seeking compensation for the damages they suffer. If the smoker is a father, his nonsmoking wife or children should be able to launch such a lawsuit”
The lethal and bitter aftermath of Turkey’s failed coup
The purge hurries Turkey on its way to what was already looking increasingly inevitable as its unfortunate destination: an illiberal executive presidency with a fading democratic lustre and Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruling more or less unchecked and unrivalled until he dies or steps down.
‘A very good representative of the best in Islam, Hizmet contributes to the non-Muslim world’s understanding of Islam’
Hizmet seems to me to be a very good representative of the best in Islam, in terms of being open, feeling a responsibility to the world, and the pluralism that is evidenced in the Koran, which tells us to respect all the prophets and all the people of the book.
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