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


Related News

Erdoğan officially declares his despotism

Erdoğan delivered a speech that will be remembered as a disgrace in political history as he referred to the struggle against the Hizmet movement.He not only confessed that the government has been tyrannizing certain social segments but also openly revealed future illegalities.

Australian NGOs support Gülen against PM Erdoğan’s insults

Erhan Bozkurt, a director at AUF, spoke at the press conference, which representatives from the federation’s 38 NGOs, which have been operating all over Australia for 25 years, attended. The Turkish community in Australia, Bozkurt said, was deeply wounded by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s insulting language toward both Gülen and the members of his movement, stating that no other religious scholar has been targeted by this many acts of defamation in recent history.

Gülen: Despite differences in method peace process in Kurdish issue should be supported

Yet another show of support for Turkey’s ongoing settlement process — aiming to end the decades-old bloodshed in the country — has been voiced, this time from Turkish-Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who said some people might oppose the government’s method of solving the settlement process but for the sake of peace the process should be […]

Islamic scholar Gülen responds to Turkish PM’s ‘lair’ remark in heated row over graft probe

Islamist scholar Fethullah Gülen has countered the Turkish prime minister’s remarks vowing to clamp down on “the ones in lairs,” escalating the heat of the war of words between parties amid the ongoing corruption probe.

CSOs slam smear campaign against Hizmet, call on PM to stop hate speech

A large-scale dark propaganda campaign has been conducted by some circles close to the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government against the Hizmet movement and Gülen, particularly since a corruption scandal erupted in December of 2013 in which three Cabinet ministers’ sons, many state bureaucrats and also well-known businessmen were implicated.

Yeni Asya editor: Erdoğan kept strategy to finish off Gülen movement secret

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who launched an all-out war against the faith-based Gülen movement in late 2013, kept his strategy to eliminate the group a secret until he decided to sever ties with it completely, Yeni Asya daily Editor-in-Chief Kazım Güleçyüz has said, adding the elimination strategy was state-sponsored.

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

“Peace and Sustainable Development: A Two-Way Relationship” Panel

Abduction of Kacmaz family – An act of high-handedness

Reach of Turkey’s Erdoğan spreading like fungus across U.S. – analysis

Erdoğan gov’t supports Iranian contest while obstructing Turkish Olympiad

Turkey’s Koç: I met with Gülen; there is nothing wrong with that

Hizmet Movement is not interested in attaining political power in Turkey or elsewhere in the world

They want my backing for the enrollment in Turkish schools

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News