Prof. Weller: Hizmet [movement] accomplished bringing together oppositions in society


Date posted: December 21, 2013

LONDON

The scholarly interest towards the Hizmet Movement has been growingly increasing. On December 4th, the London-based Dialogue Society hosted a book launch of a yet another publication on the movement.

The book is titled “The Muslim World and Politics in Transition: Creative Contributions of the Gulen Movement.” Prof. Paul Weller of University of Derby; Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz of Fatih University, Turkey; Dr. Carool Kersten of King’s College, London; and Dr. Amina Yaqin of SOAS University were present at the event.

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing and consisting of 13 academic articles, the book is edited by the academics Greg Barton, Paul Weller and Ihsan Yilmaz. The first part of the book examines the Hizmet Movement’s contributions as a civil society body. The part two titled “Muslim Politics beyond Post-Islamism” deals with the movement’s contributions to democracy while the part three is dedicated to its initiatives in Muslim world.

Prof. Weller spoke to Cihan News Agency. “Based on my observations, engagement with the affiliated people, and readings and research on the movement, I have arrived at the conclusion that Hizmet plays a crucial role in bringing together opposing groups and enabling them to reach a common ground for society’s good,” Weller said. Noting that it also provides inspiration for those engaging in education, “Education has always contributed positively to civil society. Through education, people can be equipped to better understand each other, their society and the world at large,” he added.

Dr. Kersten, in his statements, said the movement is very clear in its stance against political Islam. Hizmet maintains that transformation in Muslim societies come about among civil societies and an Islamic state model is no longer needed in today’s world, Kersten argued. “Hizmet hold that change along with harmony in Muslim world is possible through education and supporting initiatives,” he added. Regardless of individuals’ religious views and cultural background, Hizmet strongly believes the universal human right parameters and democratic principles suffice to handle people, as Kersten concluded.

Published [in Turkish] on Cihan, 18 December 2013, Wednesday

Source: Hizmet Movement , December 21, 2013

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Gulistan schools in Kosovo to continue education despite its abducted teachers

Gulistan Educational Institutions has declared that they will continue their activities despite their abducted teachers. 5 of their teachers were abducted by Turkish Intelligence Agency in cooperation with Kosovo’s intel agency, which shocked the global education community and protested in many countries including USA, Canada, and UK.

Turkish doctors leave country to volunteer at Uganda’s Nile hospital

Doctors who decided to volunteer at the Nile Hospital, established by Turkish charity organization Kimse Yok Mu and set to open in Uganda in few days, have left Turkey on their way to their new posts. The Nile Hospital will be opened very soon, Türkoğlu said, adding that the second doctor to commit to serving Ugandan patients was Sami Kiper.

The role of civil society in Turkey’s democratization

BÜLENT KENEŞ  May 22, 2012 Neither the state nor political parties can act as guarantees for democratization and democracy. With the fact that the main impetus behind and guarantee for our democratization is our ever-growing civil society, we need to consider whether we are attaching due importance to “Civil Society Organizations”. In the speech I […]

SEASON OF PEACE: Moderate Islam has a voice if you listen

On 9/11, I dismissed my usual 8:30 a.m. Sociology of World Religions class to accompany the students to the student center to watch the historic events on CNN. But before we left, I told them that it may well be a Muslim terrorist group that was responsible, but I reminded them that, even if it turned out to be true, to remember that it did not mean all Muslims are terrorists.

Dozens detained in gov’t witch-hunt against Gülen movement

As part of an escalating witch-hunt against groups affiliated with the Gülen movement, the police have arbitrarily detained dozens of people across the country, including human rights defenders and philanthropists, using bullying tactics and unlawfully cuffing law-abiding citizens.

Erdoğan government opposes democratic values: detained Turkish journalist

The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is falsely accusing anybody that opposes it of treason, a prominent Turkish journalist currently detained in an Istanbul prison

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

EU lends support to mosque-cemevi project

Erdoğan ‘does not grasp’ separation of powers, MEP says

Nigeria: Hizmet Movement not terrorists

Turkish teacher dies of cancer, buried in Australia

Experiences with Hizmet and the Followers of Fethullah Gülen

Preventing Disease: Turkish charity donates 22 wells to Pakistan

Brazil’s top court denies extradition of [Gulen-linked] Erdogan opponent

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News