The Economist
An Icon of Universal Peace
A Farm Boy on the World Stage
World’s Most Global Movement
Gülen conference at the House of Lords Gülen Teachings to be Examined in Berlin Gülen, Gandhi Discussed in Russian Parliament
Fethullah Gülen voted world’s top living public
intellectual
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Coordinator: Gรถkhan Demir Compiled by: Turgay Koca
This issue has been prepared through the information/ quotations derived from 28th issue of DA Magazine, from other sources such as newspapers, magazines and various web sites by Ukraine Dialog Eurasia Platform
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M. Fethullah Gülen B orn in Erzurum, in eastern Turkey, in 1941, M. Fethullah Gülen is an Islamic scholar and thinker, and a prolific writer and poet. He was trained in the religious sciences by several celebrated Muslim scholars and spiritual masters. Gülen also studied the principles and theories of modern social and physical sciences. He traveled around the provinces in Anatolia and lectured not only in mosques, but also at town meetings and corner coffee houses. This enabled him to reach a more representative cross-section of the population and to attract the attention of the academic community, especially the student body. The subject matter of his speeches, whether formal or informal, was not restricted explicitly to religious questions; he also talked about education, science, Darwinism, about the economy and social justice. It was the depth and quality of his speeches on such a wide range of topics that most impressed the academic community, and won their attention and respect. Though simple in outward appearance, he is original in thought and action. He embraces all humanity, and is deeply averse to unbelief, injustice, and deviation. His belief and feelings are profound, and his ideas and approach to problems are both wise and rational. A living model of love, ardor, and feeling, he is extraordinarily balanced in his thoughts, acts, and treatment of matters.
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Gülen contributes to a number of journals and magazines. He writes the editorial page for several magazines. He writes the lead article for The Fountain, Yeni Omit, Sızıntı, and Yagmur, leading popular and spiritual thought magazines in Turkey. He has written more than forty books, hundreds of articles, and recorded thousands of audio and videocassettes. He has delivered innumerable speeches on many social and religious issues. Some of his books-many of which have been bestsellers in Turkey -have been made available in English translations, such as, Prophet Muhammad: Aspects of His Life, Questions and Answers about Faith, Pearls of Wisdom, Prophet Muhammad as Commander, Essentials of the Islamic Faith, Towards the Lost Paradise, Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism. A number have also been translated into German, Russian, Albanian, Japanese, Indonesian, and Spanish.
He is regarded as the initiator and inspirer of the worldwide social movement of human values known as the Gülen Movement. He is respected by his readers and listeners as a living model of high values like wisdom, faith, love, ardor, respect, sincerity, piety, sensitivity, and service to humanity. Gülen is considered among the most influential intellectuals not only of the modern Turkey but also of the entire globe. In July 2008, he was listed among the top hundred public intellectuals by Foreign Policy magazine. Despite the high regard millions hold for him, Gulen considers himself only one of the volunteers of the civil society movement he helped generate and denounces being its leader. He spends most of his time reading, writing, editing, worshiping, and receiving medical care. Feeling sadness with the falling leaves and sharing the suffering of humans in every corner of the world, he has always been known for his deep respect for and connection to all creation. “Living to let others live” is the core principle of his understanding of service. His position of dialogue, empathic acceptance, and harmonious coexistence can best be
reflected in a comparison with that of Rumi, one of his sources of inspiration. While the latter calls, whirling, "Come, come, whoever you are; ours is not the caravan of despair," Gülen announces, walking, "I am coming, whoever you are; is not ours the journey of hope?" The Gülen movement has emerged as a significant phenomenon in Turkey and now globally so that this community inspired by Islamic preacher and teacher Fethullah Gülen now comprises over six million followers. Beginning with a small circle of members of his mosque congregation in Izmir that crystallized around Gülen the late 1970s, the movement now focuses on globalized service projects, especially in the fields of education and interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Gülen is extremely sensitive towards the protection of human life, irrespective of faith, race or culture. “He not only felt great sorrow during the Gulf War when many innocent Muslims lost their lives, he also felt deep sorrow when he heard that missiles were fired by Saddam Hussein upon innocent Israeli children,” explains Aymaz. “He always stood on the side of those who were innocent, and he always implored his community to do the same.” His teachings have inspired thousands of people work for global education, peace, and the spread of tolerance. They share common humanistic values, ideals and passion Mr. Gulen has become a role model for not just this person, but also for millions of people living in different countries. Followers of Gulen have engaged in hundreds of civil society projects and opened more than 500 schools around the globe. These schools offer a curriculum compatible with the highest local standards and avoid Islamic or other sorts of indoctrination. The educational trusts inspired by Gillen have established countless non-profit voluntary organizations, foundations and associations in Turkey and abroad which support many scholarships. These people do not have or share a religious mission and they are professionals or volunteers working in educational and non-profit organizations. However, they experience spirituality deeply, intensively and centrally in their lives and work. It draws much of its support from young urban men, with special appeal to teachers, academics, and other professionals. It has grown in part by sponsoring student dormitories, summer camps, colleges, universities, language schools, cultural facilities, interfaith dialog organizations and NGOs. Mr. Gulen regularly visited and received leading international religious figures including Patriarchs, Rabbi and Pope John Paul II. Until Gulen started meeting with these leaders and representatives, it had been something very unusual for a Muslim to get into dialogue with a Christian or Jew. Gulen Network is a unique case of global social innovation based on spirituality in a number of respects. Owing to the principles of diversity, love and dialogue,
Gulen enjoys voluntary participation of young people from different backgrounds, ideologies, nations, classes, races and faiths throughout the world. Today this social phenomenon has become a civic movement with pietistic roots. Students, teachers, academics, business owners and other volunteers participate in different ways helping to set up tutoring centers, schools, colleges, hospitals, a major relief organization, publishing houses and media institutions in Turkey and in more than one hundred countries. Gulen Network proposes a model of spiritual partnership and networking based on shared passion and idealism, and a multidimensional view of universal common values and spirituality. What makes Gulen unique is that he has successfully persuaded and mobilized many young people around the world to establish educational and civil institutions and put into practice his discourse on global values/spirituality and realize his ideal of raising a "golden generation" and achieving global peace.
Some works The doubts generated by the century (4 volumes); Declaration; Epoch and generation (9 volumes); From a seed to a tree (2 volumes); Horizon of prayer (16 articles); From process to process (5 volumes); Concerning the problems of modern young people; In the shadow of faith (2 volumes); Essence of bringing up; Destiny from the position of the Book and Sunnah; The emerald peaks of heart (4 volumes); Towards our world; The broken plectrum; The broken pitcher (8 volumes); Criteria or lights on the way (4 volumes); Belief in the other life; Prism (7 volumes); Endless light (3 volumes); Metaphysical change of existence; Truth about creation and evolution.
Works A great number of books, articles and poetry covering the very different topics came from Gülen’s pen. By means of 65 books containing more than 7000 articles and comments, including the ones in poetic form, he made an enormous contribution in the world of thought. Along with the books, the articles by the author started to appear periodically, in February 1979 in the “Sizinti” magazine, and in 1988 - in the “Yeni Umit” magazine and later in the “Yagmur” magazine. Besides these editions his works were published in some other newspapers and magazines. In the works by Gülen along with the religious thread, running through all his works, such topics as philosophy, social life and education are also traced. His books were translated into different languages, among which, first of all, Arabian, German, Chinese, French, English, Spanish and Russian languages should be mentioned.
Works set to music More than 100 works from “The broken plectrum” book of poems are set to music, folk arrangements and Sufic tunes were written for them. Besides, the albums of poems were issued, which are read by the professional actors and the albums in which songs are changed into poetic forms.
Conferences Gülen ran more than 500 conferences and seminars both in Turkey and in other countries. The topics of the conferences may be designated in the following way: morality, love to God, parents’ rights, bringing up a child, significance of a prayer, metaphysical life, caravan of pilgrims, the world of soul, tears, social life, destiny, the Koran, a poem about brotherhood, the feeling of responsibility, endless light, issues and the ways of their solution, zakat.
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About
Gülen Institute
Among the values we share and promote are empathy, hope, love of humanity, compassion, altruism, honesty, dignity, trustworthiness, integrity, peaceful coexistence, social justice and harmony, elimination of violent conflicts and human suffering, prevention of substance abuse, saving youth from self-destruction and protection of the earth’s resources and habitats.
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he Gülen Institute was established in October 2007 as a non-profit organization and a joint initiative of the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and the Institute of Interfaith Dialog. The main goal of the institute is to promote academic research as well as grass roots activity toward bringing about positive social change, namely the establishment of stable peace, social justice, and social harmony by focusing on the themes of education, volunteerism and civic initiatives. While we acknowledge the very important role of government policies
this interconnected world, just as information and solutions spread faster, so do misinformation and conflicts. Our vision is to put the advanced means of communication, media and mobility in the service of social harmony. We aim to advance mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation amongst people from diverse backgrounds, and thus serve all humanity, without discrimination. Toward these goals, the institute organizes academic and public events, such as symposia, conferences, luncheon forums and seminars, publishes scientific and popular works, provides student scholarships, faculty research grants,
The perspectives of the institute are inspired by the life and works of the distinguished contemporary scholar and civic leader Fethullah Gülen. and funding, we believe that any lasting solution to any fundamental problem of humanity has to involve the civic initiative and has to include the education component. We also believe that bringing people of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds together around shared values, hopes and concerns of humanity is a crucial asset. We envision a world community in which the achievements of human civilization in terms of human relationships equal or surpass the achievements in science and technology. Members of the world’s diverse communities find themselves increasingly interdependent. In
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supports visiting scholar programs, and cultural exchange trips. Among the values we share and promote are empathy, hope, love of humanity, compassion, altruism, honesty, dignity, trustworthiness, integrity, peaceful coexistence, social justice and harmony, elimination of violent conflicts and human suffering, prevention of substance abuse, saving youth from self-destruction and protection of the earth’s resources and habitats. The perspectives of the institute are inspired by the life and works of the distinguished contemporary scholar and civic leader Fethullah Gülen.
Fethullah Gülen Chair Australian University Launches has been established Fethullah Gülen Chair in one of the best known universities T in Indonesia Monday, 03 December 2007
Ebru News, 2009
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ethullah Gulen Chair has been established in one of the best known universities in Indonesia. The president of Syarif Hidayetullah Islam University said he was proud of the opening of the professorial chair. The president of the University Professor Komaruddin Hidayat underlined the bilateral relations between Turkiye and Indonesia would be improved. Dialogue and tolerance messages of Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen is being heard each day around the world. The Gulen chair which has been opened in Syarif Hidayetullah Islam University is preparing to illuminate the future. The President of the University Professor Komaruddin Hidayat said: "I’m very excited and happy. We’re proud of the Gulen chair in our university since Mr. Gulen was chosen top intellectual due to his movement of volunteers." Many intellectuals as well as the university youth in Indonesia were in attendance of the official opening ceremony of the Gulen Chair. In his speech, the president of Syarif Hidayetullah Islam University underlined the mission of the chair which would bring the two countries closer. Professor Komaruddin Hidayat said: "So far we have sought academic support from Arabic countries for Islamic sciences and western countries for positive sciences. Now, we’re looking to Turkiye for academic support both in Islamic and positive sciences seeing the successful performance of Turkish schools in Indonesia and the thoughts of Fethullah Gulen in prescribing the solutions of the problems of the people in our age. And I hope this chair will be a great opportunity in bringing the two countries closer." It is planned that the Gulen chair will be turned to an institute in Indonesia where many books of Fethullah Gulen are read in the local language.
he official launch of the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic relations was held at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Victoria. The President of Victoria, John Brambi, thanked the Australian Intercultural Society for the contributions of Peace in the country. The Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Victoria hosted the inauguration ceremony of the launch of the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic relations. The Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser and the Honorary President of the Australian Intercultural Society Mehmet Ali Shengul together conducted the official opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Governor Kretser stated in his inaugural address that the immigrants who increased the population of the country contributed to the multiculturalism of the country.
Prof. Dr. David De Kretser said:"There have been clashes of religious differences between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland, Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq for years. The social researches are very important in terms of preventing such clashes. To quote from Fethullah Gulen: For a world in peace, dialog is the principal task of the people." The President of Victoria John Brumby in his message sent to the ceremony said," This chair is an important contribution to the multicultural structure. I would like to thank the Australian Intercultural Society for their contributions.The participants were touched by the readings from the Qur'an at the ceremony. Also the participants standing up during the azan which is Muslim call to prayer drew attention.Greg Barton of Melbourne Monash University who delivered a speech at the ceremony recalled that in the days following September 11, Muslims experienced great difficulty as they were subject to prejudice and he added that the dialog activities would end these clashes between the different faiths. Prof. Greg Barton From Monash University Said: Barton who reminds the dialog studies all over the world by Gulen said, "To note his sensitivity to education, all these studies lead our thoughts to name this chair after Mr. Gulen." Among the guests were Islamic Scholars,
members of the Turkish Parliament, Academicians, members of the media, columnists from international newspapers, also other VIP guests from the UAE, the UK and Turkiye and directors of large companies who support the chair.
Fethullah Gulen Chair will not only be the first in the Catholic world but it will also become a prototype in the Islamic and Turkish speaking nations. The renown Islamic scholar, thinker, poet and peace activist venerable Fethullah Gulen has been proposing solutions to global problems in the name of humanity and the future of the Islamic world for the past 30 years. These days his vision and ideologies are the main focus in many lectures and seminars organized in his name all over the world's universities. The Chair in the Study of Islam & Catholic-Muslim Relations aims to conduct extensive research in the field and produce thesis in masters and doctorate level. The Chair, first of its kind in Australia already became the focus of the Australian Media. Beginning from 2008, it seems that the chair will play a major role with its academic level of research and projects of building solid bridges between the two religions. The Fethullah Gülen Chair is a newly created position which aims to providing academic leadership in research, teaching and community engagement in relation to the study of Islam and has been founded with full recognition of the plurality and diversity of Islam itself. Named in honour of Fethullah Gülen - a Turkish–born scholar, educator, spiritual and social leader, and renowned advocate for interreligious dialogue and peace - Gülen’s interpretation of Qur’anic teaching seeks to enable Muslims to live their Islamic faith in modern situations and make a positive contribution to the transformation of society. Gülen is especially noted in Catholic circles for his private audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1998, which marked an important step forward in Muslim-Christian relations.
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I would like to stress that any terrorist activity, no matter who does it and for what purpose, is the greatest blow to peace, democracy, humanity, and all religious values. For this reason, no one—and certainly no Muslims - can approve of any terrorist activity. Terror has no place in one’s quest to achieve independence or salvation. It costs the lives of innocent people.
Gülen's Condemnation Message of Terrorism Appeared in Washington Post on September 12th, 2001
No terrorist can be a Muslim, and no true Muslim can be a terrorist. Islam orders peace, and the Qur’an demands from each true Muslim that he or she be a symbol of peace and support the maintenance of basic human rights. The Qur’an declares that one who takes a life unjustly has, in effect, taken the lives of humanity as a whole, and that one who saves a life has, in effect, saved the lives of humanity as a whole. Also, our Prophet Muhammad says that a Muslim is one who does no harm with either his or her hand or tongue. 8
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would like to stress that any terrorist activity, no matter who does it and for what purpose, is the greatest blow to peace, democracy, humanity, and all religious values. For this reason, no one— and certainly no Muslims - can approve of any terrorist activity. Terror has no place in one’s quest to achieve independence or salvation. It costs the lives of innocent people. Even though at first sight such acts seem to harm the target, all terrorist activities eventually do more harm to the terrorists and their supporters. This latest terrorist activity, which is a most bloody and condemnable one, is far more than an attack on the United States of America - it is an assault against world peace as well as universal democratic, humanistic, and religious values. Those who perpetrated this atrocity can only be considered the most brutal people in the world. The world should be assured that, although there may always be some who exploit any religion for their interests, Islam does not approve of terrorism in any form. Terrorism cannot be used to achieve any Islamic goal. No terrorist can be a Muslim, and no true Muslim can be a terrorist. Islam orders peace, and the Qur’an demands from each true Muslim that he or she be a symbol of peace and support the maintenance of basic human rights. If a ship is carrying nine criminals and one innocent person, Islam does
not allow the ship to be sunk to punish the nine criminals, for doing so would violate the innocent person’s rights. Islam respects all individual rights and states clearly that none of them can be violated, even if doing so would be in the community’s interest. The Qur’an declares that one who takes a life unjustly has, in effect, taken the lives of humanity as a whole, and that one who saves a life has, in effect, saved the lives of humanity as a whole. Also, our Prophet Muhammad says that a Muslim is one who does no harm with either his or her hand or tongue. I strongly condemn this latest terrorist attack on the United States. It only deserves condemnation and contempt, and it must be condemned by every person in the world. I believe that before America’s leaders and people respond to this heinous assault, I would like to express that they surely understand why such a terrible event occurred and how similar tragedies can be avoided in the future. I feel the pain of the American people from my heart, and assure everybody that I pray to God Almighty for the victims and that He may equip their sorrowful beloved ones and all other American people with patience. I take this opportunity to present my due regards to everybody. Respectfully, Fethullah Gülen
On Recent Terrorist Attacks * This text has been excerpted from the interview Gülen gave to Nuriye Akman, published in Zaman between March 22–April 1, 2004.
Al-Qaeda Network One of the people whom I hate most in the world is [Osama] Bin Laden, because he has sullied the bright face of Islam. He has created a contaminated image. Even if we were to try our best to fix the terrible damage that has been done to Islam, it would take years to repair. We speak about this perversion everywhere on many different platforms. We write books about it. We say, "this is not Islam." Bin Laden replaced Islamic logic with his own feelings and desires. He is a monster, as are the people around him. If there are other people similar to them anywhere, then they too, are nothing more than monsters.
Our Responsibility It is our fault; it is the fault of the nation. It is the fault of education. A real Muslim, one who understands Islam in every aspect, cannot be a terrorist. It is hard for a person to remain a Muslim if he becomes involved in terrorism. Religion does not approve of the killing of people in order to attain a goal. But of course, what efforts did we make to raise these people as perfect humans? With what kind of elements did we bind them? What kind of responsibility did we take in their upbringing so that now we should expect them not to engage in terror? People can be protected against becoming involved in terrorism by means of some virtues originating in the Islamic faith, such as, fear of God, fear of the Day of Judgment, and fear of opposing the principles of religion. However, we have not established the required sensitivity on this issue. There have been some minor attempts to deal with this neglected subject to date. But, unfortunately there have been some obstacles put in the way, by our countrymen. These people are people who grew up among us. All of them are our children. Why have some of them become bad guys? Why were some raised as bullies? Why have some of them rebelled against human values? Why do they come to their own country and blow themselves up as suicidebombers?
All these people were raised among us. Therefore, there must have been something wrong with their education. That is, the system must have some deficiencies, some weak points that need to be examined. These weak points need to be removed. In short, the raising of human beings was not given priority. In the meantime, some generations have been lost, destroyed, and wasted. Dissatisfied youth has lost its spirituality. Some people take advantage of such people, giving them a couple of dollars, or turning them into robots. They have drugged them. This has become a topic on the agenda these days which can be read about in magazines. These young people were abused to an extent that they could be manipulated. They have been used as murderers on the pretext of some crazy ideals or goals and they have been made to kill people. Some evilminded people have wanted to achieve certain goals by abusing these young people. Some people were trying to reach a goal by killing others. Everybody was a terrorist. The people on that side were terrorists; the people on this side were terrorists. But, everybody was labeling the same action differently. One person would say, "I am doing this in the name of Islam." Another would say, "I am doing it for my land and people." A third would say, "I am fighting against capitalism and exploitation." These all were just words. The Qur'an talks about such "labels." They are things of no value. But people just kept on killing. Everyone was killing in the name of an ideal. In the name of these bloody "ideals" many were killed. This was nothing less than terror. Everybody, not only Muslims, was making the same mistake. Since everyone did it, one after another, these killings came to be a goal that was "realizable." Killing became a habit. Everyone began to get used to killing, even though killing another person is a very evil action. Once, one of my dearest friends killed a snake. He was a theology graduate and he is now a preacher. As a reaction to this action, I did not talk to him for a month. I said: "That snake had a right to live in nature. What right did you have to kill it?" There is a remedy for this. The remedy is to teach the truth directly. It should be made clear that Muslims cannot be terrorists. Why should this be made clear? Because people must understand that if they do something evil, even if it is as tiny as an atom, they will pay for that both here and in the Hereafter. (Al-Zilzal 99:7-8) The Qur'an says that killing one person is the same as killing all people. Ibn Abbas said that a murderer will stay in Hell for eternity.
"In True Islam, Terror does not Exist."
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oday, at best we can say that Islam is not known at all. Muslims should say, "In true Islam, terror does not exist. No person can kill a human being. No one can touch an innocent person, even in time of war. No one can give a fatwa (a legal pronouncement in Islam, issued by a religious law spcialist, concerning a specific issue) in this matter. No one can be a suicide bomber. No one can rush into crowds with bombs tied to his or her body. Regardless of the religion of these crowds, this is not religiously permissible. Even in the event of war—during which it is difficult to maintain balances—this is not permitted in Islam. Islam states; "Do not touch children or people who worship in churches." This has not only been said once, but has been repeated over and over throughout history. What Our Master, Prophet Muhammad, said, what Abu Bakr said, and what 'Umar said is the same as what, at later dates, Salahaddin Ayyubi, Alparslan, and Kılıçarslan also said. Later on, Sultan Mehmet II, the Conqueror, also said the same. Thus, the city of Constantinople, in which a disorderly hullabaloo reigned, became Istanbul. In this city the Greeks did not harm the Armenians, nor did the Armenians harm the Greeks. Nor did the Muslims harm any other people. A short time after the conquest of Constantinople, the people of the city hung a huge portrait of the Conqueror on the wall in the place of that of the Patriarchate. It is amazing that such behavior was displayed at that time. Then, history relates that the Sultan summoned the Patriarch and gave him the key to the city. Even today, the Patriarchate remembers him with respect. But today, Islam, as with every other subject, is not understood properly. Islam has always respected different ideas and this must be understood for it to be appreciated properly. The rules of Islam are clear. In Islam, just as a goal must be legitimate, so must all the means employed to reach that goal. From this perspective, one cannot achieve Heaven by murdering another person.
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Fethullah G端len: Contributions to the
Inter-religious Dialogue Written by Greg Barton Friday, 23 November 2007
This speech was delivered by Professor Greg Barton of Monash University for launch of the Fethullah G端len Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic Relations at the Australian Catholic University, Friday 23 November 2007. Greg Barton is Herb Feith Research Professor for the Study of Indonesia PSI, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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re these the best of times or the worst of times for MuslimChristian relations? Its hard to argue that these are the best of times when reliable social polling, such as that undertaken by the Pew Research Foundation, indicates a precipitous decline since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, across the entire Muslim world, in positive sentiment towards America and its western allies. Unfortunately, for many Muslims the ineptly titled 'Global War on Terror' feels more like a 'western war on Islam'. Tragically, the near-universal goodwill towards America in the wake of the horrible events of September 11, 2001 was not seized upon as an opportunity for cooperation between the US and the Muslim world. Instead, though ignorance and a single-minded rush to action, the moment was lost. It will be a long time before America, and the west in general, fully recovers the good standing it used to enjoy amongst ordinary Muslims everywhere. Through ineptitude much more than through malice the dubious efficacy of 'hard power' has washed away the work of a lifetime in building 'soft power', understanding and trust from Casablanca to Jayapura. The post-September 11 period has seen a sudden rise in western suspicion and fear of Muslims. For many Muslims living in the west it has been a particularly difficult time. And yet, if we are honest, we must acknowledge that these are clearly not the worst of times either. Thankfully, we are not living during the dark days of medieval western ignorance, and sometimes crusading malice. Nor are we back in the age of self-absorbed and self-serving western colonialism. In their desire to provoke an angry, ill-judged response to audacious acts of terror the leaders of al-Qaeda surely succeeded beyond their wildest expectations. At the same time, however, the west has been awakened like never before to its need to properly understand Islam and Muslim society. Enrolments in courses on Islam in western universities have surged.
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Paying a visit to the late Pope John Paul II in Rome in 1998
With David Aseo, the late Chief Rabbi of Jewish Community in Turkey in 1996
For some students the motivation to study Islam lies in their vocational aspirations but for many the desire to understand more about the world's second largest religion stems from a deeper and more personal conviction that Islam is intrinsically important and interesting, and from the realisation that if ignorance of Islam has led us to make mistakes then fixing them surely requires learning about Islam. If these are not yet the best of times for Muslim-Christian understanding there is much that is happening in our universities that holds the promise of a better future. In the Australian context, and even in the global context, the launching of a professorial chair named after one of the greatest Islamic leaders of the current time by a university that consciously embraces its Christian heritage marks a remarkable development in Muslim-Christian relations. Australian universities have a long history of uneasy engagement with religion. The earliest universities were prohibited by charter from teaching subjects on religion and it is only relatively recently that courses in comparative religion have found acceptance in university curricula. Religion, it was argued, was something too personal and too emotive to be discussed in university classrooms. But if religion can't be discussed in an objective and academic manner in our universities then where can it possibly be studied? Confessional seminaries have an important role to play in the development of religious professionals but it is now clear that society requires more than this. In the middle of the last century it was widely believed that religious belief, at least in its traditional institutionalised form was rapidly declining and that modernization would see religion retreat into the personal sphere and into the margins of society. By the end of the century this conviction looked increasingly na誰ve and mistaken. Modernity, it became clear, did not mean the end of religion. And yet years of neglect within the universities meant that they had very limited capacity to teach or research religious matters. For all the reasons outlined above the announcement of a new chair in the study of Islam, especially one that is concerned with the study of Muslim-Christian relations, represents a development of great importance. The fact, moreover, that the ACU is taking the initiative in launching a chair named after Fethullah G端len is of particular significance and this requires further explanation. There are many Muslim leaders and many Islamic intellectuals after whom a university chair could very appropriately be named. There are few, however, more appropriate than Fethullah G端len, particularly when one is talking about a Christian university with an interest in promoting Muslim-Christian relations.
With Eliyahu Bakshi Doron, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel in 1998
G端len Meets With sipritual leaders Wednesday, 11 February 1998
F
ethullah Gulen, a distinguished religious scholar, met with the Pope and thereby realized a top-level meeting in his search for dialogue and mutual respect. He started this search by meeting with representatives of the Turkish Orthodox and Jewish communities at a time when Islam was being presented [in the West] as a threat, and Huntington's clash of civilizations theory was being widely discussed. Gulen's visit to the Vatican is of historic significance. The existence of Fethullah Gulen's group is an opportunity for Turkey to end its internal polarization, secularize fundamental religious questions, and open our country to the outer world. Some of the worries expressed concerning this group are groundless, and the rest are of a secondary nature and quite negligible. The essential points on which we all agree are those on which secularists and devout Muslims and sincere followers of other religions can come together. The use of Maoists, who actually have fascist tendencies, in the detestable attacks on this group shows that Fethullah Gulen and his group are on the right track.
world through the missionary schools they opened in the previous century? Like me, did not many of the Turkish elite study in them [namely, the missionary schools]? Fethullah Gulen, who met with the Pope - whom I do not like in moral terms but regard as a genius with respect to his political vision - and his distinguished group both activate the dialogue of religious people with others, [improve] their mutual love and respect, and open up broad perspectives for Turkey. Many thanks to Fethullah Gulen and his distinguished group.
Also, although the Jacobinist intellectuals are reluctant to see the truth, the schools opened by this group in many parts of the world are widening Turkey's horizons. They complain that these schools are under the control of a religious group. Why should anyone feel offended by that? Did not many Western countries extend their influences throughout the
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Such comments might well be dismissed as the stuff of mere platitude. If one knows something about who Gülen is and what it is that he stands for, however, it becomes clear that naming a chair for the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic Relations after Fethullah Gülen is profoundly appropriate. This is not the time nor the place for a dry, academic discussion of Gülen's thought and social activism. And we certainly don't have the time to do more than scratch the surface of all that he has written and done over the past four decades. What follows then, is a brief review of three key elements of Gülen's work. I would argue that careful research would reveal these three elements to be axiomatic themes running across the full arc of Gülen's life and work (and there is now a sizable body of scholarly material available in English for those interested in reading more). For now, however, there is only time for some brief assertions and explanations to illustrate the theme. There are many ways of summarising Gülen's thought and describing his social activism. He is, first and foremost, an alim, a traditional Islamic scholar, with a deep understanding of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic history. He is also a Sufi, though he does not belong to any particular tarikah, or Sufi brotherhood. His most immediate source of influence is the writings of the great Turkish Sufi scholar Said Nursi (1877-1960), writer of the influential multi-volume commentary on the Qur'an,
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Risale-i Nur, and who himself was a Sufi in the line of the great Anatolian poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273). Gülen shares with Nursi the conviction that interfaith dialogue and cooperation between Jews, Muslims and Christians should be key concerns of modern Muslim intellectuals. But whereas Nursi, principally through the legacy of the Risale-i Nur, has inspired millions of followers who meet regularly to read his work, Gülen has inspired a broad social movement concerned with practical religious philanthropy on a grand scale.
elements of the political and cultural elite to talk face to face about issues of pressing national importance. Each Abant Platform produces an Abant Declaration summing up the issues discussed. The first Abant Platform was held in July 1998 on the theme of 'Islam and Secularism'. Subsequent Abant Platforms dealt with the related themes of 'Religion and State Relations' (July 1999), 'Islam and Democracy' (July 2000), and 'Pluralism' (July 2001).
This religious philanthropy can be understood simply as revolving around three axial themes or elements: a deep desire for dialogue, a love of learning and a passion for service. Gülen's profound interest in dialogue can readily be discerned in his writing and in his personal activism. In February 1998, for example, Gülen met with Pope John Paul II, having already met with many of the senior religious leaders in Turkey and surrounding nations. The most overtly dialogue-orientated group associated with the Gülen movement is found in the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF) established in 1994. This very influential NGO goes beyond straightforward journalistic reporting and analysis to support strategic public intellectual initiatives in the promotion of dialogue. One of the Foundation's most important activities is the hosting of a high-level annual summer dialogue forum known as the Abant Platform (named after the lakeside location of its annual meetings) designed to bring together disparate
Dialogue is a Must On the global stage, an outstanding Muslim leader promoting interreligious dialogue is Fethullah Gülen. The movement to which his ideas and recommendations have given inspiration is one of the primary advocacy groups for dialogue in the world today. Fethullah Gülen comes to the core point of his message: “Interfaith dialogue in a must today, and the first step in establishing it is forgetting the past, ignoring polemical arguments, and giving precedence to common points, which far outnumber polemical ones”. Gülen also argue that the Qur’ān urges Muslims to respect the followers of other religions and to accept former Prophets and their Books. So he will insist that an attitude of dialogue is not only required by modernity but also by the very source of Islam.
Based on the notion that Islam is an inherently open and tolerant religion, Mr Gulen advocates acceptance and dialogue with the non-Muslim community. To advocate this notion of tolerance, he has met important Christian and Jewish religious leaders such as Pope John Paul II(in 1998), Greek Eucumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos(in 1996), Sepharadic Chief Rabbi of Israel Eliyahu Bakshi Doron(in 1999) and others religious leader of Turkey in many occations to promote inter-religious dialogue. Long before the Second Vatican Council, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1876-1960), one of the most influential Muslim thinkers of the 20th Century, advocated a dialogue between true Muslims and true Christians. The earliest statement of Said Nursi concerning the need for dialogue between Muslims and Christians dates from 1911, more than 50 years before the Council document, Nostra aetate What motivation does Fethullah Gülen suggest for those who wish to follow his ways in the practice of dialogue and charity? At the outset of a collection of essays published as Toward a Global Civilization of Love & Tolerance, in an essay entitled “Love for Humankind,” he concludes with this exhortation: As we are all limbs of the same body, we should cease this duality that violates our very union. We should clear the way to unite people; this is one of the greatest ways in which God grants people success in this world, and how He transforms this world into a Paradise. It is in this way that the doors of Heaven will be opened wide in order to give us a warm welcome. Hence, we should remove all ideas and feelings that pull us apart, and run to embrace one another. Those who feel deep love run to embrace one another. God reaches out in dialogue with all humanity and our response begins with love of God and love of one an-
other. In Pearls of Wisdom, Gülen writes of love: “Love is the most direct and safest way to human perfection.”[22] One of the principles for dialogue that Gülen suggests is a challenge to his fellow Muslims to be humble and reach out to others in imitation of the Creator who reaches out to all in ways that are unimaginable: “Judge your worth in the Creator’s sight by how much space He occupies in your heart, and your worth in people’s eyes by how you treat them. Do not neglect the Truth even for a moment. And yet, “be a man or woman among other men or women.” For Gülen, “what people have in common is far greater than what divides and separates them”; thus his approach is holistic: inner harmony and peace of humankind “only occurs when the material and spiritual realms are reconciled”.[15] Furthermore, in the face of widespread unbelief (or loss of the religious sense) Gülen believes that Muslim-Christian dialogue is indispensable. “Even though we may not have common grounds on some matters”, says Gülen, “we all live in this world and we are passengers on the same ship. In this respect, there are many common points that can be discussed and shared with people from every segment of society”. Fethullah Gulen maintains that regular dialogue is essential. To this end, he pioneered the establishment of the Foundation of Journalists and Writers, whose activities to promote dialogue and mutual respect among all strata of the society have been warmly welcomed by people from almost all walks of life. Again to this end, Fethullah Gulen visits, and receives visits from, leading figures not only from among the Turkish people. but from all over the world. The Vatican ambassador to Turkey, the Patriarchs of the Turkish Orthodox and the Turkish Armenian com-
munities, the Chief Rabbi of the Turkish Jewish community, as well as influential opinion-formers such as journalists, columnists. TV and film stars, thinkers and writers of diverse views, are among the many people with whom he frequently meets. Fethullah Gülen arguably regards interfaith dialogue as an expression of a divinely-inspired love, for the primary theological verity that binds together all peoples of the Book - Jews, Christians and Muslims especially - is the belief in God as Creator. The act of creation is not that of arbitrary whim but intentional love of the Creator for the creature. As Gülen states, “Love is the reason for existence and its essence, and it is the strongest tie that binds creatures together. Everything in the universe is the handiwork of God”. Love issues in practical actions, and at the level of inter-communal and inter-religious relations, love is expressed in terms of dialogical engagement: thus “dialogue is the real remedy for terror, chaos, and intolerance”.
Former Secretary of State James Baker at Gülen Forum on May 20, 2008
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This paper has been presented at a conference titled "Islamic Modernities: Fethullah Gulen and Contemporary Islam" at Georgetown University on April 26-27 2001
Fethullah GĂźlen
as Educator Written by Dr. Thomas Michel, S.J. Tuesday, 18 February 2003 (Thomas Michel, S.J. was born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., in 1941. After completing his studies in philosophy and theology in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., he was ordained a priest in 1967. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1969. In 1981, he was appointed to the Asia Desk of the Vatican Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and in 1988. Since 1994, he has served as Executive Secretary of the Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC-OEIA)
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His main interest in education is the future. He wants to form reformers, that is, those who, fortified with a value system that takes into account both the physical and non-materials aspects of humankind, can conceive and bring about the needed changes in society. He states: Those who want to reform the world must first reform themselves. In order to bring others to the path of traveling to a better world, they must purify their inner worlds of hatred, rancor, and jealousy, and adorn their outer world with all kinds of virtues. Those who are far removed from self-control and selfdiscipline, who have failed to refine their feelings, may seem attractive and insightful at first. However, they will not be able to inspire others in any permanent way and the sentiments they arouse will soon disappear. [20]
1.Fethullah Gulen and the "G端len Schools" The topic that I chose for this paper is that of Fethullah Gulen as an educator. I must confess at the outset that I have arrived at the topic of my talk backwards. Rather than having studied the writings of Fethullah Gulen on education and pedagogy and then tried to see, in what might be called a deductive approach, how he has put these principles into practice, I have instead come to know first the educational institutions conducted by participants of the movement led by Mr. Gulen. This has led me in turn to study his writings to discover the rationale that lies behind the tremendous educational venture that has ensued from the educational vision of Fethullah Gulen and his colleagues. At the outset, it is necessary to be precise about the relationship of Mr. Gulen to the schools that are often loosely called "Gulen schools," or "schools of the Gulen movement." Mr. Gulen describes himself primarily as an educator and is generally referred to by members of his movement as Khoja Effendi, a title of respect given to religious teachers in Turkey. [1] However, he is careful to distinguish between education and teaching. "Most human beings can be teachers," he states, "but the number of educators is severely limited." [2] He has also tried to make clear that he has no schools of his own. "I'm tired of saying that I don't have any schools," [3] he affirms with a bit of exasperation. The more than 300 elementary schools, high schools, college preparatory institutions, dormitories, and universities in over 50 countries [4] that are associated with his name stem from a circle of students, colleagues and businessmen who formed about Fethullah Gulen in the 1960s. [5] The schools have been established by individual agreements between the countries in which they are located and the educational companies founded for this purpose. Each school is an independently run institution, but most of the schools rely on the services of Turkish companies to provide educational supplies and human resources. Operating independently, but maintaining links of coordination and training, the schools could be called a loose federation of institutions that share a common pedagogic vision, similar curriculum, and human and material resources.
2. My Personal Encounter With "G端len Schools"
My first encounter with one of these schools dates back to 1995, in Zamboanga, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, when I learned that there was a "Turkish" school several miles outside the city. On approaching the school, the first thing that caught my attention was the large sign at the entrance to the property bearing the name: "The Philippine-Turkish School of Tolerance." This is a startling affirmation in Zamboanga, a city almost equally 50% Christian and 50% Muslim, located in a region where for over 20 years various Moro separatist movements have been locked in an armed struggle against the military forces of the government of the Philippines. I was well-received by the Turkish director and staff of the school, where over 1000 students study and live in dormitories. As I learned from the Turkish staff and their Filipino colleagues, both Muslim and Christian, the affirmation of their school as an institution dedicated towards formation in tolerance was no empty boast. In a region where kidnaping is a frequent occurrence, along with guerrilla warfare, summary raids, arrests, disappearances, and killings by military and para-military forces, the school is offering Muslim and Christian Filipino children, along with an educational standard of high quality, a more positive way of living and relating to each other. My Jesuit colleagues and the lay professors at the Ateneo de Zamboanga confirm that from its beginning, the Philippine-Turkish School of Tolerance has maintained a deep level of contact and cooperation with Christian institutions of the region. Since that time I have had occasion to visit other schools in the Fethullah Gulen network and discuss educational policy with the teaching and administrative staff. In Turkey, I have visited several institutions in the Istanbul area and in the city of Urfa. In Kyrghyzstan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia, I had the opportunity to examine at length about half the twelve Sebat schools, including the new Ataturk Alatoo University, all inspired and founded by the Gulen movement. I can state without qualification that I find these schools to be one of the most dynamic and worthwhile educational enterprises that I have encountered in the world today. The strength of their programs in the sciences, informatics, and languages is shown in their repeated successes in academic olympiads. In a junior high school in Bishkek, I addressed a group of seventh-grade Kyrghyz children for about a half-hour. At the end of my talk, the teacher asked the students to identify those elements of pronunciation and vocabulary that showed that I was speaking an American rather than a British form of English, and to my amazement the children had no difficulty in doing so. Although English was the language of instruction in this school, as is usual in the Gulen schools outside Turkey, the students seemed equally competent in Russian and Turkish, in addition to their native Kyrghyz. The dedication and esprit
d'corps of the teachers give evidence that they are conscious of being engaged in an exciting educational venture. Nowhere did I encounter any signs of the malaise and apparent confusion that so often afflicts schools in developing countries. Aware that these schools are a manifestation of a religious commitment of Muslims, I had expected to find a more explicitly Islamic content to the curriculum and the physical environment, but this was not the case. When I asked about the surprising absence of what to me would have been an understandable part of a religiously-inspired educational project, I was told that because of the pluralist nature of the student bodies Christian and Muslim in Zamboanga, and Buddhist and Hindu as well in Kyrghyzstan - that what they sought to communicate were universal Islamic values such as honesty, hard work, harmony, and conscientious service rather than any confessional instruction. In the Sebat International School in Bishkek, students from U.S.A., Korea, and Turkey appeared to be studying comfortably with those coming from Afghanistan and Iran.
3. The Educational Vision of Fethullah G端len Gulen's educational starting point would seem to be what he sees as a fundamental crisis in Turkish society. Analyzing the factors that have contributed to bring about this societal crisis, he concludes that an element which cannot be dismissed is the lack of coordination [6] among the various types and systems of education. He regards the development of education in Turkey throughout the 20th Century as an unhealthy competition among mutually exclusive systems of education, which has produced graduates who lack an integrated perspective towards the future and perpetuate the existing divisions in society. He states: "At a time when modern schools concentrated on ideological dogmas, institutions of religious education (madrasas) broke with life, institutions of spiritual training (takyas) were immersed in sheer metaphysics, and the army restricted itself to sheer force, this coordination was essentially not possible." [7] Modern secular schools, he holds, have been unable to free themselves of the prejudices and conventions of modernist ideology, while the madrasas have shown little interest or capability to meet the challenges of technology and scientific thought. The madrasas lack the flexibility, vision, and ability to break with past, enact change, and offer the type of educational formation that is needed today. The Sufi-oriented takyas, which traditionally had fostered the development of spiritual values, have lost their dynamism and, as Gulen puts
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it, "console themselves with virtues and wonders of the saints who had lived in previous centuries." The educational training offered by the military, which had in previous times been the representative of religious energy and activity and a symbol of national identity, has devolved into an espousal of attitudes of selfassertion and self-preservation. The challenge today is to find a way in which these traditional pedagogical systems can move beyond regarding each other as rivals or enemies so that they can learn from one another. By integrating the insights and strengths found in the various educational currents, educators must seek to bring about a "marriage of mind and heart" if they hope to form individuals of "thought, action, and inspiration." An integration of the interior wisdom which is the cumulative heritage built up over the centuries with the scientific tools essential for the continued progress of the nation would enable students to move beyond the societal pressures of their environment and provide them with both internal stability and direction for their actions. He states: "Until we help them through education, the young will be captives of their environment. They wander aimlessly, intensely moved by their passions, but far from knowledge and reason. They can become truly valiant young representatives of national thought and feeling, provided their education integrates them with their past, and prepares them intelligently for the future." [8] This is very different from reactionary projects which seek to revive or restore the past. Denying that the education offered in the schools associated with his name is an attempt to restore the Ottoman system or to reinstate the califate, Gulen repeatedly affirms that the schools are oriented towards the future. He cites an ancient Turkish adage, "If there is no adaptation to new conditions, the result will be extinction." [10] Despite the necessity of modernization, he holds, there are nevertheless risks involved in any radical break with the past. Cut off from traditional values, young people are in danger of being educated with no values at all beyond those of material success. Non-material values such as profundity of ideas, clarity of thought, depth of feeling, cultural appreciation, or interest in spirituality tend to be ignored in modern educational ventures which are largely aimed at massproducing functionaries of a globalized market system. [11] Such students might be adequately prepared to find jobs, but they will not have the necessary interior formation to achieve true human freedom. Leaders in both economic and political fields often favor and promote job-oriented, "value-free" education because it enables those with power to
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control the "trained but not educated" working cadres more easily. "Gulen asserts that if you wish to keep masses under control, simply starve them in the area of knowledge. They can escape such tyranny only through education. The road to social justice is paved with adequate, universal education, for only this will give people sufficient understanding and tolerance to respect the rights of others." [12] Thus, in Gulen's view, it is not only the establishment of justice which is hindered by the lack of well-rounded education, but also the recognition of human rights and attitudes of acceptance and tolerance toward others. If people are properly educated to think for themselves and to espouse the positive values of social justice, human rights and tolerance, they will be able to be agents of change to implement these beneficial goals. The crisis in modern societies arises from decades of schooling having produced "generations with no ideals." [13] It is human ideals, aims, goals, and vision which are the source of movement, action, and creativity in society. People whose education has been limited to the acquisition of marketable skills are no longer able to produce the dynamism needed to inspire and carry out societal change. The result is social atrophy, decadence, and narcissism. He states: "When [people] are left with no ideals or aims, they become reduced to the
condition of animated corpses, showing no signs of distinctively human life....Just as an inactive organ becomes atrophied, and a tool which is not in use becomes rusty, so aimless generations will eventually waste away because they lack ideals and aims." The societal crisis is intensified by the fact that, in his judgment, the teachers and intelligentsia, who should be the guides and movers of society, have allowed themselves to become perpetuators of a restrictive and non-integrated approach to education. Rather than raising their voices in protest against the elimination of humane values from the educational system and campaigning for a pedagogy that integrates scientific preparation with non-material values studied in the disciplines of logic, ethics, culture, and spirituality, the educators themselves too often "readily adapted to the new low standard." He finds it difficult to understand how intellectuals could prefer the spiritually impoverished and technologically obsessed modern culture to a traditional cultural foundation that had grown in sophistication and subtlety over the centuries.
