Fethullah Gulen and the Concept of Ikhlas: Fr. Thomas Michel
Date posted: June 22, 2013
A conference titled “Muslims between Tradition and Modernity: The Gulen Movement as a Bridge between Cultures” was held at Potsdam University in Berlin.
The respond to the question about “Ikhlas”
This is been commented on this concept by Muslims an every century. But when Fethullah Gulen focuses on Ikhlas, there are two ideas are always there.
The first one, Ikhlas is element of the mystery of the persons individual relationship to God. Ikhlas is whatever we do whether picking up people at the airport, or whether it’s providing drinks at the coffee break. If you do this for God this has a value which is only God knows and rewards.
Second aspect of Ikhlas, which is important to Gulen, Unity of the Community. How is unity maintained in the community. Well, if people nothing breaks a community apart more than some people going after privileges, are ambition, are rivalry, are competition. But focus on Ikhlas helps people to maintain that unity seeing that everything it’s done, is done only for the pleasure of God.
This are the two focuses foresight than we find in Gulen’s treatment of Ikhlas.
Organization (Kimse Yok Mu?) helped 79 Syrian families
“Is Anybody There?” Organization officials delivered donations, blankets and food to Syrian families with the coordination of AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Department) officials. The president of “Is Anybody There?” Elazig branch, Mr. Onder Colak, noted that they have been making donations to Syrian refugees in Turkey since the first days of civil war outbreak in Syria.
University preparatory courses and the Hizmet movement in Turkey
Most (university) preparatory courses (in Turkey) are run by the Hizmet movement, and it is very clear that the government’s steps to close down such courses, an action against the movement, will negatively affect a great number of people. Many analysts said it is impossible for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which does not have a good relationship with the Hizmet movement, to close down preparatory courses in the run-up to the pre-election period.
Gülen Movement supports not AK Party but right projects
Chief Advisor of Prime Minister of Turkey: The Gülen Movement supports not the Ak Party but the right projects. The claim that they’re becoming political is an unfair judgement.
Extraditing Gulen and other dark conspiracies
Despite his pressures, Turkish prosecutors have not agreed to write an indictment against Gulen. On the other hand, Gulen has already been tried in absentia between 1999-2008 for all the accusations now recycled and repeated by Erdogan. The Kemalist military establishment was very powerful at the time and they were almost in full control of the state but they still could not produce concrete evidence against Gulen.
Toward an Islamic enlightenment
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has put forward an interpretation of Islam that advocates peace, democracy, secularism (in the sense of freedom of religion and conscience for all), science, education and a market economy, and who has supported interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding and respect for people of different ethnic and religious identities and lifestyles, has been the topic of much curiosity for native as well as foreign observers of Turkey.
Erzurum people call Minister Ala to apologize Gülen for his remarks
Gülen is highly respected both in Turkey and in many countries around the world for educational activities he has pioneered, along with his efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the globe. He is in self-imposed exile in the US, though there is no legal hurdle that prevents him from returning to Turkey.
Latest News
Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan
SEO Skill Suite: Tools for Keyword Research, Technical & Backlink Analysis
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
In Case You Missed It
Gulen Institute awards student essay winners in Washington
Toward a constitutional crisis [in Turkey]
Post-coup purge victim says he may never be a father due to torture in prison
In Erdogan regime western-oriented intellectuals, bureaucrats, liberals, Kurds, civil society activists in mortal danger
The Gülen Movement: Paradigms, Projects and Aspirations
Policeman who fought against putchists arrested while getting treatment at hospital
Unimpressed by Turkish ‘parallel structure’ defense, MEPs approve critical report
