Opinions Archives - Page 21 of 76

Opinions

Fethullah Gulen writes in WSJ: Muslims Must Combat the Extremist Cancer

It isn’t fair to blame Islam for the atrocities of violent radicals. But when terrorists claim the Muslim mantle, then they bear this identity, if only nominally. Thus members of the faith must do whatever possible to prevent this cancer from metastasizing in our communities. If we don’t, we’ll be partly responsible for the smeared image of our faith.

Why was I mistaken about political Islamism?

For the radical wing of political Islamism, a democratic regime based on the decisions of the people is blasphemy. It should be ruled out because it was an invention of the Western world. Some subscribers to Islamist movements have always viewed democracy in this way.

So who’s finished exactly: the Gülen movement or the AKP?

Many writers and thinkers in Turkey, responding to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan crew’s full-scale, state-backed attack on the Gülen movement, noted wisely, “You cannot wipe out that entire sociology.”

Turning wedding excess into act of charity

The average wedding in the United States costs about $28,400. Ours was $7 — the $2 license, $5 for a Justice of Peace, plus gas for the car we eloped in. This fall we will have been married 66 years, which comes out to about 11 cents a year, if you include the gas.

Gülen Schools and Rule-of-Law in Turkey

Whatever one’s attitude toward or assessment of Fethullah Gülen might be, the case of the preparatory schools is a barometer for the state of rule-of-law in Turkey. Gülen’s ideology is irrelevant; law should treat everyone equally.

A Symphony of Compassion

God calls us to make music in our world; to perform in a global symphony of compassion. If each human being lived by the law of compassion, what a wonderful world this would be! I can’t help but think that this is God’s plan for us.It is Fethullah Gulen who coined the phrase, “A Symphony of Compassion.” Those who walk the path of compassion bring the music of divine energy into our everyday lives.

The ‘other’ interview

The difference between a good leader and a transformational leader is the latter’s openness to being challenged, as they get a chance to showcase their talent, thinking and tasks.

Islamists’ xenophobic policies threaten Turkey

The assaults on Korean tourists and a Uighur chef, who were mistaken for Chinese people, in İstanbul last week have shown the extent of damage dealt to this moderate nation of Turks by the Islamist rulers, who provide political clout to hate crimes and xenophobia in order to sustain their waning power in the government.

Turkey: Democracy in peril – A human rights report

In a springtime of hope, the first decade of the 21st century, Turks and outside observers shared a dream that Turkey might become that bright star in an otherwise muddled constellation of the Middle East—a real democracy in a predominantly Muslim country, committed to civil liberty, human rights, pluralism, and civil society. That hope has disappeared as but a short- lived meteor in the dark, troubled sky. It is no more; and there is little optimism for its return in the foreseeable future. Turkey’s democracy is in regression.

Michael Rubin: I realize I may have misread the Gülen movement

I have often been suspicious of the Gülen movement, although as I reflect, I realize I may have been misread the movement. While this post will be lengthy, the topic remains relevant and intellectually interesting to those interested in Islam and reform, and so I hope to address why I was suspicious, and why I have slowly been changing my mind.

Attacking the Journalists and Writers Foundation

Last week, I wrote: “The AKP [Justice and Development Party] is planning to rig the elections by using state power. It is also trying to distort the real election agenda.

Why is the Hizmet community alone?

Some people I have talked to recently have started to ask the following question, which is also discussed on social media from time to time: Why is the Hizmet community still alone even though it is clearly on the right track?

‘Islam and I’

The number of books written by Western academics on Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s ideas and Hizmet, the faith-based social movement he has inspired, is growing.

Will the military take up arms against Gülen supporters?

In modern states, again, elected governments will be the final authority to decide about external threat perceptions after compiling input from related institutions, including the military.