It follows that if educational reform is to be accomplished, teacher training is a task that cannot be ignored. Gulen notes that "education is different from teaching. Most human beings can be teachers, but the number of educators is severely limited." [14] The difference between the two lies in that both teachers and educators impart information and teach skills, but the Educators who have not educator is one who has the ability been apprenticed to a to assist the students' personalities master and have not to emerge, who fosters thought and received a sound education reflection, who builds character and are like blind people trying enables the student to interiorize to light the way of others qualities of self-discipline, tolerance, with lanterns. A child's and a sense of mission. He describes mischief and impudence those who simply teach in order to arises from the atmosphere receive a salary, with no interest in which he or she has been in the character formation of the raised. A dysfunctional students as "the blind leading the family life increasingly is blind." reflected upon the spirit of the child, and therefore The lack of coordination or integration among competing and upon the society. mutually antagonistic educational systems gave rise to what Gulen calls "a bitter struggle that should never have taken place: science versus religion." [15] This false dichotomy, which during the 19-20th Centuries exercised the energies of scholars, politicians, and religious leaders on both sides of the debate, resulted in a bifurcation of educational philosophies and methods. Modern secular educators saw religion as at best a useless expense of time and at worst an obstacle to progress. Among religious scholars, the debate led to a rejection of modernity and religion "as a political ideology rather than a religion in its true sense and function." He feels that through an educational process in which religious scholars have a sound formation in the sciences and scientists are exposed to religious and spiritual values, that the "long
religion-science conflict will come to an end, or at least its absurdity will be acknowledged." For this to come about, he asserts that a new style of education is necessary, one "that will fuse religious and scientific knowledge together with morality and spirituality, to produce genuinely enlightened people with hearts illumined by religious sciences and spirituality, minds illuminated with positive sciences," people dedicated to living according to humane qualities and moral values, who are also "cognizant of the socio-economic and political conditions of their time." His educational vision is one that embraces societies "throughout the world" and the role of religious believers in shaping that world. He states: "Along with the advances in science and technology, the last two or three centuries have witnessed, across the world, a break with traditional values and, in the name of renewal, attachment to different values and speculative fantasies. However, it is our hope, strengthened by promising developments all over the world, that the next century will be an age of belief and moral values, an age that will witness a renaissance and revival for believers throughout the world. [19] His main interest in education is the future. He wants to form reformers, that is, those who, fortified with a value system that takes into account both the physical and non-materials aspects of humankind, can conceive and bring about the needed changes in society. Well-rounded education, by its very nature, must thus involve a personal transformation in the student. Students must be accompanied and encouraged to move out of restrictive, particularistic ways of thinking and to interiorize attitudes of self-control, self-discipline which will enable them to make a lasting contribution to society. He states: Those who want to reform the world must first reform themselves. In order to bring others to the path of traveling to a better world, they must purify their inner worlds of hatred, rancor, and jealousy, and adorn their outer world with all kinds of virtues. Those who are far removed from self-control and self-discipline, who have failed to refine their feelings, may seem attractive and insightful at first. However, they will not be able to inspire others in any permanent way and the sentiments they arouse will soon disappear. [20]
Criticisms of G체len's Educational Philosophy Gulen states this vision succinctly: "A person is truly human who learns and teaches and inspires others. It is difficult to regard as fully human someone who is ignorant and has no desire to learn. It
is also questionable whether a learned person who does not renew and reform oneself so as to set an example for others is fully human."[24] Into this humanistic vision fit the study of science, humanities, character development, and "spirituality" understood, as mentioned above, in the broad sense. It is thus not surprising that students of these schools have consistently scored high in university placement tests and produced champions in the International Knowledge Olympics in fields such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. It is the concern for human formation, however, that distinguishes these schools from the thousands of other prep schools around the world. Gulen understands the school as a laboratory where students not only acquire information and skills, but where they can begin to ask questions about life, seek to understand the meaning of things, to begin to reflect on the particular contribution to life that they would like to make, and to understand life in this world in relation to the next. In some of his writings on education, he even speaks of the school in quasi-religious terms, as a holy place where sacred activities take place. He states: "The school...can shed light on vital ideas and events and enable its students to understand their natural and human environment. It can also quickly open the way to unveiling the meaning of things and events, which leads one to wholeness of thought and contemplation. In essence, the school is a kind of place of worship whose "holy persons" are teachers." [25]
Conclusion Fethullah Gulen's educational vision can appear to be the sort of highly idealistic "mission statement" of the type that many educational projects have been declaring for more than a century. The real test remains whether the many schools associated with his movement, which have been consciously established on the basis of this idealism, have been successful in providing the kind of education advocated by Gulen. The answers will be as various as the expectations of those who evaluate these schools. [37] Some schools are likely to be more successful than others due to differences in the individual talents of teachers and administrators, in government support or interference, in financial arrangements, and in the capabilities and backgrounds of the students. In quantifiable aspects of the educational process, such as generalized examinations, academic Olympics, and entrance into high-quality university programs, the schools in the "Gulen network" have largely verified the expectations of Fethullah Gulen and his associates. The schools, moreover, are greatly sought after by parents. For example, I visited a secondary school in Bishkek, Kyrghyzstan, in which 5000 applicants had sought entrance to a secondary school in which 250 places were available.
It is in the unquantifiable aspects of educational formation, precisely those which are meant to distinguish the schools in the Gulen network from the many other prep schools, that evaluation is most difficult and necessarily subjective. Have the schools been producing graduates who display "a marriage of mind and heart," as Gulen puts it, individuals of "thought, action, and inspiration"? Do the students who emerge from these schools go on to become "valiant young representatives of national thought and feeling"? Do they give evidence of the "profundity of ideas, clarity of thought, depth of feeling, cultural appreciation, and spiritual values" the instilling of which Gulen sees as one of the primary goals of education? It is the ongoing answers to such questions, which can only be given by graduates themselves and those who know and work with such graduates, which will form the ultimate criterion of evaluation by which the success of Gulen's educational philosophy can be judged
References
_______________________________ [1] The term, Cited in Lynne Emily Webb, Fethullah Gulen: Is There More to Him than Meets the Eye?, Paterson, N.J.: Zinnur Book, n.d., p. 80. [2] M. Fethullah Gulen, Criteria or Lights of the Way, Izmir: Kaynak, 1998, I:36. [3] Cited in Webb, Fethullah Gulen: Is There More to Him than Meets the Eye?, p. 106. [4] Introduction to M. Fethullah Gulen, Prophet Muhammad as Commander, Konak-Izmir: Kaynak, 1998, p. ii. [5] Ihsan Yilmaz, "Changing Turkish-Muslim Discourses on Modernity, West and Dialogue," paper delivered at the International Association of Middle East Studies (IAMES), Berlin, 5-7 October 2000, footnote 33. [6] I believe that the term "integration" conveys Mr. Gulen's intent better in English than "coordination." [7] M. Fethullah Gulen, Towards the Lost Paradise, London: Truestar, 1996, p. 11. [8] Gulen, Criteria or Lights of the Way, I: 59. [9] Bernard Lewis, The Emergence of Modern Turkey, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1969, pp. 268-289. [10] Webb, p. 86. [11] Gulen, Towards the Lost Paradise, p. 16. [12] "M. Fethullah Gulen: A Voice of Compassion, Love, Understanding and Dialogue," Introduction to M. Fethullah Gulen, "The Necessity of Interfaith Dialogue: a Muslim Approach," Parliament of the World's Religions, Capetown: 1999, p. 4. [13] Gulen, Towards the Lost Paradise, pp. 51-52. [14] Gulen, Criteria, or Lights of the Way, I: 36. [15] Gulen, "The Necessity of Interfaith Dialogue: a Muslim Approach," p. 39. [16] M. Fethullah Gulen, Prophet Muhammad as Commander, Izmir: Kaynak, 1998, pp. 3-4, 7, 11, 87, 94, 100 et passim, and [17] Cited in Webb, p. 95. [18] Gulen, Criteria, or Lights of the Way, I: 45. [19] Gulen, Towards the Lost Paradise, p. 103. [20] Gulen, "The Necessity of Interfaith Dialogue: a Muslim Approach," p. 30. [21] Webb, p. 135. [22] Webb, p. 107. [23] Webb, p. 105-106. [24] "M. Fethullah Gulen: a Voice of Compassion, Love, Understanding and Dialogue," p.5. [25] Gulen, "Towards the Lost Paradise," p. 98. [26] Prophet Muhammad as Commander and the two-volume work, Prophet Muhammad: [27] His work, Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism, Izmir: Kaynak, n.d., is a basic introduction to tasawwuf in which the author analyzes in turn each of the maqam창t (stations) and ahw창l (states) on the Sufi path. [28] Questions This Modern Age Puts to Islam, Izmir: Kaynak, 1998. The work covers theological topics such as the revealed character of the Qur'an, the nature of revelation, and an interesting treatment of the possibility of the salvation of nonMuslims (pp. 149-160.) [29] Understanding and Belief: the Essentials of Islamic Faith, Izmir: Kaynak, 1997, [30] Cited in Webb, p. 96. [31] Yilmaz, "Changing Turkish-Muslim Discourses," p. 2. [32] Gulen, Towards the Lost Paradise, p. 30. [33] Gulen, Prophet Muhammad as Commander, pp. 122-123. [34] Gulen, Prophet Muhammad: the Infinite Light, II: 153-154. [35] Gulen, Key concepts in the Practice of Sufism, p. 1. [36] Gulen, Prophet Muhammad: the Infinite Light, II: 154. [37] Ihsan Yilmaz offers a very useful bibliography of recent studies on the thought of Fethullah Gulen:
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Reading the World in
F. G端len's Educational Written by Magdy Said Thursday, 04 May 2006
Philosophy
Dr. Magdy A. M. Said, an editor & writer, was born in Cairo at 1961, graduated from Faculty of Medicine Cairo University at 1986, then working as a physician till 1994. He has got a Diploma of Anthropology from "Institute of African Studies at 1996. Since 1992 he has started his journey outside the world of medicine, starting as editorial secretary in "Al Ateba'a" the magazine of Egyptian Medical Syndicate, then working in the field of social research, micro-credit, environmental development, then finally e-journalism. He has published several articles (more than 100 articles) in different newspapers & websites since 1987.
Thoroughly reading of the words enables the person to reflect on the world, this quote was said by the educational Brazilian thinker Paulo Freiri as a title for his first message, to those who are courage enough to lead the education and teaching career[1]. This quote represents a summary of his educational philosophy and in the construction of his sober critical thinking through what he called the emancipational education in contrast to the banking education, which enables the people of intellect to reflect on this world by reflecting the words. It is the same quote that we can use referring to the philosophy of Fethullah Gulen, one of the most Islamic Turkish contemporary thinkers who is considered to be one of the greatest students of the Islamic
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revival Imam Bediuzzaman [Said Nursi], we can also add this quote: "reflecting on the words enables us to reflect on life and the world" to refer to his philosophy and the practices of his movement in its educational side, this paper is presenting how Gulen had formed his philosophy and educational practices.
1- Reflecting the World according to Fethullah G端len To avoid diving in deep seas of Fethullah Gulen's writings, I investigated his critical reflection of the world through his view
of human needs and the problems of the world to what is relevant to his view of the role of education to solve these problems.
1-1: Human Needs: In his article titled "Education from Cradle to Grave", we can see the point of view of Fethullah Gulen to human needs in a detailed way. These needs should be satisfied, in Gulen's perspective, through education, the view that we can put in points in his own words: - At birth of the human is born "needy and impotent" - And during his life he seeks for perfection & understanding, the process
which is called: Education. - Which "is a perfecting process through which we earn, in the spiritual, intellectual and physical dimensions of their beings"[2], - As "Our duty in life is to acquire perfection and purity in our thinking, conception, and belief. By fulfilling our duty of servanthood to the Creator, Nourisher, and Protector, and by penetrating the mystery of creation through our potentials and faculties, we seek to attain the rank of true humanity and become worth of blissful eternal life in another, exalted world.
be responsible for the vices and virtues that will appear in another 25 years.[6]
In the same article and under a subtitle of: The Real Meaning and Value of Education he has stated that:
- Enlightment movements beginning in the eighteenth century considered human beings as minds only. Following that, positivist and materialist movements considered them as material or corporeal entities only. As a result, spiritual crises have followed one after another. It is no exaggeration to say that these crises and the absence of spiritual
- Improving a community is possible by elevating the coming generations to the rank of humanity, not by obliterating the bad ones. Unless the seeds of religion, traditional values, and historical consciousness germinate throughout the country, new bad elements will inevitably grow up in the place of every bad element that has been eradicated. - A nation’s future depends on its youth. Any people who want to secure their future should apply as much energy to raising their children as they devote to other issues. A nation that fails its youth, that abandons them to foreign cultural influences, jeopardizes their identity and is subject to cultural and political weakness.
- And that: "Our humanity is directly proportional to our emotions purity. Although those who are full of bad feelings and whose souls are influenced by egoism look like human beings, whether they really are human is doubtful."[3]. - Each of us is uniquely endowed with free will and the consequent obligation to discipline our powers (which are reason, anger and lust). This struggle for discipline determines our humanity.
- The reasons of vices observed in today’s generation, as well as the incompetence of some administrators and other nation-wide troubles, lie in the prevailing conditions and ruling elite of 25 years ago. Likewise, those who are charged with educating today’s young people will be responsible for the vices and virtues that will appear in another 25 years. [6]
- And that: We are not only composed of body and mind. Each of us has a spirit that needs satisfaction. Without this, we cannot find true happiness and perfection. Spiritual satisfaction is possible only through knowledge of God and Belief in Him.[4]
1-3: World Problems: In his article titled “Educational Services Spreading all over the World”, with a subtitle: Why Education?, Gulen speaks about the world crisis in the shadow of western thought & civilization, the speech which we will try to crystallize and brief it in those points:
- There are two extremes related to each moral virtue: deficiency or excess. (..) So a person's perfection, the ultimate purpose of our existence, lies in maintaining a condition of balance and moderation between the two extremes relating to every virtue.[5] - Improving a community is possible by elevating the coming generations to the rank of humanity, not by obliterating the bad ones. Unless the seeds of religion, traditional values, and historical consciousness germinate throughout the country, new bad elements will inevitably grow up in the place of every bad element that has been eradicated. - A nation's future depends on its youth. Any people who want to secure their future should apply as much energy to raising their children as they devote to other issues. A nation that fails its youth, that abandons them to foreign cultural influences, jeopardizes their identity and is subject to cultural and political weakness. - The reasons of vices observed in today's generation, as well as the incompetence of some administrators and other nation-wide troubles, lie in the prevailing conditions and ruling elite of 25 years ago. Likewise, those who are charged with educating today's young people will
satisfaction were the major factors behind the conflict of interests that enveloped the last two centuries and reached its apex in the two world wars.[7] Claims are made today that religion is divisive and opens the way to killing others. However, it is undeniable that religion, especially Islam, has not led to the last several centuries of merciless exploitation, especially the twentieth century's wars and revolutions that killed hundreds of millions of people and left behind even more widows, orphans and wounded. Scientific materialism, a view of life and the world that has severed itself from religion and a clash of interests caused such exploitation.[8]
1-2: Community Needs:
- In the beginning he talks about the historical factors which accompanied the western Renaissance era, which was characterized by the feverish desire to satisfy the progressing material needs of western societies, and the scientific studies which were faced with opposition of Church and Church-appointed monarchs, the conditions which put the Europeans in a state of conflict between science & religion and a split off between religion and science, so many people were broken with religion. This development eventually led to materialism and communism. - Humanity was faced with the most striking elements of western history: global exploitation, unending conflict based on interest, two world wars, and the division of the world into blocs. - The West held the world under its economic and military control for several centuries. In most centuries, the religionscience conflict has occupied many intellectual circles. Claims are made today that religion is divisive and opens the way to killing others. However, it is undeniable that
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religion, especially Islam, has not led to the last several centuries of merciless exploitation, especially the twentieth century’s wars and revolutions that killed hundreds of millions of people and left behind even more widows, orphans and wounded. Scientific materialism, a view of life and the world that has severed itself from religion and a clash of interests caused such exploitation.[8]
3- Features of the Educational Philosophy of Fethullah Gülen There are five well-known questions that the educational process is revolving around: • Why do we learn? • What we learn? of education. • Who is learning? • Who educates? • How to educate? In the following lines, I will try to analyze the educational philosophy of Fethullah Gulen through discussing these five points.
3-1: Why do we learn? Or purpose of learning: The answer of the question about purpose of learning lies in satisfying the human & community needs and solving the problems of the world, which we have pointed to them during our talking about Fethullah Gulen point of view regarding those points, which he affirm in other words: - Our essential duty, as a creation that has come to this passing guesthouse with a pure nature, is to reach stability and clarity in thought, imagination and belief so that we can acquire a “second nature” and qualify to continue our life in “the next, much more elevated realms”. In addition we by performing our duties as servants, we must activate our hearts, spirits, and all our innate faculties. By embracing our inner and outer worlds, where innumerable mysteries and puzzles reside, we must comprehend the secret of existence and thus rise to the rank of true humanity.[10] - He clarifies the purpose of education in another paragraph: Given the great importance of learning and teaching, we must determine what is to be learned and taught, and when and how to do so. Although knowledge is a value in itself, the purpose of learning is to make knowledge a guide in life and illuminate the road to human betterment. Thus, any knowledge not appropriated for the self is a burden to the learner, and a science that does not direct one toward sublime goals is a deception.[11]
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- He adds to that in another piece, while he was talking to those who devoted their lives to teach people in that educational institutions belonging to the movement all around the world.[12] “Who knows, maybe in the near future, thanks to these volunteers who devote themselves to letting others live, the mind and soul will embrace each other once again, conscience and logic will become complementary depths of each other, physics and metaphysics will stop fighting and withdraw to their own realms, and everything will find the opportunity to express the beauty in its own nature through its own language, the intricacy of legislative rules and the principles of creation will be rediscovered, people will regret having fought each other over nothing, an atmosphere of peace that was not previously established in the marketplaces, in the schools and homes will be established, and breezes of happiness will blow, chastity will not be violated, honesty will not be oppressed, hearts will always breathe respect and esteem, no one will envy others, their property or their reputation, the powerful will treat the weak justly, the weak and the poor will have the chance to live humanely, nobody will be arrested on the strength of mere suspicions, no dwelling or workplace will be attacked, nobody’s blood will be shed and the weak will not cry, everybody will adore God and love humanity, It is only then that this world, which is the hallway to Paradise, will become an Eden that is fascinating to live in.
3-2: What we learn? Or the content of education In their teaching program Fethullah Gulen’s institutions affirm two essential educational contents: - Science - Religion, namely faith & morals, in its living meaning, and in its human general valuable content. And because the contradiction between science & religion was a field of intellectual debate according to the Western historical experience which we have pointed to before, because of that Gulen has put his arguments in this debatable issue, clarifying that the contradiction is an illusion, pointing to that: - Consider: A book is the material manifestation via words of its “spiritual” existence in the writer’s mind. There is no conflict between these two ways of expressing the same truth and contents in two different “worlds”. - Similarly, there can be no conflict among the Qur’an the Divine Scripture (coming from God’s Attribute of Speech), the universe (coming from His Attribute of Power and Will), and the sciences that examine them. The universe is a mighty Qur’an deriving from God’s Attributes of Power and will. In other words, if the term is proper, the universe is a large, created Qur’an. In return, being an expression of the universe’s laws in a different form, the Qur’an is a universe that has been codified
and put on paper. In its true meaning, religion does not oppose or limit science and scientific work. - Religion guides sciences, determines their real goal, and puts moral and universal human values before them as guidance. If this truth had been understood in the West, and if this relationship between religion and knowledge had been discovered, things would have been different. Science would not have brought more destruction than benefit, and it would not have opened the way for producing bombs and other lethal weapons.[13] - Gulen also borrowed his teacher Bediuzzaman [Said Nursi] words: There is no understanding of education that sees the illumination of the mind in science and knowledge, and the light of the heart in faith and virtue. This understanding, which makes the student soar in the skies of humanity with these two wings and seek God’s approval through service to others, has many things to offer. It rescues science from materialism, from being a factor that is as harmful as it is beneficial from both material and spiritual perspectives, and from lethal weapons.[14]
3-3: Who is learning? Educational institutions belonging to Fethullah Gulen are spreading allover Turkey and many other countries of the world, offering their services to their student whether Muslims or nonMuslims, as stated by Bekim Agai:[16] Gulen has expressed that: Whatever happens, despite those who blows out the candles, these men have long illuminated the hearts that are thirsty for light wherever they go, they warn the pure natures of what lies behind things and events, and they announce the universal human values to unspoiled souls.[17]
3-4: Who educates? Fethullah Gulen has concentrated in his writings on the role of the teacher & the school and their essential criteria, from these writings we have chosen those quotations: - A school may be considered as a laboratory in which an elixir is offered which can prevent or heal the ills of life, and teachers are the masters by whose skills and wisdom the elixir is prepared and administrated. - The school is a place of learning, where everything related to this life and the next can be learnt. It can shed light on vital ideas and events and enable its students to understand their natural and human environment. - In essence, the school is a kind of place of worship whose “holy men” are teachers. - Good schools worthy of the name are pavilions of angels, which develop feelings of virtue in their pupils and lead
them to achieve nobility of mind and spirit. - The real teacher is one who sows the pure seed and preserves it. It is his duty to be occupied with what is good and wholesome, and to lead and guide the child in his or her life and in the face of all events. - As it is in the school that life, flowing outside in so many different directions, acquires a stable character and identity (..) the flowing of life in undirected ways is channeled into unity by means of the school. - School is thought to be relevant only in a particular phase of life. However, it is much more than that. It is essentially the theatre in which all the scattered things of the universe are displayed together. It provides its pupils with the possibilities of continuous reading and speaks even when it is silent.[18] - Education is different from teaching. Most people can teach, but only a very few can educate. -Gulen also borrows from the light of prophethood the example of the educator, and adds to criteria of the real educator those points:[21] - First: Give due importance to all aspects of a person’s mind, spirit, and self, and to raise each to its proper perfection. - Second: An education system is judged by its universality, comprehensiveness, and quality of its students. - Third: An education system is judged by its ability to change its students. In fact, the practical experience has showed the success of the schools & teachers of Fethullah Gulen as stated to by many researchers; one of them is Ruth Woodhall who pointed to the factors of success of these schools: - In fact the schools in Turkey and elsewhere invariably follow the national curriculum, even in countries where private schools may be exempt from such a requirement. In addition to being unusually well equipped for teaching of science, as mentioned above, they tend to have very good English language departments and small classes. These three criteria are seen as key to the ultimate educational and professional success of the pupils and are vital factors in the marketing of the schools to the growing educational middle class in Turkey, Central Asia and other non-English speaking countries.[22] - At a managerial level the constant inservice training of teachers and support staff is seen as vital to establishing and maintaining high standards and schools often join together, in greater or smaller numbers, depending on the need and the circumstances, to provide weekend and holiday skills training for teaching staff. - In the same periods, when teachers are meeting for training, school managers
also meet, exchange views and experiences, and discuss good practice and innovations.[23] Ruth also adds to these factors another point from Ozgala’s words: - The first unique aspect (of the schools) is the fostering of a competitive spirit. Yearly reports are prepared and distributed that compare the performance of students in Gulen’s high schools with those in other schools- and the former often score very well in the entrance examinations to universities. This outstanding performance is even more noticeable in the schools in Central Asia than in Turkey. The competitive spirit also is encouraged by training and sending students to different academic “Olympic” contests for high-school students all around the world, often they return with medals.[24]
3-5: How to Educate? The answer to this hard question we can find it in Gulen’s own words:[25] - We rightfully say, “Tongues and words have nothing to say in the presence of actions. When manners speak, is there a need for speech?
Conclusion Fethullah Gulen shifts through his educational philosophy from reflecting the world reflecting the whole universe, life and humans. He derived this philosophy from the words of Allah in the noble Qur’an when Allah addresses man to reflect upon the verses and the signs in the horizon to enable the humans learn the laws of life and existence. He depended in his philosophy on a deep and profound reading, an understanding and critical reading, to the writings of both Islamists and westerners, using these readings he was able to define the needs of human, society and the problems of the world, which its solution the human should be reformed altogether, mind, body and soul. He depended on his philosophy in answering the five pivotal questions forming the educational process by teaching the students the art of reading life, reflecting on the world and existence to illuminate for the rest of the humanity a light that brings hope to the souls of a new generation, a generation of mind and soul, a generation who knows its creator as it knows the world and the universe around it. The educational philosophy and experiment of Gulen widens the horizons to many comparative studies, to start with is the study of the Islamic schools in Egypt that are established by national efforts and supported by Islamic and national powers to resist occupation and illiteracy in the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century and compare this experiment with the one of Gulen’s considering the resemblance and the differences exposed by the differences in time and place.
The answer is in the “Good Example” teachers present to their pupils, Gulen has borrowed this way from the “Example” of the Messenger, who was an educator by actions and manners too: God’s Messenger represented and expressed what he wanted to teach through his actions, and then translated his actions into words (..) As a result, References whatever he preached was accepted ______________________ immediately in his house and by his followers, for his words penetrated all [1] Paulo Fereri, teachers are the founders of the culture, messages to those who are courage enough to lead the their hearts.[26] Gulen also pointed to another aspect of the way of education by refusing the way of ear & memory, and by stimulating the way of mind & spirit, saying: “Information rightly acquired at school and fully internalized by the self, is a means by which the individual rises beyond the clouds of this gross world of matter and reaches to the borders of eternity. Information not fully internalized by the self is no more than a burden loaded upon the pupil’s back. It is a burden of responsibility on its owner, and a devil, which confuses the mind. That kind of information that has been memorized but not fully digested does not provide light to the mind and elevation to the spirit, but remains simply a nuisance to the self.[27] This way reminds us with another reformer whose life was also the education, and who was exposed in his life to those two ways of education, and he has chosen the second one namely “the way of mind and spirit”. He is Imam Muhammad Abdo[28], whose ideas about reforming life through education resemble that of Fethullah Gulen.
teaching career, translated by hamid `Ammar and others, Cairo, Egyptian Lebanese house, 2004, p.61. [2] M.F.Gulen: Essays, Perspectives, Opinions. NJ, Fountain, The Light Inc.,2002, pp 57 [3] Ibid p 58 [4] Ibid p 59 [5] Ibid p 60 [6] Ibid p p 61-62 [7] Ibid pp 76-78 [8] Ibid p 81 [9] Around these questions see: Sulayman Naseem, forming the modern Egyptian education, the role of the political, social and intellectual powers 1923-1952, Cairo, public Egyptian administration for the book, series of Misr AnNahda 1984, p.191 [10] Op. Cit., pp 79-80 [11] Ibid. p 63 [12] Ibid. p 63 [13] Op. Cit. pp 80-81 [14] Ibid. p 82 [15] Ibid. p 75 [16] The Fethullah Gulen Movement in Thought and Practice, November 12-13, 2005, Rice University, Houston, TX, p 71 [17] M. Fethullah Gulen: Toward A Global Civilization Of Love & Tolerance, New Jersey, The Light Inc., Second Impression, 2004, p 213 [18] M. Fethullah Gulen: Towards The Lost Paradise, Izmir, Kaynak, Second Edition, 1998, pp 98- 99 [19] Ibid pp 99-100 [20] M. F. Gulen: Essays, Perspectives, Opinions, p 75 [21] M. Fethullah Gulen: An Analysis of the Prophet’s LifeThe Messenger of God Muhammad, New Jersey, The Light Inc., Revised Edition in one volume, Second Impression, 2005, pp 188-189 [22] The Fethullah Gulen Movement in Thought and Practice, November 12-13, 2005, Rice University, Houston, TX, p 85 [23] Ibid pp 85-86 [24] Ibid p 86 [25] M. Fethullah Gulen: Toward A Global Civilization Of Love & Tolerance, p 213 [26] Op. Cit, p 187 [27] M. Fethullah Gulen: Towards The Lost Paradise, p 99 [28] Abbas Mahmud el Akkad, Muhmmmad Abdo, Cairo, Magdy Said, Southern Methodist University, March 4-5, 2006
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Pedagogical Model of G端len and Modern Theories of Learning Written by Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan 10 July 2008 11:21
Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan, is an author, an editorial board member of Fountain magazine, and a faculty member at the University of Texas at Arlington. Aslandogan has published articles and given seminars on several topics, including the relationship of science and religion, spirituality and time management, Islamic spirituality, comparative analysis of theories of learning and the prophetic tradition, and common cultural values among the world's major religions. His recent presentations include Science and Religion: Between Friction and Harmony, Questions of Lifestyle: How Conflict Ownership is Spread, Sufism (Tasawwuf) as the Spiritual Dimension of Islam, and Diversity, Tolerance, Dialog and Ramadan.
In this article we review the educational (pedagogical) model described by Mr. F. Gulen in a series of sermons on marriage and parental education, and make comparisons and contrasts with some of the prominent theories of learning. Gulen's references for his pedagogical model are drawn mostly from the Islamic prophetic tradition. However, Gulen's interpretation has its own unique focus points, preferences and combinations that distinguish it from historical interpretations of the prophetic tradition and hence deserves recognition as a novel interpretation. While the model is intended for parental education of ethics, values, and behavior, many elements are applicable to education of secular subjects as well. Our thesis is that certain aspects of Gulen's model can be viewed as a set of pedagogical principles that parallel those stemming from three modern learning theories based on cognitive psychology, namely Bandura's Social Learning Theory, Vygotsky's Social Cognitive Theory, and Paivio's Dual Coding Theory. We also point out to certain principles and practices that are yet to be investigated by the learning research community. Introduction According to one definition that has behavioral roots, learning is a cognitive process of acquiring knowledge or skills that leads to observable, measurable, and relatively long term (permanent) changes in behavior potential [Kimble1961]. According to most theorists, learning is a process that mediates behavior [Hergenhahn00]. The online encyclopedia Wikipedia defines learning as follows [Wiki06]: Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values, through study, experience, or teaching, that causes a change of behavior that is persistent, measurable, and specified or allows an individual to formulate a new mental construct or revise a prior mental construct (conceptual knowledge such as attitudes or values). Theories of learning explore how the
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process of learning takes place. Major categories of learning theories include behavioral or functionalistic, cognitive or meta-cognitive, constructivist, neurophysiologic, and social. This categorization is not an exclusive partition and learning theories often overlap. Many theories continue to evolve as well [McCormick96, Schunk99, Hergenhahn00]. Some of the prominent theories of learning include Genetic Epistemology by Piaget, also known as the developmental theory or the operational cognitive structures theory (Piaget), Constructivist Theory (Bruner/Piaget), Operant Conditioning or behaviorism (Skinner), Social Development Theory (Vygotsky), Conditions of Learning (Gagne), Cognitive/metacognitive or brainbased or neuroscience theories such as Connectionism Theory (Thorndike), Rightbrain/Left-brain thinking, Dual Coding Theory (Paivio), Learning styles, Multiple Intelligences (Gardner), Communities of practice or social or situated learning theories (Vygotsky, Bandura, Lave), and Information Processing Theory (Miller) [McCormick96, Schunk99, Hergenhahn00].
etiquette; (3) Moral education; faith and worship education; (4) Justice among siblings; (5) Protection from evil and the harm that may come from ill-intentioned people [Gulen02]. Gulen starts his discussion of child upbringing not after birth, but before marriage. He emphasizes the institution of marriage as a preparation of the learning environment for the child.
Establishment of Marriage on a Sound Foundation Gulen sets forth upbringing of a desirable generation as a lofty goal for the establishment of the marriage. Consequently, he recommends choosing
so that their instructions and suggestions will carry weight with them. The parents should behave according to the type of person they would like to see when their children grow up. If they want their child's worldview to be based on trust, love, compassion and generosity, they should exemplify these traits in their lives. The alternative is likely to lead to a person whose worldview is based on mistrust, lack of love and compassion, and stinginess.
Mother's Role as First and Foremost Teacher Gulen emphasizes the role of the mother as the first and the foremost teacher of the child. He echoes the view of Nursi,
While theories of learning explore how the process of learning takes place, theories of instruction, or pedagogy, on the other hand, explore methods to facilitate the learning process. Often, a theory of learning is associated with one or more pedagogical models that stem from the basic arguments of the theory. In this article, we will first outline some of the basic tenets of Gulen's pedagogical (educational) model and then compare and contrast this model with the pedagogical principles stemming from three theories of learning.
G端len's Educational Model Before we start the discussion of Gulen's educational model, it is helpful to clarify what we mean, and do not mean, by this term. We are referring specifically to the body of arguments, principles and practices that are promoted by Gulen in his sermons, articles and books about education of young children, mainly by parents but also in part by teachers [Gulen02]. The purpose of this education is to instill values, attitudes and behavior in children, and prepare them for challenges and opportunities of life. We do not consider the educational practices implemented in secular private schools established worldwide by entrepreneurs and educators who are inspired by Gulen's emphasis on the value of education. In this context, Gulen's educational model specifies five top responsibilities for parents when it comes to child upbringing: (1) Meeting of physical needs; (2) Age-appropriate discipline or
of a spouse by considering long term educational goals. He emphasizes the mother as the first and foremost teacher for the child and the father as the second most important teacher. He therefore recommends that the candidate spouses consider the educational outlook and qualities of their prospective partner as an important factor in deciding to get married.
who suggests that what a child learns from their mother forms the essential attributes of their character. All other learning through the consequent years is built upon this foundation.
Parent Education on Child Upbringing Gulen suggests that just as adults are required to go through a training course to obtain a vehicle driving license, they should go through a course for child education before they can get married. As child upbringing is no less important than the safety of people on the roads, proper education for such an important duty should not be at the mercy of young, inexperienced couples.
As a consequence of the points above, Gulen suggests that parents consider child education as a crucial duty in their lives and just as parents dedicate time on a regular basis for other actitivites, they dedicate regular periods for the education of their children.
Parents as Role Models
Gulen suggests that parents should be concerned about every aspect of a child's life and should plan and intervene in the selection or preparation of this environment. As a child continues to learn outside of home and classroom, the parents should analyze where the child spends time and make sure that possible sources of impressions on the child's mind are consistent with the parents'
Gulen emphasizes that whether they desire or not, parents are primary role models for their children. Therefore, their actions, words, treatment of each other and their relationships with the people outside set examples for their children. Parents should always try to retain a noble status in the eyes of their children
Dedicating a Part of Life to Child Education
Consideration and Preparation of the Environment
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educational philosophy. He gives the example of a hair styler in this context. He suggests that a parent should know the philosophy and the life style of the hair styler where they take their children.
Teaching of Virtues by Means of True Illustrative Stories Gulen recommends that instead of talking about virtues and how they are desirable in the sight of people or God, such virtues should be illustrated for the eye of the child's mind by means of stories of past pious people. He recounts how his parents inculcated virtues such as truthfulness, generosity, sincerity and compassion in him by means of the stories of the companions of the Prophet (upon whom be peace and blessings).
Emphasis on Sincerety Gulen suggests that the parents, and for that matter, any person who is in a position to be an example for a child should act sincerely, out of sincere intentions. There should be no discrepancy between a person's intentions/thoughts and the observed behavior. In this context, Gulen suggests that rather than the words uttered by the parents, the child's observation of their behavior is more influential. For instance, a child who observes his/her parents in tears because of their sorrow for the sufferings of humanity will be more sensitive to this issue compared to a child who listens to the words of their parents. In this context he recounts the example of the leader of a major school of jurisprudence. A child is brought by his parents to this scholar to be advised on the harm that could come from excessive consumption of honey. The scholar asks the parents to return to their homes and bring the child back in 40 days. While puzzled, the parents oblige and return in 40 days. This time, the scholar clearly explains the risk of excessive consumption of honey to the child and chides him. Afterwards the parents pleasantly report that the child stops his habit. When asked about the 40 days period, the scholar answers as follows: "The day you brought in your child, I had eaten honey myself. With the honey in my body, my words would have no effect on him. I wanted to wait until not trace of honey would remain in me and my words would be sincere."
Truthfullness and Trustworthiness (Credibility) As the child learns his primary lessons from their parents, it is of jugular importance that the parents maintain credibility with their children through truthfulness and trustworthiness. This is crucial in inculcating a sense of trust in the child. They should take the child seriously and to the degree possible treat them as adults while recognizing their limitations in fulfilling responsibilities. Gulen points out to the observation that while children may not immediately react in a case of unintegrity, they are likely to retain this episode and reveal it later, at
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an emotionally loaded situation. Age Appropriateness Gulen suggests that the material to be taught and the teaching style should be age-appropriate. Some subjects should be taught only at a certain age and some subjects should be taught at increasing levels of sophistication as the child grows up.
Proportionality of Praise or Rewards Gulen suggests that positive or negative reinforcement be proportional to the importance of the action. Parents should view the trust and love between themselves and the child as an important asset and help the child become aware of this view. Consequently, significant acts such as a violation of the trust should be dealt with proportionally, while insignificant acts should not merit immediate and severe consequences. This strategy, in the long run, will help establish the proper priorities in the child's mind.
Learning Theories and G端len's Educational Model We will examine the educational model proposed by Gulen in relation to pedagogies stemming from three theories of learning: Bandura's social learning theory, Vygotsky's social learning theory and Paivio's dual-coding theory.
Bandura's Social Learning Theory and G端len's Educational Model Observational or social learning theory concerns the type of learning when an observer's behavior changes through the observation of the behavior of a model. "An observer's behavior can be affected by the positive or negative consequences-called vicarious reinforcement or vicarious punishment-- of a model's behavior" [Bandura63, Bandura71, Bandura86, Clark91, Bandura93]. In this theory, several factors affect whether and how the observed behavior is learned by the observer and expressed as behavior. Learning by observation involves four separate processes: attention, retention, production and motivation. Attention is crucial to observers' learning. Attention is influenced by such factors as the learner's like or dislike of the model, learner's expectations and the level of emotional arousal. Retention is also required for persistent learning to take place. Retention is facilitated and enhanced by the learner's ability to encode the information in an easily memorable form or a mental model. Production refers to the observers' physical or intellectual capability of producing the desired behavior. Reproduction of the model's actions may sometimes require skills that the observer has not yet acquired. Finally, observers perform the desired behavior only if they have some motivation or reason to do so. Various factors determine motivation. The presence of reinforcement or
punishment, either to the model or directly to the observer, is an important factor. An important component of motivation in Bandura's theory is an self-efficacy, defined as "individuals' confidence in their ability to control their thoughts, feelings, and actions,and therefore influence an outcome" [Bandura94]. Perceptions of self-efficacy is associated with the learners's actual performances [Locke84, Schunk81] including academic performance [Multon91], and achievement [Ames84, Nicholls84], emotions [Bandura77],and effort and perseverance [Brown78]. Bandura cites four principal sources from which a learner acquires information to evaluate their self-efficacy: (1) Actual experiences, (2) Vicarious, or observational, experiences, (3) Verbal persuasion, and (4) Physiological indexes. While the first source, an individual's own experience is the most reliable source of assessment; it is also the most time consuming one and is not always feasible. Observation of peers or adults performing similar tasks also conveys a sense of self-efficacy. However, this influence does not happen automatically. Information gained from peers and adults are cognitively processed before a judgment is made on self-efficacy. An important factor in the influence of observational learning is the credibility of the persuader [Schunk89]. The more credible the observed individual is, the more impact their actions have on the observer. The observations about self-efficacy and the role of credibility are in line with Gulen's emphasis on role models and their credibility. In value and attitude education, Gulen strongly recommends true stories of virtuous people over abstract verbal persuasion [Gulen02]. In such stories, the virtuous typically are rewarded by their conscience, by the society or by God. In Bandura's social learning theory, the adoption of a behavior or attitude is affected by the consequence of model's action. If an action of the model results in a positive consequence for the model, then the learner is more likely to adopt the model's behavior. The preference of true stories also serves as a tool for invoking mental imagery by verbal stimuli, which we will discuss below.
Vygotsky's Social Cognition Theory and G端len's Educational Model Vygotsky is one of the leading contributors to the science of learning with his theory of social cognition [Vygotsky62, Vygotsky78]. His theory places a great importance on the culture in which a child develops. Every human child develops in the context of a culture and according to the social cognition theory, culture is the prime determinant of individual development. A child's learning development is affected in two main ways by the culture, including the culture of family environment: First, the content of child's thinking and second, the process or means of thinking, called tools of intellectual development.
Every function in the child's cultural development appearstwice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first,between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child(intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logicalmemory, and to the formation of concepts. All the higher functions orig inateas actual relationships between individuals [Vygotsky78, p57]. Vygotsky's emphasis on culture, including the family environment, parallels Gulen's emphasis on parental responsibility to control the child's experiences within their culture. According to Gulen, the child learns within every context of culture. In order for the messages that the child is getting to be consistent, the parents need to be concerned about the whole environment, and not only the home and the school. The theory of social cognition asserts that interactions with surrounding culture and social agents, such as parents and more competent peers, contribute significantly to a child's intellectual development. An important component in Vygotsky's theory is the notion of "zone of proximal development". This term refers to the potential level of development a learner is capable of learning with the help of a peer or guide, as opposed to the learner's actual level of development at a particular time. The child can learn much more effectively and efficiently when the learning activity is designed to be just beyond the child's current level of development. The adult overseeing the child's education can scaffold their learning by continuously adjusting the difficulty level of learning process. The concept of proximal zone of development and continuous adjustment is similar to Gulen's principle of education suitable for the level of development. Gulen mentions the responsibility of parents and teachers is assessing this level of development and not missing signs regarding this level.
Paivio's Dual Coding Theory and Gülen's Educational Model Gulen advocates the use of stories of virtuous, actual people from the past for instilling virtues in children, as opposed to an abstract discussion o f these topics. The use of true stories invoke the imagination and the visual memory of the child. According to the dual coding theory of Paivio, human cognition has specialized circuitry and processing mechanisms for dealing with language and nonverbal objects, such as images [Clark91, Paivio71, Paivio86]. Human cognition is unique in that it has become specialized for dealing simultaneously with language and with nonverbal objects and events. Moreover, the language system is peculiar in that it deals directly with linguistic input and output (in the form of speech or writing) while at the same time serving a symbolic function with respect to nonverbal objects, events, and behaviors.
Any representational theory must accommodate this dual functionality." [Paivio86, p53]. Dual Coding theory has been applied to learning situations such as problem solving, concept learning and language learning. According to this theory, there are two cognitive subsystems, one specialized for the representation and processing of language (verbal) information and one specializing on nonverbal information such as images. Dual Coding Theory identifies three types of cognitive processing: (1) Representation, in which verbal or non-verbal descriptions are directly activated. (2) Referential, in which the verbal system is activated by the non-verbal system and vice versa. (3) Associative, in which verbal or non-verbal system is activated by itself. Any task may involve one or more of these types of processing. A pedagogical principle emerging from the Dual Coding theory is to represent information in both verbal and non-verbal forms, such as actual or mental images. Gulen's recommendation to instill virtues by the true stories of virtuous people can be seen as a form of stimulated imagery through auditory stimuli. The stimulated imagery helps a learner construct mental images and subconsciously encode the concepts in both verbal and non-verbal memory. This form of stimulated imagery may be helping the child learn in other ways in addition to the use of visual memory, such as increased believability and attachment to the model [Broudy87, Kaufman96].
