Gülen extends condolences for death of former deputy PM Arınç’s brother

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen


Date posted: February 25, 2016

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who inspired the faith-based Hizmet movement, has offered condolences to former Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, whose elder brother, Yıldıray Arınç, was laid to rest on Tuesday.

In his message Gülen expressed his sympathy to Arınç over the passing of his brother and stated: “When I found out about the sad death of dear Yıldıray Arınç, the brother of distinguished politician and statesman Bülent Arınç who formerly served as a speaker of Parliament and deputy prime minister, I felt very sorry [about the situation]. I extend my condolences to Mr. [Bülent] Arınç and the family and wish that Allah gives them patience [to deal with their loss].”

While deputies, state officials, former ministers and large number of people gathered during the funeral of Yıldıray Arınç in Manisa, there was no representative from the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government present at the funeral.

Manisa Governor Erdoğan Bektaş, İzmir Governor Mustafa Toprak, former AK Party ministers Sadullah Ergin, Hüseyin Çelik, Beşir Atalay and Zeki Ergezen, AK Party Manisa deputies Selçuk Özdağ, İsmail Bilen, Murat Baybatur, Recai Berber and Uğur Aydemir and Cengiz Ergün, the Manisa mayor from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), were present during the funeral.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the Parliament Speaker’s Office and the Manisa branch of the Felicity Party (SP) each sent a wreath to the funeral.

There were no messages of condolence or wreaths sent by the AK Party government, the Prime Ministry or the Presidency for Arınç’s loss on Tuesday.
After his statements on a TV show on Jan. 29 criticizing the AK Party government and President President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the government-orchestrated witch hunt against the Gülen movement, Arınç was targeted by pro-government Twitter trolls and dailies.

Former Ministers Ergin and Çelik were also targeted by pro-government and pro-Erdoğan circles after they announced their support for Arınç.

Meanwhile, as part of the witch hunt against the Gülen movement in Manisa, six people — including the former doctor of Arınç, Fahrettin Er — were arrested on Tuesday.

Educational institutions, student dormitories, charities and media outlets established by those inspired by Gülen’s views have been targeted in government-orchestrated operations across Turkey since a major graft scandal was revealed in December 2013, implicating members of the AK Party government and people from the inner circles of Erdoğan.

Without providing any concrete evidence, Erdoğan accused the Gülen movement of plotting to overthrow his government and said that sympathizers of the movement within the police department had fabricated the graft scandal. The Gülen movement strongly denies the accusations.

Source: Today's Zaman , February 24, 2016

Tags: | | |


Related News

Gülen: Democracy dealt yet another blow in Egypt

Well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said democracy was once again dealt a blow in Egypt as he commented on the ouster of Mohammed Morsi in a military coup last week. Gülen also warned that some circles would be making plans to see what happened in Egypt happen in other countries too.

Turkey asks imams abroad to profile Gülen-linked expatriates

A document dated Sept. 20, 2016 shows that Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) asked Turkish missions and religious representatives abroad to profile Gülen movement expatriates living in their respective foreign countries.

German view of Hizmet Movement (1)

I remember the late, right-minded orientalist Annemarie Schimmel’s words saying, “The most attacked and least understood religion in the West is Islam.” Today, we come across a similar statement in a recently published scholarly report too. I’m referring to the report titled, “Überdehnt sich die Bewegung von Fethullah Gülen?” by Stiftung für Wissenschaftund Politik (SWP), which put the Hizmet Movement under a scholarly microscope.

Hizmet movement and perceptions

We are going through a very critical period. We need the common sense and support of all the precious members of the Hizmet movement as we have never needed them before. We must protect our democratic gains. I pen this article as a person who closely sided with the Hizmet movement during the attacks of Ergenekon — a clandestine organization nested within the state trying to overthrow or manipulate the democratically elected government — and the deep state, and who backed its justified objections to the government’s plan to shut down the prep schools.

The gov’t in Turkey is committing genocide

Fundamental human rights and freedoms have been suspended in Turkey, people’s right to work, freedom of the press, the right to property ownership, the right to a defense in a court of law, the right to travel and the right to a fair trial have all been annulled while the principle of presumption of innocence has been totally disregarded. People have been subjected to collective punishment through the practice of “enemy law.”

African Union Commission chair supports creation of more Turkish schools

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, said on Tuesday during a visit to Johannesburg that volunteers working for the faith-based Gülen movement — inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen — should continue to build schools and other institutions in Africa.

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

CSOs across Turkey slam campaign under way to discredit Hizmet movement

Is man living in Pennsylvania responsible for Turkey coup attempt?

One wounded in armed attack on university preparation course

US-Based Muslim Preacher Leverages Influence Back in Turkey

Final Declaration of “Coexistence in Islamic Civilizations and Contemporary Reviews” Conference

Albanian president to Erdoğan: Turkish schools pose no threat

Pregnant behind bars with a two-year-old kid

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News