Gülen book finds wide readership in northern Iraq


Date posted: April 7, 2014

İSTANBUL

A book written by Kurdish journalist Rebwar Karim on Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen‘s approach to the Kurdish question has been attracting a significant amount of attention in northern Iraq.

 

All copies of Karim’s “Fethullah Gülen and the Kurdish Question,” published in Sorani, a dialect of Kurdish, were sold out at the Arbil International Book Fair, running from April 2-12. The head of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Massoud Barzani, also bought a copy during his visit to the fair, which has contributed to the book’s popularity.

Speaking about the book’s success to the Cihan news agency, Karim said he was very pleased with the positive response the book had found from both top-level politicians and locals. He also said northern Iraq’s Turkish schools, inspired by Gülen’s Hizmet movement, offer quality education and have the full appreciation and support of locals.

“This is the first time a book about Fethullah Gülen has come out in the Kurdish region. The book is about Gülen’s biography, thoughts and particularly his approach to the Kurdish question,” Karim said.

The book also explains the role of the Hizmet movement in the success of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The book includes excerpts from interviews Karim has conducted with Gülen. He also said that, as a Kurd, he was very impressed with Gülen’s description of Kurdish as “sacred as mother’s milk.”

He also recalled that Gülen had reacted strongly against the Halabja chemical attack in 1989, while the entire world kept silent about it.

Karim said a recent poll conducted by the Rudaw Publishing Group in northern Iraq showed that 80 percent of locals are against the closure of Turkish schools in the region. The AK Party government has been pressuring Turkey’s neighbors to shut down schools operated by individuals affiliated with the Hizmet movement. “The education quality in Turkish schools is really high,” Karim said, adding that a student who attends such a school will speak at least four languages when he graduates.

Source: Todays Zaman , April 7, 2014


Related News

Philippine House speaker receives Turkish school delegation

Feliciano Belmonte, speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, received in his office Malik Gencer, general manager of Fountain Schools, Ferhat Kazkondu, president of Pacific Dialogue Foundation and Merve Ozkan, Turkish Olympics coordinator in the Philippines.

‘All religious groups and communities face great danger’

Religious sociologist Muhammet Çakmak is of the view that the logic of, “You are either with us or you are nothing,” threatens all religious groups and communities in Turkey. He also holds that this approach has no scholarly value or validity.

Principles of Gulen Inspired Schools – Boarding Schools

First and foremost, majority of Gulen inspired schools are boarding schools serving in the under-served parts of any given country. These schools intend to provide students with a safe educational environment free of distractions that may occur from, among others, dysfunctional families, economic instability, social and cultural problems. Lets analyze these factors one by one.

Better late than never: Gülen’s Kurdish education initiative

Ruşen Çakır* In the Rudaw interview, what Gülen said on education in mother tongue is especially important: “The acceptance in principle of education in mother tongue is the requirement of the state’s being fair to its citizens.” Because of the Gezi Park resistance, several issues of Turkey have been forgotten, left behind in the shade. […]

Terrorists not true Muslims, says scholar

Gülen placed notices in leading US and European newspapers, including in France, to condemn the atrocities of IS against the background of the murders of Alan Henning, James Foley among others by the militants. Gülen had said IS’s actions are a “disgrace to the faith they proclaim and crimes against humanity”.

Turkish Language Olympics – Iraq Qualifications

Excitement has begun for the Turkish Language Olympics, the pride of Turkey. The Iraq qualifications for the Turkish Language Olympics has been held in Viranşehir, Şanlıurfa. 30 students from the Turkish schools in the north of Iraq left the audience at the Viranşehir Indoor Hall awestruck with the rendition they came up with. The night […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

Gülen’s lawyer: Doctored tapes part of plans to finish off Hizmet movement

Individuals can force change

New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan visited Turkish Cultural Center in Manhattan

CSOs continue to condemn hate speech against Hizmet movement

Turkish, Armenian students foster coexistence with exemplary project

Kaçmaz family deportation case: Lahore High Court seeks record of Civil Aviation Authority

Turkey just snatched six of its citizens from another country

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News