Analysis of Sources According to a biography by Unal [Unal00, Unal01], Gulen never received formal education in theories of learning. There is no evidence that he educated himself on these theories either. In his sermons he frequently mentions the names of Western philosophers and scientists such as Kant, Pascal, Comte, James Jean etc. yet there is no mention of any theoreticians of learning. We do, however, know that Gulen has an indepth knowledge of the Islamic prophetic tradition. The fact that he dedicates a chapter of his book on the life of Prophet Muhammad to the educational aspects of his life is evidence of this view [Gulen96]. It follows, therefore, that Gulen's educational model is not a product of an education in modern theories of learning. Instead, it is his interpretation, in part traditional and in part novel, and compilation of the prophetic tradition. In this light, it is interesting to note that many principles and practices in Gulen's educational model are indeed supported by modern theories of learning and their associated pedagogical models.
Conclusion In this article we have presented some salient aspects of Gulen's educational model as it relates in part to parental and in part school education of values, attitudes and behavior in children. We have shown that important aspects of this model parallels pedagogical models associated with modern theories of learning, in particular Bandura's
social learning theory, Vygotsky's social cognition theory and Paivio's dual encoding theory. This overlap is interesting in the light of the fact that Gulen is not known as self-educated or having been educated in modern theories of learning. It remains an interesting research question, therefore, to investigate other aspects of this educational model and determine if positive educational outcomes can be expected in the area of value, ethics and behavioral education in a religiously diverse society. Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan, is an author, an editorial board member of Fountain magazine, and a faculty member at the University of Texas at Arlington. He translated and compiled of scientific articles for a popular scientific/spiritual magazine in Turkey in 1986. Aslandogan has published articles and given seminars on several topics, including the relationship of science and religion, spirituality and time management, Islamic spirituality, comparative analysis of theories of learning and the prophetic tradition, and common cultural values among the world's major religions. His recent presentations include Science and Religion: Between Friction and Harmony, Questions of Lifestyle: How Conflict Ownership is Spread, Sufism (Tasawwuf) as the Spiritual Dimension of Islam, and Diversity, Tolerance, Dialog and Ramadan.
References [Ames84] Ames, C. (1984). Competitive, cooperative, and individualistic goal structures: A cognitive-motivational analysis. In R. E. Ames & C. Ames (Eds.), Research on motivation in education: Student motivation (Vol. 1, pp. 177-207). New York: Academic Press. [Bandura63] Bandura, A. & Walters, R. (1963). Social Learning and Personality Development. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. [Bandura71] Bandura, A. (1971). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press. [Bandura86] Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. [Bandura93] Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117-148. [Bandura94] Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998). [Broudy87] Broudy, H. S. The Role of Imagery in Learning. Los Angeles: The Getty Centre for Education in the Arts, 1987. [Brown78] Brown, I., Jr., & Inouye, D. K. (1978). Learned helplessness through modeling: The role of perceived similarity in competence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 900-908. [Clark91] Clark, J. M. & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, 3(3), 149-170. [Gulen96] Gulen, F., (1996) "Prophet Muhammad: Aspects of His Life", The Light Inc. [Gulen02] Gulen, F., (2002) (From a Seed to a Cedar Tree: Another Perspective of Family Education, in Turkish), Nil A.S., Izmir, 2002. [Hergenhahn00] Hergenhahn, B.R., et al. (2000) "An Introduction to Theories of Learning", Prentice Hall. [Kaufman96] Kaufman, G. (1996). "The many faces of mental imagery" in C. Cornoldi et al. "Stretching the Imagination: Representation and Transformation in Mental Imagery". Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Kimble61] Kimble, G. A. (1961). "Hilgard and Marquis' Contitioning and Learning.", Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., New York. [Locke84] Locke, E. A., & Latham, G.P. (1984). Goal-setting: A motivational technique that works. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall. [McCormick96] McCormick, C.B. et al. (1996), "Educational Psychology: Learning, Instruction, Assessment", Addison Wesley. [Multon91] Multon, K. D., Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (1991). Relation of self-efficacy beliefs to academic outcomes: A metaanalytic investigation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 30-38. [Nicholls84] Nicholls, J. G. (1984). Achievement motivation: Conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance. Psychological Review, 91, 328-346. [Paivio71] Paivio, A. (1971). Imagery and Verbal Processes. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. [Paivio86] Paivio, A. (1986). Mental Representations. New York: Oxford University Press. [Schunk89] Schunk, D. H. (1989). Self-efficacy and cognitive achievement: Implications for students with learning problems. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 22, 14-22. [Schunk81] Schunk, D. H. (1981). Modeling and attributional effects on children's achievement: A self-efficacy analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 93-105. [Schunk99] Schunk, D.H., (1999) "Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective", Prentice Hall. [Unal00] A. Unal, "M Fethullah Gülen: Bir Portre Denemesi (Fethullah Gulen: Essay on A. Portrait).", Istanbul: Nil. 2000. [Unal01] Ünal, Ali and Alphonse Williams. 2001. Advocate of Dialogue: Fethullah Gülen. Virginia: The Fountain. [Vygotsky62] Vygotsky, L.S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Original work published 1934) [Vygotsky78] Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
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Fethullah GĂźlen, the originator of the elite educational institutions, made the following comments:
establish sincere bonds and closeness are those of Central Asia. In one way we are a branch from the same shoot. This is why I directed my friends toward that region. Maybe this is just daydreaming.
"The human factor lies at the base of all our problems, for all problems begin and end with people. Education is the best vehicle for a defect-free (or almost free) well-functioning social system or for a good life beyond the grave. In this respect, just as teaching is the most sacred profession, the best service to one's country or nation is education.
Why education?
"When I was studying at Kursunlu/ Erzurum around the age of 12 or 13, I would have an Arabic book in one hand and a map in the other. I would ask: 'God, how can we save young generations from being wasted? How can we be a country without any problems unsolved' As a child I would make plans for this. I grew up with these dreams. I never had any other goal in life, or thought of having a nice house, children, and a car. "You can't oppose natural law. Water will flow, boil at 100 degrees, and evaporate; it will freeze at 0 degrees and become ice. If my nature contains a special characteristic that doesn't harm others, what is more natural than for it to flourish? As a person who grew up with the feelings and goal of serving my country and nation, and if this service passes initially through education, my interest in education is as natural as water flowing or the sun rising and setting. "I have no power, capital, or army. I only have an unobstructable love and enthusiasm for serving others. I can explain this only to those who will heed my advice and make recommendations. At any rate, this kind of service is like a 'bazaar for God's approval.' "Turkey can't be cut off from the world. When it is cut off, it is like a branch broken off from a tree—it can't live, and so will dry up. Turkey must be integrated with the world. In such an integration, the foremost countries with which we can
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"Loyal Turkish people supported this idea, and schools were opened in Central Asia. Some of them are now self-supporting. If we hadn't supported them until now, it wouldn't have been possible to take this operation there. We had an opportunity and tried to take advantage of it by believing in it and being conscious of our responsibility. "Turkey needs enlightenment. We need to give direction to our friends. Those who built mosques wanted to open Qur'an courses beside them. I said: 'Mosques are wonderful; we have the greatest respect for them. However, it would be better if you open a school.' Our country needs distinguished and welltrained technicians and social scientists. From the outset I have tried to make suggestions to my friends. I was never actively involved in these efforts. I never asked for a house and home in this world. I used my friends' trust in me like a credit card for educational services. I did all this with the good will of my friends."
Many things have been said and written about education. We will approach this subject from three interrelated angles: human-psychological, national-social, and universal. We have been under the serious influence of contemporary Western thought, which undoubtedly has many superior aspects, for several centuries. However, it also has some defects stemming especially from the historical period it passed through and the unique conditions it created. In the Middle Ages, when Europe was living under a theocratic order ruled by the Church or Church-appointed monarchs, it came into contact with the Islamic world, especially through Andalusia and the Crusades. In addition to other factors, this opened the door for the Renaissance and Reform movements. Together with such other factors as land shortages, poverty, the drive to meet growing needs, and some island nations like England being naturally inclined to sea transportation, it also led to overseas geographical discoveries. The primary drive in all of these developments was to satisfy material needs. As the accompanying scientific studies developed in opposition to the Church and medieval Christian scholasticism, Europeans were confronted with a religion-science conflict. This caused religion to split off from science and many people to break with religion. This development eventually led to materialism and communism. In social geography, humanity was faced with the most striking elements of Western history: global exploitation, unending conflict based on interest, two world wars, and the division of the world into blocs.
The West has held the world under its economic and military control for several centuries. In recent centuries, its religion-science conflict has occupied many intellectual circles. Enlightenment movements beginning in the eighteenth century saw human beings as mind only. Following that, positivist and materialist movements saw them as material or corporeal entities only. As a result, spiritual crises have followed one after another. It is no exaggeration to say that these crises and the absence of spiritual satisfaction were the major factors behind the conflict of interests that enveloped the last two centuries and reached its apex in the two world wars. As possessors of a system of belief with a different history and essence, we have some basic things to give to the West, with whom we have deep economic, social, and even military relationships, and to humanity at large. At the head of these are our understanding and view of humanity. Actually this view is neither exclusive to us or subjective; rather, it is an objective view that puts forward what men and women really are. A person is a creature composed of not only a body or mind or feelings or spirit; rather, he or she is a harmonious composition of all of these elements. A person is a body writhing in a net of needs. He or she is also a mind that has more subtle and vital needs than the body, and is driven by anxieties about the past and future to find answers to such questions as: "What am I? What is this world? What do life and death want from me? Who sent me to this world, and for what purpose? Where am I going, and what is the purpose of life? Who is my guide in this worldly journey?" Moreover, each person is a creature of feelings that cannot be satisfied by the mind, and a creature of spirit, thorough which he or she acquires his or her essential human identity. An individual is all of these. When a man or a woman, around whom all systems and efforts revolve, is taken into consideration and evaluated as a creature with all these aspects, and when all his or her needs are fulfilled, he or she will be able to reach true happiness. At this point, true human progress and evolvement in relation to our essential being is only possible with education. To comprehend education's significance, look at only one difference between us and animals. At the beginning of the journey from the world of spirits that extends into eternity at the earthly stage, we are weak, in need, and in the miserable position of waiting for everything from others. Animals, however, come to this world or are sent as if they have gained perfection in another realm. Within 2 hours or 2 days or 2 months after their birth, they learn everything they need to know, their relation with the universe and the laws of life, and possess mastery. On the other hand, the strength to live and the ability to work that it takes us 20 years to acquire is attained by a sparrow or a bee in 20 days. More correctly, they are inspired with them.
On the other hand, we need to learn everything when we come into this world, for we are ignorant of the rules of life. In fact, in 20 years or perhaps throughout our whole life we still cannot fully learn the nature and meaning of life's rules and conditions, or of our relationship with the universe. We are sent here in a very weak and helpless form. For example, we can stand on their feet only after 1 or 2 years. In addition, it takes us almost our whole life to learn what is really in our interest and what is not. Only with the help of social life can we turn toward our interests and avoid danger. This means that our essential duty, as a creation that has come to this passing guesthouse with a pure nature, is to reach stability and clarity in thought, imagination, and belief so that we can acquire a "second nature" and qualification to continue our life in "the next, much more elevated realms." In addition, by performing our duties as servants, we have the duty of making our hearts and spirits work and activating all our innate faculties. By embracing our inner and outer worlds, where innumerable mysteries and puzzles reside, we must comprehend the secret of existence and thus rise to the rank of true humanity. Second, the religion-science conflict and its product, materialism, have seen nature, like humanity, as an accumulation of material created only to fulfill bodily needs. As a result, we are experiencing a global environmental disaster. Consider: A book is the material manifestation via words of its "spiritual" existence in the writer's mind. There is no conflict between these two ways of expressing the same truth and contents in two different "worlds." Similarly, a building has a spiritual existence in the architect's mind, "destiny or predetermination" in the form of a plan, and a building in the form of material existence. There is no conflict among three different worlds' ways of expressing the same meaning, content, and truth. Looking for conflict is nothing more than wasted effort. Similarly, there can be no conflict among the Qur'an, the Divine Scripture, (coming from God's Attribute of Speech), the universe (coming from His Attributes of Power and Will), and the sciences that examine them. The universe is a mighty Qur'an deriving from God's Attributes of Power and Will. In other words, if the term is proper, it is a large, created Qur'an. In return, being an expression of the universe's laws in a different form, the Qur'an is a universe that has been codified and put on paper. In its true meaning, religion does not oppose or limit science and scientific work. Claims are made today that religion is divisive and opens the way for killing others. However, no one can deny that it is not religion, especially Islam, that has led to the last several centuries' merciless exploitation, and especially the twentieth century's wars and revolutions that killed hundreds of millions of people
and left behind even more homeless, widows, orphans, and wounded. Scientific materialism, a view of life and the world that has severed itself from religion, and a clash of interests have led to this exploitation.
education is the most effective vehicle regardless of whether we have a paralyzed social and political system or one operating with a clockwork precision.
Serving humanity by means of education A related matter is the following. Among the people there is a saying: "A neighbor is in need of his/her neighbor's ashes." If you have no ashes needed by others, no one will attach any value to you. As mentioned above, we have more to give humanity than we have to take. Today voluntary or non-governmental organizations have founded companies and foundations and are serving others enthusiastically. The mass acceptance of the educational institutions that spread all over the world, despite the great financial difficulties they have faced, and their competing with and frequently surpassing their Western peers in a very short period of time should be proof that what we have said cannot be denied.
Educational Rush to Asia
In short, our three greatest enemies are ignorance, poverty, and internal schism. Knowledge, work-capital, and unification can struggle against these. As ignorance is the most serious problem, we must oppose it with education. Education always has been the most important road of serving our country. Now that we live in a global village, it is the best way to serve humanity and to establish dialogue with other civilizations. But first of all, education is a humane service, for we were sent here to learn and be perfected through education. Saying: "The old state of affairs is impossible. Either a new state or annihilation," Bediuzzaman drew attention to solutions and the future. Saying that "controversial subjects shouldn't be discussed with Christian spiritual leaders," he opened dialogues with members of other religions. Like Jalal al-Din al-Rumi, who said: "One of my feet is in the center and the other is in 72 realms like a compass," he drew a broad circle that encompasses all monotheists. Implying that the days of brute force are over, he said: "Victory with civilized persons is through persuasion," thus pointing out that dialogue, persuasion, and talk based on evidence are essential for those of us who seek to serve religion. By saying that "in the future humanity will turn toward knowledge and science, and in the future reason and word will govern," he encouraged knowledge and word. Finally, putting aside politics and direct political involvement, he drew the basic lines of true religious and national service in this age and in the future. In the light of such principles, I encouraged people to serve the country in particular, and humanity in general, by means of education. I called them to help the state educate and raise people by opening schools. Ignorance is defeated through education, poverty through work and the possession of capital, and internal schism and separatism through unity, dialogue, and tolerance. However, as every problem in human life ultimately depends on human beings themselves,
We hope that our understanding of Islam and Turkish culture will provide for the conditions for a mutual, vital dialogue in the world. I think we’re at a fateful point of history. Actually, the expected friendship has developed to a large extent among the students. The indigenous peoples and governments must be pleased with the schools the Turkish entrepreneurs have opened; they must have left a good impression. For example, the Yakutian principal expelled the Turkish teachers from the technical school because of jealousy but later sent a message: “Come back, and you can open any kind of technical school you want under your own management.” However, I don’t know whether they opened such a school. Yakutia is far away... What I have done is only to encourage people. I believe that the cooperation between Turkey and Central Asia will be beneficial to both parties and also will contribute to regional and global peace. People from diverse walks of life have responded to my call. They really believed. I believed once more in the precious quality of a nation’s spirit. Turkey is a well-established state. Democracy is, at least, in the process of settling down. Instead of dreaming about unity that currently seems impossible with people and countries who look down on us and see themselves as better Muslims than us, I found it more beneficial to turn toward people who have been looked down upon and oppressed for years, even centuries, and who are closer to us in many respects. Everything takes place in accordance with Destiny. When there’s a conjuncture where the apparently necessary means and causes, human free will and decision and Divine Destiny are agreed and united on a thing, surprising and only dreamedof things can take place. I have been looking forward to a better world resembling Paradise, where humanity can live in peace and tranquility. Our world is tired of war and clashes. It direly needs mercy, affection, spiritual well-being, and peace more than air and water. I believe that people in every country are ready for such a world. For example, we made an offer to the Greek government: “Don’t be afraid of us. Come and open a school in Turkey, send your children here, we’ll take care of them and give them scholarship. In return, we’ll send you students and open a school in any city you wish.” Our efforts and enterprises are completely for humanity’s sake. In a
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world becoming more and more globalized, we are trying to get to know those who will be our future neighbors a little earlier. Telecommunication and transportation systems are going to make us all like people in the same room. When Turkey was knocked out by its adversaries technologically, it was decided to turn all superior minds in this direction so that they would study physics and chemistry and transfer high technology to Turkey as soon as possible. But it seems that some who gave priority to the social sciences also will be among those who will manage the future. Raising a leader is tied, in part, to respect for free thought. A seed has the strength to sprout in the soil’s bosom and grow. If the air is beneficial to growth and if it reaches water, the sapling will grow taller. People are like that. There shouldn’t be any pressure. People should be able to express themselves. People, even geniuses, are not directed to their essential capabilities. This system must change. Students should choose what they want to study. Both high school and the university need this flexibility. An untalented, incapable team is controlling this nation’s destiny. [Nevval Sevindi, Yeni Yuzyil daily, August, 1997]
Any political aims? We are all human. Today everyone and every organization is working for some specific goal. I serve other people in a way appropriate to myself within the framework of my beliefs. As stated above, human beings are the most honorable of creatures. Those who want to increase their honor should serve this honorable creature. As regards international relations and humanity, one of the most important factors here is to eliminate factors that separate people, such as egoism, selfinterest, and discrimination based on color, race, belief, and ethnicity. When idealized, these can cause conflict and be exploited by big powers. We can uproot these evils with education. Also, education is the most effective and common tongue for relations with others. We are trying our best to do this; we have no other intention. I would prefer a million times over to gain permanency in this transient life with faith and service to others and to gain eternal happiness, rather than ruling this world, even if it united with others and became a single state.
Excerpts from F. Gülen's 28
Answers to Questions on Education and Turkish Educational Activities Abroad 14 June 2006 14:00 Written by Fethullah Gülen
As one raised in traditional educational institutions, how did you become a pioneer in modern educational institutions inside and outside of Turkey? First let me clarify it that I'm not a pioneer in anything. In my childhood I wasn't able to think of anything outside the influence of the system in which I was raised. I don't know if what a school gives a child allows for questioning the system. In my opinion, the formal education system in Turkey has never been promising. Muallim Naci has a very good book. He compares state schools with madrassas, and claims that the old, wornout madrassas still are more advanced in some ways than state schools. Yes, this separation began in very early periods at the Nizamiye madrassas. For this reason, some researchers blame Imam Ghazali, who struggled against Peripatetic philosophy. However, at that time philosophy and experimental sciences were studied together. (In recent times, philosophy and the positive sciences were separated.) His stance against philosophy affected the sciences, as well as those based on rationalism and their methods of thought. Imam Ghazali openly stated that he was not criticizing the scientific findings of the philosophers he opposed, and that these were not harmful to religion. However, his struggle against this type of theoretical knowledge caused certain damage in the Islamic world during that time, because it was misunderstood as a stance against the positive sciences as well as philosophy. Those who opposed the positive sciences, who had made themselves known from time to time, began to make their presence felt more acutely. For example, in the Ottoman period the Qadizade group dismissed positive sciences from the madrassa curriculum. The Qur'an frequently refers to natural phenomena in relation to principles of belief and appointing certain times for the daily prescribed prayers, fasting, and pilgrimage. But after a certain period, the madrassa closed its ears to such Qur'anic expressions. Although God says in the Qur'an: "Our signs and
proofs will be shown to them externally and internally," research and investigation of things and events were not done thoroughly. In Bediuzzaman's approach, the universe and truths of creation pointing to God, His existence and Unity, and other tenets of faith should be studied as much as the Qur'an. Scholars forgot (or ignored) that the Qur'an comprises the basis of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and astrophysics, and that half of a believer's responsibility is to study natural phenomena like a book.
In fact, doesn't Bediuzzaman say that the consequences of not studying the Book of the Universe and not studying the Qur'an are different? Yes, he indicates that studying these two books is meritorious, and that not studying them is sinful. The punishment for not studying the Book of the Universe well is given in this world, whereas the punishment for not studying the Qur'an generally is given in the afterlife. This shows that these two books are two faces of the same truth. Very few people expressed this point, and they did so indirectly. Bediuzzaman, however, insistently emphasized this. On the one hand, we have the Book of the Universe. On the other hand we have the Qur'an, a guidebook and a translation that enables us to understand the universe, to move safely amidst its corridors, and to walk comfortably in the tide of events without stumbling and banging into things. In addition, there is the esoteric truth-discovering and seeing the universe's vastness in our own conscience. I think these are the triad of our civilization. Our Prophet declared: "A time will come when the Qur'an is in one valley and humanity in another." This happened in our history. We must rediscover the valley where the Qur'an is and walk in its light. The spirit of the madrassa education and the spirit of the modern education can come together. They can make a new marriage, and the mind's radiance and the heart's light can be reunited. With their union and integration, the student's zeal will take wing and fly.
Did the madrassa throw out only the positive sciences? No, at the same time it threw out Sufism, which we can call Islam's spiritual life. It restricted itself to religious sciences, and so everything stagnated. Objects and events were evaluated from a narrow perspective of the universe.
Catastrophes in our life of thought What is your opinion of Islamic thought today? There are several great catastrophes in this area. One is closing the Islamic education institutions to the positive sciences. This was true for the madrassas, partially for the Imam-Hatip secondary schools, and completely for the Theological Faculty. They also are closed to Islam's spiritual life. The unifying spirit of Islam has disintegrated.
Some were contented with telling the lives, especially "miracles" of past saints in the name of Sufism; others regarded a superficial study of religious sciences as the acquisition of the whole of Islam; and a third group, based on scientific materialism, rejected Islam in all its aspects. [Eyup Can, Zaman daily, August, 1995]
From Madrassa to University Turkish entrepreneurs from almost all walks of life pioneered in schools, colleges, and universities. Fethullah Gulen only gave advice to these charitable businessmen. To those who said: "We're going to build a mosque in our country," he replied: "I'd like to see a school beside it." In fact, in most places he recommended building a school instead of a mosque. Fethullah Hodja explains his views of Turkish entrepreneurs' opening schools within Turkey and abroad: "Due to recent developments in communication, the world resembles a globalized village. Our continued existence, and especially our becoming a country with some say in the existing balance of power, is only possible through alliances with our neighbors and the countries with whom we have much in common. "Establishing natural alliances and being surrounded by a circle of friends rather than enemies would benefit Turkey. In such a framework, I would support opening schools even in Armenia and Israel, if so permitted. "As for my relationship with the schools that have been opened, there is a lion in everyone's heart a purpose hidden in one's nature since birth. This purpose can be different for everyone. When I was 12 or 13 years old and studying in Erzurum, I had a book in one hand and a map in the other. I would ask: "My God, how can we become a country whose problems have been considerably solved?" "I have never even thought of having a house, children, or a car. You can't oppose natural laws: water flows, condenses at 100 degrees, and freezes at zero degrees. If there is such a characteristic in my nature, and if it's not harmful, what could be more natural than for this seed to flourish? "As one who grew up with the desire and objective to serve my country, and if now this service can be realized through education, my interest in education is as natural as the flow of water, the rising and setting of the sun, and the activity of the world. However, I have no power, capital, or army only an unstoppable love and enthusiasm for service. All I can do is explain this, tell those who will listen, and suggest. Such service to others resembles a 'bazaar of those seeking God's approval.'" [Hulusi Turgut, Yeni Yuzyil, 1/27/98]
Schools That's just the point I wanted to come
to. It is said that every day, schools belonging to you are being opened and that this is a kind of organization. This, too, is making a lot of people think. Wherever I go I make some suggestions. Without being at all discriminatory, I tell our citizens: "Open university preparatory courses and raise the level of our people." (In a foreign country) I told some people who had come to listen to a teacher from Turkey: "Stay here. Prepare your children for attending a university. Let them study sciences. If the level of general culture and education isn't high enough, open university preparatory courses. Put your means together. A world that is becoming globalized will bring certain things with it. For example, small trades and small business are going to disappear. Build big business enterprises."
OK. How is it that you can do what the government cannot? And for what objective? On top of this, for example, children attending your school in Tiflis aren't even Turkish or Muslim. What's your aim? The schools are not mine. I'm a poor man with nothing more than the clothes on my back. Behind the institutions you mention are many people and companies from almost all walks of life regardless their worldview, beliefs, and lifestyles. If they wish, they sometimes ask for my advice. [Oral Calislar, Cumhuriyet daily, 8/20-26/95]
But what do you think about the fact that those who open schools are all people close to your views? I talk with everyone. I am sorry to say that the government doesn't have a special policy on this issue. I met with some fellow citizens regarding this matter. Thus an opportunity was born to end this nightmare. It was understood that private schools are very beneficial. As a result of encouragement, some people who came to perceive the importance of quality began opening private schools. But some thought that they were my followers or sharing my opinions on all subjects. [Ertugrul Ozkok, Hurriyet daily, 1/23-30-95] Relationships with Education and Media Organizations You say you are poor. But we know that everywhere in Turkey you have special courses, schools, universities, a daily newspaper, and a television channel. I have no organic or material connection with any of them. My only worldly possessions are the clothes I wear and my bed sheets. I donated all of my books to a foundation.
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“We consider living for ourselves as egoism, and we have found such a consideration revolting. It has been our passion to live for others and to prepare them for eternal happiness. Even if it were possible to return to life, even if we were free to choose the alternatives of this new life, we would certainly choose to "live for others" again, we would certainly dedicate ourselves to humanity, and we would prepare humankind for resurrection. We would not mind any misprision... We would not be deterred by cries of reaction... We would not quarrel with anybody who has accused us with false and malicious accusations...”
M. Fethullah Gülen
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the Gülen Movement
Written by Enes Ergene Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Living for others
Basic Dynamics of the Movement
Gülen attaches importance to this principle of "living for others" (yaşatma ideali) such that he interprets it as a basic dynamic that would make a nation awaken. Every society must make sacrifices. Sacrifice is beyond and above worldly gain, and thus its definition exceeds that of mere altruism. On the contrary, it is more akin to idealistic heroism. Such altruism constitutes the character of people who are uninterested in personal or worldly gain, and who are committed to God's favor. Gülen describes these types of people as "architects of soul" and as "physicians of thought." These are people who are able to instill in the society a consciousness of responsibility and concern for others. Such people are an important dynamic, according to Gülen: Today, what we need are brave people who selflessly work in the service of God and who wave aside personal benefits and egoism... who writhe with people's miseries... who have a torch of knowledge in their hands, and who fight the ignorance and rudeness that ignites tinder everywhere... who, with eminent belief and determination, come to the rescue of those stranded... like stallions, hold on their course without repelling and without griming... those who ramp with pleasure of living for others while forgetting the desire of living.[2] I believe that all humanity will be pleased, and that the centuries-long miseries of suffering people, will come to an end, and that the world will once again will come to an axis of thanks in regard to the ideals that related his salvation with rescuing others. Such people can trample on their future and prosperity in the name of others' happiness; they can circulate in the veins of others like blood; they can splash over yearning and thirsts and breathe life everywhere. With compassion that transcends personal responsibility, and through kindness that could encompass all humanity, they will try to bring for us the spirit and significance that we have lost; they will remind us of our human significance. Meanwhile, they will constitute a model for perplexed souls who have lived without ideals for such a long time.[3] Our society needs only heroes of ideals: those who can reach out to help first our nation, and then all humanity, with the feeling of compassion; and every time they raise their hand to God, they pray for others. As such a great requirement could not be met by others, it falls upon us who start from ourselves to articulate it. We consider living for ourselves as
egoism, and we have found such a consideration revolting. It has been our passion to live for others and to prepare them for eternal happiness. Even if it were possible to return to life, even if we were free to choose the alternatives of this new life, we would certainly choose to "live for others" again, we would certainly dedicate ourselves to humanity, and we would prepare humankind for resurrection. We would not mind any misprision... We would not be deterred by cries of reaction... We would not quarrel with anybody who has accused us with false and malicious accusations... We would smile while weeping inside.[4] The ideal people burn like candles despite themselves, and they illuminate others...[5] A true friend who is a mature person is the one who can utter "after you," even while exiting from Hell and entering Paradise. What we are always stressing is that it is those who live their lives in sincerity, loyalty, and altruism at the expense of their own selves in order to make others live who are the true inheritors of the historical dynamics to whom we can entrust our souls. Individual projects of enlightenment that are not planned to aid the community are doomed to fruitlessness. Moreover, it is not possible to revive values that have been destroyed in the hearts of the individual in society, nor in the conscience, nor in the will power. Just as plans and projects for individual salvation that are independent of the salvation of others are nothing more than an illusion, so, too, the thought of achieving success as a whole by paralyzing the individual awakening is a fantasy. Living for others is the most important factor that determines the behavior of such heroes. Their greatest worry is their quest for eligibility for such missions, whereas their most prevalent characteristic is that their utmost ambition is their search for God's consent. When striving to enlighten others, they feel no pain nor do they undergo any shock caused by the delight of enlightening others. The achievements that such people accomplish are regarded as revelations of His holy aid, and such people bow in modesty, nullifying themselves again and again, every day. In addition to all this, they tremble at the idea that their emotions are bound to interfere with the works that they have caused to come into existence, and groan; "You are all I need."[7] Expecting nothing in return is the rose of our land. Altruism is the lotus of our gardens. It is our lot to attain but not to enjoy. We forget living for ourselves while burning with the desire of living for others. It is our people who know how to be in the
front while serving, and how to stay behind in compensation. The world has discovered from us to love unconditionally.[8] Perfect believers do not stick only to their personal development or perfection; they are determined almost like prophets to open themselves up for everyone and to embrace each and every person. They devote their lives to the happiness of others both in this world as well as in the hereafter, at the expense of neglecting themselves. They live like the Companions of the Prophet; they walk in a direction opposite to where their carnal selves urge, and they spread light all around, for they have that potential to illuminate in their essence like a candle. They are always on alert for darkness, and they struggle to keep it at bay... As they burn all the time, they are hurt inside; nevertheless, neither constant burning nor extermination can restrain them from enlightening others.[9] Now we are waiting, looking forward to the arrival of these people, who have so much love for their responsibility and cause that, if necessary, they would even give up entering Paradise; people like this, if they have already entered, would then seek ways of leaving Paradise. Like Muhammad, the Messenger of God, who said, "If they placed the sun in my right and the moon in my left to abandon my cause, I would not until God made the truth prevail or I died in the attempt." This is the horizon of God's Messenger. Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, a scholar exuberant with the rays that emanate from God's Messenger, bent double by the pain of his cause said, "In my eyes I have neither love for Paradise nor fear for Hell, and if I saw the faith of my people secure, I would be ready now to be burned in hell-fire." Likewise, Abu Bakr opened his hands and prayed in a way that would shake the heavens, "O my Lord, make my body so great that I alone fill up Hell and thus no place may be left for anyone else." Humanity is terribly in need of people with inner depths and sincerity now, more than anything else, for people who suffer and cry for the sins and errors of others; who look forward to forgiveness and pardon of others before their own; who, instead of entering Paradise and taking their pleasures individually there, prefer to stay in the A'raf (between the Paradise and Hell) and from there, try to take all the people to Paradise along with them; and who, even if they enter Paradise, will not be able find time to enjoy the pleasures of Paradise because of their thoughts for others, and their concern to save them from the hell-fire.[10]
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Global Peaceful Social Innovation: The Case of Gulen Network Written by Fahri Karakas Thursday, 04 May 2006
Abstract Gulen Network is a unique case of global social innovation based on spirituality in a number of respects. Followers of Gulen have engaged in hundreds of civil society projects and opened more than 500 schools around the globe. Owing to the principles of diversity, love and dialogue, Gulen enjoys voluntary participation of people from different backgrounds, ideologies, nations, classes, races and faiths throughout the world.
Gulen Network proposes: a) a model of spiritual partnership and networking based on shared passion and idealism, b) a global agenda for interfaith and intercultural love, cooperation, and dialog, c) a multidimensional view of universal values and spirituality in the workplace d) a unique case revealing insights for integrating management, religion and spirituality.The main objective of this paper is to understand this movement in detail, taking an internal perspective of the participants.
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Keywords: Spirituality; values; global; social innovation, peace, interfaith dialog, Turkish schools "I divide my life into two periods. Before and after I knew hizmet (the service). I met hizmet and this community in 1978, when I was 25 years old. I think of 1978 as my real birth year. So, I am 25 years old now (smiling). I felt so elevated, so purified, so excited, so awkward, so happy, like a baby when I met hizmet. It is impossible for me to be able tell you in words what I have experienced then. That was the beginning of life for me. The real life, the meaningful life, the golden life. I learned almost everything good in my life in hizmet and in this community. I discovered the value of peace, dialogue and tolerance in all spheres of life. I learned about brotherhood, sincerity, friendship, love and sharing - not only in this world but also in the other world. I discovered self-sacrifice, devotion and true idealism. I learned the value of being a piece of soil for roses to flourish. I learned the value of building a future civilization with passion, inspiration,
Mr. Gulen has become a role model for not just this person, but also for millions of people living in different countries. His teachings have inspired thousands of people work for global education, peace, and the spread of tolerance. Followers of Gulen have engaged in hundreds of civil society projects and opened more than 500 schools around the globe. These people do not have or share a religious mission and they are professionals or volunteers working in educational and nonprofit organizations. However, they experience spirituality deeply, intensively and centrally
hope and faith. I learned the value of crying and praying for the wellbeing of humanity. I've began to appreciate the value of enabling others to live well instead of living well. I learned the value of forgetting your home address while thinking about the problems of schools and families. I learned the value of hitting a tree while walking because you are reflecting deeply about your spirituality. I experienced the value of calling a friend at 3 am on the phone, sharing problems in service and crying together for half an hour on the phone.. My biggest aim in life is to continue contributing to this global civil initiative until I die. And I want to die among these friends. I would like to die in the middle of a process of an active duty and community work. I would decline any presidency, any ranks, any status, any material wealth, any reputation, any honor on this world. I just would prefer to die as a casual member of this community. I look forward to meeting my dear God by means of a peaceful death. If only I could help and reach more people, more students and more poor families."
in their lives and work. They share common humanistic values, ideals and passion. No one knows the size of Gulen's community of sympathizers and followers but most experts agree on five million. It draws much of its support from young urban men, with special appeal to teachers, academics, and other professionals. It has grown in part by sponsoring student dormitories, summer camps, colleges, universities, language schools, cultural facilities, interfaith dialog organizations and NGOs.
This excerpt is taken from the interview conducted with one of the volunteers of Gulen community. It illustrates a case of deep personal change and transformation in values, beliefs and spirituality. This interviewee is a business and an NGO leader who has devoted his life to founding schools in many countries. His friends say that he has donated almost all of his possessions and wealth to hizmet, including his companies, his car and even his house. He works for nearly 18 hours a day and sleeps very little, generally during his flights. It seems that he does not have a private life other thanhizmet and he can spend very little time even with his family. He has been undertaking in a number of civil society initiatives around the globe and traveling around Africa, Asia, Europe and North America frequently. He says he loves visiting all his friends working relentlessly in schools and foundations in different parts of the world - from China to Tanzania. He is involved in fundraising, planning and coordinating activities of the Turkish schools founded in many countries.
in the Turkic world, Central Asia, Balkans, and Africa, continue to attract a lot of media attention in local regions and countries with respect to their success and performance in international science Olympiads. The teachers working in the schools mentioned within the framework of Gulen's understanding are seen exemplars wherever they are by their spirituality, sound characters, the level of morality in their behavior and the human values they carry, in addition to their professional proficiency. Mr. Gulen explains his encouragement of Turkish entrepreneurs' opening schools as follows (Gulen, 2001): "As for my relationship with the schools that have been opened, there is a lion in everyone's heart; a purpose hidden in one's nature since birth. When I was 12 or 13 years old and studying in Turkey, I had a book in one hand and a world map in the other. I would ask: "My God, how can we become a world interconnected
Although Gulen Network is potentially a very rich source of data on spirituality, values and organizations, there has been very little research done on organizations in Gulen Network. This study aims to explore the nature, forms and dimensions of peaceful values and spirituality in organizations operating in Gulen network which place a heavy emphasis on a set of universal values. It aims to explore the dimensions and forms of values and spirituality in this recent international movement exemplifying social innovation in the areas of education and international dialog. Some of the research questions that motivate this study are the following: How does the larger cultural context effect Gulen organizations? How can employees be provided a sense of hope, inspiration, purpose and meaning at work? How can we capture the complexity and multiplicity of values and
He is also known and welcomed as an honorary guest speaker whose talks evoke a lot of enthusiasm and inspire positive action among teachers, students and staff. His friends and colleagues have described him as a man who can truly integrate spirituality into his work and life. He frequently visits and exchanges views with Fethullah Gulen, the honorary leader of all these initiatives. He says he himself is very much influenced by the encouragement and speeches of Mr. Gulen. Mr. Gulen has become a role model for not just this person, but also for millions of people living in different countries. His teachings have inspired thousands of people work for global education, peace, and the spread of tolerance. Followers of Gulen have engaged in hundreds of civil society projects and opened more than 400 schools around the globe. These people do not have or share a religious mission and they are professionals or volunteers working in educational and non-profit organizations. However, they experience spirituality deeply, intensively and centrally in their lives and work. They share common humanistic values, ideals and passion. No one knows the size of Gulen's community of sympathizers and followers but most experts agree on five million. It draws much of its support from young urban men, with special appeal to teachers, academics, and other professionals. It has grown in part by sponsoring student dormitories, summer camps, colleges, universities, language schools, cultural facilities, interfaith dialog organizations and NGOs. What makes Gulen unique is that he has successfully persuaded and mobilized many young people around the world to establish educational and civil institutions and put into practice his discourse on global values/spirituality and realize his ideal of raising a "golden generation" and achieving global peace. The most important sector of civil society projects Gulen undertakes is in education. Gulen schools, which are especially active
with hope, love and science whose social problems have been considerably solved?" The second most important area in which Gulen community undertakes activities is Interfaith Dialogue. Mr. Gulen regularly visited and received leading international religious figures including Patriarchs, Rabbi and Pope John Paul II. Until Gulen started meeting with these leaders and representatives, it had been something very unusual for a Muslim to get into dialogue with a Christian or Jew. Gulen Network is a unique case of global social innovation based on spirituality in a number of respects. Owing to the principles of diversity, love and dialogue, Gulen enjoys voluntary participation of young people from different backgrounds, ideologies, nations, classes, races and faiths throughout the world. Gulen Network proposes a model of spiritual partnership and networking based on shared passion and idealism, and a multidimensional view of universal common values and spirituality.
spirituality at work? Are there global and universal values in organizations that can build bridges between East and West? The objective of this paper is to explore the dimensions and characteristics of values and spirituality in organizations in Gulen Network.
On Spiritual Leadership: Fethullah Gulen Gulen was described by the participants as an extremely respectful, sensitive and modest person. He says "estagfirullah (I beg the pardon of God)" every other sentence. One of the participants reported that Mr. Gulen slept two hours a day, he ate very little and he read a lot. He had no worldly property or goods. He had never married. He had never participated in active politics throughout his life and always been careful to and aloof from political activities. Fethullah Gulen is a unique example of spiritual leadership. First of all, He does not see himself as a leader. He rejects
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all labels and stereotypes imposed upon him. He sees himself as a simple man who tries to act in accordance with divine order. He is very strict to himself and sees himself as "zero". Secondly, he is acting as a living example of deep spirituality and piety. The participants interviewed described Gulen as a man of modesty, self-discipline, compassion, devotion, tolerance and dignity. The following excerpt, taken from the interview conducted with one of Gulen's closest circle of friends, illustrates Gulen's deep influence on his followers: "We all really have difficulty in catching up with his vision, his insights, his thinking, his depth and his openmindedness. I cannot say I understand him completely. I think there are very few people in the world who can completely grasp his way of thinking and feeling, if any, including his close friends and followers. Although he meets hundreds of people every day, I think Gulen is almost alone on this planet. It is as if he is living in another dimension. He seeks approval of God in his every action, every gesture, and every word. He acts as if there is a bird on his head, always so delicate. Every night, he spends several hours by constant praying and deep crying until dawn. He is intense love of God. He is in constant metaphysical tension and this causes interruptions in his speech as outbursts of crying. He feels responsibility for the whole world. A baby dying because of hunger in Africa or a Christian killed in Middle East is sufficient to make him upset. He could
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not recover for days after September 11. He stresses killing one person is equal to killing all humanity in Islam. I have seen him trying to rescue an ant for half an hour. He feels deep love, compassion and mercy to all creation. He constantly prays for global peace and love. He wishes to meet with his Lover, his Creator soon - by death. But we believe he still has things to do on this world. Honestly, I even pray that God may take from my life and add to his."
Basic Principles of Anatolian Sufism • We are the avant-garde of love; we don't have time for hostility. • Love all the creation because of the Creator. • Tongueless to those who curse, handless to those who hit. • Self-renewal is the only condition of continues existence. • The greatest book to be read is human being. • Be an advocate of others, but a judge to yourself. • If there is no one left on Earth to build dialogue and love, go to other parts of the universe. • Universe is within human, human is within the Universe. • Science is the light illuminating roads towards the reality. • Our way has been established on science, knowledge and love of human. • Do not preach; instead
act as a living model. • Let us unite together, let us be huge, alive. • Do not hurt even if you were offended. • Whatever becomes heavy for your own personality, do not make it applied to anybody. • Always bear in mind that even your enemy is a human. • Everything created by God is placed orderly. The need for universal common values such as peace, dialog, cooperation, compassion is recurring themes in not only in educational and non-profit organizations but also for corporations and businesses. As we move into the 21st century, the search for ways to improve quality, meaning and sense of purpose in workplace is global. We need holistic, overarching and multidisciplinary paradigms to address and solve all these issues. Gulen Network provides examples of organizations which try to nurture positive values such as love, compassion, dialogue, respect for others' rights, tolerance for diversity, and non-violent means in every aspect of work life. Regardless of the differences of race, faith and color, Gulen schools and organizations aim
Ex-Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc receives the International Turkish Language Olympiad Contestants at the Turkish Grand National Assembly
to serve as a bridge between the peoples of the countries where they are and thereby can contribute to the world peace. Further research on these organizations advocated by Gulen can reveal potentially rich data, cases and models on integrating values and spirituality with management and organizations. Research on Gulen organizations also offers new insights and rich perspectives for employees, managers and organizations interested in developing values and spirituality in the workplace.
References Bayramoglu, Ali. Turkiye'de Islami Hareket: Sosyolojik Bir Bakis. Istanbul: Patika Yayincilik, 2001. Can, Eyup. Fethullah Gulen Hocaefendi ile Ufuk Turu (A Tour of New Horizons with Fethullah Gulen). Istanbul: Ad Yayinevi, 1995. Cooperrider, D. L. Positive Image, Positive Action: The Affirmative Basis of Organizing. Appreciative Management and Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1990. Eickelman, Dale F. "The Coming Transformation of the Muslim World" Foreign Policy Research Institute, Erdogan, L.(1995). Fethullah Gulen Hocaefendi: Kucuk Dunyam (My Little World). Istanbul: Dogan Kitapcilik. Esposito, J. and Yavuz, H. Islam and the Secular State: The Gülen Movement. Georgetown University, US, 2003. Gulen, M. Fethullah. Yeseren Dusunceler. Izmir: TOV Yayinevi, 1998. Gulen, M. Fethullah. Olcu veya Yoldaki Isiklar. (The Lights of the Way). Izmir: Nil Yayinevi, 2000. Gulen, M. Fethullah. Fasildan Fasila 1-2-3. Izmir: Nil Yayinevi, 2001 Gulen, M. Fethullah. Essays, Perspectives, Opinions. The Light Inc. 2002 Gunderson, L.H. and Holling, C. S. Panarchy: Understanding Transformations in Human and Natural Systems. Washington: Island Press. 2002. Gladwell, M. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Mardin, Serif. Religion and Social Change in Modern Turkey: The Case of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Albany: State University of New York, 1989. Nursî, Bediüzzaman Said, The Words, Sözler Publications 1992, 491 Ozdalga, Elizabeth. Entrepreneurs with a Mission: Turkish Islamists Building Schools along the Silk Road. Annual Conference of the North American Middle East Studies Association, Washington, D.C., November 19-22, 1999. Sabelli, H. Non-linear dynamics as a dialectic logic. Proc. International Systems Society p 101- 112, 1995 Sevindi, Nevval. Fethullah Gulen ile New York Sohbetleri (Conversations with Fethullah Gulen in New York). Istanbul: Sabah Yayinevi, 1997. Tokak, H. Medya Aynasinda Fethullah Gulen (Fethullah Gulen as Portrayed by Media). Istanbul: Gazeteciler ve Yazarlar Vakfi Yayinlari, 1997. Turam, Berna. Between Islam and the State: Politics of Engagement. The Engagements between Gulen Community and the Secular Turkish State. Doctor of Philosophy Thesis, McGill University, Department of Sociology, 2001. Unal, Ali and Alphonse Williams. Fethullah Gulen: Advocate of Dialogue. Fairfax: The Fountain, 2000. Westley, Frances. Bob Geldof and Live Aid: The Affective Side of Global Social Innovation. Human Relations, Vol. 44, No: 10, 1991. Yildirim, Ergun. Turkiye'nin Modernlesmesi ve Islam. Istanbul: Insan Yayinlari, 1995.
