Fethullah Gulen promotes democracy (CBS News)


Date posted: April 23, 2014

Fethullah Gulen promotes tolerance, interfaith dialog, and above-all: he promotes education. And yet he’s a mystery man — he’s never seen or heard in public — and the more power he gains, the more questions are raised about his motives and the schools.

Fethullah Gulen’s embrace of Western values has helped to modernize Turkey.

Abdulhamit Bilici, general manager of the Cihan News Agency in Istanbul said: Until early 90’s Islamic movement had the problem with the concept of secularism, democracy and other universal concepts.

So Fethullah Gulen was the one of the pioneers in the sense he said in the early 9o’s: “Turkey will not turn from democracy”
Democracy and Islam of course are compatible.


Related News

Gülen says never considered establishing political party

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has reiterated that he has never thought of establishing a political party, saying that the Hizmet movement has never had organic relations with a political group.

Erdogan’s endless legitimacy crisis

Erdogan, who is avoiding dealing with the corruption charges, cannot preserve his government on the dead-end street he has entered.

Warriors of enlightenment: pen versus bullet

BÜLENT KENEŞ, April 24, 2012 As we were watching the country finals of International Turkish Olympiads enthusiastically and becoming impatient for the great final in Turkey, we were shocked to learn that a heinous attack had been launched against one of the educational institutions that, like their counterparts in the remotest parts of the world, […]

Fethullah Gülen’s prospects for inter-religious dialogue

Fethullah Gülen has emerged as one of the most persuasive and influential voices in the Muslim community calling for dialogue as a step toward peace. Indeed, he offers “a way to live out Islamic values amidst the complex demands of modern societies and to engage in ongoing dialogue and cooperation with people of other religions.”

From republic to al-mukhabarat state

As seen in [an official] document published on Friday, MİT has ordered its branches to finish off Hizmet and other religious groups. MİT now stands above all other institutions of Turkey, as well as the judicial and legislative branches.

Islamic scholar Gülen criticizes Turkish gov’t response to Gezi protests

Gülen said he had heard of Turkish officials’ efforts to “undermine Turkish schools abroad” which are run by his movement in many countries across the world. “Unfortunately, this appetite for destruction pushes all fair limits. These schools were established through the great self-sacrifice of the people of Anatolia,” he said.

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

Turkish PM: State of emergency will continue until Gülen movement completely wiped out

Time for a reality check for ISNA conventioneers – coup attempt in Turkey

Human Rights Watch Director: This is a political purge… pure and simple!

Enes Kanter Education Fund to award students with scholarship

Erdoğan’s overarching purge is not a road accident

Planned prep school ban [in Turkey] disregards basic rights as in single-party era

Tariq Ramadan says Erdoğan should practice what he preached to Mubarak

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News