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here are many ways of summarising Gülen's thought and describing his social activism. He is, first and foremost, an alim, a traditional Islamic scholar, with a deep understanding of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic history. He is also a Sufi, though he does not belong to any particular tarikah, or Sufi brotherhood. His most immediate source of influence is the writings of the great Turkish Sufi scholar Said Nursi (18771960), writer of the influential multi-volume commentary on the Qur'an, Risale-i Nur, and who himself was a Sufi in the line of the great Anatolian poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273). Gülen shares with Nursi the conviction that interfaith dialogue and cooperation between Jews, Muslims and Christians should be key concerns of modern Muslim intellectuals. But whereas Nursi, principally through the legacy of the Risale-i Nur, has inspired millions of followers who meet regularly to read his work, Gülen has inspired a broad social movement concerned with practical religious philanthropy on a grand scale.
religious, entertainment and education, can also be seen as exercises in dialogue. The closest equivalent in Christian publishing is arguably the surprisingly professional Christian Science Monitor.
The second element in Gülen's thought and in the Gülen movement's social activism is a love of learning. This can be readily discerned in the aforementioned schools. In addition to these schools there also a handful of well regarded secular colleges and half a dozen universities such as Fatih University in Istanbul and Ankara. These schools, many of which have been deliberately established in some of the poorest and most needy parts of the word, are generally very well regarded and achieve a high standard of scholastic achievement in neighbourhoods, districts and nations not normally accustomed to excellence in education. What makes them so remarkable in the context of the Muslim world is their commitment to secular modern learning open to students of all backgrounds. The This religious philanthropy can be understood schools, regardless of the nation in which simply as revolving around three axial themes they operate and the legislation that pertains or elements: a deep desire for dialogue, a love to religious instruction in schools, adhere of learning and a passion for service. consistently to a secular curriculum. In this and many other respects they are very Gülen's profound interest in dialogue can much like modern Anglican, Presbyterian, readily be discerned in his writing and in Methodist or Catholic schools. Zaman his personal activism. In February 1998, for newspaper, Samanyolu TV and many of the example, Gülen met with Pope John Paul II, books and magazines published by Gülen having already met with many of the senior movement publishers such as Isik Publishing religious leaders in Turkey and surrounding can also be said to be concerned with nations. The most overtly dialogue-orientated education in the broadest sense, much in the group associated with the Gülen movement is manner as America's popular Reader's Digest found in the Journalists and Writers Foundation magazine. (JWF) established in 1994. This very influential NGO goes beyond straightforward journalistic The Gülen movement speaks of itself as reporting and analysis to support strategic being the Gülen hizmet and of its members public intellectual initiatives in the promotion being engaged in hizmet. The Turkish word of dialogue. One of the Foundation's most hizmet translates as 'service' and for the important activities is the hosting of a highmembers of the Gülen movement hizmet level annual summer dialogue forum known as 'service' is understood in much the same way the Abant Platform (named after the lakeside as active Christians use the word to describe location of its annual meetings) designed their religious activism and philanthropy. to bring together disparate elements of the Some institutions associated with the Gülen political and cultural elite to talk face to face movement, such as Zaman and Samanyolu about issues of pressing national importance. TV have become so commercially successful Each Abant Platform produces an Abant that they have been able to run along regular Declaration summing up the issues discussed. business lines. But many other aspects of The first Abant Platform was held in July the movement's work, such as The Fountain 1998 on the theme of 'Islam and Secularism'. magazine, rely, at least in part, on the Subsequent Abant Platforms dealt with the related themes of 'Religion and State Relations' contributions of volunteers. The schools, (July 1999), 'Islam and Democracy' (July 2000), in particular, are very much the product of volunteer activism. The seed capital to set and 'Pluralism' (July 2001). In April 2004 the up a new school, often in a remote part of Journalists and Writers Foundation took the Africa or Asia, is typically generated through Abant Platform offshore to America and held the philanthropy of a community of Gülen a successful forum meeting at Johns Hopkins movement businessmen meeting in a certain University in Washington D.C. around the town or suburb. The idea is that the schools theme of Islam and Democracy. Subsequently ultimately become self-sustaining but before the Abant Platform has also met in Europe this is possible they rely on teachers leaving and is planning for an ongoing series of behind the comforts of Istanbul, Izmir or international meetings. Ankara to travel to the likes of Kazakhstan, In a broader sense, the fact that since 1983 the Nigeria or Cambodia to serve out several terms as 'secular missionary' teachers. Gülen movement has established more than 500 schools across Turkey and throughout Asia, This, more than anything, embodies the Africa and the western hemisphere, all of which movement's notion of hizmet, or service. are secular, and many of which are located There is much more that could be said in areas of socio-economic hardship in both Muslim and non-Muslim communities, can also about Fethullah Gülen and the philanthropic movement that he has inspired. And there be seen as an exercise in practical dialogue. are many elements in addition to a deep Similarly, the commercially successful and desire for dialogue, a love of learning and broadly influential Zaman newspaper global network, and its television analogue Samanyolu a commitment to service. But these three elements - dialogue, learning and service TV, with their focus on objective, professional sum up the core passions of Gülen. journalism and wholesome, but not overtly
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Fethullah Gülen Pattern Of Dialogue In The Modern World Leonid Syukiyaynen
(Doctor of Laws, Professor of GU the Higher School of Economics, Russia)
F
ethullah Gülen’s published answers to Russian scientists’ and journalists’ questions are attracting attention by the fact that they reflect the most important aspects of Turkish Muslim thinker’s teaching, his views on theological, moral-spiritual and political problems disturbing the modern world and the Russian society. First of all, the moments in Fethullah Gülen’s answers are striking, which allow to understand the main thing in his ideas and in that way to clear away the doubts, which are sometimes found in the Russian mass media publications concerning his concepts and activity. First of all, Fethullah Gülen emphasizes that so-called “Gülen movement” is not the structurally arranged, centralized and formal organization. The matter concerns the joint efforts of many intellectuals, religious figures, researchers and teachers who are united by common purposes and wish to popularize the ideas of tolerance, dialogue, high morality and positive interaction in the modern world’s conditions. It also concerns “Turkish schools” or “Gülen schools”, which are actively discussed in the Russian mass media. As a matter of fact, these educational institutions appeared at the private initiative and are established by different civil society organizations. Most likely, mentioning Gülen’s name in connection with their activity is explained by the fact that in the mentioned schools the emphasis is placed on close connection of teaching different disciplines at the most advanced world level with bringing up the students in the spirit of respect to each other, denial of differences between people on the basis of their religious, national or racial background. Touching upon the subject of human rights and democracy, the Turkish thinker places the emphasis on the fact that an individual person’s rights and freedoms can’t be sacrificed to a collective’s and society’s interests. As regards democracy, such political regime with its main rights and freedoms to the utmost meets the
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Islam criteria. The same estimation may be extended to the republican form of government in comparison with monarchy. Fethullah Gülen gives a very considerable estimate of the modern Islam state and the Muslim world. In particular, he notes that the main problem of a modern Islam lies in failure to consider Islam in community of all its sides and directions. This, in particular, prevents Islam from becoming the means of overcoming those difficulties, with which a modern person encounters. Simultaneously, attention is paid to the fact that our world is in need of uniting material and spiritual, reviving genuine morality and culture. That is why, in Fethullah Gülen’s opinion, religion should be more significant in the future than today. Only on this way the modern person will be able to gain inner harmony, rest and confidence. Unfortunately, Fethullah Gülen states, nowadays Islam is known and understood superficially and what is more important, the Muslims themselves don’t always correctly present Islam as faith and culture to other people. In this regard it is extremely important to unite faith and science again. Such approach opens the main thing in Fethullah Gülen’s teaching. Comparing his views with the concepts of Muslim reformers of the second half of XIX – beginning of XX century Fethullah Gülen mentions the leading feature of Muhammad Abdo’s teaching – reflection of European materialism and positivism in it. If the Egyptian thinker paid fundamental attention to political and social problems of the Muslim world, overshadowing the necessity of returning to the spiritual beginnings of Islam, Fethullah Gülen himself regards deep learning of religious fundamentals of Islam as the priority direction. In his opinion, only in this way the Muslims can correctly present their faith to the modern world. The political movements under the banner of Islam, on the contrary, contain the danger of deviation from true Islam, disuniting the Muslims instead of uniting them.
The Turkish scholar shows the close connection of religion and science proper in Islam. He emphasizes that the main thing in Islam is in spiritual self-perfection and scientific development of Universe. Fethullah Gülen emphasizes that in principle Islam doesn’t directly touch upon political issues. However, some directions of Islamic thought emphasize these problems. Therefore, instead of understanding jihad as the spiritual-moral renewal, they stake on political activity, which very often doesn’t benefit but harms Islam. Fethullah Gülen believes that all the key problems of the Muslim world must be solved, first of all, by means of developing education and renewal of Islamic scientific thought. In his opinion, both sides bear responsibility for the conflicts arising quite often between the Muslim world and the West. Fethullah Gülen notes that the negative attitude to Islam is at times explained by the failure of the Muslims themselves to present Islam correctly, to show its true nature to the whole world. And the West very often in its attitude to Islam pursues political interests and meaningly forms the image of Islam as the force, which stakes on terror. Fethullah Gülen pays attention to the fact that the prevailing spiritual-moral beginning in Islam also lies at the root of its attitude to the secular issues. In particular, he says that a true Muslim is not only adherent to his faith but he also treats other people honestly. Unity of religious and secular, devotion to Allah and loyalty to his duty regarding other people is the most important feature of true believer. Therefore, as the scholar emphasizes, Islam is based on harmony of soul, intellect, heart, feelings and will. Besides, a family is extremely valuable in Islam. Only in a family a person can develop necessary spiritual and moral traits in him, which help him in comprehending truth of Allah. Fethullah Gülen emphasizes special significance of a dialogue and interconnections in the modern world.
Deserved esteem Giuli G. Alasania
Professor, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Pro-rector of the International Black Sea University (Georgia).
He notes that Islam always perceived the best achievements of those cultures and civilizations, which it encountered in the course of its history. And nowadays the Muslim world is in need of using the positive experience of other countries. The dialogue has turned into the imperative of the present. In conclusion we will appreciate the Turkish thinker’s high opinion concerning relations and prospects of cooperation between Russia and Turkey. In his opinion, there is very much in common between two countries. Therefore, they, having all their history and cultural traditions, are doomed to play the governing role in the policy of Eurasia. And for achieving this it is necessary to know each other better and trust each other.
To open eyes and souls Vladimir Avdeev
Executive Director of the Press Development Institute (the RF) How does an ideal house look like? Certainly, it is nice, cozy and spacious. The rooms may be different, in different style with different furniture and different color of the walls. But on the whole it should be the house, unity, which united them and made it an exceptional and unique construction. How does an ideal garden look like? It is shady, nice and alluring. The trees and bushes are not similar to each other, like the fruits, which they give to people.
Having proclaimed independence of Georgia in 1991, this country tried to occupy its deserved place in the community of the world’s states. Georgia looked for friends and it found them. In the conditions of that complicated historical period this process was not simple. On the one hand, continued conflicts and clashes, on the other hand – lack of electricity, unemployment and complicated economic situation. All this gave rise to different feelings among the masses.
often perceived by the limited circle of people. But the appeal of the great figure of contemporaneity, who we are talking about, is heard in the whole world. He impels humanity to actions in the name of creation of the better world and successful future. The name of this great figure is Fethullah Gülen.
The iron curtain existing between Georgia and Turkiye for many years before starting their friendly relations affected adversely: Georgian people’s attitude towards the above mentioned schools was negative. Everybody was surprised at Turkiye’s investments in education of Georgia in that period; after all, this country was never remarkable for great success in this field earlier. Nevertheless the founders of the Turkish schools, regardless of the numerous obstacles, actively started their activity. Some time after we learned that similar schools were opened all over the world.
There are no signs of dogma in Gülen philosophy, it changes and develops in the process of his activity. The schools and universities created by his disciples will never close their doors, they are open for the whole world’s community and are famous for their respect to freedom of thought. The generations of the young people, who are free, capable of thinking and analyzing and able to apprehend criticism, are brought up there. Love for motherland and interest in different cultures are inculcated in the students there.
I believe that the name of Gülen will be pronounced with gratitude by our descendants as well. Maybe, some people know him only as a religious figure. However, this nominations is It was considered to be a risky not sufficient for understanding his business to invest money in role in the today’s world. If to dig Georgia, and there were very few deeper, one can make sure that all people who did this. Regardless Gülen philosophy rests upon love of all this, Turkish organizations to a person. In his opinion, a person “Çağlar” and “Mars” working and a life lived by him is the most in the field of education didn’t valuable in our complicated world. In hesitate to start friendship and order to save humanity, unity of the cooperation with Georgia. At first representatives of different cultures they opened schools in Tbilisi is necessary, existence of a dialogue and Batumi. Foundation of the and tolerance between them. One International Black Sea University of the main instruments of solving followed this. There wasn’t need this task is expansion of education in new educational establishments and science respecting religion. Yes, in Georgia in those years, however, Gülen is a real Muslim, who is trying the task of “Çağlar” and “Mars” to implant his faith deeply in life, was different – to create a bridge of respecting different cultures and friendship, at first, between Turkiye religions. He examines realization and Georgia, and then between of principles of mutual tolerance Georgia and the whole world. of people, moral concepts, forming Therefore, teaching in these schools humaneness of a true Muslim. In this is conducted in the Georgian and connection Gülen often repeats that the English languages. Islam and terrorism can’t coexist.
Everybody knows that the Turkish schools both in Georgia and in other countries of the world are not managed from any center, but the founders of so-called educational movement were inspired by the ideas of an outstanding thinker, scholar. Certainly, the very different men of science live in the different corners of the world; however, we can see that their ideas are quite
If to refer to his past, one can see that he never strived for receiving any posts or fame. However, he never lacked for audience, disciples and followers, who just love and respect him deeply. Several months ago the “Foreign policy” journal published rating of one hundred recent intellectuals of the world, in which Gülen was given the first place. We congratulate this great person on the deserved world recognition and wish him many long years of life and fruitful creative work.
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And an ideal library? It is large, various, giving so much pleasure and food for a searching mind … And a kind and wise master has a garden, a house and a library – variety of such dissimilar and such wonderful items, things and presents. And only a kind and wise person is able to understand how important it is to live among diversity, having made it organic and capable of serving to people with maximum benefit. When I familiarized with the articles by Fethullah Gülen, I thought that this person’s mind and morality are able to do exactly this – to explain to people the importance of unity of variety. He came into this world in order to explain rationality and expediency of life in the world, which is inhabited by different people, who keep in themselves the beginnings of different cultures, philosophies and beliefs. Fethullah Gülen for me is not the author of new theories and interpretations. He is a doctor, who is able to open people’s eyes, to convince them and eventually to see what was next to them for years. It is so important - to open people’s eyes. But it is just the first step. It is more difficult to make the second step. It is necessary to convince them to hold out a hand to a person, who is near, to look into his eyes, to hear his voice and to make the main thing – to try to understand. To understand means to open eyes and souls. But there is a simpler variant – to push away the extended hand, to turn off the look and to say to oneself: “In front of me there is not a person like me. He is a stranger”. It is really simpler to choose such line of conduct: there is no need to comprehend other person’s culture, to study his language and history, to acknowledge that simple truth that we all belong to the same single God. Besides, there will always be people, who “will help”: will point to the differences in religious interpretations of the same issue, will remind of the conflicts and wars between the countries. In short, they will do everything so that the thin thread between people was not lying in their hands, connecting minds and hearts, but between them, turning into a precipice in the course of time. The twentieth and the twenty-first centuries are marked by appearance of the very important and dangerous term – “collision of civilizations”. And complexity of today’s situation lies in the fact that there is no the third way yet – we are facing the choice: either to start a dialogue and try to understand or to continue widening a precipice. But it is not enough to resolve to a dialogue. It is necessary to know how to form it up in a competent and effective way. And the basis of forming up such dialogue must be the common system of people’s values, which exists on the Earth regardless of the fact to which class, ethnoses or religion we attribute ourselves to. FAITH may and should be such value. “If among those, who believe, some
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people started disputing with others, reconcile them”. Gülen cites this aphorism from the Koran (49:9) in his articles not accidentally. The point here is not only in reconciliation, pacifism and tolerance. These words have wiser and more ancient sense. We all – Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists are the servants of the single God. Just so I understand the words of the Koran “about those, who believe”. True faith can only unite. It can not become a contradiction. It is based on the values, which proved their firmness during centuries. This is love, children, our future, our Earth. And it is necessary to repeat people these ancient, probably, pre-biblical and pre- Koran values diligently, reminding them of the fact that kings waged wars but the peoples were on friendly terms, the rulers conflicted but the ethnoses created culture. Education is needed: regular, methodical and laborious. It doesn’t raise doubts for Fethullah Gülen. He writes: “The times of brute force are left far behind”. “In the modern educated world the only way to convince other people to accept your point of view lies through well-grounded arguments”. And it is not accidental that Gülen considers science and education to be one of the greatest values of the modern world. I had occasion to visit the Turkish institutions of general education, where the name of Gülen is pronounced in a reverent and respectful way by both the students and the teachers. And the basis of teaching in these schools and universities is development of tolerance and understanding of mankind’s multicultural heritage. Only in this way in our disturbing world it is possible to bring up a true person, who is able to look far ahead and to create the world not for running business and gaining profit but for triumph of good and understanding. For conducting the dialogue between the representatives of different groups – ethnoses, it is necessary to have another feature, which is one of the most important – high understanding of civic duty and courage. The example of Fethullah Gülen’s courage made a considerable impression on me.
Not many people know about Fethullah Gülen in Russia His name is known to orientalists, historians, philosophers and sociologists, but his name will say a little or nothing to vast audience. But the name of this person and his works as well must become the property of all people of good will. If we decided to grow the garden consisting of different trees, not similar to each other, giving different but tasty and useful fruits, we should understand one important thing: it is necessary to look after the trees and bushes growing in our common garden in a different way. Some need fertile soil and mild climate, others got used to heat and lack of moisture.
But it is necessary to grow them subduing the activity to one great and common purpose: to keep this blooming garden for our descendants, who will enjoy its fruits and grow a new harvest. Europeans like to repeat: “If adolescence knew if old age could”. Yes, we should hurry. Life is fleeting, and our generation may fail to do everything. Probably, we will sow seeds but won’t have time to wait till a harvest. We will look after plants but won’t obtain final harmony of the paradise garden on the earth. We will explain to people that they are the children of different religions and cultures but of one Earth and Faith, and at the same time we won’t see the final result of this so necessary and fascinating dialogue. It is necessary to hurry. But we must not make a serious mistake in a hurry, about which Fethullah Gülen patiently warns us. One must not make enter into dialogue; one must not make study the culture and the language of the one who was considered to be “strange” before, as one must not make a person love and hate. A person should make sure of it himself, he should want it. Only then we will start laying the foundation of our wonderful common garden on the Earth, the fruits of which will be enjoyed by our children. The children, having kept individuality and originality, will live in the world of unity of variety. In the world, which Fethullah Gülen dreams about so much and waits for its coming. In the world, the inhabitants of which will open, at last, their eyes to its generosity and wealth, having opened their souls and hearts to each other.
Gulen’s ideological space Nodir Odilov
Corresponding Member of the Academy of Pedagogical and Social Sciences of Russia, Professor Spiritual values appear which are designed for a person’s spiritual needs satisfaction. The higher his intellect, the stronger his striving for spiritual values. As Fethullah Gülen says, such a person goes deeper into a human essence and compassionates more. So, according to Gülen, true civilization was formed only where knowledge and morality were the main values. The thinker asserts that “the civilization of future will be formed owing to
synthesis of the scientific achievements of the West and ethics of the East”.
people around with dignity and sincerely – only because of his humaneness.
Continuing his thought Gülen comes to a wise conclusion about the fact that “education itself is not enough for obtaining positive results”. Knowledge helps a person only in the case when he acts purposefully. The purpose is the ideal for achieving which knowledge is directed. The condition of appearing new progressive social ideals is freedom but the same freedom may also generate the reactionary ideals, which impede development of society. Therefore he realizes a person’s freedom as “liberation of mind from all the obstacles, which hinder his spiritual and material development but on the condition of observing all moral norms”.
In addition to the said words we’ll add that a government should include such people, who are the honor and the dignity of a nation. As “the person, who firmly wants to become one of corner stones of his nation – if he is really sincere in his intentions – can afford to forget about his personal interests, but he doesn’t have the right to forget about the most insignificant trivial details concerning national interests even for a minute”.
Another category, which associates with the “civilization” notion is culture. Culture of a person or a society is synthesis of those positive things that mankind has worked out in the course of its development. There is material culture, which is determined by development of productive forces – from stony implements to nuclear heating plants. A person armed with knowledge uses it for changing nature. Along with material culture there is spiritual one, playing the leading role in a person’s life. One or another personality “is developed owing to systematic work at oneself, at good germs, primarily placed in its nature”. In the thinker's opinion, greatness of a nation to a considerable degree depends on its representatives’ commonness of purpose. “In the society where one thing is called white and another one – black, it is always possible to observe going from one extreme to another and meanwhile it remains so estranged, presence of any positive progress is out of the question”. Speaking about the importance of forming the civil society, Gülen notes: “There is no justification to our indifferent attitude concerning scientific and literary heritage of our glorious ancestors, who is followed by the whole world tirelessly”. Fiction brings up a person in the spirit of the best human ideals, among which the leading position belongs to honor. “Honor is such a sacred value, which can be sworn by all the tribes and nations, and among all the noble merits it is one of the most important diamonds”. The thinker very clearly draws a distinction between the notions “honor” and “respect”. “Wealth may bring you respect, but it can’t be a guarantor of your honor. And poverty can’t ruin it”. Deep scientific comprehension of honor and respect categories is felt. Indeed, a man of honor to some extent is approximate to altruist. He, in the name of his own honor, makes concessions to people; he is ready to take blows without answering them. He is not proud; he doesn’t like to boast of his success, he is ready to help everybody and can’t humiliate or insult anybody. He is modest and unpretentious. In a word, Hodja Efendi himself can be called a man of honor. And such person is treated by
The people, who possess self-respect, encounter any dangers, which threaten a nation and its originality. They become good administrators and politicians, Fethullah Gülen Hodja Efendi dreams about. As “the following traits are especially significant for a good administrator and politician: belief in justice, priority of law, sense of own responsibility in rough and hard work and maturity of talent in business, which require maximum tact and correctness. A government, first of all, is justice and order. If the officials, who govern the state, are elected on the basis of purity and righteousness of their characters, thoughts and feelings, then one may say that this government is powerful and noble. One must never forget that unreasonable severity may become the reason of unexpected bursts and unreasonable gentleness turns a society into a breeding-ground of evil and vices.
Gülen’s dream: good leaders The laws must always be the same for everybody. And those, who fulfill them, must be courageous and just so that the masses were not only afraid of them but felt themselves in security. Stability and power of the state are directly dependent on how much its representatives are righteous, clever, strong and dynamic. The state and the government must deserve the nation’s respect by seriousness, cleanliness and sincerity of their labor but not by the officials’ despotism. Fethullah Gülen Hodja Efendi correctly noticed that intellect doesn’t always help progress, that ability to think in a way, which differs from other people and to have own opinion is the quality of mature people, but at the same time nobody has the right to undergo those opinions and views, which stir up discord to the society and divide it into two enemy camps. As shutting eyes to such phenomena means submitting to destruction of the nation. A person comprises not only many good origins, Gülen says, but owing to certain reasons, negative and vicious origins as well. For example, along with such qualities as friendliness, sincerity, selflessness and independence in a person such vices as ambition, conceit and wish to be noticed adjoin, which kill a person’s heart and paralyze his spirit. So in our relations with people we should take into account these natural traits as well. Summing up the above-mentioned, one
may say that in order to analyze the civilized society criteria, it is necessary to know the particular qualities of the people composing this group, and it is necessary to have an idea of an ideal person. Intellect doesn’t surpass spirituality, heart doesn’t submit to intellect in this person. These are two constituents of a single whole harmonizing with each other. This man of honor is also an altruist who is striving for living for the benefit of other people. If such a person holds a post in the government, he relies on the principle of justice and equal protection of the law of everybody in all his beginnings. He attaches great significance to freedom of thought and knowledge. In his opinion, it is possible to create a civilized society of the personalities, who possess these qualities.
The most influential intellectual of the world Nagima Baitenova
Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor of KazNU named after al-Farabi (Kazakhstan) Fethullah Gülen is one of the most well-known and popular modern Islamic scientists-theologists, philosophers and thinkers of the world. F. Gülen for his peacemaking activity, for striving to interfaith dialogue and concord, for tolerance and cooperation between different communities of the world was honored with UNESCO Prize for popularization of ideals of tolerance and independence. On the basis of his ideas on his like-minded persons’ initiative Fund of Journalists and Writers, a network of educational institutions in many countries of the world etc were organized, the main purpose of which is interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Gülen’s position may be characterized as a moderate Islamist, as at considering any doctrinal issues or at solving practical problems he always takes a moderate position. He also and there is a complete ground for that may be related to the representatives of enlightened and spiritual Islam, he is a preacher of Sufism, which is spiritual, theoretical Islam. Recent events have confirmed special popularity of Gülen. The interview reports, conducted by the “Prospect” English magazine jointly with the
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American edition “Foreign Policy”, which are one of the most prestigious magazines of the world, turned out to be rather unexpected, first of all for the West. Answering the question “Who is the most influential intellectual of the world?” the respondents voted by majority for the famous Turkish thinker Gülen. But still more earth-shattering for Europeans was the fact that among 100 intellectuals of the world, who are in good health nowadays, the intellectuals of the Muslim East are in the first 20. For the recent years F. Gülen has become known to the scientific and intellectual community of Kazakhstan, owing to the interview of F. Gülen himself, and the articles about him on the pages of the Kazakhstan’s mass media. So, it became very interesting for us, I think, not only to us to learn who F. Gülen is, for which achievements he is considered to be one of the number of the most popular intellectuals of the world. Everybody knows that President N.A. Nazarbayev is the initiator of many international projects, the main purpose of which is establishing stability both in the whole world and in the Central-Asiatic region. The examples of such projects, having universal, common to all mankind importance, are the congresses of the leaders of the world’s and traditional religions conducted for the first time, the purpose of which is establishing of an interfaith dialogue and concord in the world. Owing to this international forum, modern Kazakhstan becomes the center of an interfaith dialogue of the world’s and traditional religions. As regards this F. Gülen in his interview given to the “Kazakhstanskaya Pravda” newspaper after completion of work of the II Congress of the world’s and traditional religions said: “The inspirer of this Congress Nursultan Nazarbayev for the regular time showed everybody that magnitude of the values of common to all mankind civilization became indisputable. And any cooperation and mutual understanding starts from a dialogue between the parties”.
“Theology of a dialogue” by Gülen Gülen’s ideas are heard in unison with our President’s ideas, in all sound editions and in public sphere he is known not only as a philosopher and a public figure, but to a greater extent as a theorist and an expert on the issues of an interfaith dialogue and tolerance. Further in his interview he paid special attention to the issues of an interfaith dialogue: “I perceive a dialogue, goodness and tolerance as fundamental principles of my religion”. For a Turkish philosopher goodness means “love to the human race as the most perfect and loftiest creation of the God; demonstration of friendliness to other people; acknowledgement of the differences the way they are; acknowledgement of each person the way he is; acknowledgement and respect of world view, religious views of other people and non-interference in them”.
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His philosophy is life-asserting philosophy as it is based on the principles of love, compassion and tolerance. One of the researchers of Gülen’s works considers him to be a continuator of “theology of a dialogue”, as the theologian substantiates the issues of an interfaith dialogue exclusively by the principles of Islam. He openly declares that his position on the issues of a dialogue between different faiths and civilizations has beginnings “in the first place, in the holy Koran and Sunna of Prophet Mohammed, in the second place, in the centuries-old experience of Izhtihads, that is scientists-theologians’ canonical assumptions and conclusions on different aspects of life, in the third place, in the 1400-years-old history of Islam”. And how he justly remarks: “there is nothing strange in the fact that people may have different opinions and views, but it may not and shouldn’t result in disagreements and conflicts”. Researchers A. Unal and A. Williams call him “the advocate of dialogue”. And it is quite true. F. Gülen believes that the XXI century will become the century of tolerance and mutual understanding. In due time he struggled for the entry of Turkey into the European Union. He saw far-reaching prospects in it. In his opinion, the entry of Turkey doesn’t mean just the entry of one more country into the European Union. It would have been the beginning of a new period in the history of mankind. At the entry of Turkey into the EU, meeting of cultures and civilizations may take place, interfaith cooperation and a dialogue; the Islamic state can become the equal in rights member of the union consisting of only Christian countries, the Turkish thinker believes. The ideas of tolerance and intercultural dialogue also became the basis of Gülen’s educational conception. He believes that if ignorance and extremism serve as the basis for different social diseases and conflicts, then the world will be saved by knowledge and tolerance. In his interview to “The Daily Nation” newspaper, F. Gülen answering the asked question particularly emphasized that “three worst enemies of people are ignorance, destitution and discords”. Further, reasoning on the occasion, he said: “Enlightenment defeats ignorance, labor and accumulation of material benefits eliminate destitution and unity, a dialogue and tolerance bring to nothing dissension and contradictions”. As regards an intercultural dialogue and concord F. Gülen strongly believes in the educational institutions, which are opened by his like-minded persons, where the children from different social groups study, not depending on their religious, ethnic and other distinctions. F. Gülen speaking about his conception of education believes that “this new form of education, in which gaining religious and scientific knowledge will be the united process. It will raise the levels of morality and spirituality and create the authentically enlightened people, whose hearts will be illuminated by the light of religion and the minds - by the light of science; the comprehensively advanced people”. These schools are the schools
of future, as their main purpose and their destination is not only the highquality education but to a greater extent, brining up a new Pleiad of the world’s citizens, who will follow the principles of humaneness and tolerance in their lives. He is very often asked the question about interconnection of Islam and terror. He always categorically and explicitly answered that Islam and terror were incompatible things: “Because murder of a person is the step against the will of the Most High. You don’t have the right to kill a person”. F. Gülen has courage to face the truth and admits that, unfortunately, terrorism exists in the Islamic world like in other non-muslim parts of the world. He says that one shouldn’t close eyes on the fact, but “at first, one should set a correct diagnosis, and then to provide corresponding treatment of the disease”. I think that it relates to all types of modern terrorism. F. Gülen, analyzing the nature of terrorism and its manifestations, mentioned the reasons of terrorism expansion in detail. He attributes those social diseases, which have place in the majority of the Muslim countries, to the main reasons of terrorism expansion.They are poverty, illiteracy, class distinctions and the presence of ethnic discrimination. Such basic values as human rights, access to education and information technologies, economic prosperity and justice in revenue sharing are not realized in the Muslim countries. Moreover, as F. Gülen believes that the nations of these countries are not able to satisfy their basic needs independently, what causes hatred, hostility towards the West. The negative attitude towards the West and the following consequences are related to globalization processes, when the process of considerable emigration and merging of different nations and races proceeds. As a result, everybody communicates to each other very closely, the whole world turns into “a global village” and everything becomes very transparent: luxurious life of one people and beggarly life of other people, what is fraught with different conflicts. But in truth, the most principal reason of terrorism expansion is the spiritual crisis, what is to a greater extent related to disregard to truly religious values. Nowadays the world is filled up with various latter-day religious formations and decadent philosophy. Such depressing diagnosis is set to the world by modern Turkish thinker Fethullah Gülen.
To hear another person and then oneself Boris Klementyev Editor–in-Chief of the
“Izvestiya-Sankt-Peterburg”.
Two years ago my son attended the Turkish lyceum in Petersburg. The decision to change the comprehensive school with the advanced study of the French language for the school where the majority of subjects are taught by Turks was considered by many our relatives and acquaintances as adventurous. “What do you need it for? The East, Islam … How and what can Turks teach your Orthodox child?” – they said something like that. But we firmly resolved at our family council: after the seventh form we submit documents to the lyceum and try to enter it. Of course, we were nervous: how a 15-year old boy will be able to adapt to the new situation, if he will be able to get on well with teachers-foreigners. But the circumstance gave hope to us that the lyceum had good 12-year reputation and took one of the first places in the city by the results of competitions and contests. Its graduates entered prestigious institutes of higher education without problems.
Turks treat us as friends The first thing that struck us in the lyceum literally from the threshold was the children’s faces. They were calm, open and friendly. Each of them necessarily greeted us. It may seem to be a trifle, but it must be admitted that it is a pleasant one. After all such politeness is a sparse phenomenon in usual schools. As I got acquainted with teachers, education procedure and traditions it became clear to me that it was not the only distinctive feature of the lyceum. I don’t mean teaching chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics in the English language, studying the Turkish language but I mean something different. Having studied for two months in the lyceum my son told us: - Turks treat us as friends. Yes, the teacher is an elder, respected person but we can discuss all the issues with him almost on equal terms. Nobody ever shouts. The teachers constantly help us (and after the lessons as well) to master a subject and to achieve a result. It is easy for us to communicate. We understand each other. The fact that the lyceum became the second home for many of them, the children didn’t say directly, but it became clear from the stories told by them. About their playing football with the teachers, going to barbecue party, preparing concert programs. They went to Istanbul in summer, made many excursions, bathed in the Sea of Marmara. And the important is that they learned a lot of interesting things about the life and traditions of other nation. I was curious to ask one of the founders of the lyceum Ali Türkeli: “Why do you take such a great deal of trouble with the students? Isn’t it simpler, as it is customary in other schools, to explain everything at the lessons and minimum at additional classes?” - A direct trusting contact with students has always been important for us – he
answered. –Nothing would have turned out without mutual understanding and care from our side. Plus training at the international level. These are the fundamentals of the educational system in the majority of the private schools of Turkiye. Nowadays this system fructifies well in many countries of the world. More than 500 schools are opened by Turkiye on four continents: in Japan, China, Russia, the USA, Nigeria, Kenya, the Czech Republic, Poland and other countries. Turkish schools are multinational, the children of different nations study in them. For example, Croats and Serbs study together in a friendly fashion in the lyceum of Bosnia. All these schools are created on Fethullah Gülen’s ideas.
Who is Fethullah Gülen? Fethullah Gülen is a high-principled inspirer of Turkish schools. He is a well-known teacher, an Islamic scientisttheologian, Honorary President of the Turkish Fund of Journalists and Writers. I am learning from Internet that Gülen is a Sufi preacher and that he lives in the United States. According to the results of open vote conducted by the “Foreign Policy” American journal, Fethullah Gülen took the first place in the list of the most influential public intellectuals of the world. The survey was conducted this summer. I am reading further. This is what the world’s politicians, famous people who carry on education, businessmen: “Fethullah Gülen makes it his aim to bring up a virtuous generation possessing modern scientific knowledge and high morality principles”. “The thinker believes that there are three social diseases: poverty, ignorance and necessity to uphold one’s principles in the conditions of conflicts”. “Gülen has a dream – to bring up the generation of young people who will combine intellectual enlightenment with true spirituality and active living position, Gülen dedicated the last forty years of his life to realization of his dream all over the world”. It is nice and grandiloquent. Who doesn’t dream of good and eternal? But are there any unselfish people on Earth at all? Isn’t Gülen deified by his compatriots and followers? Why does he live in America and not in Turkiye? Isn’t he an Islamist, who refuses other religions in their right for existence? How and for which funds did it become possible to create such a large system of the educational institutions in the world? There were questions. I tried to find the answers to them in Istanbul where I went with my wife and son for rest and on business.
During the trip In the Fund of Journalists and Writers office I had a meeting with its Chairman
Harun Tokak. After the talk and viewing a short film dedicated to Fethullah Gülen’s education system I wrote down the main quotation: “Fethullah Gülen became the inspirer of opening private secular educational institutions. They work on the basis of respect of other cultures and religions. Following Gülen’s instructions, businessmen started investing into education”. In Turkiye the owners of hotels, shops and banks can count money, but at the same time many of them perfectly understand that in order to bring up a worthy generation, it is necessary, first of all, to invest funds into education. And they started to build and provide schools and universities with everything necessary, helping with the money investments. Gülen himself gives the fees from his books for students’ scholarships. His motto is “Let not a single sad heart be touched in the world. Stability of the state depends on a strong family, brining up and education”.
What we saw at these schools In order to see a modern educational model with our own eyes, we visited the Burç College. In the lyceum we were met by its Director Hüseyin Gönel – a tall, sport-looking man. He looked so young (taking into account his serious position) that we were curious about his age. - Thirty-eight. I taught Turkish literature ten years ago, then I was Director of a boarding school for four years and I have been managing the lyceum for already four years. Gönel’s facility is rather large. The square of the lyceum is equal to ten thousand square meters: light classrooms, recreation halls, sports and a boarding facility. - Gülen’s intention of uniting successful businessmen’s efforts and supporting education, as you can see, turned out to be felicitous, - he said. – And teaching children is teachers’ business. - Are there many those who wish to enter such schools as yours? - Yes, children go to our school very willingly. For example, there are two forms in the lyceum where the children study free of charge starting from the ninth form for all four years.
Who are these lucky beggars? - There is a system in Turkiye, according to which five thousand best graduates after the eighth form have the right for free education. They can choose any school for further studies.
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Such school may be situated abroad as well. “Gülen schools” started to win gold medal places in the national and international Olympiads. They started to be talked about. Another, not less important scheme started working. The school graduates enter universities and after graduating from them quite often return back to the school as teachers. In this way the profession of a teacher becomes prestigious.
What we learned in the university Certainly, Fethullah Gülen is also known in the Fatih University. - He is well known to all intellectuals - associate professor Şaban Çepik says. – Gülen tries to conduct an international dialogue all the time, in which he puts education, training and spirituality in the first place. Radical Islamists ostracize him for his striving to take into account the viewpoints of the representatives of other religious faiths. Young people come to study at the University from 55 countries, including Russia. The exchange of students takes place, joint projects are realized. In addition to Turkish teachers, 70 foreign invited professors work here.
What was showed to us on TV Having visited the “Samanyolu” TV channel, we heard about Fethullah Gülen again. The conception of all the telecasts, according to the Branch Director of Documentary Cinema, a presenter of the news programs Kemal Gülen, is based on humanistic principles and on the prominent thinker’s ideology. - Terrorism can’t have religious grounds, - he said. –Dialogue brings intellectuals together. A complete person can’t be joyful, when his neighbor is hungry. One must not make use of religious distinctions and show aggression at those people who have different belief. At first, listen to other person and only then to yourself. And in the first place, the problem of education must be solved. We show the appearances of Gülen on TV every week. Most likely, therefore “Samanyolu” is in the first five categories of the Turkish TV channels in popularity among the viewers. It occupies the third place in the rating as the news channel. The news is broadcast every half an hour. The main news is broadcast every hour. The “Mehtap” channel, which is the part of the “Samanyolu” group, is called the only culture channel in Turkiye. Besides, the children’s channel fulfills its activity, which attracts attention of both children and their parents. The most popular serials among the viewers appear under its logotype. The films made by the company about concrete people’s destinies and the plots about recent Kurdish disturbances are in special demand.
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Nadezhda Datsuk (a parent, Russia) I am grateful to teachers The school brings up our children with great love, who not only study but live in the boarding school as well. The result of studies and abode in this boarding school is important - entrance to the universities of the city of Saint Petersburg on the free basis. The children enter higher educational institutes on their own without problems. I thank the lyceum, teachers and educators on behalf of the parents very much.
Robert Kazaryan (a parent, Russia) The head master plays games with students. I am very glad that my son studies here, because the living conditions of the children here are really splendid, the teaching staff’s attitude is the best and kindest. The teachers treat the children here like their younger friends. I witnessed the situation when the head master played games with the children, the games being children’s and adolescent. They all like it very much. There must be more such institutions.
The school opening new prospects Timofey Neşitov Journalist (RF)
I am one of the first graduates of the Russian-Turkish lyceums of Russia. Since my finishing school in 1999 I often had to hear the question both in Russia and in Turkiye and in Europe: “Why did you enter the Turkish school?” The truth is that I don’t know it myself until now! It wasn’t a kind of a strategic plan, just the circumstances turned out like this. A fidgety teenager spontaneously wanted to try something new. I never had to regret this spontaneous wish. On the contrary: what we were taught in this school opens new doors for us in life and gives new friends. I believe that it won’t be an exaggeration to say that the Turkish school gave us not only qualitative education and cultivated love to one`s own country, but it considerably influenced our world view. Teaching natural-mathematical subjects in English and presence of the boarding school, in which the problem of refusal of alcohol, smoking and drugs was solved radically, quickly made our
lyceum popular. The circumstance also played a significant role that our students won gold medals in the contests, and some teachers were declared to be the Teachers of the Year on Petersburg scale. However, nowadays, looking back, I believe that our main winning was not knowledge of foreign languages and not the habit of working hard, which was inculcated in majority of us. The most important thing for us became close familiarization with strange culture in the early age, especially the fact that we learned to understand and love such country as Turkiye, which for centuries was hidden behind the curtain of prejudices. In my opinion, it is the best trump card that we got in the circumstances of a globalized world. In the 1990-es majority of Russians had rather strange assumption regarding Turkiye. Besides classical orientalist cliché, there were negative images of “shuttle trade”. And in the popular poem by Korney Chukovskiy there was a crocodile which spoke in Turkish. In a word, an average statistical Turk was presented to Russians as a person, who couldn’t be trusted much, not to mention feeling of kindly feelings, a certain creature from another planet, which had nothing in common with “us”. The most important result of that friendship, which started between us and our teachers and educators, was perception of the fact that Turks are just people like us, who clean their teeth in the morning, sleep at night, like football, eat, when they get hungry, catch cold when it is cold, laugh, cry, miss their parents. When I was preparing for the entrance examination to the lyceum my father said to me: “Son, don’t panic. If there is a question that you can’t answer, say the following phrase: “The capital of the republic of Turkiye is Ankara; the currency is Lira, President – Süleyman Demirel”. These three things don’t change! I must confess that by the moment of my entrance, I, besides this, knew very little about Turkiye and I was sure that Turks use the Arabic alphabet … The lyceum became the second home for majority of us and we didn’t suspect that our school was a part of a large-scale educational movement inspired by the Turkish intellectual Fethullah Gülen. We thought that Turkish teachers had come only to us! Nowadays I know that Turkish schools exist in the very different corners of the world. The same way as Turkish educational movement is not limited by Russia, the same way, we, the graduates are not oriented only to Turkiye. Turkiye just became the window into the world for us. Owing to our Turkish friends we started to understand how it is important to get rid of our own prejudices towards other cultures, and to look at strange people with curiosity and kind intention, to judge people by their personal qualities but not by national, religious or language characteristics. These are the values, easy to speak about, but which are difficult to realize. I believe that Fethullah Gülen’s main striving is not to turn these values into empty words.
To teach peace in the school of good Olga Karabanova Director of the Press Development Institute (RF) I have been fond of Istanbul for quite a long time, since the time of the first meeting, which took place four years ago. I like it not only for Bosporus, mosques, Byzantine temples and exotic bazaars, which keep the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, but also for what people are doing there now, nowadays. Besides various types of activity performed in Istanbul, the most important thing Turkiye is doing is laying the foundation of an intercultural and interfaith dialogue on the international scene. The country has been the site for communication of the representatives of different nations, civilizations, religions and cultures. It was not so easy to convince people in the necessity of a dialogue and it was still more difficult to prepare the basis for the first meetings. But now it is reality, in which sociologists, politicians, journalists, culture experts and common citizens are involved - in a word, all those people, who are ready to spend their time and efforts on practical steps in this necessary direction. Those people will continue the dialogue efforts started by our generation, who will come after us. This is precisely why so much attention is paid to the issues of education in Turkiye. Schools, colleges, universities are equipped with the most advanced technology, they have wonderful premises and good sports base at their disposal. The demands of the XXI-st century are taken into account in all new educational establishments: the students master advanced computer programs, study not less than three foreign languages. But still it is not the main thing. The teachers of schools and colleges clearly understand that it is necessary to bring up real “people of the world” who know, culture, psychology, traditions of all civilizations and nations who
inhabit our Earth from the students. It is such education and brining up that will give a chance to graduate from schools and colleges the young people, who will find the solution of all burning issues not on the basis of confrontation and conflict but on the basis of compromise and mutual concessions. The thought in itself, about the fact that people should live in peace is not a new one. The best minds of humanity expressed the ideas of universal peace for a long time. Many people proposed to forget about discords and disagreements, to overcome religious, national and political prejudices. But it was necessary to work through the mechanism of such actions, to show their reality. And the schools, which I managed to see in Istanbul and Kayseri represent the
striking example of not only reality but effectiveness of such education as well. And it is not quite correct to speak about education only in this case. It is bringing up the schoolchildren and students in such a way that they wish to know as much as possible about other countries and civilizations that have primacy in the educational system of Turkiye. After all, only having got to know, one may understand and learn to respect them in future.
Gülen’s world is the world of unity, love and understanding There are theoretical fundamentals for developing such education and they are laid by the person, whose ideas are respected and improved by the teachers and students of the Turkish educational institutions, - Fethullah Gülen. His world - the world of unity, love and understanding – forms the basis of the capital which is invested into the minds and hearts of those, who succeeded in receiving education in the wonderful educational institutions of Turkiye. Gülen earnestly proves that it is necessary not so much to overcome discords and contradictions as to find common ground, mutual interests and values, which everybody is ready to protect, regardless of practiced religion and culture. Super inducement of these truths into the learning and upbringing process seems to be extremely important. Only such approach nowadays may contribute to control of nationalistic tendencies and settle discords on the religious basis, at the same time laying the foundation for future development of tolerance and understanding. It is very important for me as a m other to be sure that the education, which my children will receive, will not only give them a certain sum of knowledge but will also teach the main thing – to know Peace and to serve to Good. Nowadays bringing up a person of future doesn’t not only assume training of a specialist and intellectual. It is based on bringing up lofty, sincere feelings of humanism and tolerance. And if the School (be it a school, a college, an institute or a university) bears the earmarks of spirit of good and understanding, if it serves to bringing to life the ideals, about which many clear minds dreamt, and which are asserted by an outstanding humanist and philosopher Fethullah Gülen, it is capable of fulfilling its great destination. It will open for a person the way, which he will take to follow for a very long time – all his life. Therefore it is so important that our children study not only sciences but the main thing as well – study Peace in the School of Good.
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F.GÜLEN ANSWERED
The Russian Scientists’ Questions Published In Izvestiya Newspaper
“This movement is not one person’s achievement” Rostislav Ribakov
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Director of the Institute of the Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Nadejda Yemelyanova
Candidate of Historical Sciences, the Institute of the Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Nina Nazirova
Candidate of Historical Sciences, the Institute of the Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Many articles on “Fethullah Gülen movement” have appeared in the Russian press recently. What can You tell about it? Is there an official status and a welldefined program? What are its main principles?” Nowadays the word “movement” gains still more social, political nuance and is still more associated with political movement. And it is not even a question of the fact that such concept as movement may relate to philosophy as well. However, if we need to define this or that activity, we may say about “movement”. I also regard it as my duty to note that calling it “Fethullah Gülen movement” will be not only incorrect but also unjust towards a great number of people. As the role of the leader in this movement is rather limited: there is neither leadership, nor
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center, nor communication with center, nor organization. This movement may be defined as the way of serving to humanity. But it starts as the way of serving to own nation, as the way of serving to the Creator. Precisely that is the aim of earthy and afterlife for us. However, it is impossible just to gather people, to organize the center and a number of official institutions. The official preacher expresses himself by means of a lecture in the mosque but a citizen expresses himself by means of what he writes. In the majority of cases, a certain number of people is found, who think in the same way, who pay attention to him and follow him, creating in such a way movement of volunteers. As he shows his worth in one way or another, people, who are in the spiritual search for something similar, start performing similar deeds. Thus, a community appears which is completely based on mutual aid; it exists in the form of “the market of benevolence” – without the center, bureaucracy, a statute and official status, which are not required in this case. It is reasonable that some people, having tender feelings for you, from time to time turn to the views you are adhere, or you open up your world view yourself, addressing modern means of information exchange. Besides, the idea, on which movement is based, doesn’t belong to you. It was expressed, starting from the first person on the Earth and to our time, by a great number of people – philosophers, thinkers, public and religious figures, those who are listened to by people sincerely. Thus, you are trying to present and to express this idea in the clearest possible way in accordance with the epoch and the conditions that it dictates. Many other people – intellectuals, philosophers and thinkers – to a certain extent speak on support of this idea and contribute to its propagation, try to correct inaccuracies, so movement in no way can be related to only one person. What we see is the collective movement directed by collective mind and spirit, the movement joined by the representatives of different strata of society, different societies, different nationalities and races, citizens of different countries with different views on life. It is impossible to speak on the movement principles from the official point of view. But if I, as a Muslim, will touch upon the basic principles, which should be fulfilled in the name of serving to humanity, then I’ll tell that in the course of many years I try to inform people about them in my modest articles and statements. First of all, these are the following principles: to love everything existing created by the Most High and first of all, a person as a mirror of His creation; to envelop the outward things with love and compassion; Be so tolerant that your heart becomes wide like the ocean. Become inspired with faith and love for others. Offer a hand to those in trouble, and be concerned about everyone. To refuse a wish to live myself in order to save fellow creature’s life; to regard all people like equal to me,
regardless of their religious belonging, beliefs, skin color and nationality, to develop a dialogue with people, to win the sympathy of people and never to come down to violence, threats and rage; to face bad attitude, displayed hostility and any other negative reaction in accordance with the divine order: “Overcome evil made to you in the kindest way, always be on the way of forgiveness and understanding, don’t pay attention to the actions and behavior of ignorants , answer them with generous forgiveness and wish all good and divine grace”; not to expect gratitude or payment for your service; to accept all the life as labor in the name of Allah’s benevolence and fulfillment of a human duty …” There are many other similar principles. They are not the ideas preached by a thinker personally. All the prophets rested upon these postulates, they were proclaimed by true philosophers, thinkers and spiritually clarified people, who appealed to heart and consciousness; all the sacred books are based on them.
During the visit to Turkiye we attended the schools, which are called “Gülen schools”. What can You tell about them? With your permission I want to note that it will be more correct to call them not “Gülen schools” but the private schools, the voluntarily opened social organizations all over the world and applaying the curriculum of the related country and functioning in accordance with the current legislation. I would like to dwell on some moments, which distinguish these schools from other institutions similar to them. A person won’t achieve harmony of thought until he passes the intense points of thinking. Why does it happen? Because the Creator didn’t limit the merits, which he gave to a person and left them free. Realizing these merits a person will think and study; thus, the merits put into him will become apparent and will reshape into abilities. As a result a person’s thinking will become mature and he will make discoveries and conduct researches. Certainly, it is a prolonged process and such development and education will take a person’s whole life. In the modern world we often witness how people pass the extreme points of thinking in many tendencies, philosophical, political and social ideologies. For example, there is truth in philosophy, which is presented in each philosophical tendency – rationalism, idealism, materialism and spiritualism. However, beginnings of new and new tendencies will be inevitable until this truth finds its solely correct place. The same relates to pedagogics. That is why diametrically opposite tendencies appear in the sphere of education and they can’t get rid of the influence of philosophical, ideological and political polarization. And at the schools we are talking about the first place is occupied by education and bringing up as common values, and political polarization influenced by philosophical, ideological
and even political tendencies is left beyond the zone of attention. Secondly, these schools are accepted gladly everywhere they are opened. They are accepted by people of different religions, different skin color, different nationalities – and all this because education and bringing up have primacy in these schools, and the schools see the key element of a person’s existence in them, not thinking about using them for any ideological, political or religious purpose. Thirdly, no matter how much we discuss it, but it is morality that determines a person’s essence. For this reason the main moral values and principles are the same everywhere. No person, no ideology, religion, nation, race can manage without such moral values as, mercy, compassion, love, respect for people, disinterested service to humanity and to everything existing, empathy, tolerance, protection of the institution of family and family values, mutual aid and modesty. Just as it is impossible to accept such phenomena as, pride, arrogance, egoism, contempt for other people, violence, gossip and slander. I hope that people, who work in these schools, are striving for adherence to such moral principles as better as possible. Fourthly, I would like to tell about the main principle: it is impossible to regard service to humanity as a profession. Talking about a profession I mean the duties performed for payment. The people, who work in the specialty, think about their wages and working time but not about things they particularly do, not about service to humanity. Not to mention about apprehending their work as service to God, as the actions directed to Allah benevolence and achieving eternity in the other world. However, if a person apprehends education and bringing up not as a profession but as the most righteous and honorable way to achieving eternal life and contentment of the Creator, as the honor and even worship to God, such a person won’t think about time and payment. In his educational and pedagogical activity he will become a single whole with those people that he works with and in this way he will differ from the others. Father Thomas Michel, Secretary on the Issues of the Interfaith Dialogue of Vatican visits the “Dialogue” Philippine-Turkish lyceum in the town of Zamboanga, which was the arena of military operations between the governmental troops and Moro movement for many years. There he notes in amazement that in the lyceum, which is situated “in the town where the guerilla war continues, people disappear, robberies and kidnapping take place, violence rages”, more than a thousand students – Christians and Muslim – not only get the qualitative education, but also communicate with each other perfectly, demonstrating complete mutual understanding. Prior to this he travels over Kyrgyzstan and he is amazed by the educational level of the school in Bishkek and the students’ success in
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mastering the foreign language and their achievements in the contests on other academic subjects as well. He can see how the students from America, Southern Korea, Afghanistan and Iran study together and are on friendly terms. His attention is also attracted by the teachers’ diligence, honesty and selflessness. In conclusion, he starts to take an interest in your humble servant’s views on education.
Which, in Your opinion, is the role of Islam in the modern structure of the country, the population of which practices this religion? The Islamic scientists determine three periods of existence of administrative systems in Islam, according to one of hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) that is his words. The first period – Nubuvvat, the period of prophecy presented directly by Prophet himself ((s.a.a.w.).). The main distinctive feature of this period of Islamic administration was complete observance of absolute justice. It follows the principle: “There can’t be large and small law, law is law” and completely protects the rights of each member of the society, without sacrificing individual’s rights to social medium. Each member of the society is sure that his rights are completely protected. One of the modern scientists says that absolute justice may be characterized by the following example: If nine criminals who have been sentenced to death and one innocent person are on board a ship, Islam does not permit the ship to be sunk in ... There is no lesser or greater right. An innocent person`s rights may not be sacrificed. The second period of the Islamic administration – the thirty-year period at once following Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.).) and called the Epoch of righteous caliphs. It is called prophetical caliphate that is the period of caliphsrashids (those, who achieved perfection), following the footsteps of prophecy. Absolute justice is the main feature of this period as well. Justice of the second caliph Omar, which aroused even admiration of Karl Marx, was known to everybody. However, it should be noted that no matter how supreme this justice was, nobody could and can compete with prophets in it. After termination the era of caliphate, presented by four caliphs, the era of administration called Sultanate of caliphate started (though it bore the name of caliphate, the features of sultanate prevailed in it). This epoch was over with collapse of the Ottoman state. This period is distinguished by observance of not absolute but relative justice, with succession from father to son, as distinct from the period of caliphs-rashids, when they were elected to this post; with succession by inheritance the system took shape of sultanate once and for all. After sultanate jointly with caliphate sank into non-existence and after beginnings of the national states in the Islamic world, Islam ceased to be the main criterion, which was guided at establishing the
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administration form, its structure, legal system and laws. At the modern stage in the Islamic world there are many countries, which are called republics, but they don’t have democracy. Though democracy as such, with its main human rights and freedoms, a personality’s rights and taking into account a nation’s opinion during the elections is closer to Islam. From the very beginning of its existence Islam assigned primary importance to a nation’s rule. Nowadays in Turkiye, Pakistan, to certain extent in Iran after the shah’s regime there exists controlled and in Turkiye and Pakistan – a democratic regime broken by the military coups. Turkiye as a secular country doesn’t follow Islam in the process of the state administration but on the contrary, it behaves on this issue quite strictly. Iran and Pakistan consider themselves to be Islamic republics but the question to which extent they are really such and if they can be considered such in future is rather vexed. Even if Islam is taken as the basis of administration in some other states, this topic always remains debatable.
What is Your view to the prospects of Turkish-Russian relations development? If I speak about this as a Muslim, then I would like, with your permission, to explain that in the Holy Qur’an Allah says that all people were born from one father and one mother and then were divided into tribes and kins with the purpose of their closer acquaintance and mutual aid; so belonging to this or that people, nation or race not depending on a person, can’t be the reason for his eminence over others; the reason for spiritual eminence lies in the fear of God, a person’s connection with Allah and other people and in good acts. In this case, as respected Ali said, Muslims are my brothers in faith, and non-Muslims – in common to all humanity brotherhood. Allah created the Earth for all people as a cradle for unity. We lie in it, eat and listen to our mothers’ tunes. Secondly, all people are brothers not only from the point of view of being in one human community and birth from one universal mother, but from the point of view of biological kinship as well. These alliances become the reason of closing in between people and play certain role in establishing personal and legal relations between them. For example, people inherit each other’s property in accordance with alliance. At the same time, Islam pays attention to both neighbor's rights and relations. Thus, we, Turks, used to live in the same Asiatic steppes with Russians for sure. The researches of Turkish and Russian cultures and traditions witness that we have very many common moments remained from those times. Nowadays we are two neighboring states, two neighboring countries and two neighboring nations. We have neighbors’ rights and duties. Besides, Turkiye like Russia relates both to Europe and to Asia. I would also like to dwell on that important fact that Russia
expressed a wish to receive the status of observer in the Islamic Conference Organization, in which Turkiye is included as the part of the Islamic world.
“the relations will be still better tomorrow” Tatiana Filippova Candidate of Historical Sciences, deputy editor-in-chief of “The Rodina” magazine (RF). In spite of the globalization process, culture, economic position and religion of people remain different. The nations are separated by their historic past and mutual offences and the states are separated by geopolitical and economic interests. You, a thinker with great life experience, are calling on people to unity, appealing to the high notions of love, mutual understanding, and tolerance. Do You hope that your appeals will be heard and apprehended? Globalization results in the closer contacts. In the past centuries we lived apart and had a notion about other nations only according to the stories. Such notion about each other was limited by capabilities and reliability of the information sources. And nowadays we learn each other in direct communication and very closely. The Muslims have centuries-old history and the experience of coexisting with non-Muslims. As early as the beginning of the twentieth century almost half of Istanbul’s population consisted of non-Muslims. The number of the Muslims in the Ottoman state didn’t exceed the number of non-Muslims. Russia also has similar experience to a certain extent, the numerous Muslim population lives within the limits of Russia. But such Western countries as Germany, England, France, the USA started to gain similar experience only in the last century. Earlier the population of these countries had an idea of the Muslims only according to the stories. In their eyes the Muslims were strange, that is, as it is often said nowadays “the other”. The same thing was with the Muslims – especially to those who
Naturally, we can’t ignore the differences, which are stipulated by religion, history, culture and geographical environment of the different nations’ residence. But, besides the differences, there are always common features as well, which must be taken into account. All people are made from the same material, we all consist of atoms and particles of earth, air and water, we all have the same constitution and the same organs. At the same time, we differ from each other by our DNAs, fingerprints, voices and, finally by faces. Each person is so different from any other person by his inner world, character, preferences, possibilities and abilities, that he in himself is a separate world. But these differences make us live together but not to keep aloof. Just as the organs forming our body, in spite of the differences between them, function in complete and wonderful interaction; just as in nature each creature sincerely cooperates and interacts with other ones for achieving common purpose; just as the bread that we eat every day is obtained as a result of proportional interaction of warmth and sunlight, water, air, soil, wheat grains and our labor, just the differences between people in principle are assigned for mutual aid, service to common social purpose but not for a conflict
identified Islam with nationalism – the Christians, Jews and adherents of other religions seemed to be “different”. An American Christian magazine referring to the topic of Muslimism not long before the acts of terrorism of September 11, asserted: “There wasn’t anything like this earlier, but nowadays we live with the Muslims in one district, in one street. Our children play together in one street. We should learn our neighbors closer”. The acts of terrorism of September 11 to some extent hampered achievement of mutual understanding. Certainly, there are political quarters and organizations pursuing certain interests and impeding this. But, in spite of existing estrangement earlier, people all over the world became interested even greater in Islam and the Muslims and they make efforts to learn them closer. Developing transport and information means provide more and more opportunities for this. The walls built, as You said, by the centuriesold history of wars, are breaking down. Nowadays in the countries of the West the millions of Muslims live, who migrated there from the Islamic
countries. Humanity is looking for the ways of preventing wars. Thank God, in spite of the difficulties, the fundamental human rights and freedoms become more and more significant. The efforts of such intellectuals like you, the endeavors of the non-government organizations contribute to this. Also the pressure of economic interests and political conditions even contradicting, as You said, to each other, should be taken into account. Trade needs bring together countries, regardless of the incongruous interests and policy conducted by administrations. For example, mutual prejudices between Russia and Turkiye are breaking down owing to trade of energy carriers, vegetables and fruit, because of development of tourism, when the universal humanistic principles become determinant. Identical understanding of the fact that “a person is basically generous and is looking for truth and kindness” brings us together. To be brief, nowadays the conditions of preserving hope are much more favorable than they used to be yesterday, and, with God's help, tomorrow will be better than today. The main thing for intellectuals
is to do everything they are required, without falling into the moods of despair and despondency.
In your works You are developing the new educational system concept, which is based on the science and moral values. Which, in Your opinion, must be the principles of implementing this educational system, so that it would meet the requirements not only Turkiye but Russia, the CIS countries, Western Europe and the USA as well? Naturally, we can’t ignore the differences, which are stipulated by religion, history, culture and geographical environment of the different nations’ residence. But, besides the differences, there are always common features as well, which must be taken into account. All people are made from the same material, we all consist of atoms and particles of earth, air and water, we all have the same constitution and the same organs. At the same time, we differ from each other by our DNAs, finger-prints, voices and, finally by faces.
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Each person is so different from any other person by his inner world, character, preferences, possibilities and abilities, that he in himself is a separate world. But these differences make us live together but not to keep aloof. Just as the organs forming our body, in spite of the differences between them, function in complete and wonderful interaction; just as in nature each creature sincerely cooperates and interacts with other ones for achieving common purpose; just as the bread that we eat every day is obtained as a result of proportional interaction of warmth and sunlight, water, air, soil, wheat grains and our labor, just the differences between people in principle are assigned for mutual aid, service to common social purpose but not for a conflict. What does service to common social purpose mean? In the course of history the leading philosophers’ teachings, with the exception of some of them, didn’t differ. After all, they all related to solving the issue about the purpose of a person’s existence. For example, Kant emphasized that this purpose doesn’t lie in satisfaction of physical needs, inasmuch as a person can’t be equalized with an animal. Consequently, he says, the purpose of a person’s existence should be looked for in achieving real humaneness through inoculating moral values and in a certain sense, in perfection and discernment of a person. Max Schiller, another German philosopher, also looks for the purpose of a person’s existence in essence, called him Spirit (Geist), which distinguishes people from animals. Schiller believes that a person is guided by his instincts and feelings for preservation and continuation of human race and it makes him related to animals. Spirit’s activity, which is directed to suppression of instincts and feelings, brings true freedom to a person. And such philosophers as John Stuart Mill, a famous hedonist (universal hedonist, or Benthamite) turned down the critics’ assertions that they consider the purpose of life is achieving the highest degree of pleasure and in that way equate a person with a pig. Actually, these philosophers mean gladness of mind, conscience and feelings by pleasure. If we refer to history, then we can see Plato in the West, who is choosing striving for everything good, correct, nice and just as a person’s life purpose and his bringing up. In the East we will see Confucius, who in search for a virtuous society, defines such a person’s life purposes as, love to people, wisdom, sincerity, truth, courage and resoluteness. These two philosophers say that achieving human purposes is only possible through love to studies, that through studies and with the help of studies a person must perceive such virtues as mind, honesty, thrift, correctness, devotion to ideals, respect for parents, generosity, discipline and sincerity. It is evident from the Qur’an and the works of the Muslim scientists and thinkers concerning this topic that Islam places gaining the knowledge about essence as the basis of human existence. In other words, in the widest sense of the word, perception of Allah by a person is occurred through
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science and understanding of structure of the Earth and the Universe. Our scientists and thinkers insist on the fact that teaching a person is the only possible way of transforming a person from potential man to a real one. After all, all living creatures except for man, right after their birth adapt themselves to the living conditions as if they were already trained in another world. It means that we all have constant human essence and a common feature, which is in Islamic terminology called “fytrat” (nature). Exactly these common principles, needs and features define the main principles of education, regardless of a country. Even those properties which we perceive as differences, together form single whole, as it were the parts of one mosaic. As our main physical needs haven’t changed since the time when the first person was born, and are satisfied by air, water and bread, we just remain people with the same intellectual and moral need in bringing up and education. As I tried to answer respected Professor Rostislav Rybakov’s question, the fundamental common to all humanity principles, spiritual values and a human life’s common aspects determine the main principles of education, which may be applied in all the corners of the globe. And, finally, only the educational system implementation methods are left. For this we will use long-lived, even centuries-old experience of our teachers’ work and we will try to develop this experience and we’ll work taking into account individual distinctive features of a person’s psychology and the differences of cultural and geographical character.
Being a thinker, open to the religious and moral topic, You know Russian literature, its intellectual and spiritual values. Which of them are the most valuable, useful and actual for the twentieth century? Which future of Russia and its mission in Eurasia do You conceive? I am familiar with Russian culture, its intellectual and spiritual values mainly owing to Russian literature. And I open with surprise in Russian history, especially of the last centuries, parallels with the history of the Ottoman state and Turkiye. Among my coevals and younger people there are few, who wouldn’t have read Puskin's, Dostoyevskiy, Tolstoy, Chekhov, even Gogol, Maxim Gorky and Pasternak. How the lives of these great writers, playwrights and poets, plots and characters of their works are similar to the lives of many our writers and to their characters! Especially those, who lived in the period of the Ottoman state collapse in the nineteenth century and in the first quarter of the twentieth century prior to formation of the Republic! They are similar because Dostoyevskiy’s utterance concerning the fact that “we all walked out of “Greatcoat” by Gogol suits perfectly all our society and our history of that time. The peasants described in “The dead souls” by Gogol are our peasants as well. Pushkin’s melancholy, who once
visited my native town Erzurum, was reflected in “Eugene Onegin” and “Winter evening”, and it is our melancholy as well. How “Demons” by Dostoyevskiy are similar to our “Carbonari”. As if the same secret societies are described, political intrigues, impingements and crimes. How our Ahmet Effendi is similar to Chekhov, who tries to protect his society’s values to the western literature! How is the dispute between Mehmet Akif and Tewfik Fikret similar to the dispute between Tolstoy and Turgenev! It is possible to find in Turkiye the same nihilism and materialism developed among the part of Russian intellectuals and the high society, which preferred to communicate in the French language but not in the native one, and it was seriously criticized by Tolstoy in “Anna Karenina”, and Raskolnikov with Sonya, who because of their filthy and unhealthy existence came to religion. The topic of love, search for immortality and reconciliation with God deeply worked over in “Doctor Zhivago” by Pasternak may also be found among the last generation of the writers of the Ottoman state and the period of Republic. When we read “Three sisters” by Anton Chekhov we have the same feelings that we have while reading “Three daughters of Pertev Bey” by Münevver Ayaşli. Mayakovski’s disappointment in revolution, which brought him to suicide and disappointment of great poet Pasternak concerning the same thing we meet among many Turkish intellectuals of the period of Republic. And “Mother” by Maxim Gorki so deeply influenced the Communist movement in Turkiye … In many spheres of life one may find out similar features between Turkiye and Russia. Great attention is paid not only to domestic art but to foreign art and literature as well in the Russian society. Perhaps, one of the most important cultural and intellectual traditions in Russia is the significance attached to development of art and literature and which may serve as a good example to the world community in the twenty-first century. In contrast to us, even the Soviet regime didn’t interfere in the Russian language and literature so roughly in order to change them considerably. Nowadays, when individualism and egoism jointly developing with its move to the forefront, Russian hospitality like Turkish one are virtues which should be kept. There are intellectuals in Russia, who strengthen social solidarity in their works, in contrast to excessive individualism, which was born by modernization. Patriarch Alexy II Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus, in his interview to “The Dialogue Eurasia” magazine said that the basis of the society, which treated human values and wishes with respect, would ensure the stable rise of humanity for many centuries: “In Russia people, who relate to different religions and nations lived in the atmosphere of love, respect and peace for a long time. Such situation didn’t happen at once. We know the price of our experience. And we are ready to share our experience with the whole world”. This is our mutual wish. The great intellectuals are growing in Russia. One of them is, for example,
an expert on the Islamic law Mr. Leonid Sukiyainen. He draws our attention to the elements, which bring together the West and the East, with the Muslim world, gives each value its due and advocates rapprochement and dialogue between the representatives of different religions. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Russia Mr. S.V. Lavrov in his article published in December 2004 in a number of Turkish newspapers stated that “no one but Russia and Turkiye themselves will undertake responsibility to become the bridge between different civilizations and actively help in establishing future relations between Europe and Asia, the West and the East”. If to take into account such factors as the cultural and intellectual traditions of Russia, its historic experience, geopolitical and geostrategic position, availability of large reserves of natural energy carriers, gigantic power, then Russia can make a great contribution into preserving peace not only in our region but in the whole world as well.
rich historical practice of Islam, adopted rather puritanical manner, asserting that they return to the Qur’an and Sunnah that allegedly religion exists only in the books; and it looked like an attempt to build a house on water. Other movements tried to turn Islam into the driving force of the liberation wars and nationalized it. Though all these groups appealed to the Qur’an and Sunnah, they failed to understand the Qur’an as the single whole; they failed to estimate Ayats (signs) of the Qur’an in integrity and in connection with other Ayats. For the reason that Islam wasn’t regarded as a single whole and its parts weren’t viewed in connection with each other, there appeared many interpretations of
Interest has been growing to Your teachings and living principles in different countries of the world recently. Many people regard You as Mujaddid of Islam and a progressive Muslim scholar, whose tafsirs respond to the changes happening in the world. Do you agree to such estimation of Your status? The rank of Mujaddid (a renewer) in Islam is very high. A person is required to be perfect in science, morality and behavior. Your humble servant never pursued such a high rank and never regarded himself as such. I don‘t present Islam to you in my own interpretation. I try to express Islam, which is ordered by the Most High in the Qur’an and to which Prophet Mohammed (s.a.a.w.)taught in word and in example of his own life. Why do some people understand Islam in a different way? There are reasons for this. The stagnation period in science began in the Muslim world since the thirteenth century. Power and law gained prevailing significance, but wisdom (hikmat) and science (ilm) lost their influence they had in the previous centuries. As a result, as you know well, the Islamic world met the twentieth century in the state of devastation and colonial dependence. Naturally, each Muslim country made attempts in order to change such a situation. Religious factor became the driving force in the liberation movements and wars. In the course of time religion was perceived as ideology. And again wisdom and science were neglected. Besides, radical ideological movements opposing to each other arose. Some movements, neglecting
Qur’an, one should know methodology of tafsir perfectly. Before the start of considering sunnah of the Prophet and hadith, one should learn methodology of hadith as well. Before the start of speaking and writing about Fiqh – Islamic law and passing judgments, based on Islam, one should master methodology of Fiqh. Certainly, it is inappropriate to go into details here but for better understanding this issue let me tell the following: There are invariable main provisions in the Qur’an and Sunnah – muhkamat. Giants of the faith (iman), divine service (ibadat), religious-legal conclusions (hukm), not leaving doubts in permissibility (halal) and impermissibility (haram), justice (adalat), truthfulness (hakkaniyat), honesty, sincerity, charity (marhamat), love, tenderness and other principles of morality and spirituality are the foundations, which we call “muhkamat”. There are also religious principles, which we call “mutashahibat”. They are relative truths in our life, which can partially alter, and are similar to prism, which refracts a light ray. Even some nasses (hadith and Ayats) may receive different reflections depending on time, grounds, conditions and people. All this shaped some technical provisions in understanding the Islamic law, the Qur’an and Sunnah. They are called “nasihmansuh”, “mutlak-mukaiyad” and “umum-husus”. Unfortunately, many modern Muslims and researchers, who study Islam, don’t pay attention to them, and sometimes don’t even have any idea about them. The answer to your question concerning renewal (tadjid) turned out to be rather long, because I tried to show that it is impossible to undertake such a considerable occupation and that I just try to explain Islam within the framework of the Holy book and Sunnah.
Islam. Your humble servant from the very beginning tried to the best of his ability to work out an integral point of view. Speaking about the Qur’an and Sunnah, history should have been taken into account, which is the laboratory for us and which repeatedly revises its experience. In other words, I explain Islam, which is described in the Qur’an and is preached by the life of the messenger of God. I try to convey Islam as it is. Secondly, illiteracy prevailing in the Islamic world for the last centuries covered the sphere of religion as well. After all, each science has its approach, that is methodology. Unfortunately, many people, who speak about Islam and work on such topics as “tafsir’, “hadith” and “Fiqh”, don’t have any idea about methodology of each direction of science, about science of language and logics. Actually, before the start of explaining the
What question would You like to ask yourself, the person, who keenly feels the changes in the modern world? What are You mostly interested in and what fills You with enthusiasm, when You reflect on the destinies of humanity? Probably, the most essential question is the following: how can we, who bear the main responsibility to Allah, people, the whole world, to carry the paradise lost by us to the Earth and to turn the Earth into Eden? The work gradually achieving a good pace in the given direction carried out by such intellectuals like you, many social organizations and many scientific, moral and spiritual mentors, who try to perceive and follow essence and true human nature, which are predetermined by the Most High, makes glad, gives hope and fills with enthusiasm your humble servant.
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“Islam doesn’t offer a detailed form of a political regime” Leonid Sukiyainen Doctor of Laws, Professor of GU - the Higher School of Economics (the Russian Federation) You are one of the most outstanding Islamic thinkers. What is the most important in Your works? What have You introduced in modern understanding of Islam? What is the difference between Your views and other Islamic thinkers’ ideas, who lived in the end of the nineteenth – the beginning of the twentieth century, for example, Muhammed Abduh? Muhammed Abduh lived in the period of noticeable decline and colonization of the Islamic world. Egypt, as you know, was English possession. Military defeats of the Muslims in the previous centuries and domination of Europe, especially England and France in science, technology, art and philosophy had evident influence on the Muslim intellectuals, thinkers and scientists. Atheism, which spread in the West as a result of development of natural sciences, appearance of positive and materialist philosophical tendencies influenced hearts and minds in the Islamic world. This influence is noticeable in Muhammed Abduh and his followers’ ideas and approaches to Islam. He sooner regarded Islam, which, to the same extent, is both science and the experience of soul and heart, totality of theory and practice, as rational and positive teaching than religion in its own sense. In other words, spiritual, divine side of Islam was kept in the background. For example, Muhammed Abduh treated Ayats about the afterlife as if we had already been in that world, and scientific knowledge had already become proficient in it. In other words, he regarded many issues of Islam particularly from the rational, materialistic point of view. Muhammed Abduh apprehended the marked Ayats in the way, which was different from the way they were interpreted in the Qur’an. Consequently, he regarded a reward or punishment in the afterlife as just a
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mental or a psychological encouragement or punishment. At such approach the miracles of Prophets can’t be explained, as everything is only interpreted reasoning from the cause-effect relation. What is beyond our feelings - for example, shaitan (Satan) and genies, - are identified with our vicious instincts and motives. But when on the turn of XIX and XX centuries atomic physics disproved the postulates of classical physics, such views lost any sense. Besides, Muhammed Abduh and his followers brought all the problems of the Islamic world only to political, social, economical ones, at the same time ignoring the Muslims’ state of mind, hearts and souls. Subsequently, it became one of the causes of beginnings, especially in Arabic countries, of Islamic political and social ideological movements.
Nowadays many people apprehend Islam, first of all, as political phenomenon, what is the ratio between Islam and politics in Your opinion? May Islam be considered only a religion? What problems of modern Islam do you consider the most principal – particularly religious or secular? Our Prophet’s and other messengers’ duties include familiarization of people with Allah, “reading” them Ayats of the Qur’an and explaining the Universe as the Holy book. It is not accidental that the Muslim scientists describe the Universe as the open book, which should be read and understood, that is to approach it as a science. Thus, his mission lies in protecting people against incorrect thoughts and superstition, to clean their inner world from sins and everything immoral, to give them the Qur’an and to teach them how to follow the Holy book in life, to explain the meaning and the purpose of the orders and the prohibitions envisaged by it, especially concerning eternal happiness. Within this framework our Prophet (s.a.a.w.)called upon people to believe in Allah and to follow other pillars of the faith. The Six Pillars of Faith and five foundations of Islam were defined. It was also determined that Islam prohibits or condemns and also permits or encourages. The moral rules and norms of behavior in relations with people are known. There is no politics in these postulates of Islam. There is nothing said about it even in overwhelming majority of works concerning fikih (Islamic law). But some of its tendencies pay major attention to political topics and present politics as one of dimension of religion. As a result, some Muslim thinkers dedicate their works to political subject-matter. Islam, besides the appeal to follow afflatus, doesn’t offer a detailed form of a state, a political regime and an administrative system. It gives preference to such a power, which follows the will of God and regards perfection of people and
a society as its priority. Islam proceeds from the assumption that such a power is established in people’s life, which they themselves deserve. In Islam power is formed by people’s free declaration of will. At the same time people may choose freely whether to believe or not believe in God. Therefore, Islam gives the right to propagate his religion to each person without hindrance. Liberty of conscience and religious liberty in its highest demonstration must be guaranteed to everybody. So, exactly the Qur’an’s instructions about prophets and the legends about our Prophet’s life lie in the basis of the faith and are sufficient enough for mastering divine truth. At the same time Islam, as the political factor, became the driving force in the liberation wars of the Muslim world in the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. In principle, for solving the Muslim world’s problems, the thinkers should consider these problems from the point of view of morals, science, morality and spirituality. But staking on external manifestation of the faith, they often preferred to solve these problems by political methods. In particular, in separate Muslim countries freedom of conscience was acknowledged and laicism was proclaimed – secular character of a state. It should seem that in such conditions jihad – struggle for strengthening Allah’s will – should mean, first of all, realization of the Islamic values in the scientific, intellectual, spiritual and moral spheres, but not on the front of politics. However it didn’t follow, and the Islamic movements, generated in the Islamic world, occupied themselves with political activity, supposing that it is the most important work. But when the main starting point is erroneous, then fiasco is the inevitable result. In other words, these movements cost too much for the Muslims. The main thing is that everywhere in the world Islam was presented and apprehended contrary to its nature. Thus, some Western authors, for example, Oliver Roy, called these movements “political Islam” and their failures “misfortune of political Islam”. Such estimation shouldn’t be applied to Islam itself, as the terms “political Islam”, “social Islam”, “economical Islam”, “radical Islam” and “moderate Islam” contradict the spirit of Islam. However, these notions were used for explanation of what happened in reality. So, I want all the Muslims to become aware of falseness of such strategy and to refuse it and in that way to protect Islam from incorrect understanding and erroneous notions.
Serious conflicts quite often arise in the modern world, which are related to considerable spread of Islam beyond of the Islamic world, first of all, in the West. What are, in Your opinion, the main causes of such contradictions? Who bears
Former US Secretary of State Honorable Madeleine Albright at Gulen Forum on December 2, 2008
the main responsibility for these crises – the Western society or the Muslims? It is possible to say that the answer to the previous question partially relates to this topic as well. Naturally, we, the Muslims, made many mistakes. The main of them, as I tried to explain, is inability to understand the essence of Islam and to present Islam by personality, words and deeds that is by the whole life. Islam, first of all, is the receptacle from the beginning to the end of ideal, embodiment of all Wonderful Names of Allah. Islam is correct thinking, correct understanding of the book of the Universe and perception of it as the light showing the way of perception of Allah and rising to Him. We can say that Islam is a science on the one hand, and the faith equal in significance to it on the other hand. In other words, “to know” and “to believe” in Islam are not the notions opposite to each other. On the contrary, they supplement each other. Islam is suppression of a person’s biological nature, purification of his heart and beautification of his soul. It embodies high morality, sincerity, honesty, justice and truthfulness. Islam is correct perception and understanding Allah, worship to Him, love to Him and spiritual happiness from joining to His truth. Islam can never be put in one range with ignorance, backwardness, uncleanliness, chaos, untidiness, lack of organization, degradation or mendicancy and to be associated with revenge, enmity, rage, arrogance, superciliousness, cruelty, violence, treachery and deception. By its true nature Islam means peace on the Earth, forgiveness, tolerance,
modesty, humility, bravery, delicacy and gentleness. With all its content it suggests the feeling of trust, fidelity, the spirit of honesty, justice, purposefulness; it inspires resoluteness to accomplish good deeds. But, unfortunately, nowadays it is not presented to the world in such a perfect form. Certainly, the western societies, to be more exact, some circles in these societies also make mistakes in perception of Islam. Nobody but the true believers can imagine religion in all its depth. In spite of this, history witnesses that people didn’t trust not only to true believers, but even to many prophets as well. The life of Mohammed and prophets Musa(Moses) and Isa (Jesus), the cressets of the human world is convincing as a clear day. However, many people didn’t believe them, fought against them and even tried to deprive them of their lives. There happened cases when the prophets were killed by those, to whom they were sent by Allah. Consequently, on the one hand, we, the Muslims are mistaken in complete and correct understanding and appropriate presentation of Islam. On the other hand, some public circles, authoritative structures in the name of their political and other purposes try to smear Islam and do everything to associate it with terror, violence, wars and blood. So, we, the Muslims, regardless of the attitude to us, must tirelessly familiarize people with the truth of Islam and present it to the world in a worthy manner. It is necessary to remind those, who raised their hands to kill us, the words of Habil (biblical Abel) one of Adam’s sons (may he rest in peace), addressed to Kabil (Cain): “Even if you raise your hand to kill me, I won’t raise my hand to kill you”.
The process called “awakening of Islam” is being observed in a number of modern states. In particular, it is typical for some countries of Eastern Europe, for example, for Russia. What tasks, in your opinion, are priorities on this way? After all, these countries had been living in the conditions of so-called scientific atheism, at which any religion was considered to be an obstacle on the way of development of a society and a person. Allah put a man even higher than angels and made him his deputy on the Earth. Such situation is explained by the fact that “a man was taught to know names and titles”, that is provided with the ability of perceiving things, giving titles to them and using them, in other words, the ability to study. This merit means, first of all, studying the Universe as a book. In the first sent down Ayat of the Qur’an, when afflatus only started to be conveyed to people, there is a dictate: “Read!” It means that even at absence of other texts Allah demanded from a person to read the Universe and himself as His creation. Therefore, when the scientific activity doesn’t deviate from its true aim, it receives holiness and benediction, it becomes equal to worship of the Most High Allah and similar with knowledge of Him Himself. I mean that both the Universe and a person fro the beginning to the end are the reflection of those Ayats, which acquaint us with Allah. After all, each separate sentence of the Qur’an is called Ayat – a sign. And in the same way, each case, fact and event related to the Universe and a person are called Ayats.
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Commentaries
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respected Fethullah Gülen had wanted to meet with me, however, he didn’t receive any answer from me. Actually, I didn’t receive such a message from Gülen. When I was asked about this, I answered that I would be very glad to meet with him. Then I received the invitation through one of the related acquaintances, who also lived in Izmir. I said: “We will see, when I come to Izmir, and Gülen answered politely: “He is an ex-prime minister, so I must go to him, but not he to me”. Gülen came and we had a really very hearty meeting. He is a person with modern thoughts, very attached to Islam and at the same time trying to connect it with contemporaneity. He made an impression on me as an open-minded person.
Bill Clinton thanks the Gülen Movement Bill Clinton, former US President, delivered a message at the 3rd Annual Friendship Dinner by Turkish Cultural Center, New York City, on September 25, 2008, emphasizing the contributions of the Gülen Movement to the world peace.
“You are contributing to the promotion of the ideas of tolerance and interfaith dialogue inspired by Fethullah Gülen in his transnational social movement. You do it through your everyday lives. You are truly strengthening the fabric of our common humanity, as well as promoting the ongoing cultural and educational ties that bind our world together.”
Ex-prime minister of Turkey Bulent Ecevit: Gülen is a person with a very broad view. Several months ago I read a piece of news. One publication wrote that
“Suffering” is the integral part of the interreligious dialogue. Gülen shows that his life and establishing the dialogue is not an easy thing to do. The American civil leader and a religious figure Martin Luther King experienced similar difficulties, and they both paid with their virtue”. Paul Parker These schools have no any other purposes but education
From the former US President's message: “In this interdependent world, the fates of people on opposite sides of the globe are increasingly linked; and it is critical to keep the lines of communication open as much as we can. That is why the communication of the Turkish-American community and the people of Turkey is so important.”
All the religious, cultural and historical researches made until now, neglected the ideas of Gülen movement. I think that it is, first of all, related to the fact that Islam is regarded in the scientific circles more often not as religion and the system of spiritual values but as “political ideology”. The second reason is the fact that it is difficult to refer Gülen to any single category of people. Azam Nizamuddin, the representative of American Muslim community
We didn’t touch upon political topics. So, neither I, nor Gülen raised any political issues. Mostly, it was an exchange of philosophical opinions. These details and functional differences should be defined very clearly. Besides these topics, we spoke on the topic of mysticism in Turkish Islam. Sufism for Gülen is the discipline which offers “the program of serving to humanity”. Gülen ensures “social transformation first of all by means of education”.
Doctor of Sciences, Professor Thomas Michel
Those people, who open the schools both in Turkiye and in other countries, getting inspired by Gülen’s ideas, I call “heroes of education. I congratulate them. They really do something incomprehensible by mind. I would like to be young and to do the same thing what they are doing.
Doctor of Sciences, Professor Mehmet Sağlam, Ex-minister of Education of Turkiye
I will never believe that the schools both in the Russian Federation and the schools all over the world have any other purposes but providing good education to students. Besides, if refer to respected Gülen’s words, you’ll be able to see nothing but the concepts “peace”, “a dialogue” and “tolerance”.
Professor, Doctor Toktamiş Ateş
Gülen may become one of the most interesting interlocutors for Christians, who are engaged in establishing the dialogue with Islam. Gülen`s method of establishing the dialogue is in “forgetting about the former controversies and focusing on the common things that we have in our religions”.
Pim Valkenberg, The Radboud University It would be useful to analyze what we can obtain from Gülen struggle for freedom of religion and pluralism in the Turkish society, which is oppressed by laicism imposed by the state and Islamic fundamentalism imposed on Turkiye from the outside. I believe that Gülen and his understanding of Islam may help Christians as well in their struggle against Christian fundamentalism and radicalism in the society.
Loye Ashton, Millsaps College 53
Being the mixture of Islamic tradition and new organizational forms, which will teach people to live in the XXI century in accordance with the principle of Islam, Gülen movement is the only Turkish movement, which succeeded and received good evaluations beyond Turkiye as well. Gülen opened new horizons in front of the much closed community.
Bekim Agai, the Bonn University
The example of high morality proposed by F. Gülen and his principles encourage us to action, self-sacrifice and serving for the welfare of the whole humanity.
Charles Nelson, the Kean University Fethullah Gülen is the Islamic scholar with modern views. It is impossible to stand aside, watching his movement develop. This movement functions as the bridge over the abyss, which is stretched out between the East and the West.
Lord Ahmed, the member of the House of Lords
Gülen openly opposes identification of Islam and terror. He states that he curses those, who kill innocent people using religion as a cover. He obtains support from the authentic sources of Islam and proposes the development dynamics, which is based on the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Following the investigations conducted by the government we didn’t detect anything negative in this movement and our intelligence data is evidence of it as well. There is nothing in the basis of this movement what can shake trust to it in any way; it has nothing in common with violence and terror.
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Netherlands Guus ter Horst: Fethullah Gülen is not a radical Islamic thinker; on the contrary, he may be called a modern representative of the Ghazali tradition.
Phillip Brukmayr
If to analyze the place of F. Gülen in the tradition of the Islamic canon law, then he may be called an important religious scientist, who stands between the classics and modernism.
Ismail Acar, the University of Harvard
The average age of American soldiers, who give their lives in Iraq is 20,5 years old and the average age of young suiciders in Palestine is 19,5 years old. Both groups of these people murder each other for the sake of their countries, or murder themselves, while the young people, who are brought up by Gülen’s ideas, dedicate themselves to serving humanity and persistence of their life.
Professor John Pahl, the University of Philadelphia
Professor Paul Weller, the University of Derby
Gülen is a spiritual teacher, a prophet and a leader. Three main factors are behind the success of Gülen movement, which in the course of time turned into the project of a global scale: great significance attached to the profession of a teacher, tolerance, which has Turkish culture as its origin and obtains its form in Gülen movement and absence of any expectations in return of their service.
Professor Marcia Hermanseen, the University of Chicago When we analyze Gülen movement in wide sense, the organization appears before us, which speaks in support of peace and the dialogue and upholds the necessity of coexistence of Islam and other religions and teachings of contemporaneity, which acts in many spheres but at the same time it doesn’t have any center or hierarchical structure.
Eberhard van der Laan:
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Minister on the Issues of Integration
After acquaintance with Gülen I understood that the greater part of my sermons doesn’t have any sense. Gülen demonstrates us a wonderful example of the fact how contemporaneity and religion may coexist.
Professor Lynn Mitchell, the University of Houston Education gained special importance in public life and in bringing up the rising generation. Thus, a new sphere appeared. And this new sphere is the sphere of the world’s ethics. We should cooperate with each other in this sphere. All this will help us to love each other and to build the empathetic relations, the relations of empathy. Owing to the changes in education, the view on an enemy is changing as well, and there appears description of good neighborly relations in the textbooks. Future of Turkey is building in connection with this. Alongside with other things, the educational system should develop kind relations and warm feelings towards neighbors. It is possible to do with a new educational system. New interrelations
between a teacher and a student should be formed. The schools, which were opened by Gülen movement not only in Turkey but in the whole world, are the serious achievement. And it is necessary to use this achievement.
Rostislav Ribakov, the Institute of the Oriental Studies
Naturally, commercial and economical relations between two countries are very important. But for greater learning each other and cloing in of two nations, stability and constancy of friendship, the most important means are education and culture. Therefore, I congratulate everybody who founded these schools, supports them and works in them selflessly.
Hüseyin Çelik Ex- Minister of Education of Turkey
Can you imagine how wonderful it is when a person can cry? A person, who cries at mentioning the name of the Most High Allah and Prophet for me is a person, who walked a long, a very long, I would even say extremely long way to perfection. Therefore, my respect, my love to him is unlimited. And it doesn’t make any difference to me, who speaks what about it.
Cem Karaca, Singer The books by Fethullah Gülen from the philosophical point of view are interesting in several aspects. Firstly, they demonstrate author’s rather high theological and philosophical thoroughness, his deep knowledge in the sphere of theological and humanitarian sciences. Secondly, they demonstrate the thinker’s striving for opening metaphysical, and also social-moral and legal essence of Islamic religion and overcoming the world outlook opposition of religious and scientific knowledge owing to the reform of the educational system. Thirdly, rather telling arguments against the adherents of phobia of Islam are presented in these books by Gülen, and complete groundlessness of the statements about extremist orientation of Islam ideology is proved. Fourthly, Gülen, as an outstanding and consistent adherent of an interreligious dialogue, stands up for the idea of necessity of coexistence and cooperation of the Muslims, the Christians and the Jews as the representatives of allied, cognate religions. He calls upon to mastering education and practical actions on strengthening the relations between people of different cultures and creeds.
Y.I. Efimov,
Head of the Department of Philosophy of the Physical-Technical University of RAS, Professor, Doctor of Sciences When I see these schools on the lands,
which suffered two world wars, I know that grain of the global peace is sown on this soil. I believe that these schools will become antidote against terrorism, which became the biggest problem of today. Teaching in these schools is based on love to humanity, which has different creeds, languages and nationalities. Two things are very important in these schools: education and morality. Each time when I visit these schools, I am pleased to see high quality of education, which the students of these schools receive. I view the school and have a talk with teachers. I like most of all that the students of these schools can speak four languages freely (English, Turkish, Russian and Kirghiz) and make any operation on the language of contemporaneity – a computer.
Cengiz Aytmatov, Kyrgyz writer and statesman
It is important that Gülen’s ideas to be known by people both in the Islamic world, and in the West.
Professor John Esposito When visiting these schools I saw fullscale teaching in all the directions. The faces of these schools teachers expressed sincerity and ingenuousness. It was clear that these teachers’ hearts were filled with wonderful and pure feelings. All this was evident. The Russian students were the same there.
Taha Akyol, journalist I was mostly influenced by his reconciling approach. No matter which point of view you would hold, he regards from the position of reconciliation. No matter how you would feel angry or even would hate, no … he is able to hear out. It is a very important quality.
Mehmet Ali Birand, journalist Fethullah Gülen and his movement also demonstrated activity in the sphere of interreligious dialogue and bringing about world peace. Mr. F. Gülen went to Rome and had a meeting there with the Pope II. John Paul. He met with Patriarch of the Orthodox Church many times. His interreligious activity went beyond the scope of the Muslim-Christian relations and also involved the meetings with Jewish leaders at both the national and international level.
work of democratic character is conducted. Such professionalism originates from historical and cultural heritage of Turkey. These schools’ contribution to the world’s security will be enormous and I believe that it must be appreciated correctly.
Professor Pierre Montandon Honorary member of Geneva University Fethullah Gülen demands that the students to be brought up in the spirit of respect to other cultures, other religions so that there will be accord and tolerance. His vision of education and the educational process development is supported in the West as well. We can see how creation of such schools, which bring up considerable tolerance, is supported in America, and in European countries. It is tolerance that can withstand extremism. We know that a respected thinker, a great Islamic scientist Fethullah Gülen said: “Islam is the religion of tolerance, peace, love between people, the religion of a dialogue, and this direction must be developed, as humanity can be well preserved only if there is a dialogue between people, a dialogue between cultures, respectful cooperation between civilizations and there is respectful attitude to those, who think differently, who practice their religion, who adhere to their culture”. The views of the respected scholar Fethullah Gülen are what is essential in the whole world and what is necessary for development of a dialogue and tolerance.
Ravil Gaynutdinov Chairman of Council of Muftis of Russia Education is future of the nation. These schools help to development of Azerbaijan’s educational system, we hold them up as an example and I am very pleased to it. I regard the role of “Can Eğitim” Organization as invaluable in future of Turkey and Turkic republics and I thank respected Fethullah Gülen, who inspired the teachers-volunteers’ hearts, who made great efforts for the sake of continuation of this deed, and turned their invaluable potential into kinetic energy.
Haydar Aliyev Ex-president of Azerbaijan Atmosphere of a mutual dialogue, which existed in the 80-ies and strengthened nowadays owing to Fethullah Gülen, took on great significance for the whole world.
Mehmet Barlas, journalist
Professor Thomas Michel The significance of cultural and educational activities in these schools will become more evident in future. The teachers’ efforts, who opened these schools should necessarily be marked and appreciated. Wonderful education is given here, ideal, impartial and dynamic
The strongest sides of the work by Mr. F. Gülen are the statements, which inspire confidence, transparency of ideas, clarity and cogency of proofs. The idea of continuity of bringing up and education is already more than one hundred of years. Hugeness of Gülen’s thinking lies in refusal to use religion in political
purposes, and, consequently, in refusal to politicize education. Solid and deep Islamic principles, tolerance, patience and constant readiness for a dialogue “with others” (that is with people of Scripture have a place in Fethullah Gülen’s life and his works, therefore, his works are useful for both millions of the Muslims in Russia and for the people who adhere to other creeds. The adherent of peace and tolerance, Mevlana of the XXI century Fethullah Gülen’s dedicated his life to these issues. He lives among us – quietly, modestly and grieving. Let’s thank the Creator for the fact that there are such people in this world.
Professor Vitaliy Cerement, Doctor of Historical Sciences Doctor of Historical Sciences, Head of the Ethnological Monitoring Center of the History Institute named after Ş. Marcani of Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, a member of the Bureau of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of the Tatars I have my own opinion concerning the schools created by Gülen movement followers, which was formed both as a result of my visiting them abroad and personal experience: my son graduated one of the Turkish-Tatar schools in Kazan. These schools provide qualitative education and bringing up, but in our conditions they restrict themselves to inculcating to the students respectful attitude to all beliefs without exception. At the heart of those moral norms, which are inculcated in the children in these schools, lie love and tolerance as the highest values of Islam. Yes, these norms ideally suit for modern global reality. As far as I know other world religions teach the same.
Damir Ishakov Now, as you know, Gülen met with Greek Patriarch. It is a very brave and kind gesture. He also met with Senior Rabbi and then he reached meeting the Pope. And he wanted to share this his wonderful message with the whole world and to show that Islam is really a religion of love, which is heaven-sent by Allah. We all are created by Allah. We all have the same way: we go directly to Allah. And one day in the paradise there will be neither church, nor synagogue, nor mosque. We will all live surrounded by enormous love of Allah. It means that we will go along this way together, so we need to start doing this right now.
Monsenyor Georges Marovitch The representative of Vatican in Istanbul This education, as F. Gülen said, was based on universal values and principles of high morality. They don’t just teach children here but also demonstrate on their examples what bringing up children must be.
Professor Tom Boyd 55
world’s top living public
Fethullah Gülen voted
intellectual Meet the top 100
Prospect
Turkish intellectual Fethullah Gülen, one of the world's most influential Islamic scholars, has come out on top of a list of "The World's Top 20 Public Intellectuals" organized by the magazines Foreign Policy and Prospect. Turkish intellectual Fethullah Gülen, one of the world's most influential Islamic scholars, has come out on top of a list of "The World's Top 20 Public Intellectuals" organized by the magazines Foreign Policy and Prospect. The top 10 names on the list, closely observed by millions all over the world, were all Muslim scholars, including two Nobel laureates: Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk and Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi. Also on the top 20 list were activist Noam Chomsky, best known for his scathing criticism of US foreign policy extending back to the Vietnam War; Former Vice President Al Gore, who championed the campaign against global warming; historian Bernard Lewis, one of the foremost historians of the Middle East; Umberto Eco, a famous Italian novelist; Amartya Sen, the premier welfare economist of the 20th century; Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International; and Gary Kasparov, the chess grandmaster and a democracy activist from Russia. In its May/June issue the Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine published a list of the "Top 100 Public Intellectuals" in the world and asked its readers to cast their ballots for the top 20, which it promised to publish in the next issue. The magazine said they did not expect "an avalanche of voters," but that half a million people visited the foreignpolicy. com site to pick their favorite candidate. The magazine added: "Such an outpouring reveals something unique about the power of the men and women we chose to rank. They were included on our initial list of 100 in large part because of the influence of their ideas." Published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the bimonthly is one of America's leading magazines for researching
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and analyzing international affairs and making recommendations for US foreign policy. Foreign Policy explained how it had chosen the top 100 out of so many more candidates: "Candidates must be living and still active in public life. They must have shown distinction in their particular field as well as an ability to influence wider debate, often far beyond the borders of their own country." The magazine asked readers to select the top 20 from among the 100 mentioned. It also allowed readers to offer a write-in candidate. Stephen Colbert, a TV host and satirist, became the top write-in candidate. Colbert is a host of the popular late-night fake news show The Colbert Report. Colbert has become one of young America's go-to sources for news analysis. Foreign Policy noted that Gülen had gathered the most votes after Turkey's largest-circulating newspaper, Zaman, picked up the story and carried it on its front page. Foreign Policy wrote: "Part of being a public intellectual is also having a talent for communicating with a wide and diverse public. This skill is certainly an asset for some who find themselves in the list's top ranks." Foreign Policy indicated that press coverage profiling these intellectuals appeared around the world, with stories running in Canada, India, Indonesia, Qatar, Spain and elsewhere. Some names on the list, such as Aitzaz Ahsan, Noam Chomsky, Michael Ignatieff and Amr Khaled, mounted voting drives by promoting the list on their Web sites. Foreign Policy introduced Fethullah Gülen to its readers as an Islamic scholar with a global network of millions of followers who is both revered and reviled in his native Turkey. "To members of the Gülen movement, he is an inspirational leader who encourages a life guided by moderate Islamic principles. To his detractors, he represents a threat to Turkey's secular order," ForeignPolicy. com said. A news item that appeared in yesterday's edition of the Guardian daily completed this introduction by saying, "He was cleared of trying to topple the state in 2006 after being charged over footage in which he apparently urged civil service supporters to await his orders to overthrow the system. He said the film had been doctored." The Guardian piece said that Gülen is "credited with establishing a global network of schools that preach Islam in a spirit of tolerance and has been praised in the West for promoting dialogue." Foreign Policy included descriptions of other figures who made the top 10. For Pamuk, it wrote that he had won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006 after a year in which he faced criminal charges in Turkey for his controversial remarks on the Ottoman-era killings of Armenians. It added, "His most famous books are My Name Is Red, Snow, and Istanbul:
Memories and the City." Foreign Policy also said Gülen has kept a relatively low profile since settling in the United States in 1999, having fled Turkey after being accused of undermining secularism, but did not mention that seven out of the 10 Muslim intellectuals topping the list are living in the West and that all have had problems with the
Gülen among the Top 100 was valuable. The people already knew Gülen. That his name was on the list meant that the intellectuals confirmed his value, too," he said. Asked about the typical qualities of the people voting for Gülen, Tokak warned that he would rather speak about why Gülen was voted first. "There are other intellectuals; what makes Gülen distinctive is that he not only thinks and writes, but also puts his ideas into action. He is an intellectual activist. The number of the books written by him is not important, but what is important is the fact that the ideals he mentions in these books are actualized in real life through his guidance," he said. Özcan Keleş, president of Dialogue Society, which organized an international conference about the Gülen movement in October 2007, told Today's Zaman that the results of the poll revealed that Gülen appeals to an international, young and educated audience. "This is a generation that uses the Internet, reads in English and is open to the world. This is not a Turkish magazine organizing a poll," he said.
established authoritarian regimes in their countries. Two other names also had conflicts with their native countries' established regimes: Aitzat Ahsan has been a target of violence during Pervez Musharraf's rule in Pakistan, and Yusuf alQaradawi lives in Qatar because he is not welcome in his native country, Egypt. The magazine, however, noted that the ideas of the top ten, particularly concerning Islam, differ significantly. Foreign Policy credited Fethullah Gülen's supporters for the result of the poll, saying: "Within hours, votes in his favor began to pour in. His supporters -- typically educated, upwardly mobile Muslims -- were eager to cast ballots not only for their champion but for other Muslims in the Top 100." Surprised by Gülen's name coming first in the poll, Prospect Editor David Goodhart admitted that he had not heard of Gülen previously. Speaking to the Guardian, Goodhart said, "The victory of Gülen draws attention to the most important conflict in Europe, played out in Turkey between the secular nationalist establishment and the reforming Islamic democrats of the AK [Justice and Development] Party." Foreign Policy added to this comment by saying that identity politics carried the day during the polls. But the supporters of Fethullah Gülen were not surprised at all. Harun Tokak, the president of the Writers and Journalists' Foundation (GYV), of which Gülen is the honorary president, told Today's Zaman that Gülen deserved this fame and more. "For us, the fact that the editors of these two magazines placed
Regarding allegations that Gülen's selection was a result of an "organized vote," Keleş said that in an age of where no one has any time, "if one man is able to have hundreds of thousands of people spare some time to enter into a site and vote for him, he is certainly a great man." Tokak says this should be just a first step in a worldwide confirmation of Gülen's service to world peace. He mentions the answer Gülen himself gave to Foreign Policy's question about who he would vote for. Gülen named John L. Esposito, the American scholar of Islam, as his candidate, because, he said: "For Esposito, Islamophobia is nothing but another threat to world peace. His contributions to interreligious understanding and dialogue are substantial." Tokak says Gülen's response reveals his worldview: "He yearns for global peace. He works for it, and he encourages his followers to pursue it. Ten years ago he changed our understanding of the 'other.' Until that point, coming together with people of different faiths and races was something foreign to this land. He brought the differences together at his own dinner table. This is a life story that deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, not just a top place in a list of 100 intellectuals." Though wishful about a Nobel Prize for his "hero," Tokak is not hopeful. "Chingiz Aitmatov clearly deserved a Nobel Prize for Literature. His books were translated into 157 languages. But he passed away recently, without even being named as a candidate. Some people do not get what they deserve," he said.
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Gulen takes place in the list of
"Peaceful Heroes" as only Turk
Beside Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Dorothy Day, well-known Turkish moderate Islamic schoolar and thinker Fehullah Gulen has taken his place in the list of "Peaceful Heroes".
Turkish Daily News ANKARA - A Turk has been included in the website "Peaceful Heroes", selected by the University of Texas at Austin after a symposium conducted to determine those who have contributed to world peace. Beside Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Dorothy Day, well-known Turkish moderate Islamic schoolar and thinker Fehullah Gulen has taken his place in the list of "Peaceful Heroes". The list of "Peaceful Heroes" was prepared after a "Peaceful Heroes Symposium" conducted on Apr. 11-13, 2003 in University of Texas at Austin. In the declaration released after this symposium it said that "We are at a crossroads. Our world demands an alternative to violence in dealing with problems facing our new century. A "Peaceful Heroes Symposium" explored alternatives to violence as a mode of conflict resolution applicable to our culture and our ways of carrying out the conflict. The event examined the stories of women and men whose nonviolent beliefs and actions changed the course of history and inspired others to act against the violence that threatens our communities and the world at large. Major scholars of nonviolence came to Austin to show new generations how to build their own personal character and to shape a less violent world." "Though simple in outward appearance, he is original in thought and action. He embraces all humanity, and is deeply averse to unbelief, injustice, and deviation. His belief and feelings are profound, and his ideas and approach to problems are both wise and rational. A living model of love, ardor, and feeling, he is balanced in his thoughts, acts, and treatment of matters" is how the website describes Gulen. Fethullah Gulen, who has encouraged his followers to open hundreds of schools and universities across the world to contribute to world peace, tolerance and dialogue among different religions and civilizations, had to live in self-exile in America because of oppresion against him and his followers after the anti-democratic Feb. 28 process in Turkey.
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Time, Foreign Policy Name
4 Most
InfluentialTurks KERİM BALCI ANKARA Written by Today's Zaman Friday, 02 May 2008
F
our Turks — well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, author Orhan Pamuk, world renowned surgeon Mehmet Öz and Greek Orthodox Church leader Patriarch Bartholomew — have made their way onto lists of the globe’s most influential figures drawn up by two famous magazines. Fethullah Gülen, one of the world's most influential Islamic scholars, and Orhan Pamuk, a Nobel Prize-winning novelist, are on the "Top 100 Public Intellectuals" list published by the Washington-based Foreign Policy (FP) magazine in its latest issue. Published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the bimonthly is one of America's leading magazines for researching and analyzing international affairs and making recommendations for US foreign policy. The magazine touted the 100 men and women from around the world as "some of the world's most sophisticated thinkers."
Mehmet Öz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and award-winning author, and Patriarch Bartholomew, made American newsweekly Time's "100 Most Influential People in the World." Bartholomew, head of the Greek-Orthodox Church of Fener-İstanbul, also holds Turkish citizenship. Playwright, actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are among the newsmakers on Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people. The 2008 list, appearing on the magazine's Web site Thursday morning and on newsstands today, also includes presidential contenders Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton. Obama and Clinton also made the list last year. Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and President George W. Bush also are named. Foreign Policy also disclosed how it chose a top 100 out of many more candidates: "Candidates must be living and still active in public life. They must have shown
distinction in their particular field as well as an ability to influence wider debate, often far beyond the borders of their own country." The magazine is also letting readers select a top 20 from among the 100 mentioned and will publish the results in its next issue. Readers can vote for their favorites www.foreignpolicy.com until May 15. FP included short descriptions of Gülen and Pamuk, saying of the former: "A modernist Islamic scholar and leader of the movement named after him, Gülen is widely considered one of the most important Muslim thinkers alive today. He has authored more than 60 books." As for Pamuk: "Pamuk won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006 after a year in which he faced criminal charges in Turkey for his frank comments about the Armenian genocide. His most famous books are My Name Is Red, Snow, and Istanbul: Memories and the City."
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The teachings of renowned Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and India’s late spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi were discussed at a symposium jointly hosted by the Russian Academy of Sciences Oriental Studies Institute and the Liberal Democrat Party of Russia (LPDR) at the Russian State Duma on Monday.
Teachings of Gulen, Gandhi Discussed in Russian Parliament
by Today's Zaman 17 September 2008
T
he teachings of renowned Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and India’s late spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi were discussed at a symposium jointly hosted by the Russian Academy of Sciences Oriental Studies Institute and the Liberal Democrat Party of Russia (LPDR) at the Russian State Duma on Monday. LPDR leader Vladimir Jirnovski, Oriental Studies Institute President Rostislav Ribakov, Igor Chubais, the director of the Center for Russian Studies Peoples’ Friendship at the University of Russia, instructors from the Oriental Studies Institute Valery Kasin, Felix Yurlov and Yevgeniya Yurlova, and Dialogue Eurasia Platform Russia representative Ali Sami Yıldırım were among the participants at the symposium. Delivering a speech at the event, Yıldırım pointed out that there was no room for radicalism, fundamentalism or violence in Gülen’s teachings, claiming that Gülen was the first Islamic scholar to condemn the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the US and the Beslan massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 334 hostages when Chechen rebels attacked a school in the town of Beslan in 2004. “Gülen sees terror as a humanitarian crime. In his view, killing one person is equal to massacring all of humanity,” Yıldırım said in remarks that drew a huge round of applause from the audience. In his speech, Jirnovski complained about people’s lack of knowledge of intellectual values. “If you ask our citizens who have visited Goa, a tourist resort in India, they will definitely know about the bars selling drugs there. But if you ask them about Gandhi, they will remain
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silent. I wish they had known something about Gandhi. The same situation applies for Turkey. Our intellectuals do not know Fethullah Gülen. Tourist spots in Turkey become news, negative news about Turkey is brought to the agenda, such as ‘our kids were not admitted to the hotel’ or ‘our bus crashed.’ We keep these things in mind, but we are not informed about the ideas of the philosophers and intellectuals who will bring the most benefit to us.” Gülen’s ideas exceed Turkey’s borders Ribakov, who made a presentation at the symposium, said there was a similarity between Gülen and Gandhi and that this was not his personal view, but something shared by the majority of Western academics. “Gülen wants humanity to reach new heights. He wants this to happen by opposing violence. And he makes efforts to make people understand this intellectually. This is what unites Gülen with Gandhi. Clearly I am not talking about an exact overlapping. Gülen’s ideas have exceeded the boundaries of the world. His ideas are such that the entire world can stand up for them,” he said.
Gülen symposium at the Russian State Duma
Leonid Sukyanin, a professor of Islamic studies at the Russian Economy University, said there was a similarity between Gülen and Gandhi in their opposition to the use of violence. However, he added that Gülen was not a politician like Gandhi. “Gülen is an intellectual, a thinker, a writer and a community leader. In his books, he always emphasizes that he is outside of politics. It is necessary to see this similarity between Gülen and Gandhi. Gandhi produced solutions for the problems of the society in his time. In Gülen’s teachings and books, we can also find solutions for the problems facing today’s world,” he explained. “Both leaders produced solutions for the problems of their era by setting out from their own cultures. Gandhi relied on the thousands-of-years-old tradition of Hinduism and Gülen deals with the problems of today from the mirror of Islam’s fundamentals. But he does not settle for looking at the Islamic fundamentals, he interprets them in accordance with today’s circumstances and renders them more understandable. This is what makes these two great individuals similar,” Sukyanin added. During an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman, Jirnovski said he was hoping to see Gülen in Moscow. “We would like to see him in Moscow. He could speak to our youth. He is the spiritual wealth of Turkey. We do not have such figures in our country. We have writers and composers, but we do not have religious leaders. Mr. Gülen is a very good person, like Gandhi. There should not be any revolutions; as Gülen said, minds should be conquered.”
The Gülen movement aims to promote creative and positive relations between the West and the Muslim world and articulate a constructive position on issues such as democracy, multiculturalism, globalisation, and interfaith dialogue in the context of secular modernity. Gülen's re-reading of religious texts in the context of a renewal and re-interpretation in Islam that can take part in the building of a fully human society in Europe also featured in the deliberations of the conference.
Gulen conference at the House of Lords Thursday, 25 October 2007, 25 October at the House of Lords, 26 October at the SOAS and , 27 October at the London Schools of Economics (LSE)
A
n international conference over three days which featured the presentation of 49 full papers selected by an Editorial Board of 16 renowned academics. The conference was launched at the House of Lords, continued at the School of Oriental and African Studies and concluded at the London School of Economics. Full conference proceedings were published by the Leeds Metropolitan University Press as a 750-page volume and circulated to attendees in advance and on the day of the conference, eliciting much appraisal.
Fitzpatrick, Lord Triesman, Stephen Timms, Lord Davies of Oldham, Lord West, Baroness Scotland, Caroline Flint, Jim Knight, Bill Rammel and Lord Hunt as well as twenty-two Members of Parliament, sixteen Lords, five LordBishops, senior police officers; Sir George Russell, Deputy Chairman of ITV; Sir David Bell, Chairman of the Financial Times; editors of the The Times, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Foreign Affairs and Ambassadors and academics. The conference itself took place over two full days, as parallel sessions, at the School of Oriental and African Studies and London School of Economics on 26-27 October 2007, respectively featuring the presentation of forty-nine full papers.
More than five hundred delegates attended the conference over two days. The underlying aim of the conference was to examine the impact of the Gülen movement on the contemporary Muslim world in transition and the relations between the West and Islam in general. The Gülen movement aims to promote creative and positive relations between the West and the Muslim world and articulate a constructive position on issues such as democracy, multiculturalism, globalisation, and interfaith dialogue in the context of secular modernity. Gülen's re-reading of religious texts in the context of a renewal and re-interpretation in Islam that can take part in the building of a fully human society in Europe also featured in the deliberations of the conference.
Lord Ahmed of Rotherham hosted the Conference Launch at the House of Lords on behalf of the University of Birmingham, Irish School of Ecumenics, Leeds Metropolitan University, London Middle East Institute, Middle East Institute, School of Oriental and African Studies and Dialogue Society entitled ‘Muslim world in Transition: Contributions of the Gülen Movement’ by Lunch Reception, attended by over a 150 guests. The launch included a welcoming speech by Lord Ahmed; speeches by Prof Marcia Hermanssen, Prof Thomas Michel, Cllr Dr Harvey Marshall, Prof Paul Weller, Rev Prof Simon Robinson; and closing remarks by Bill Rammel, Minister of State at the Department for Education and Skills. Those in attendance at the Conference Launch included Jack Straw, Jim
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be GülenTeachingsto in ExaminedinBerl Gulen initiative for peace Conference in Rotterdam
Gulen conference at the House of Lords A symposium on the Gulen movement in New York
Gulen Movement’s role in London conference
“The Gulen Movement" coference in California
Gulen Institute Tackles World Problems
Gulen Conferences, Symposiums and Panels Around the Globe
Gulen Conference In Melbourne
Gülen’s ideas 62
on the world arena
Gülen Conference
in Washington Hürriyet, 15 November 2008 Georgetown University in Washington D.C. is hosting the conference "Islam in the Age of Global Challenges: The Alternative Perspective of the Gülen Movement" that began Friday. During the opening speech, Father Thomas Michel, Georgetown educator and formerly responsible for the Vatican's interreligious dialogue, said the Gülen movement was important for interreligious dialogue, global education, and addressing poverty.
Gulen Discussed at German Symposium
by Ebru News 10 November 2008 The Intercultural Dialog Association in Cologne organized a symposium titled "Fethullah Gulen who Encourages the Dialog Studies". At a weekend in Cologne, many academics, members of the parliament, representatives of some NGO's, Turks and Germans attended the symposium. Ejder Sabanci, the chairman of the Intercultural Dialog Association in Cologne made the inaugural speech addressing academics from across Europe and Turkiye. Bredehorst, the director of Social Integration in Cologne Metropolitan Municipality said there are 180 nations who live in the city. Bredehorst said, "Turks may know Gulen very well but there are people who criticize him. We have seen that many groups have prejudices against each other. To overcome this obstacle there should be activities of clarification." The first presentation on Gulen was delivered at the symposium by Dr. Bekim Agai, of Halle University, who holds a doctoral dissertation on Gulen and has been doing research on contemporary Islam in Western Europe and Turkiye. Dr. Agai said Fethullah Gülen has become a prominent scholar around the world as a man who had a classical Islamic education and then developed a contemporary educational model.
Gülen Movement Praised for Contributions to Peace in Cairo by Today's Zaman , 03 November 2008 The Gülen movement, led by well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen, left its mark on a conference held in Cairo on Saturday, with many academics and intellectuals praising the movement for its contributions to world peace. Organized by the collaborative efforts of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the conference, titled "Cultural Tradition of Egypt and East; From Ancient Ages to Globalization," was attended by many academics and intellectuals from Russia, Germany, France, Turkey, Egypt and Austria. Professor Huda Daweesh from Zagazig University in Egypt, said,
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"What comes to mind with regard to this movement is peace and ease." Professor Willy Augustat, president of the International Association of Peace through Culture, described the Gülen movement as a global movement contributing to world peace. "The basis of this movement is Islam. It strives to enable the Islamic world to find its own identity," he said. (Cumali Önal, Cairo)
Gülen Teachings
to be Examined in Berlin by Today's Zaman Tuesday, 05 May 2009 The contributions of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic scholar well known for his teachings that promote mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures, and the Movement named after him will be discussed at a two-day international conference starting on May 26 at the University of Potsdam in Berlin. Gülen, widely considered one of the most important Muslim thinkers alive today, has inspired hundreds of thousands of people both in Turkey and abroad to be representatives of peaceful coexistence and intercultural dialogue and to show respect for differences and cultural diversity. He is the author of 44 books, several of which are also translated into foreign languages, including but not limited to English, French and Arabic. The Gülen movement has opened educational institutions in over 100 countries so far. The conference, titled "Muslims between Tradition and Modernity: The Gülen Movement as a Bridge between Cultures," will feature six panel discussions, all of which will be begin with four presentations by prominent academics from various countries, including the US, the UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia and Kazakhstan, as well as Germany and Turkey. The aim of the conference is to provide a venue for the participating scholars to examine the activities of the Movement objectively and rigorously. Registration is still open and can be completed online at the University of Potsdam's Web site. Australia to Host World's Largest Interreligious Dialogue Event Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 October 2008 07:58 Written by Today's Zaman Monday, 13 October 2008 00:00 Australia is preparing to host the world's largest global inter-religious event through which thousands of participants from around the world will seek ways to foster inter-religious and cross-cultural
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dialogue on important local, national and global issues. Sponsored by the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, the 2009 parliament will take place in Melbourne, Australia, a multi-religious, multi-lingual and multicultural city. As the world's largest inter-religious gathering, the parliament will convene religious and civilian leaders and people of faith, spirituality and goodwill from more than 80 countries to improve relations among religions and their followers and to promote and encourage social cohesion within societies across the world. Grove Harris, program director, said the event is a great opportunity to improve dialogue among various religions, seek solutions for mutual problems through dialogue and share different approaches to these problems. "The event is held every five years in a major international city. We've chosen Melbourne for this year's gathering as it has a multicultural and multi-religious society. The event will have worldwide religious, spiritual, environmental, business and educational leaders to talk to one another about current problems and seek social cohesion and practical solutions through dialogue," she told Today's Zaman. Dirk Ficca, executive director of the event, stressed that the parliament is also in interaction with the Gülen movement, led by well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen. "We are in constant interaction with the Gülen movement and key Muslim leaders to share our experience on such issues as education and get advice from them on major topics. We believe the Gülen movement is very successful in contributing to social cohesion and the formation of a peaceful and harmonious society," he added. (Betül Akkaya, İstanbul)
Gulen Institute Tackles World Problems
sity which has been bringing pre-eminent figures of the US together for various conferences held its latest panel this week. The subject of the panel was “The Role of Common Values in Mitiating Global and Local Issues”. Panelists addressed the current challanges of the US in particular and the world in general, and discussed how all agents in a society offer solutions to these problems using common shared values. The panel lasted for three days. It has brought many eminent figures from different segments of society who brought their expertise and experience to the table. The panelists gave their views on how government and media can use common values to address problems. In addition, panelists talked about the common grounds in religion to create a set of moral actions which can be used to mitigate global and local problems surrounding the society. Sheila Jackson Lee, a member of Congress said that dialogue among people from different backgrounds contributes to the greater peace as the world is becoming a small family. She also appreciated the efforts of the Gulen Institute and Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish Muslim Scholar. Sheriff Adrian Garcia also appreciated the activities of the Gulen Institute and said the creation of a much greater society will be possible through diverse communities’ getting together, developing a relationship, respecting one another, and defining their commonalities. Gordon J. Quan brought a different perspective on Fethullah Gulen, the scholar who has inspired the Gulen Insitute in their endeavors for dialogue and understanding. He said that Mr. Gulen is among certain people who had God’s gift such as Obama, Martin Luther King or Abraham Lincoln. He stated that Gulen points at a broader good of each person rather than seeing them as just Chinese, Turkish or American.
Gülen Institute Hosts US Congressmen at İftar
by Ebru News Monday, 26 January 2009
by Today's Zaman 15 September 2008
The Gulen Institute at Houston University which has been bringing pre-eminent figures of the US together for various conferences held its latest panel this week.
A fast-breaking dinner (iftar) organized by the Houston-based Gülen Institute hosted several United States congressmen and their staff on Saturday.
FThe Gulen Institute at Houston Univer-
Among the guests were Minnesota’s Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected
to the US Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee and Gene Green, representatives from Texas, Emanuel Cleaver, from Missouri, and the staff of many other congressmen. Participants at the iftar said they were grateful to the Gülen Institute for the contributions it has made to the promotion of a culture of living together and for its tireless efforts to foster mutual understanding between the people of different religions, cultures and civilizations. The event began with the opening speech of Gülen Institute Chairman Kemal Öksüz, who emphasized the importance of working patiently to build bridges between religions and cultures. He also said the institute has turned into a platform through which Turkey is represented better in the world. "I would like to express my gratitude to Fethullah Gülen for the contributions he has made to world peace," he noted. Jackson Lee also delivered a speech at the event and praised Turkey for maintaining its belief in democracy. "We all have heroes in life. This might be Ghandi, Martin Luther King or an Islamic preacher like Fethullah Gülen. No matter to what extent our heroes differ from one another, everyone can contribute to turning the world into a more livable place if they embrace each other with respect, tolerance and cooperation," she stressed. Jackson Lee’s praise for the Gülen Movement, which acts as a bridge between different cultures and religions through education and humanitarian aid, received great applause by other participants at the iftar. Ellison stressed that differences are no obstacle to peace and tolerance. "We don’t need to be like others for peace, tolerance and generosity. If those who attach importance to peace and tolerance cooperate for a better world, we may solve many of the problems we face in our day," he said. Ellison also stressed that he was delighted to have an iftar with other congressmen coming from different states. Oklahoma Secretary of State Susan Savage thanked Houston University and the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue (IID), through the joint efforts of which the Gülen Institute was founded. "The Gülen Institute and the IID bring us together in a meaningful way. We didn’t just share a dinner here today. We also renewed our pledge to work together to fight partisanship and polarization. I am honored to be part of this incredible movement," she said. Other participants at the iftar expressed their admiration of Turkey and Turkish hospitality. Dr. B. Jill Carroll, a fellow at Rice University who penned a book on Fethullah Gülen, said the Gülen movement contributed a great deal to interfaith dialogue. "I admire my Turkish friends’ ability to
organize such meaningful events. I highly appreciate such events and extend my thanks to the Gülen Institute for having brought us all together around a dinner table," she added. Also on Saturday, the Rumi Forum, founded to foster interfaith and intercultural dialogue and to provide a platform for education and information exchange, brought together several US congressmen and representatives of different religions at an iftar event in Washington, D.C. Among the guests were Turkish Ambassador to the United States Nabi Şensoy, Malian Ambassador Abdoulaye Diop, Nigerian Ambassador Maiga Djibrilla Aminata, Pakistani Ambassador Hussein Haqqani and other high-ranking diplomats. Rumi Forum head Ali Haydar Yurtsever delivered a speech at the event and thanked all the participants. "The objective of the Rumi Forum is to improve dialogue and peace in the world. We attach great importance to living together to this end," he said. Rabbi Joshua Haberman stressed the importance of dialogue and respect between beliefs, cultures and civilizations. Thomas Michel from the Vatican Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue also dwelled on the importance of peaceful interaction between religions and cultures and thanked the Rumi Forum for the efforts it has exerted to this end.
Gülen's Teachings Discussed at American Think Tank CSIS by Today's Zaman 19 June 2009 The ideas, worldview and teachings of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic scholar known for his promotion of mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures, were discussed at a meeting on Wednesday hosted by a leading American think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The meeting, titled "The Gülen movement," was organized by Bülent Alirıza, director of the CSIS's Turkey Project. Participants of the meeting highlighted Gülen's contributions to world peace.
Alp Aslandoğan, a board member of the Gülen Institute in the US, presented a brief summary of the development of the Gülen movement since its emergence in the late 1960s with the primary aim of offering educational opportunities to disadvantaged youth. He dwelled on the factors that enabled the movement to grow rapidly and transcend the borders of Turkey before summarizing the basic principle of the movement as "to offer service to humanity to serve God." Aslandoğan defined the movement as a movement that backs interreligious dialogue and abhors violence. Aslandoğan also stressed that the Gülen movement was open to all cultural, ethnic and religious circles. Among the issues that roused great interest among participants at the meeting was the relation between the movement and politics. "The movement is at an equal distance from all political parties. Its political preference is not based on parties, but rather on values and stances. Among these values are 'fighting against corruption,' 'a democratic society' and 'a strong stance against the abuse of political power'," stated Aslandoğan. He also recalled Gülen's call for everyone who is aware of his responsibilities to cast votes in elections, but underlined that the movement would never turn into a political party or group. "If a movement of volunteers is associated with a political party or view, then it will deviate from its objective to reach everybody," Aslandoğan remarked. Asked about the ultimate purpose of the movement, Aslandoğan said it was to gain the approval of God through social activities at an individual level, to reach specific professional targets at an institutional level and to achieve aims for an open and democratic society at a social level. Participants also asked about the financing of the Gülen movement. Aslandoğan said the movement urges its volunteers to share their means with the needy in the society. "Mechanisms for donations work on local levels based on needs. For example, followers of the movement pledge to donate a certain amount during Ramadan, and these amounts are collected gradually," he noted. Upon a question about the future of the movement if Gülen, who inspired the movement, passes away, Aslandoğan said: "This is not a movement based on individuals. What happened to the movement of [13th century Sufi saint] Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi when he passed away? His teachings and mission still reached their objectives." A Turkish journalist who attended the meeting asked why the Turkish military is at odds with the movement. Aslandoğan responded that it would be wrong to make generalizations on the issue, adding that some military generals praised the movement after they retired. "The fact that they cannot do this while active results
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from certain special circumstances in Turkey," he added. Aslandoğan also reminded the gathering of a call by Gülen not to castigate the military over a recently publicized suspected military plot, allegedly put together by a colonel on active duty, to defame the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Gülen movement.
nature and depth of this change and the impact of the Gülen movement on the contemporary Muslim world as well as the relations between the West and Islam in general.
Conference
in Melbourne Gülen Movement’s Discusses Gülen's role In The House of Lords Contribution To World Peace October 25, 2007
In the House of Lords of the Parliament the conference on the topic: “The changing Islamic world: contribution of Fethullah Gülen movement” was held. The members of the House of Lords and a minister took part in the conference along with approximately 50 scientists. The scientists characterized Gülen by the
Today's Zaman Friday, 17 July 2009 The faith-based social movement inspired by Fethullah Gülen as well as the movement's emphasis on dialogue and its contributions to world peace and education were discussed at a conference over the past two days in Australia.
In The House of Lords definition “the spiritual teacher”. Organized by the Middle East Institute, the London Middle East Institute and Leeds Metropolitan University, the conference will examine the theological and intellectual contributions of Fethullah Gülen, situate him within the context of modern Islam’s intellectual history and discuss his own interpretations of faithbased issues. The movement’s projects regarding East-West relations, intercivilizational cooperation, and global terrorism are of particular interest for the purposes of the conference. The radical social, economic, political and intellectual change, which the Muslim world has been undergoing since its encounter with the West several centuries ago, will also be discussed throughout this conference, the aim of which is to examine the
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the conference.
The conference, held in Melbourne July 15 and 16, brought together promoters of interfaith dialogue and multiculturalism. Abdullah Aymaz, Gülen's first student, delivered a speech on Gülen's vision to
Other speakers emphasized that Gülen's efforts to promote interfaith dialogue have contributed to reduced tensions between different religions. The conference, titled “From Dialogue to Collaboration,” took place with the partnership of the Fethullah Gülen Chair in the Study
of Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations at Australian Catholic University and Monash University. The opening speech of the conference, in which many academics from multiple countries participated, was given by James Gobbo, former governor of Victoria and the Queen's multiculturalism key advisor. George Lekakis, the chairperson of the Victorian Multiculturalism Commission, also attended the conference. At the inauguration of the two-day conference Orhan Çiçek, the executive advisor of Australian Intercultural Society, emphasized the importance of this debut conference by saying: “We are watching with great admiration how many of Fethullah Gülen's ideas, from the days of his first student, have come to inspire millions around the world, including opinion leaders and academics. We hope that the Fethullah Gülen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations will be an important place in which many academics can express Gülen's positive influence upon them.” The first session of the conference started with a panel discussion chaired by Professor Thomas Michell. Theologist Abdullah Ayamz and Professor Daniel A. Madigan spoke at the panel discussion. Aymaz, in his speech on “The Past and Future of the Gülen Movement” said: “From his first years on, he has taught his students, whom he trains taking Islam as a reference, to be interested in and help young people from all segments, not only religious people, as well as to approach people without labeling them and to embrace everyone. He always preached love, friendship, brotherhood and respect for everyone, to those who listened to him. He saw the cause of most problems as lying in ignorance, poverty and controversy. The first step to maintain brotherhood in the world is education, according to Gülen.” Aymaz also explained how hundreds of schools opened around the world by the Gülen movement have helped contribute to peace all over the world, a short time after their establishment. “The schools in Bosnia brought together Muslims and Christians. The students at the schools in Russia were mainly Christian. Especially in the Philippines, these schools help diminish the differences between Muslims and Christians, as students from both religions attend these schools.” In his speech titled “Nostra Aeteta's Unanswered Questions,” Professor Madigan, of Georgetown University, emphasized that “Islam and Christian-
world community. His is essentially a message of peace and hope. Gülen’s main focus and the focus of his followers has always been religious, scientific, and cultural education. He repeatedly points out that service to one’s country and community, and humanity in general, should take place in a principled framework: • Constant positive action that leaves no room for confusion, fighting, or anarchy. • Absence of worldly, material, and other-worldly expectations in return for service. • Actions adorned with moral virtues that build trust and confidence. • Activities that bring people and society together. • Patience and compassion. • Working with people who are positive and action-oriented, rather than creating conflict or being reactive. ity are two different expressions of a common history and region. Hence, their differences do not create any obstacles to a harmony in collaboration.”
Conference on Fethullah Gülen: A Voice for Dialog, Peace, Cooperation & Hope by Muhammed Çetin Friday, 11 November 2005 The Boniuk Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance at Rice University, the A. D. Bruce Religion Center University of Houston and the Institute of Interfaith Dialog, Texas, are sponsoring a conference on the activities of the Turkish Scholar Fethullah Gülen, his efforts for dialogue and tolerance, his views on education and service to humanity via schools, as well as what has motivated him to pursue such a noble, altruistic mission and to work toward a peaceful civil society and collaboration of civilizations for over 40 years. The Conference will be held November 12-13, 2005 at Rice University, Houston, Texas The conference aims to explore the appeal, meaning, and impact of Fethullah Gülen and the Gülen Movement on Turkish, regional, and global societies in terms of their peaceful coexistence, cooperation, and prosperity.
Fethullah Gülen is one of the most prolific and sagacious, scholars, writers, and activists of the twentieth century. He is considered to be the leader of an intellectual, social, and spiritual revival both within and beyond Turkish borders. Fethullah Gülen started from humble beginnings and has, by any measure, accomplished great achievements. Gülen was born in Turkey in 1941. Coming from a family steeped in religious devotion and scholarship, Gülen embraces knowledge that encourages the pursuit of scientific and technological advances. He is well read in European philosophy and literature, and has a commanding knowledge of modern science. When his views are sought on how to best serve others, his advice is always, “education, education, education.” Gülen is a retired religious cleric who has spent his professional life as a preacher working for the Ministry of Religious Affairs. He has spoken and written a great deal about the reconciliation and balance of religion and science. To this end he has neither displayed nor engaged in any political activity and violent means and methods. He has devoted himself to intellectual and spiritual enlightenment, the well-being of people, and the realization of social peace. In addition, he has worked for the actualization of effective dialogue, as well as for establishing an atmosphere of tolerance, respect, and understanding, specifically among the followers of different religions. He is widely known for his ideas to promote education, both in Turkey and beyond. He has made it his life’s work to find and to engage in solutions to overcome the tremendous sense of strain, alienation, weakness, defeat, and disintegration felt by Muslims for over three centuries. Gülen neither denies reality nor does he turn his back on scientific and technological advancement; he exhorts Muslims to educate themselves, utilize self-discipline, and use the resources at hand to regain and restore their culture, their identity, and the observance of their religion. In doing this Muslims will then have the privilege of being contributors to the
Gulen Movement in Thought and Practice In Texas conference 2007(Ebru News) The Institute of Interfaith Dialog in Texas is hosting the third annual conference on the Fethullah Gulen Movement. The Institute of Interfaith Dialog in Texas is hosting the third annual conference on Fethullah Gulen Movement. This year’s conference called Islam in the Contemporary World:The Fethullah Gülen Movement in Thought and Practice focuses on the activities of Fethullah Gülen and their contributions to interfaith dialogue, tolerance, and education. In one day conference that will be held at San Antonio University in Texas, more than 20 academics from different countries will attend sessions and they will deliver their speeches to attendees. The conference aims to explore the appeal, meaning, and impact of Fethullah Gülen and the Gülen movement on Turkish, regional, and - increasingly - global societies. A similar symposium on Gulen movement will be held on November 2nd and 3rd at Columbia University in New York. In the symposium organized by the Turkish Cultural Center and Institute of Turkish Studies, Islam in Turkiye Today will be discussed by the participating academics and an analysis on the Gulen Movement will be presented to the audience.
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Teachings of Gulen, Gandhi Discussed in Russian Parliament On September 15th., 2008 the State Duma of the RF conducted the conference organized jointly with the Institute of the Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia. The thoughts and ideas of great thinkers and scientists Mahatma Gandhi and Fethullah Gülen were the theme of this scientific meeting. At the conference, which was attended by many deputies, scientists, politicians and students, the reports were read by Director of the Institute of the Oriental Studies of the RAS R.B. Ribakov, Director of Center on Studying Russia I.A. Chubais, the research workers of the Institute of the Oriental Studies V.P. Kashin, E.S. Yurlova, F.N. Yurlov and coordinator of the Platform and the “Dialogue-Eurasia” magazine in the RF Ali Sami Yildirim. Starting from Doctor Ribakov, the scientists-participants of the conference noted similarity between Gandhi and Gülen as they both deny violence. Ribakov said: “Gülen opposing violence, wishes domination of humanity. It is very important that there is such an intellectual as Gülen nowadays, who has such views. Gülen ideas could cover the whole world. Complaining about the fact that the Russian nation didn’t hear much about Gandhi and Gülen, the leader of the LDPR Jirinovski invited Fethullah Gülen to Russia, so that he could communicate with young people. Coordinator of the Platform and the “Dialogue-Eurasia” magazine in the RF Ali Sami Yildirim reminded the audience that it was exactly Gülen, who was the first of all Islamic scholars to react to the act of terrorism of September 11 and tragic events in Beslan: “Gülen believes that all people of the world are guilty of terrorism. In his opinion, the murder of one innocent person is equivalent to the murder of all humanity”. Ribakov noting that there is no place for violence in Gandhi teaching, nevertheless calls him persistent enough and mention other names belonging to the same school such as Kvame Nkrumah from Ghana, Martin Luther King from the USA, and Fethullah Gülen from Turkiye. Professor also said that not only he noted similarity between Gülen and Gandhi, many
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Western scientists are solidary with him: “Gülen wants humanity to reach the new, higher stage. He wishes it to mature and to refuse violence”. This bonds Gülen with Gandhi. Certainly, we can’t say about absolute identity of their views”. Ribakov also noted that Gülen`s views have spread beyond Turkiye and all humanity could share his thoughts. The leader of the LDPR Jirinovski noted: “Our compatriots visiting places of interest in India know the bars, where drugs are sold, well. If you ask them if they know Gandhi, you’ll get a negative answer. The same situation repeats in Turkiye as well. Even our intellectuals didn’t hear about Fethullah Gülen. We are only interested in the tourist places of Turkiye. Only the unpleasant moments, which happen there, are discussed. However, the thoughts of the great philosopher and thinker, which could be useful for us, don’t reach us. Professor of the Higher School of Economics Leonid Sukiyainen, who took part in the conference, in the interview given to the Cihan News Agency noted certain similarity between Gülen and Gandhi, as they both deny violence, however, he also stated that Gülen was not a political figure like Gandhi: “Gülen is an intellectual, a thinker, a writer and a leader. In his works he shows his stance, which is out of politics. It is also necessary to see the following difference: Gandhi found the solution of the political problems of his time and society. We can find solution to the problems of the modern world in Gülen teaching and works”.
Gülen movement and the interreligious dialogue: in Chicago conference The University of Chicago, November 14-15, 2005 In the process of meeting on the topic: “Gülen movement and the interreligious dialogue: ex-minister of public education Mehmet Sağlam, Azam Nizamuddin and Paul Parker from the Elmhurst college, Zeki Saritoprak from John Carroll University read their reports.
Among the sub-topics of the conference one can emphasize: “Gülen’s contribution into the Muslim-Christian dialogue within the framework of Abrahamic cooperation”, “Dialogue is the basis of the ancient Greek concept, Gülen’s and Jürgen Habermas’s opinions”, “Religions, globalization and the dialogue in the XXI- century; Fethullah Gülen and Arnold J. Toynbee”, “Gülen Neosufism”, “Islam and democracy: from Walt Whitman to Fethullah Gülen; prevision of future in the democracy evolution”, “Gülen and Ghazali on the issue of tolerance”, “Advanced Islamic thought, civil society and Gülen movement in the worldwide scale: parallels with Indonesia”.
Gülen’s Ideas On Humanity, Examined in Oklahoma The University of Rice, Oklahoma, 5-6, 2006 The second symposium on the topic: “Islam in the modern world: Fethullah Gülen movement in ideas and in practice”, which is continuation of the first one, which took place in 2005 in the University of Rice was organized in the state of Oklahoma. In the symposium organized owing to the efforts of the University of Oklahoma, the Interreligious Dialogue Center and the City University of Oklahoma, the well-known scientists and intellectuals from many other countries of the world took part. The conference sections were the following: “Methodical Christianity, Gülen Sufism, perfection, free will, tolerance and democracy”, “ laicism in America and Turkiye. Gülen’s word”, “Gülen in establishing the dialogue: Fethullah Gülen’s ideas on the topic of humanity”, “Teaching tolerance by means of Turkish art: Gülen and the traditional Turkish creative work lessons”. Barbara Boyd (the University of Oklahoma), Sheryl L. Santos (Texas Technical University), Paul Weller (the University of Derby, England), Jill Irvine (the University of Oklahoma), Darian DeBolt (the Central University of Oklahoma), Mark Webb (Texas Technical University), Naci Bostanci (the University of Gazi, Turkiye) read their reports at the conference.
Coexistence:
Gülen’s ideas of peace discussed at a conference In Holland
“Alternative prospects of Gülen movement ” conference in Washington The University of Georgetown, November 14-15, 2008
Many Dutch scientists became interested in the reports read at the conference “Coexistence: Fethullah Gülen’s ideas of peace in the modern conditions”, which was organized by the Dialogue Academy Fund. More than 400 students, scientists, politicians and writers took part in the conference. They discussed Gülen’s views and the position of his movement concerning many social aspects of modern life. The delegation members Professor Andreas Kinneging Professor Anton Wessels, Professor Karel Steenbrink, Professor Ton Notten and Doctor of Sciences Pim Valkenberg expressed satisfaction by the fact that the conference with such rich program is realized exactly in their country.
The conference dedicated to Gülen’s ideas became the cause for discussions on the topic in the Parliament of the Netherlands as well. The ministers invited to the Commission on Integration meeting stated that Gülen movement is not directed against integration, and there is no place for radicalism in it. It was also mentioned that the Turkish organizations sympathizing with Gülen movement do nothing what would hamper integration.
Bishkek, February 27th, 2009 The important meeting of the “Dialog Eurasia” Platform took place in Bishkek, within the frame work of which the discussion on the topic “Tolerance and Dialogue: from Yusuf Has Hajib to Fethullah Gülen” was held. The meeting was organized by the representative office of the “DA” platform in Bishkek and Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan under support of the “Ruhaniyat” International Fund.
The “Erasmus” University, November 23-25, 2007
The purpose of the two-day conference in the “Erasmus” University became “Studying the possibilities of creating the dialogue and peace between the blocs, which formed following the events of September 11”. Chairman of the Dialogue Academy Fund Gürkan Çelik noted: “We wanted to cover the actual, for today in Europe, topic of adaptation of immigrants, first of all, the Muslims, the concept of coexistence from the point of view of Gülen’s ideas. The essence of his ideas is very close to the motto of the modern government of the Netherlands – “Labor in common and coexistence’.
“Tolerance and Dialogue: from Yusuf Has Hajib to Fethullah Gülen”in a Bishkek conference
Many well-known figures took part in the conference. In the course of the meeting a short film about Fethullah Gülen was shown to the audience, the information concerning him and significance attached by him to educational activity. In the film it was mentioned about awarding Gülen with the prize “For contribution into creation of peace and accord between the nations” by the “Ruhaniyat” Fund in 2004. The invaluable contribution into creation of the dialogue and tolerant relations in the world of such figures as Yusuf Has Hajib and Fethullah Gülen was marked.
The scientists from America, Australia, Austria, France, England, Canada and Turkiye, who took part in the conference on the topic: “Islam in the epoch of global problems: alternative prospects of Gülen movement” held jointly with the administration of the University of Georgetown, Muslim-Christian Center of Mutual Understanding and Rumi Forum read 40 reports concerning F.Gülen`s views on the different issues and his movement activity in the different countries of the world as well. One may call such famous scientists among the Executive Committee members as: Professor John Esposito, Professor Qamerul Huda, Professor Akbar Ahmad, Professor Hüseyin Nasr, Professor John O. Voll and Professor Ian Williams. Professor John Esposito, who made a welcoming speech, called Gülen movement “the largest movement of contemporaneity”.
Rector of the University of Bishkek named after Mahmud Kashgari Professor Asan Ormoşov with great inspiration told about educational movement spreading all over the world on Gülen’s initiative. “The whole world nowadays knows the importance and value of this movement” – Rector concluded. Co-chairman of the “Dialogue-Eurasia” Platform Harun Tokak in his speech noted that the Islamic world has been experiencing the deep scientific and intellectual crisis for the last two centuries. “For this reason the Islamic world and the West can’t be in harmony” – Tokak expressed his thought. “Many scientists formulated their propositions on creating this harmony. If people will be able to estimate movements proposed by such truly great thinkers as Yusuf Has Hajib, Fethullah Gülen and Chinghiz Aitmatov, then bright and quiet future is waiting for us” Tokak concluded. Rector of Manas Kyrgyz-Turkish University Professor Süleyman Kayipov noted: “The activity of the educational institutions opened in different countries on Gülen’s initiative is the result of the wonderful movement activity, which nobody can call unsuccessful”.
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G端len`s Thoughts
Pearls of Wisdom ***
The stomach expels food that cannot be digested and has no benefit, and then spits in its face. Time and history does the same to useless people...
Rust is the enemy of iron, lead the enemy of diamonds, and dissipation the enemy of the spirit. If it does not cause its decay and ruin today, it will definitely cause them tomorrow. Every flood comes from tiny drops whose existence and size are neglected. Gradually, it reaches a level that cannot be resisted. A society's body is always open to such types of flood. Even if explaining knowledge and truth to those illmannered and inexperienced is as difficult as dealing with crazy people, enlightened people must do this duty eagerly.
The pen is a golden channel for the light of thought. This light descends from the mind to the arm, and therefrom to the finger, and finally comes out from the pen. Even if the number of blind people increases, they still cannot determine an item's color. Two sound eyes destroy their consensus.
Every mind is like a separate knife made from the same steel. Any difference among them derives from their sharpness. In great and magnificent nations, dervish lodges and even gravestones are ornamented. One can read a nation's concept of beauty and art on its places of worship and its tombstones. Every tree is made up of wood. A tree is differentiated by its fruit, and people are differentiated by their piety.
Since everyone cannot understand clear truths on the same level, the way of abstract description was abandoned in favor of demonstration, representation and personification.
Matter has no comprehension, consciousness, feeling, or will. It is comprised only of some laws and particles (used to form things). What an embarrassing mistake it is to count it as the essence of existence.
People usually complain of time and space, whereas the fault always lies in ignorance. Time and fate are innocent, whereas humanity is ungrateful and ignorant.
True philosophy is only a spiritual and mental trouble (trial, suffering) that appears when God arouses us to seek wisdom.
Some sunny, grassy, bright roads adorned with flowers eventually lead to valleys of death, while other steep, thorny paths intersect with the edge of Heaven.
What is right is liked and esteemed even if defeated; what is unjust is loathsome and disliked even if victorious.
We know the act and object of perception but not the perceiver. The spirit knows; the mind is a vehicle. The spirit sees; the eye is a vehicle.
What is right is beautiful in character, and the one who is right is sweet. Even if the right falls into the mud, it remains pure and upright. Even if the unjust is washed with musk, it remains impure and disgusting.
If an action results from the mental or natural instincts, it is animalistic; if it results from the will or the conscience, it is spiritual or human. Non-existence is a dreadful nothingness, such an infinite and mind-boggling field that not even one atom of existence can be found there. Today, people label as "fanatical" those who are devout. Fanaticism means insisting on false and blind persistence. Insistence on what is right is a virtue, and such behavior by a believer cannot be considered fanaticism. Sometimes the sun appears in an atom, a flood in a drop, and a book in a sentence. For such a profundity, the eye (meaning sight) is as important as the word. 70
Color and shape may change, but essence does not. Name and title may change, but character does not. Such changes have, and continue to, fool many people. Those who oppresses the weak are defeated even if they are the victors; those who are right are victorious even if they are the losers. Science is not the private property of any one people in the world. It is the common heritage of all mankind. Lack of belief is a suffocating dungeon. In the view of unbelievers, existence began with chaos, developed in the frightening uncertainties of coincidences, and is speeding toward a terrible end.
Addiction to Comfort Just as stagnant water stinks and putrefies upon losing its fluidity, the source of its life, so do those lazy people who abandon themselves to comfort and ease inevitably begin to rot and become losers. Desire for comfort is the first alarm and sign of death. However, those whose sensitivity has been paralyzed cannot hear the alarm or understand the sign, and do not heed the warnings and advice of friends.
*** Bringing Up The Young Educators who have not been apprenticed to a master and have not received a sound education are like blind people trying to light the way of others with lanterns. A child's mischief and impudence arises from the atmosphere in which he or she has been raised. A dysfunctional family life increasingly is reflected upon the spirit of the child, and therefore upon the society. In schools, good manners should be considered just as important as other subjects. If they are not, how can children grow up with sound characters? Education is different from teaching. Most people can be teachers, but the number of educators is severely limited. Our humanity is directly proportional to the purity of our emotions. Although those who are full of bad feelings and whose souls are influenced by egoism look like human beings, whether they really are human is doubtful. Almost everyone can train their bodies, but few people can educate their minds and feelings. The former training produces strong bodies, while the latter produces spiritual people.
*** Children When trees are pruned properly, they produce fruit and their growth improves. If they are not pruned properly, they shrivel and become stunted. Given this, should not each human being, all of whom possess so many talents and abilities, be given at least as much care as a tree? Those of you who bring children into this world are responsible for raising them to the realms beyond the heavens. Just as you take care of their bodily health, so take care of their spiritual life. For God's sake, have pity and save the helpless innocents. Do not let their lives go to waste. If parents encourage their children to develop their abilities and be useful to
themselves and the community, they have given the nation a strong new pillar. If, on the contrary, they do not cultivate their children's human feelings, they will have released scorpions into the community.
*** The Rights of Children The vices observed in today's generation, the incompetence of some administrators, and other social problems are the direct result of the conditions prevailing thirty years ago, and of that time's ruling elite. Likewise, those entrusted with educating today's young people are responsible for the vices and virtues that will appear thirty years from now. Those who want to secure their future should apply as much energy to raising their children as they devote to other problems. While the energy devoted to many other things may go in vain, whatever is spent for raising a young generation elevates them to the rank of humanity. Such people will be like an inexhaustible source of income. Those people in our community who are miserable and lost, such as drug addicts, alcoholics, and other dissolute people, were once children. We failed to educate them properly. I wonder whether we are sufficiently aware of the kind of people we are preparing to walk our streets tomorrow. Communities that pay close attention to the family institution and their young people's education, as opposed to those who are more advanced in sciences and technology, will have the upper hand in the future. Communities that neglect the family institution and the young people's education will be crushed by the pitiless wheels of time.
*** Culture Culture is a stable mix of such fundamental elements as language, education, tradition, and art, all of which form a community's structure and lifestyle. It is a kind of blindness to ignore the reality that these fundamental elements have (and ought to have) unique features, and different characters and temperaments, for they reflect the people to whom they belong. A community that has broken with its essential cultural values inevitably loses its identity and collapses as a distinct society. People who seek their own continuance or survival by blindly accepting the culture and civilization of others are like trees upon whose branches are hung the fruits of other trees. They deceive
not only themselves, but also lay themselves open to ridicule. Cultural values have the same meaning and worth for a people as blossoms and fruits have for a tree. A community that has failed to produce a distinctive culture, or has lost or forsaken it, may be likened to a barren tree or to one whose fruit has dropped off. Today or tomorrow, that tree will be cut down and used as wood.
*** Freedom True freedom is the freedom of the human mind from all shackles that hinder it from making material and spiritual progress, as long as we do not fall into indifference and heedlessness. Freedom allows people to do whatever they want, provided that they do not harm others and that they remain wholly devoted to the truth. Those who regard freedom as absolute liberty confuse human freedom with animal freedom. Animals have no moral questions asked of them, and so are free of moral constraints. Some people desire this kind of freedom and, if they can, use it to indulge the darkest desires of the flesh. Such freedom is worse than bestial. True freedom, however, the freedom of moral responsibility, shows that one is human, for it motivates and enlivens the conscience and removes impediments to the spirit.
*** Heroes of Love Only those who overflow with love will build the happy and enlightened world of the future. Their lips smiling with love, their hearts brimming with love, their eyes radiating love and the most tender human feelings-such are the heroes of love who always receive messages of love from the rising and setting of the sun and from the flickering light of the stars. The anger and fury of the heroes of love, who are distinguished with love in treatment of others, are for discipline. Therefore, they serve to improve others and to bestow benefits upon the community. Humanity
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When interacting with others, always regard whatever pleases and displeases yourself as the measure. Desire for others what your own ego desires, and do not forget that whatever conduct displeases you will displease others. If you do this, you will be safe not only from misconduct and bad behavior, but also from hurting others. There is no limit to doing good to others. Those who have dedicated themselves to the good of humanity can be so altruistic that they will even sacrifice their lives for others. However, such altruism is a great virtue only if it originates in sincerity and purity of intention, and if it does not define the "others" by racial preferences. Those who regard even the greatest good they have done for others as insignificant, while greatly appreciating even the least favor done to themselves, are perfected ones who have acquired the Divine standards of behavior and found peace in their conscience. Such individuals never remind others of the good they have done for them, and never complain when others appear to be indifferent to them.
*** Humility Those who are humble and modest are highly regarded in the sight of both the created and the Creator. Those who are haughty and self-conceited, who belittle others and put on arrogant airs, are always disliked by the created and punished by the Creator. Humility is a sign of one's having become truly human. One sign of humility is that one does not change after obtaining a high position or wealth, learning or fame, or whatever is publicly esteemed. If any of these circumstances causes the person to alter his or her ideas, attitudes, and behavior, he or she cannot be regarded as having attained true humanity or true humility. Humility is like a key to all other virtues. One who is humble may have all other virtues, whereas one who lacks humility usually is deprived of other virtues as well. After his fault, Prophet Adam, upon him be peace, nevertheless recovered, through humility, all of his former connections to the worlds beyond. By contrast, Satan, undergoing the same test as Adam, became the irrecoverable victim of his self-conceit and haughtiness.
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Love
Personal Integrity
Love is the most direct and safest way to human perfection. It is difficult to attain the rank of human perfection through ways that do not contain love. Other than the way of "acknowledging one's innate impotence, poverty, and reliance on God's Power and Riches, and one's zeal in His way and thanksgiving," no other way to truth is equal to that of love.
Those who want to reform the world must first reform themselves. If they want to lead others to a better world, they must purify their inner worlds of hatred, rancor, and jealousy, and adorn their outer worlds with virtue. The words of those who cannot control and disci-pline themselves, and who have not refined their feelings, may seem attractive and insightful at first. How-ever, even if they somehow manage to inspire others, which they sometimes do, the sentiments they arouse will soon wither.
Seeing the beloved's traces in the blowing wind, the falling rain, the murmuring stream, the humming forest, the dawning morning and the darkening night, the lover comes alive. Seeing the beloved's beauty reflected in everything around him or her, the lover becomes exuberant. Feeling the beloved's breath in every breeze, the lover becomes joyful. Feeling the beloved's occasional reproaches, the lover moans in sorrow. One should not confuse true love with the feeling felt for members of the opposite sex. Such love, although sometimes transformed into true love, is deficient, temporary, and has no inherent value. If we do not plant the seeds of love in the hearts of young people, whom we try to revive through science, knowledge, and modern culture, they will never attain perfection and free themselves completely from their carnal desires.
*** Morals Just because you are a learned one does not mean that you are truly human. Learned people are freed from carrying the burden of superfluous information and attain greatness to the extent that they serve humanity and set a good example for others through their high morals and virtues. Otherwise, they are no more than people who have wasted their lives. Those with high morals and virtues, even if they lack learning and as dense as iron, may sometimes prove to be a useful and valuable, and even as good as gold. Never deceive anyone, even if they deceive you. Fidelity and uprightness are two of the highest virtues. Even if following this advice brings you loss, which it usually does, always be faithful and upright. The Victory of Goodness and Beauty Goodness, beauty, truthfulness, honesty, and being virtuous are the essence of the world. Whatever happens, the world will one day find this essence, for no one can prevent such an event.
If we cannot accept the criticism of those we love and who love us, we may lose our friends and remain unaware of our defects. Do not remember the promises that others have failed to keep; instead, remember your own promises that you did not fulfill. Do not blame others because they are not doing good to you; instead, remember the chances you missed of doing good to someone else.
*** Religion Since its appearance on the Earth, humanity has found true peace and happiness in religion. As it is impossible to talk of morality and virtue where people do not practice the true religion, it is also difficult to imagine real happiness, for morality and virtue originate in a good, clear conscience. Religion is what makes one's conscience good and clear, for it is a connection between humanity and God. Religion is the collection of Divine principles that guide people to what is good, not by force but by appealing to their free will. All principles that secure our spiritual and material progress, and thereby our happiness in both worlds, are found in religion. Sooner or later, those who do not recognize religion will come to despise such high values as chastity, patriotism, and love of humanity. Immorality is a disease caused by the absence of religion, and anarchy is a product of the same lack. Those without religion cannot save themselves from losing everything, including their true identity. Religion and science are two faces of a single truth. Religion guides us to the true path leading to happiness. Science, when understood and used properly, is like a torch that provides us with a light to follow the same path. All the beautiful "flowers" of laudable virtues are grown in the "gardens" of religion, as are the most illustrious
"fruits" of the tree of creation, such as Prophets, saints, and scholars of high achievement. Although atheists deliberately ignore them, regardless of how hard they try they will be unable to remove them from the hearts of people and the pages of books. Nothing in true religion is contrary to sound thinking, common sense, and knowledge. Therefore true religion cannot be criticized from any rational point of view. Those who do not accept religion either are devoid of sound thinking and reasoning or have a wrong conception of knowledge and science. Men and women attain true humanity by means of religion, which distinguishes them from animals. For atheists, there is no difference between human beings and animals. Humankind from time to time has denied religion in the name of science and denied science in the name of religion, arguing that the two present conflicting views. All knowledge belongs to God and religion is from God. How then can the two be in conflict?
*** Tolerance Be so tolerant that your heart becomes wide like the ocean. Become inspired with faith and love for others. Offer a hand to those in trouble, and be concerned about everyone. Applaud the good for their goodness, appreciate those who have believing hearts, and be kind to believers. Approach unbelievers so gently that their envy and hatred melt away. Like a Messiah, revive people with your breath. Return good for evil, and disregard discourteous treatment. An individual's character is reflected in his or her behavior. Choose tolerance, and be magnanimous toward the illmannered. The most distinctive feature of a soul overflowing with faith is to love all types of love that are expressed in deeds, and to feel enmity for all deeds in which enmity is expressed. To hate everything is a sign of insanity or of infatuation with Satan. Take note of and be attentive to any behavior that causes you to love others. Then remind yourself that behaving in the same way will cause them to love you. Always behave decently, and be alert. In sum: In order to preserve your credit, honor, and love, love for the sake of the Truth, hate for the sake of the Truth, and be open-hearted toward the Truth.
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Science
Ideal Spirits
Since "real" life is possible only through knowledge, those who neglect learning and teaching are considered "dead" even though they are still alive, for we were created to learn and to communicate what we have learned to others.
Those who strive to enlighten others, seek happiness for them, and extend a helping hand have such a developed and enlightened spirit that they are like guardian angels. They struggle with disasters befalling society, stand up to "storms," hurry to put out "fire," and are always on the alert for possible shocks.
Right decisions depend on having a sound mind and on sound thinking. As science and knowledge illuminates and develop one's mind, those deprived of science and knowledge cannot reach right decisions and are always exposed to deception and misguidance. Those who are truly human continue to learn, teach, and inspire others. It is difficult to regard as truly human those who are ignorant and have no desire to learn. It is also questionable whether a learned person who does not pursue selfrenewal and self-reform, and thereby set an example for others, is truly human. The purpose of learning is to make knowledge a guide for your life, to illuminate the road to human perfection. Any knowledge that does not fulfill these functions is a burden for the learner, and any science that does not direct one toward sublime goals is only deception. Although science and all branches of knowledge are beneficial to almost everyone, one cannot possibly acquire all of them, for people's life-spans and resources are limited. Therefore, learn and use only that which benefits yourself and humanity at large. Do not waste your life.
*** The Rights of Parents Children should respect and obey their parents as much as possible. Parents should give as much importance to their children's moral and spiritual education as they do to their physical growth and health, and should entrust them to the care of the most honorable teachers and guides. How ignorant and careless are those parents who neglect their children's moral and spiritual training, and how unfortunate are the children who experience such neglect are so victimized. Children who are inconsiderate of their parents' rights and disobey them are "monsters derived from a deteriorated human being." Parents who do not secure their children's moral and spiritual welfare also are merciless and cruel. Families form a society's foundation. The reciprocal respect of rights and obligations within a family results in a healthy and strong society. When such familial relationships disappear, the society loses its compassion and respect for others.
*** Youth Those who wish to predict a nation's future can do so accurately by analyzing the education and upbringing being given to its young people. Desires resemble sweets, and virtues resemble food that is a little salty or sour. When young people are free to choose, what are they likely to prefer? Regardless of this, however, it is our obligation to bring them up to be friends of virtue and enemies of indecency and immorality. A young person is a sapling of power, strength, and intelligence. If trained and educated properly, he or she can become a "hero" overcoming obstacles and acquire a mind that promises enlightenment to hearts and order to the world.
*** Education Right decisions depend on having a sound mind and being capable of sound thought. Science and knowledge illuminate and develop the mind. For this reason, a mind deprived of science and knowledge cannot reach right decisions, is always exposed to deception, and is subject to being mislead. We are only truly human if we learn, teach, and inspire others. It is difficult to regard those who are ignorant and without the desire to learn as truly human. It is also questionable whether learned people who do not renew and reform themselves in order to set
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an example for others are truly human. Status and merit acquired through knowledge and science are higher and more lasting than those obtained through other means. Given the great importance of learning and teaching, we must determine what is to be learned and taught, and when and how to do so. Although knowledge is a value in itself, the purpose of learning is to make knowledge a guide in life and illuminate the road to human betterment. Thus, any knowledge not appropriated for the self is a burden to the learner, and a science that does not direct one toward sublime goals is a deception.
*** Respect For Thought Criticizing and objecting to everything means an attempt to destruction. If you do not like something, try to make something better than it. Being destructive causes ruins, while being constructive brings about prosperity. Give value to every word in a meeting. Don't immediately reject those that don't conform to your ideas. Think that the idea might have been expressed from a different viewpoint, and be patient until the end!
*** Art
Art is the spirit of progress and one of the most important means of developing emotions. Those who cannot make use of this means are unfortunate indeed, and live a numbed, diminished life. Art makes iron more valuable than gold and copper more valuable than bronze. Thanks to art, the most worthless metals become more valuable than gold, silver, and diamonds.
*** Marriage and The Home The purpose of marriage is not pleasure; rather, it is to establish a family, ensure the nation's permanency and continuation, save the individual from dispersed feelings and thoughts, and to control physical pleasures. Just as with many other matters related to the basic nature that God has given to each being, pleasure is a payment made in advance to invite and encourage to marriage. One should not marry for reasons of
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dress, wealth, or physical beauty; rather, marry for spiritual beauty, honor and morality, and virtue and character. Every union made in the name of marriage, but without careful thought, has left behind crying wives, orphans, and those who wound the family's heart. Nations are based on homes and individuals. If homes are good, the nation is good; if homes are bad, the nation is bad. If only those who want the best for the nation would first work to reform the homes! A home is a small nation, and a nation is a large home. One who successfully manages a home and who has raised its members to a level of humanity can manage a large organization with a little effort.
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The teacher is a hand, a tongue, God uses to exalt or humiliate humanity. Yes, a nomadic community that found its instructor was sublimed as high as angels and they all ascended to the rank of being teachers for humanity.[1] With a good teacher, Macedonia raised a great conqueror; Anatolia reached its prosperous era; and people like Fatih Sultan Mehmet opened a new age thanks to their teachers. Yavuz (Selim I), a man of great discipline and order, as well as hundreds more like him, was the fortunate apprentice of an eminent teacher. In a teacher's hands, metals are purified and then turned into solid gold and bright silver. In this mystic hand, the crudest and the most worthless things become invaluable diamonds. No factory can work as fast and as systematic as the teacher does. No one but the teacher can convey the depth of the emotional spectrum to those around him and become a part of their existence.
Democracy "Democracy has developed over time. Just as it has gone through many different stages in the past, it will continue to evolve and improve in the future. Along the way, it will be shaped into a more humane and just system, one based on righteousness and reality. If human beings are considered as a whole, without disregarding the spiritual dimension of their existence and their spiritual needs, and without forgetting that human life is not limited to this mortal life and that all people have a great craving for eternity, democracy could reach the peak of perfection and bring even more happiness to humanity. Islamic principles of equality, tolerance, and justice can help it to do just this."
*** Real teachers Real teachers sow the seed and preserve it. They occupy themselves with what is good and wholesome, and lead and guide the children in life and whatever events they encounter‌. In addition to setting a good example, teachers should be patient enough to obtain the desired results. They should know their students very well, and address their hearts, spirits, and feelings. The best way to educate people is to show a real concern for every individual, not forgetting that each individual is a different 'world'‌. Teachers should know how to find a way to the student's heart and leave indelible imprints (Gßlen 2004d:208). The influence of the teacher on the individual far exceeds the one exerted by his parents and by society. In fact, it is the teacher who kneads the mother, the father, and all members of society. If he is not involved in the kneading of any piece of dough, it is left formless.
*** People of Heart People of heart are such sincere adherents of the truth that all they think of is to stabilize the justice on earth and they are willing, when it comes to His consent, to give up their own desires and wishes. They open their hearts to everyone, welcoming them affectionately, and appearing as an angel of preservation in society. People of heart are too busy fighting their selves and their misdemeanors to be interested in the misdeeds of others. In contrast, they set an example to others of what a good person should be, leading others to attain higher horizons. They turn a blind eye to what other people may do wrong. Responding with a smile to those who have displayed negative attitudes, such people nullify bad behavior with kindness, not thinking to hurt anybody, even when they have been hurt over and over again. People of heart do not violate the rights of any other people, nor do they seek revenge. Even in the most critical circumstances, they tend to behave calmly, and do whatever a person of heart should do to the utmost. They always reply to evil acts with kindness, and, considering badness to be a characteristic of evil, treating those who have harmed them as monuments of virtue. People of heart are afraid of no one. No single event can send them into a panic. "Relying on God, he works hard, expecting the rest from His aid," sums up their character, and they never break their promise. Humanity expect from us-from the believers-great efforts to move mankind towards the realization of world peace and harmony. Every attempt, every
effort, made to attain this goal, every movement to support right and truth, is a most blessed step taken toward God. Every step taken in that direction, however small it is, will play a part in the new, expected reform world-wide. Such steps may be thought of as drops, fallen into our present, from the blue ocean of the future. In that future, mankind will enjoy true happiness. We live now upon the dream of that blessed time to come.
*** The World This world is a wonderful vessel for humankind, floating in this vast universe, the place that we exist and feel our existence. It is also a warm dwelling, surrounded by magnificent animate and inanimate ornaments, a library that contains millions and billions of books written in many different languages, in which we know our Creator. This home is warmer than the rooms filled with the warmth of the passion of our mothers, safer and softer than the cradles that they rock with lullabies. With its gardens that are projections of Paradise, and its ornaments that make it possible to observe the unseen for those who are capable, this world is a mobile observatory. Compared to the heavenly bodies and the universe, and for our limitless ambitions, the world that we live on is small; however, it is the heart of everything. It is just a dot compared to the universe but it is more valuable than the galaxies. In this world sometimes evil resides next to beauty, bad deeds among good ones, and darkness behind light and so on. However, for those who always see the good and think of the good, the positive aspects are always stronger, longer lasting, more desirable, and more attractive.
*** Nature Nature is, in its particulars and as a whole, an exhibition of Divine miracles. However, rather than call it an exhibition, we prefer to call it a 'book'. This 'book' or exhibition was once much more dazzling; like a magnificent vessel sailing in the ocean of love and ecstasy or a chandelier with one thousand and one light, it was beautiful beyond imagination. With its emerald hills and slopes and exhilarating valleys and plains, with its forests inhabited by thousands of kinds of cheerful animals and paradise-like gardens, fields and orchards and with its singing birds and merry-making insects, this 'book' was the realm neighboring the other world, Divine mercy poured onto it in the form of rain to make the earth more fertile and, in return, hands were held open towards it in profound gratitude. What a pity it is that this magnificent
book, this charming exhibition, which the infinitely Merciful One has created and presented to man to observe and study and to be exhilarated by, is no longer given any more care than is given to a heap of junk or rubbish. Worse than that, it is more and more becoming a wasteland and like a dunghill. Today, air, that magnificent conductor of Divine commands, is a suffocating smoke and a perilous 'whirlpool'. Water, that source of life and other Divine bounties, is either a hazardous flood or forms desolate expanses of pitch. And earth, that treasure of Divine grace and munificence, is a wilderness no longer productive and a ruin without any ecological balance. Like everything else entrusted to us, we have deplorably treated this 'book', this magnificent exhibition, which is an embodiment of Divine grace and mercy. How deplorably and awkwardly we have treated plains and residential places, which we have changed into deserts and heaps of ruin. How deplorably and gracelessly we have treated seas and rivers, which we have polluted. Again, how deplorably and awkwardly we have treated air and water, and fields, forests, and gardens, which we have made unfavourable to any life. Truly, by changing this Paradise-like world to a hell, how deplorably and awkwardly we have treated ourselves! Unless we improve this world, whose order we have destroyed and which we have polluted, and restore it to its essential beauty and magnificence, it will inevitably collapse on us in heaps of wreckage.
*** The Madness of Power Those who have the power and technological means to satisfy their greed and feelings of hate and vengeance, can bring about as much destruction in a single day as would have taken a century in the past. They can demolish the most formidableseeming systems at one go and exchange them for others. They can also bring to ruin the most established ideas, place restrictions on long-held beliefs and, supported by mass-media, can represent right as wrong and vice versa. In no period of human history have moral values such as personal honour, religion, family life and decency, been mocked and condemned as relentlessly as they are at present. In consequence, we live in an epoch of confusion and chaos: light and dark, purity and pollution, virtue and vice, hope and despair, exist side by side or one within the other. In no previous period of human history have collapse and reform happened on such a scale or at such speed. And those who would oppose this flood of chaos cannot find the opportunity to express or present their alterative standpoints. Among the most visible characteristics of this age, we see that right is consistently
sacrificed for the sake of might, selfish interests replace all other considerations, racial discrimination has a pre-eminent role in determining social attitudes and relations, and force (in one form or another) is resorted to as the single means to resolve national and imitational differences. Power must have its due place in the scheme of things, but if we see it as the single or most effective means of solving problems, we will have to explain why we, as human beings, are endowed with such faculties as reason and compassion. All the social revolutions and military movements of the past which were not based on belief, knowledge, moral values and sound reasoning failed to endure much beyond the lifetimes of their leaders. When used to serve the cause of right and sound reasoning, power may do some good on the way to resolving problems. However, power has always been a means of destruction when subject to the rule of ambition and greed, of coarse feelings and coarse ideas. It is the madness of disposing and increasing power that drove Alexander to military ventures in Asia, which brought the genius of Napoleon to ruin, and most recently made Hitler the most accursed of the human race. Despite these lessons, right and intelligence remain under the dominion of power in the world. Behind the chaotic whirl of damnable ideas and events in the world, there lies the abuse of power, the over-rating of its usefulness, so that human values, reasonableness and respect for right have been replaced by the resort to force. And it would seem that the chaos is set to continue until the few who dispose great power are submitted to the cause of right.
*** Civilization True civilization is based on refining one's manners, thoughts, feelings, and strengthening one's willpower. Some identify civilization with dazzling advances and innovations in sciences and technology-from trains to spaceships, broad streets and skyscrapers to dams and nuclear power stations, telecommunication systems to electronics. But these are no more than means of an easy, luxurious life. Modern facilities can help "modernize" life's outward appearance, but this does not mean that people of that society are civilized. We hope that the world will witness true civilization once more. The signs of this civilization, which will be founded on belief, love, knowledge, and universal moral values, are already on the horizon. This sacred cause can be realized if the new generations that have undertaken it continue on their way with a strong belief, willpower, and ever-deepening resolve.
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The Economist
F.G Wo Ăźlen rld in Me The dia The Economist
A Farm Boy on the World Stage Thursday, 06 March 2008
A "prophet" who finds honour, and some suspicion, in his own country Pious people in eastern Turkey, where Fethullah Gulen was born, are eager to praise him. Before hearing the preacher's words 12 years ago, "I led a life full of women and alcohol," admits Unal Sahin, a jeweller in Erzurum. Under Mr Gulen's guidance, he became devout and generous, helping a university in Georgia, and schools in India and Azerbaijan. "The more I gave, the more business grew," he says. His wife, meanwhile, donned a scarf. Gulen-affiliated groups in Istanbul can seem quite
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liberal—with bare-headed and headscarved women mingling happily. But the social pressure for pious ladies to cover their heads, and generally behave in a conservative way, is overwhelming in places like Erzurum. When Gulen-minded couples exchange visits, "the men sit in one room and we sit in another, we're more comfortable that way," explains one member of a scarf-wearing Gulenist sisterhood that does door-todoor preaching. "Our husbands don't mind that we aren't home during the day...they know it's because we are doing good for the cause," she insists. A key asset of the Gulenist network in Turkey, which includes a university, a newspaper and a raft of small and large businesses, is a chain of dormitories for students. There is a familiar pattern in which youngsters turn to the movement for accommodation and then agree to follow a regime of fasting and prayer. The movement is "apolitical" but has links with almost all Turkish political parties, save the main secular opposition. The Gulenists have lots in common with the ruling Justice and Development (AK) party, and they co-operate, but their interests are not identical.
Green Card Coming to Prominent Turkish TURKEY: Leader 17 October 2008 A prominent Turkish religious leader will be allowed to stay in the United States after the Bush administration dropped its opposition to his permanent residence, in a case that spanned more than seven years. The approval comes about three months after a federal court ruled that immigration authorities improperly rejected Fethullah Gulen's application to be classified as "an alien of extraordinary ability," a step that would have facilitated his permanent residence. The court required immigration officials to decide on the application by Oct. 10, said Gulen's attorney, H. Ronald Klasko. His permanent residence was approved on the same day, Klasko said. Gulen is a Sufi scholar and educator with millions of followers across Turkey and parts of Central Asia. He has been living in America since around 1999, when he first began health treatments in the country, said Sinan Dursun, a liaison and supporter for Gulen. "I am glad the application has been approved. The uncertainty had caused a lot of distress. I would like to thank everybody who has been supportive and just," Gulen said in translated comments. Gulen is one of Turkey's most influential intellectuals, a scholar and preacher of Sufism, a mystical form of Islam. His followers run schools in dozens of countries. In Turkey, they administer hundreds of schools, as well as six universities and various media organizations. His media network reaches millions daily. Gulen is revered by many but viewed with suspicion by some in the 99 percent Muslim country where secularism is enshrined in the Turkish constitution and religion has traditionally been firmly excluded from politics. Dursun said Gulen now lives in a
secluded compound in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. He said Gulen moved to America in 1999 for treatment of his health problems, including a heart condition and diabetes.
pronounced after his move to the United States in 1997, in order to escape harassment at home, seek treatment and influence his followers throughout the world.
As a permanent resident, Gulen can legally live the rest of his life in the United States, and travel in and out of the country freely. Gulen is now waiting to receive his green card, Klasko said.
In any event, it is a unique and highly successful manifestation of flexible, modern Islam in a globalised setting, and it is likely to have a lasting impact on the modernisation of Islam and its opening to engagement with Western ideas.
Fethullah World’s Most Gulen Global profile Movement January 8, 2008 Fethullah Gulen is a provincial Turkish preacher who has inspired a worldwide network of Muslims who feel at home in the modern world. The chief characteristic of the Gulen movement is that it does not seek to subvert modern secular states, but encourages practising Muslims to use to the full the opportunities they offer. It is best understood as the Islamic equivalent of Christian movements appealing to business and the professions. Gulen was born in 1938 in a village near Erzurum in eastern Turkey. His father was an imam, and Gulen learnt from him the elements of Islam as well as some Persian and Arabic. Official toleration allowed Gulen to concentrate on what became his lifework -- the creation of a network, first of private schools and residences, then of universities, media outlets and civil society groups as centres of excellence promoting a modern, Islam-based ethical framework. Starting with the wealthy businessmen of Izmir, Gulen mobilised resources allowing him to control one of Turkey's leading newspapers, Zaman, a television channel and a radio station, as well as a university with campuses in Istanbul and Ankara. Like his schools, Gulen's other activities try to be selffinancing, competing on quality. Over the years, Gulen extended his reach from Turkey to the Turkic republics of the former Soviet Union then to other successor states of the Soviet Union, the Balkans and finally the West. His embrace of globalisation became more
Tuesday, 10 June 2008 World-famous sociologist Nilüfer Göle, known for her studies on modernization and conservatism, said Turkish schools bring people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds together and are the world’s most global movement. Göle, who participated in a program on CNN Türk on Sunday, said although one would think that the Gülen movement — named after Turkish intellectual and preacher Fethullah Gülen, who pioneered the establishment of such schools around the globe — is a very religious and conservative movement, it is the world’s most global initiative. “I visited a Turkish school in Baku. These schools bring people from different nationalities together. Students receive a good English education at these schools,” she noted. Göle also praised Turkish teachers working at these schools. “They head for different countries even though they are unable to even speak their languages. We were not accustomed to such intrepidness,” she said. Stressing that Turkey is going through an intellectual transformation, Göle noted that many conferences and panel discussions bringing intellectuals with differing views together are held in Turkey. “The Abant Platform is one of them. Intellectuals with different views in Turkey used to not attend the same events in the past. But today we see that
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leftist and rightist intellectuals sit around the same table. Such things are not to be belittled. Our intellectuals succeeded in overcoming a lack of dialogue,” she said. Göle also praised the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for pursuing a more “European” policy. “The AK Party managed to transform not only the Islamic movement but also all of Turkey. This is a heavy burden. Yet the ruling party could carry the Islamic movement to the center. The policy it pursued to become a full EU member baffled many. It started negotiating with EU member countries for membership without difficulty. Turkey’s conservatives are more extroverted today,” she remarked. (Fatih Vural, Istanbul)
one class in Islamic studies required by the state. “Private schools can’t make our sons good Muslims. Religious schools can’t give them modern education. PakTurk [Turkish schools in Pakistan] does both,” Allahdad Niazi, a retired Urdu professor in Quetta, a frontier town near the Afghan border, was quoted as saying by Tavernise. That approach appeals to parents in Pakistan, who want their children to be capable of competing with the West without losing their identities to it. “Whatever the West has of science, let our kids have it. But let our kids have their religion as well,” said Erkam Aytav, a Turk who works in Turkish schools in Pakistan. He also said that without science religion turns into radicalism and that without religion, science is blind and brings the world to danger.
Turkish Schools Offer Pakistan a Gentler Vision of An Icon of Islam Universal Peace
Mesut Kaçmaz, a Turkish teacher in Pak-Turk schools, on the other hand, said violence was a misinterpretation of Islam. “Kill, fight and shoot. This is a misinterpretation of Islam. Praying has never been easy for me in Pakistan. Pakistanis assume I am not a Muslim because I have no beard, and the mosque near where I work once warned me never to return wearing a tie as it is un-Islamic. Behind their words there was no hadith. It is only misunderstanding,” he noted.
By Sabrina Tavernise, May 4, 2008 Turkish schools offer Pakistan a gentler Islam than the vision of Islam conceived by Pakistanis.Turkish volunteer educators who have opened schools to educate children in Pakistan have an entirely different vision of Islam than that of the Pakistanis. Theirs is moderate and flexible, comfortably coexisting with the West while remaining distinct from it. They promote this approach in schools, which are now established in more than 80 countries, Muslim and Christian. The Turkish schools, which have expanded to seven cities in Pakistan since the first one opened a decade ago, offer an alternative approach to Pakistan that could help reduce the influence of Islamic extremists. They prescribe a strong Western curriculum, with courses taught in English from math and science to English literature and Shakespeare. They do not reach religion beyond the
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Weekly Cutting Edge, 21 June 2008 Men, like Fethullah Gulen, are born once in centuries, who light the candle of hope and optimism in the abysmal darkness of religious deviation, political turmoil, social disintegration and cultural disharmony in order to take entire humanity on the right track towards universal peace. Fethullah Gülen, who is known by his pious and austere lifestyle, is a scholar of astonishing proportions. This man for all seasons was born in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, in 1941. He did his graduation from a private divinity school in Erzurum, obtained his licence and started to preach religious tolerance and harmony. His educational and social
reform endeavors have made him one of Turkey's most eminent and esteemed public figures since the 1960's. Gülen has emerged as one of the most persuasive and influential voices in the Muslim community calling for dialogue as a step towards universal peace. His clarion call first attracted thousands of young generation in Turkey and later spread its wings over the entire world. An important dimension of peace, distinguished by Gülen, is universal or global. He emphasized the importance of the indispensability of religion and intercultural dialogue for the world peace through his efforts to meet with other religious and community leaders within his native country and abroad. Besides the rules that guarantee peace and security, there are several references in the Quran related to attitudes that should be taken against criminals and people who are directly or indirectly responsible for creating an atmosphere of anarchy and terror; for such people there are legal sanctions, chastisement and retaliations. Gülen reiterated in his speeches and sermons that peace, justice and stability are of the utmost significance to Islam; fighting and war are only secondary options which are bound to specific reasons and conditions. He opposes the use of violence to achieve vested political interests and teaches his followers that it is sinful to get aims by using unfair means. "In today's enlightened world, the only way to get others to accept your ideas and ways is by persuasion and the use of convincing argument." It is only through mutual understanding, inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, and a process of mutual respect that communities can coexist in harmony and agreement. The reverse of it could be a religious catastrophe, political strife and cultural cacophony. Gülen evinces the yearning for a time of peace and prosperity for all. Even though the consideration of the world as a village becomes firmer and more prevalent over the course of time, different beliefs, races, customs and traditions will continue to cohabit in this village. Gülen powerfully argues that the peace of this global village lies in respecting all the differences, considering the differences to be part of nature and in ensuring that people welcome and share them. A major concept related to Gülen's teaching on peace is his understanding of the word 'nation'. Although this concept refers particularly to the Muslim world and the Turkish nation in the context of their roles in shaping human history, as major players and representatives of global peace, there is certainly more to it than just the concept of one particular nation, especially when we look with Gülen's vision and his idealism of dialogue and universal peace.
Realistically speaking, Gülen was one of the first Muslim leaders who, within 24 hours, vehemently denounced the 9/11 incident in a press release. He regarded the atrocities as a great blow to the world peace that unfairly tarnished the credit of believers. He remarked: "Terror can never be used in the name of Islam or for the sake of any Islamic ends. A terrorist cannot be a Muslim and a Muslim cannot be a terrorist. A Muslim can only be the representative and symbol of peace, welfare and prosperity." He further defines a Muslim as a person of love and affection, who avoids every kind of terrorist activity and who has no malice or hatred for anyone or anything. To him, true Muslims can only be the most trustworthy representatives of universal peace. He suggests that education is the only method to understand global peace and progress in the real perspective. The educational initiatives inspired by him from the perspective of peaceful coexistence paved the way for building Universal Peace. Gülen is convinced that a better and peaceful future for humanity can be established only through universal and inter-cultural education. An education of the heart and soul as well as of the mind and character, aimed at reviving and invigorating the whole being to achieve competence and providing goods and services useful to others. Education is the most important element in the Gülen movement and it is also an effective tool for the durability of the movement. The Gülen movement opened hundreds of schools all around the world. In these schools, children from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds are educated by mainly Turkish graduates from renowned Turkish universities. These schools seem to do justice to their name by employing an equal number of Christians, Muslims and teachers from the local community, by educating Muslim and Christian children and by promoting cooperation with Christian institutions in the area. An overwhelming majority of the people hailing from different strata of society emphasized that the process of education for harvesting peace is a lifelong process and it extends from early childhood to adulthood as modes and levels of education. Gülen's educational understanding for building peace encourages learners to draw lessons and inspirations from the role models provided by innumerable human beings respected for practicing values, virtues and conduct that transcend greed, animosities and lust for power. Besides, Gülen has a strong conviction that the unswerving and true path to peace and justice for humanity depends on the provision of an adequate education that amalgamate scientific knowledge with spiritual and ethical values. Many of his group believe that educational practices, media activities
and dialogue projects inspired by him to build a culture of peace promote key values in various faith and spiritual traditions. These traditions have been recognized through interfaith and intercultural dialogue as a body of common and shared values for guiding peaceful conduct and relations among peoples, communities and nations. The movement's schools form 'white islands' on the earth, what Gülen calls "islands of peace." The schools form, "peace islands" where cultures and civilizations meet and reach a consensus. His volunteer movement is a framework of emphasizing and gathering around universal humane virtues and a framework of respect for the position of those having different perceptions, beliefs and thoughts. Peace building through education is a sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. Gülen's educational vision involves not only schools, but also families, communities and the media, both electronic and print. Gülen claims a holistic education requiring a learning circle that consists of family, school, friends, neighbors, faith and cultural organizations and workplaces. This allows children from an early age to learn that they are members of communities (local or global) who need to live together in harmony and peace. From tolerance and dialogue, Gülen understands embracing people regardless of differences of opinion, world-view, ideology, ethnicity or belief. There is a need to recognize that differences do exist and the objective is not to "correct" but to hear and listen to the other side. In practical terms, we can say that a dialoguer needs to create a new, local or universal paradigm so as to facilitate peaceful interpretation of the actual reality. We, as different adherents of different faiths, ideologies and religions, need to speak to each other in a way to heal the paradigm, to reverse vicious circles of misunderstandings and prejudices. The end product of this healing of the paradigm is not only peace, but existence. This is the main point of the dialogical philosophy for the sake of peaceful coexistence. In today's global village, borders have blurred and several cultures come into contact more often and more intensively with each other. The interethnic and inter-religious climate throughout the world has undergone a dramatic change in recent years. Social mediation and peaceful coexistence within the context of cultural, ethnic and religious divisions, hierarchies, rivalries and conflicts that are grounded in socio-economic and political realities have become necessities of our time in order to maintain social harmony and universal peace. Gülen has developed a peaceful approach to religion and science as two aspects of the same reality complementing one another. He inspired
civic-cum-educational movement to build a peaceful world based on dialogue, tolerance, respect and compassion, and to raise individuals who use their intellect, zeal and lust lawfully and in moderation. History has proved that such movements that are logically based on strong moral and ethical values never cease.
The Gülen Movement Religioscope 21 Jul 2004 On first looking at the volume edited by M. Hakan Yavuz and John L. Esposito entitled “Turkish Islam and the Secular State: The Gülen Movement” (Syracuse University Press, 2003), many people are likely to wonder who the man is pictured on the cover of the book. They will discover that he is Fetullah Gülen (b. 1938), an important figure in contemporary Turkish Islam. The book is a well-informed introduction by Western and Turkish experts to the Gülen movement – a movement that, as we shall see, sometimes looks more like a network. This movement is one of the eight major groups derived from the work of the reformer Said Nursi (1873–1960), author of several volumes of Qur’anic exegesis known as Risale-I Nur. Nursi made an attempt to respond to the debates of his time (emergence of the new republic and Kemalist secularization efforts): he became the source of a powerful movement active in Turkey. Hakan Yasvuz explains: “The Nur movement (also known as Nurculuk) differs from other Islamic movements in terms of its understanding of Islam and is strategy of transforming society by raising individual consciousness. As a resistance movement to the the ongoing statist modernization process in Turkey, it is forward looking and proactive.” Regarding the Gülen community, its impact is not limited to Turkey: putting into practice Nursi’s educational ideals, the community has created more than 300 modern, high-quality schools (including high schools), not only in Turkey, but also in several other parts of the world (primarily in Central Asia and the Balkans, but also in more exotic places, such as Mongolia or Bangladesh as well as in some Western cities). The curriculums of these schools do not have any explicitly Islamic content. Gülen aspires to create an educated elite and
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does not see any conflict between reason and revelation. His schools also contribute to the development of Turkish influence abroad.
have been some criticisms written and said as well. Ufuk Publishing, aiming to create an objective evaluation about Turkish schools, asked the question “What do At the end of two introductory chapters, you think about the Turkish schools which put the movement into context, abroad?” to 27 intellectuals of different co-editor Hakan Yavuz (associate professor views, including former Prime Minister in political science at the University of Bulent Ecevit, Professor Kemal Karpat, Utah) claims that “this movement opens ret. Ambassador Gunduz Aktan, former new venues for the radical reimagination Higher Education Board (YOK) Chairman of tradition”. Gülen’s community combines Professor Mehmet Saglam, Professor Islam and Turkish nationalism. Moreover, M. Ali Kilicbay, Author Cengiz Aytmatov, it is “secularization-friendly” – and also Professor Umit Meric, Professor American-friendly, which is not very Mumtazer Turkone, film producer common today in the Muslim world, but Halit Refig, journalist Gulay Gokturk, apparently derives from an assessment of and Professor Niyazi Oktem. These what is best for Turkish interests. intellectuals almost all of whom visited the schools and had the opportunity to speak directly with the students studying there wrote down their views and assessments.
Turkish Schools Messenger
The Turks Are of Universal Coming! Peace 29 November 2005 Former Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said various circles are upset with him for praising Turkish schools abroad, he noted, however, he does not give heed to such circles. “But they no longer attack me. They seem to have accepted it. I think they have gotten used to it. I will continue supporting Turkish schools.” Expressing his feelings in the book edited by Toktamis Ates, Eser Karakas and Ilber Ortayli, about the nearly 500 Turkish schools around the world Ecevit said seeing and hearing about these schools has given him great happiness. The encouragement of Fethullah Gulen has a great deal of importance in the opening of these schools abroad Ecevit said. “I know him personally. I have immense respect towards these schools. I have been following the educational activities pursued by these people abroad for fifteen years. I am very pleased with the results. These people provide a modern form of education in every country they teach in. They teach Turkish to all their students. This is a great service. This is at first a national service and secondly a humanitarian service.” There have been many points written and said about the Turkish schools abroad in both Turkey and in other countries. Most of the articles and views praise these schools and although not much, there
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Los Angeles Times Wednesday, 20 May 2009 As Turkey seeks to establish itself as a regional player, treading on the turf of traditional Middle East powers such as Egypt, a Turkish school has been inaugurated in Cairo. It appears to be a signal that Turkish ambitions stretch beyond the political to the cultural. In a festive atmosphere, Turkish music echoed across a Cairo suburb this week announcing the opening of Salahaldin International School, the first Turkish school in Egypt. “People hear a lot about Turkey, but they are not very much familiar with Turkish culture and lifestyle. This school will offer a clearer picture of the Turkish ways of life and mentality,” Shawkat Shimshek, the school’s academic director, told The Times on the sidelines of the event. The school, which teaches the American curriculum from kindergarten to high school, is affiliated with the international movement of Fethullah Gulen, a liberal Islamic thinker with millions of followers in Turkey. With schools spread around the globe, the movement claims to instill values of coexistence and tolerance. Teachers include Turks and Egyptians, as well as native English speakers from Britain, the U.S. and Canada. English is the first language while Turkish can be
chosen as a second language. “There are [many] American schools in Egypt, but we give quality education and at the same time we care about moral, ethical values and discipline,” Shimshek said. “We will have Koranic classes; this is appealing to parents because lots of American schools here don’t provide their religious education with international education.” Shimshek, however, opposed any attempt to label his school as Islamic. “We are not an Islamic school; people may presume that from the name. We care about ethics and moral values, and we don’t label ourselves as Islamic.” Many prominent Egyptians attended the opening, including Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa and Islamic intellectual Mohammed Omara. In recent years, Turkey has been hailed by many Egyptian intellectuals as a success story for its democratization, economic progress, moderation of the Islamic movement and diligent diplomacy. Lately, Turkey has come to the forefront of the international scene as a major Middle Eastern country that could serve as a broker between the Muslim world and the West. The Egyptian regime does not seem at ease with the growing fascination with the Turkish model. In response, Egypt’s state-owned media have been recently highlighting TurkishIsraeli relations and dismissing Turkish influence. “It is beyond doubt that certain Turkish nongovernmental parties are engaged in educational, cultural as well as commercial projects in the Arab world that prepare the ground for Turkey to play a regional role,” said Ibrahim Ghanem, a Cairo-based expert on Turkish affairs.
Turkey’s most famous preacher The Economist March, 6th 2008 The Economist PIOUS people in eastern Turkey, where Fethullah Gulen was born, are eager to praise him. Before hearing the
preacher’s words 12 years ago, “I led a life full of women and alcohol,” admits Unal Sahin, a jeweller in Erzurum. Under Mr Gulen’s guidance, he became devout and generous, helping a university in Georgia, and schools in India and Azerbaijan. “The more I gave, the more business grew,” he says. His wife, meanwhile, donned a scarf. Gulen-affiliated groups in Istanbul can seem quite liberal—with bare-headed and headscarved women mingling happily. But the social pressure for pious ladies to cover their heads, and generally behave in a conservative way, is overwhelming in places like Erzurum. …
‘Turkish Schools Across the Globe’ by Today’s Zaman , 07 May 2008 World-renowned Russian scholar Rostislav Rybakov has stated that Turkish schools, recently the focus of an article in The New York Times, are not well enough known, noting that these schools have made major contributions around the world. Rybakov, who is the director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences and the head of the Dialogue Eurasia Platform (DA), stated that Turkish schools are capable of abolishing radicalism not only in Pakistan, which The New York Times focused upon in its article, but also in the rest of the world. Rybakov, Gudmila Orlova, his assistant, Niha Nazirova, from the same faculty, Nadejda Emedyonava, Tatyana Filippova, the editor-in-chief of the Radina journal, Ali Sami Yıldırım, the Russian Federation coordinator of the DA journal, and Elena Kalinina, a reporter for the DA journal, visited Bursa, where they gave several talks and visited schools. The Russian delegation was impressed by the historical and culture texture of Bursa, where they visited Bursa Governor Şahabettin Harput at his office.
Noting that he has been to Turkey several times and visited İstanbul and Ankara, Rybakov said he was very much moved by Bursa, which, he said, suffers from a lack of sufficient publicity. “Whenever you want, you may come visit Moscow and be our guest. You’ll be relieved to see that there are much bigger problems in Moscow,” he said jokingly to the governor. Governor Harput stated that his administration is working to improve tourism in Bursa.
posed for a photo in front of the governor’s offices.
Rybakov told the Cihan news agency that the delegation wants to learn more about how the Turkish schools work and to discover more about their economic and cultural infrastructure, noting that they came to Turkey to do this. Regarding the recent coverage of the schools by The New York Times, he said: “I was surprised to see their headline. But this is not sufficient as they should cover what these schools have been achieving around the globe, not only in Pakistan. This news story essentially suggests that Turkish schools prevent radicalism.
The Economist
The people of the world have very limited knowledge about these schools. If they knew more about them, they would not be so surprised. They do not know much about how these schools operate. These schools make significant contributions to peace not only in Pakistan, as The New York Times highlighted, but also everywhere around the globe. The New York Times should not be content with this single story. They should also cover other success stories of these schools around the world. Actually we can say that this visit of ours has given us a precious opportunity to study the operating mode and economic and cultural infrastructure of these schools, and see the warm hospitality of the Turkish people.” Rybakov explained that they had visited the private Burç colleges and that they were particularly impressed by the students at Nilüfer High School in Bursa. “We’ve seen the Nilüfer educational institutions. We have observed that students were very idealistic; it was a feast to visit these schools. This is what can be said about these schools: Instruction and education can be given in any school; quality of education can be improved, but these schools have an important advantage. They teach moral values using the best methods, by ensuring that students love them. People heartily adopt this good behavior and manners and become eager to tell others about them and implement them in their daily lives. Wherever we go, we come across idealistic teachers. This is a very important advantage. This may not be a proper comparison, but Russia lacks such an advantage. After the collapse of communism, moral values in Russia were transformed, particularly with the introduction of the free market economy. Now we are trying to recover from this collapse. For this reason, it is essential for us to work with the Dialogue Eurasia Platform,” he said. After the visit, the Russian delegation
An Unusual New Friendship The Economist 19 February 2009 An audience of Turks and Kurds, gathered in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan's capital, waited with bated breath as the Turkish consul-general took the stage. He was to address a gathering organised by followers of Turkey's most powerful Sunni cleric, Fetullah Gulen, who has long preached friendship between Turks and Iraqi Kurds. During his short speech, the Turkish envoy, Huseyin Avni Botsali, uttered the word “Kurdish” only twice: a measure of how edgy Turkey still feels about the Iraqi Kurds' autonomy and the impact it may have on its own 14m-odd Kurds. That is also why Mr Botsali is based in Mosul, a dangerous city in Arab Iraq, rather than in Erbil, in the safety of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Turkish Volunteers Build School for Hurricaneravaged Bangladesh by Today’s Zaman 13 December 2008 The Turkey-Bangladesh Friendship
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School opened with the participation of deputies from Turkey and high-level authorities from Bangladesh. The second day of Eid al-Adha saw the opening ceremony of a fully equipped school built by the Turkish Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) aid association in the Bangladeshi district of Galachipa, which was ravaged by Hurricane Sidr last year in a natural disaster that killed thousands. The Turkey-Bangladesh Friendship School had its opening ceremony a little over a year after the devastating Hurricane Sidr struck in November 2007. The elementary school was constructed over the course of nearly seven months at a cost of $140,000 and can hold 250 students.
laboratories, five classrooms, teachers’ rooms and a principal’s room. Hurricane Sidr killed at least 4,400 people in Bangladesh in November 2007 and left millions homeless. Kimse Yok Mu volunteer and AK Party Samsun deputy Birnur Şahinoğlu noted the difficulty of the road to the school’s area. “Students educated here will convey beautiful messages to the world. When they complete their education they will change the face of Bangladesh, ensuring that it takes its place among the beautiful and developed nations. I would like to thank the Kimse Yok Mu association, of which I’m a volunteer. I am happy and proud to have shared the happiness of this Eid al-Adha holiday with my Bangladeshi brothers.”
A delegation of five Turkish deputies, Kimse Yok Mu officials and volunteers and Turkish journalists made the five-hour journey to Bangladesh for the school’s opening, traveling the 250-kilometer road between the capital Dhaka and Galachipa, making the trip by car and crossing four rivers by ferry. Vice Gov. A.K.M. Mahivdalin and Galachipa District Gov. Muhammad Yusuf Alimullah met the delegation at the end of their trip, and the group breakfasted at Alimullah’s official residence before the opening ceremonies began. Speaking at the opening, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Manisa deputy Recai Berber said that to get to the site of the school they had undertaken one of the most difficult journeys of their lives. “But when we arrived and were met by the beloved children and their smiling faces, we believed that the journey would be worth even more difficulty. I’m very happy to be here with you today.”
A bridge of brotherhood Area aid coordinator Metin Çetiner also spoke at the event, emphasizing that the school was not the only aid the association had provided in the wake of Hurricane Sidr. “We’re here to put smiles on the faces of those people affected by the 2007 hurricane and to make them happy. The hurricane struck during the second half of November. Kimse Yok Mu was here on Dec. 1, at the sides of the victims, our Bangladeshi brothers. We provided aid to the Patuakhali, Dumki, Angaria, Mirzaganj and Charpara regions also, distributing blankets, food and meat to 10,000 families. We provided health screenings for 1,200 people. Following that, we laid the foundations for the school that we’re opening here today. … I believe that the TurkeyBangladesh Friendship School that we opened today will serve the establishment of a bridge of brotherhood between our two countries,” he said. The best-equipped and most modern school in the area, the TurkeyBangladesh Friendship School features a library, a computer lab, two science
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to the legendary Sufi Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi, he described as having enlightened the world with his thoughts 750 years ago, just as Turkish schools are doing today. The writer, who was in Konya for a special reception, said he was very happy to be in the city of Mevlana, calling Konya “an important city for Turkey.” The teachings of Mevlana should always be remembered, he added, noting that although Mevlana is not alive today, the cultural and educational seeds he planted have blossomed. Turkish schools are teaching Mevlana’s philosophy all over the world and increasing cultural awareness, Aytmatov said, adding that he has visited a few of these schools. “While walking through the school I felt like I was at home. As I hugged the students, I felt like I was hugging my own children. I believe these schools will have a significant contribution to world peace,” he said. He also referred to Fethullah Gulen, saying he felt that his was a God-sent mission for peace.
Global Muslim networks Cengiz Aytmatov : Turkish schools contribute to world peace 1 May 2007 Todays Zaman Renowned Kyrgyz writer Cengiz Aytmatov compared Turkish schools
The Economist The EconomistMarch 6th 2008
IT IS a long way from the Anatolian plains to a campus in the heart of London, where eminent scholars of religion deliver learned papers. And the highlands that used to form the Soviet border with China, an area where bright kids long for an education, seem far removed from a three-storey house in Pennsylvania, where a revered, reclusive teacher of Islam lives. What links these places is one of the most powerful and best-connected of the networks that are competing to influence Muslims round the globe—especially in places far from Islam's heartland. The Pennsylvaniabased sage, Fethullah Gulen, who stands at the centre of this network, has become one of the world's most important Muslim figures—not only in his native Turkey, but also in a quieter way in many other places: Central Asia, Indochina, Indonesia and Africa.
At the Threshold ofaNewMillennium M. Fethullah Gülen
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ust as every dawn every sunrise and every coming spring signifies a new beginning and hope so does every new century and every new millennium. In this respect within the wheels of time over which we have no control humanity has always sought a new spark of life a breath as fresh as the wind of dawn and has hoped and desired to step into the light leaving behind the darkness as if one were crossing a threshold. We can only speculate as to when the first man and woman appeared on Earth. The Earth is equated with the Heavens as it exhibits the divine creations and because of the ontological meaning it contains; the value of the Earth stems largely from its chief inhabitant: humanity. According to the calendar we use today we are at the threshold of the third millennium after the birth of Jesus peace be upon him. However since time revolves and advances in a helicoidal relativity there are different measures of time in the world. For example according to the measure of time that currently enjoys global acceptance the world is about to cross the threshold of a new thousandyear period. According to the Jewish calendar we are already in the second half of the eighth millennium. Within the Hindu timeframe we are living in the Kali Yuga era. If we follow the Muslim calendar we are approaching the end of the first half of the second millennium.
We should remember however the fact that each measure of time is nothing more than a relative measurement. While a 100-year period is assumed to be the measure for a century the idea of a 60-year century based on the life span of an average person is also worth mentioning. From this point of view we are already in the fourth millennium after the birth of Jesus peace be upon him and the third millennium after the hijrah (the Emigration of the Prophet from Makka to Madina) the starting point of the Muslim calendar. I bring up this issue because there are people suffering spiritual discomfort engendered by the terrifying auguries believed to be associated with the upcoming millennium especially in the West. People live in perpetual hope and thus are the children of hope. At the instant they lose their hope they also lose their “fire” for life no matter if their physical existence continues. Having hope is directly proportional to having faith. Just as winter constitutes one-fourth of a year the periods in the life of a person or a society that correspond to winter are relatively small. The gears of Divine acts revolve around such comprehensive wisdom and merciful purposes; these inform us just as the circulation of night and day builds one’s hope and revivifies one’s spirit and every new year comes with the expectation of spring and summer that both in the life of an individual and in the history of a nation the disastrous periods are short and they are followed by happy times.
This cycle of the “Days of God.” which is centered in Divine Wisdom is neither fearful nor overly pessimistic for those who have faith insight and real perception. Rather it is a source of continuous reflection remembrance and thanksgiving for those having an apprehensive heart inner perception and the ability to hear. Just as a day develops in the heart of the night and as the winter furnishes the womb in which the spring grows so one’s life is purified matures and bears its expected fruits within this cycle. Also within this cycle. God-given human abilities become aptitudes and talents sciences blossom like roses and weave technology at the workbench of time and humanity gradually approaches its predestined end. Having stated this general view which is neither personal nor subjective but rather an objective fact of human history it should not be thought that we welcome either winter or the winter-like events corresponding to sorrow disease and disaster. Despite the general fact that disease eventually increases the resistance of the body strengthens the immune system and drives medical progress it is pathological and harmful. It is the same with terrestrial and celestial disasters. From a theological and moral point of view they result from our sins and oppression which are great enough to shake the Earth and the Heavens and from engaging in deeds that have been declared forbidden
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and despised by law and ethics (whether religious or secular). Even though these diseases awaken people to their mistakes and negligence and provoke developments in geology architecture engineering and related safety measures even though they elevate the demolished belongings of believers to the level of charity and the believers themselves to the level of martyrdom these disasters cause much destruction and harm humanity. In the same way we read in the Qur’an: If God had not hampered some (of you) with some other (of you) the mosques monasteries and synagogues in which God is worshiped would have fallen into ruins. (Al-Hajj 22:40) In other words. God would be so little known that men and women who are inclined not to recognize anything as superior to themselves nor to believe that their deeds will be questioned in the Hereafter would have gone completely astray thereby making Earth unsuitable for human life. There is also the divine decree: You consider something as evil although it is good for you; you also consider something else as good although it is bad for you. (Al-Baqara 2:126) For example war is permissible. Although wars based on specific principles and with the intention of improving the existing situation may have benefits they should not be mandate as they bring harm; they leave behind ruined houses destroyed families and weeping orphans and widows. Moreover the realities of life cannot be neglected nor should they be ignored. Human beings are mirrors of the Names and Attributes of God and therefore have been distinguished from the rest of creation by being honored with the responsibility for making Earth prosperous in His name. If they cannot grasp the wisdom and purposes behind any good or evil that has been sent their way by their Creator then they cannot escape despair or pessimism. For such people as can be seen in Existentialist literature life turns into a meaningless process existence into a purposeless vacuity nonsense into the only criteria suicide into a meritorious act and death becomes the only inevitable reality.
The Basic Nature of Humanity After presenting the issues that constitute the basis of this subject as an introduction we can switch to our considerations regarding the third millennium. Human history began with two people who constituted the essence of humanity and complemented one another. People lived a tranquil life during this time of the original mother and father and the families that descended from them. They were a united society that had the same views and shared the same environment and lives. From that day on the essence of humanity has remained unchanged and it will remain so. The realities surrounding their lives their physical structure main characteristics basic needs place and time of birth and death the selection of the parents and their physique their innate characteristics as well as the surrounding
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natural environment have not changed. All of these require some essential vital invariable realities and values. Thus the development and alteration of the secondary realities of life should be based on the axis of these primary realities and values so that life will continue as a worldly paradise under the shadow of Heaven. We mentioned above some issues that seem to be harmful or unpleasant. Similarly there are human traits that seem to be evil at first glance such as hatred jealousy enmity the desire to dominate others greed anger and egoism. A human being also has other innate drives and needs that allow the continuation of his or her worldly life such as the need to eat and drink and the drives of lust and anger. All human drives needs and desires should be guided and trained in the direction of the eternal universal and invariable values that address the fundamental aspects of humanity. In this respect the need to eat and drink and the desires associated with lust and anger can be tamed and transformed into means of absolute or relative good. Likewise egoism and hatred can become sources of fine attributes and goodness. Jealousy and rivalry can be transformed into competition in charitable and good deeds. The feeling of enmity can be transformed into enmity against Satan the greatest enemy of humanity and against the feeling of enmity itself and hatred. Greed and rage can force one to perform good deeds without tiring. Egoism can point out the evil aspects of the carnal soul (nafs) thereby seeking to train and purify the soul into not excusing its evil actions. All negative feelings can be transformed into sources of good through training and making an effort. This is how one reaches the level of “the best of Creation” by traveling on the way of transformation from a potential human being to a real and perfected human being to the best symbol model and personal representative of creation and existence. Despite this fact the realities of human life do not always follow these guidelines. Negative feelings and attributes often defeat people dominating to such an extent that even the religions that guide people to goodness and kindness are abused not to mention the feelings and attributes that are sources of absolute good. Human life at the level of the individual and of humanity as a whole is merely the summation of internal personal struggles and their external manifestations. These tides make society history and the personal world of the individual an arena of battle struggle war oppression and tyranny. As a result it is usually human beings who suffer the consequences. We always reap the harvest of our deeds. In the first period of its history humanity lived a happy life as a united society the members of which shared their joys and sorrows. But later on they bound their necks and feet to a rusty yoke composed of the chains of oppression; this was the result of jealousy greed and the coveting of the rights and property of others. The consequence was the murder of Abel by Cain. As a result humanity stepped onto the path of disunity. Despite millennia flowing one after the other like
days seasons and years this “cycle” still continues.
The Second Millennium The second millennium started with the Crusades and then the Mongol invasions of the Muslim world which at that time was the heart of the world and history. Despite the wars and destruction and despite the crimes committed sometimes in the name of religion and sometimes in the name of economic political and military supremacy this millennium saw the apex of the civilizations of the East civilizations based on spirituality metaphysical universal and eternal values and of the civilizations of the West those based on physical sciences. Many significant geographical discoveries and scientific inventions occurred during this millennium. Yet the civilizations of the East and the West existed separately from each other. This separation which should not have occurred was based on the fact that the former retired from pursuits of intellect and science while the latter retired from spirituality metaphysics and eternal and invariable values. As a result the last centuries of the second millennium witnessed disasters that we find hard to comprehend. Due to the growing arrogance and egoism of humanity caused by its accomplishments people had to experience worldwide colonialism rampant massacres revolutions that cost millions of lives unimaginably bloody and destructive wars racial discrimination immense social and economic injustice and iron curtains built by regimes whose ideology and philosophy sought to deny the essence freedom merit and honor of humanity. It is partly because of this and partly because of some auguries from the Bible that some people in the West fear that the world will again be soaked in floods of blood pus and destruction. They are quite pessimistic and worried about how the new millennium will proceed.
Our Expectations Modern means of communication and transportation have transformed the world into a large global village. So those who expect that any radical changes in a country will be determined by that country alone and remain limited to it are unaware of current realities. This time is a period of interactive relations. Nations and peoples are more in need of and dependent on each other a situation that causes closeness in mutual relations. This network of relations which has surpassed the period of brute colonialism and exists on the basis of mutual interest provides some benefits for the weaker side. Moreover owing to advances in technology especially digital electronic technology the acquisition and exchange of information is gradually growing. As a result the individual comes to the fore making it inevitable that democratic governments which respect personal rights will replace oppressive regimes. As every human unlike animals represents the whole of humanity individual rights cannot be sacrificed for society and social rights should depend on individual rights. This is why the basic human rights and freedoms found in the revealed religions
were taken on board by a war-weary West. These rights are given priority in all relations. The primary right is the right to life which is granted by and can only be taken by God. To accentuate the importance of this right in Islam a basic Qur’anic principle is that:
include the religions of Asia and other areas. The results have been positive.
If one person kills another unjustly it is the same as if he has killed all of humanity; if one saves another it is the same as if he has saved all of humanity. (Al-Ma’ida 5:32)
Previous generations witnessed a bitter struggle that should never have taken place: science versus religion. This conflict gave rise to atheism and materialism which influenced Christianity more than other religions. Science cannot contradict religion for its purpose is to understand nature and humanity which are each a composition of the manifestations of God’s Attributes of Will and Power. Religion has its source in the Divine Attribute of Speech which was manifested in the course of human history as Divine Scriptures such as the Qur’an the Gospels the Torah and others that had been revealed to just prophets since Adam. Thanks to the efforts of both Christian and Muslim theologians and scientists it seems that the religion-science conflict that has lasted for a few centuries will come to an end or at least its absurdity will finally be acknowledged.
Other rights are the freedom of religion and belief thought and expression to own property and the sanctity of one’s home to marry and have children to communicate and to travel and the right to an unimpeded education. The principles of Islamic jurisprudence are based on these and other rights all of which have now been accepted by modern legal systems such as the protection of life religion property reproduction and intellect as well as the basic understanding of the equality of people which is based on the fact that all people are human beings and subsequently the rejection of all racial color and linguistic discriminations. All of these will be—and should be— indispensable essentials in the new millennium. I believe and hope that the world of the new millennium will be a happier more just and more compassionate place contrary to the fears of some people. Islam. Christianity and Judaism all stem from the same root; all have essentially the same basic beliefs and are nourished from the same source. Although they have lived as rival religions for centuries the common points between them and their shared responsibility to build a happy world for all of the creatures of God make interfaith dialogue among them necessary. This dialogue has now expanded to
As mentioned above this dialogue will develop as a necessary process and the followers of all religions will find ways to become closer and assist each other.
The end of this conflict and a new style of education that fuses religious and scientific knowledge with morality and spirituality will produce genuinely enlightened people with hearts illuminated by religious sciences and spirituality minds illuminated by positive
sciences characterized by all kinds of humane merits and moral values and cognizant of the socioeconomic and political conditions of their time. Our old world will experience an amazing “springtime” before its demise. This springtime will see the gap between rich and poor narrow; the world’s riches will be distributed more justly according to work capital and needs; there will be no discrimination based on race color language or worldview; and basic human rights and freedoms will be protected. Individuals will come to the fore and learning how to realize their potential will ascend on the way to becoming “the most elevated human” on the wings of love knowledge and belief. In this new springtime when scientific and technological progress has been taken into consideration people will understand that the current level of science and technology resembles the stage of life when an infant is learning how to crawl. Humanity will organize trips into space as if they were merely traveling to another country. Travelers on the way to God those devotees of love who have no time for hostility will carry the inspirations within their spirits to other worlds. Yes this springtime will rise on the foundations of love compassion mercy dialogue acceptance of others mutual respect justice and rights. It will be a time in which humanity will discover its real essence. Goodness and kindness righteousness and virtue will form the basic essence of the world. No matter what happens the world will come to this path sooner or later. Nobody can prevent this. We pray and beg that the Infinitely Compassionate One will not let our hopes and expectations come to nothing. ________________________ * This article originally appeared in The Fountain. Issue No: 29 (January-March 2000)
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International
Turkish Language Olympiad The European Award for Languages in 2007 International Turkish Language Olympiad, as the grandest International Language Olympiad ever, hosts 600 students from 115 countries this year, including the US, Brazil and Tanzania. Seventeen countries participated into the first Turkish Olympics in 2003, however the Olympics drew much attention from around the world, and 24 countries participated in 2004. This number reached 41 in 2005, 83 in 2006 and 100 countries participated in 2007. This year more than 600 students from 115 countries is expected to be attended in VII International Turkish Language Olympiad. The VII
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International Turkish Language Olympiad will be held between May 27 and June 10 this year. Messages of peace are conveyed by the youth of the world all around the hall where the finals are held, while the Choir of Peace sing songs of love, peace and brotherhood. The International Turkish Olympics, is realized by the International Language Teaching Association. The International Turkish Language Olympics have been honored with the European Award for Languages in 2007. Turkish language is spoken by over 250 million people in the world and taught in 115 countries as a second language.
115 countries participated in International Turkish Language Olympiad in 2009 İngiltere İran İskoçya İspanya İsveç İsviçre İtalya Japonya Kamboçya Kamerun Kanada Karadağ Kazakistan Kenya Kırgızistan Kolombiya Kongo Kosova Kuveyt Kuzey İrlanda Laos Letonya Liberya Litvanya Macaristan Litvanya Macaristan Madagaskar Makedonya Malavi Maldivler Malezya Mali Meksika Mısır Moğolistan Moldova Moritanya Mozambik Myanmar (Burma)
ABD Afganistan Almanya Angola Arjantin Arnavutluk Avustralya Avusturya Azerbaycan Nahçıvan Ö.C. Bangladeş Beyaz Rusya Belçika Benin Birleşik Arap Emirlikleri Bosna-Hersek Brezilya Bulgaristan Burkina Faso Cezayir Çad ÇekCumhuriyeti Danimarka Endonezya Estonya Etiyopya Fas Fildişi Sahilleri Filipinler Finlandiya Fransa Güney Kore Gana Gine Güney Afrika Gürcistan Hindistan Hollanda Irak
Nepal Nijer Nijerya Norveç Orta Afrika Özbekistan Pakistan Papua YeniGine Polonya Portekiz R.F. Tataristan Ö. C. Romanya Rusya Senegal Sırbistan Singapur Slovenya Sri Lanka Sudan Suriye Suudi Arabistan Şili Tacikistan Tanzanya Tayland Tayvan (Çin Cumhuriyeti) Togo Türkmenistan Uganda Ukrayna Ürdün Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Yunanistan Zambiya
Turkish
Language Fest Shows
Preacher's Global Reach
Written by Reuters, 07 June 2009 "I want to see your hands," little Bangaina Jose from Mozambique shouts in confident Turkish to an auditorium of piously-dressed Turks clapping along to her song routine.
President Abdullah Gül received around 100 students participating in the 7th International Turkish Olympiads at the Çankaya presidential palace.
The Turkish Language Olympics ― in its seventh year ― has drawn 700 children from 115 countries to Turkey to compete in singing, poetry reciting and prose composition, and receive encouragement in their studies with a visit to the president. The competitors are the product of the schools of a powerful socio-religious community associated with the Turkish Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen ― revered by many as a tolerant, moderating force in Islam, but suspected by some secularist Turks of harboring a political agenda. Attitudes to the Gulen movement reflect the wider struggle for Turkey's identity: Gulen gleans much of his support from a rising group of religious-minded professionals who are the same people who helped sweep the Islamist-rooted AK Party to power in 2002 in a state founded with explicitly secular ideals. Of the audience watching the singing competition in Istanbul, the vast majority of the women wear the Muslim headscarf and ankle-length coats. Modern Faith The reclusive Gulen, 68, who has met Pope John Paul II and other religious leaders, advocates a faith rooted in modern life, and his teachings have inspired millions of Turks to dedicate their time and money to groups active in publishing, charity and above all education.
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These Gulen-inspired groups have built up a network of some 500 private schools around the world, from Poland to Nigeria, teaching a full curriculum including Turkish and urging pupils to aim high. They say they do not teach Turkish in order to spread Islam.
"I love Turkey and it's a language that lots of people speak," said 14-year-old Farzana Samiha, a singer sent to the Olympics by her school in Bangladesh. "Turkish is not so hard, but it's harder than English," said Samiha, who hopes later to be a doctor.
The Language Olympics are organized by the private International Turkish Education Association.With their glitzy staging, they have the feel of a big television talent show or song contest, and teenage girls from Cambodia or Indonesia live up to the occasion, singing Anatolian love songs with the poignant yearning of a Turkish folk diva.
The images of children from Africa or Central Asia dressed in traditional costumes and communicating with each other in Turkish have attracted a great deal of attention in Turkey, and not only among pious Muslims.
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"It would be unfair not to write that I am totally impressed with the climate of brotherhood created by these
children who have been educated in the community's schools," wrote columnist Ahmet Hakan in the secularist newspaper Hurriyet. The Gulen schools, which often perform much better than local state schools and offer extensive scholarships. Turkish language teacher Leyla Kayumova, originally from Uzbekistan, now works in Arizona and believes that, even thousands of miles from Turkey, learning Turkish has benefits. "The world doesn't see Turkey as a Muslim or a religious country, they see it as a bridge country between East and West. If students were interested in Islam, surely they'd learn Arabic and not Turkish," she said.
December 4-6, 2009
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Editorial Board:
We are pleased to announce the International Conference on East and West Encounters: The Gülen Movement, to be held on December 4-6, 2009 at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. This conference follows a series of very successful conferences on the Gülen movement that are held at Georgetown University (2008), House of Lords & London School of Economics (2007), University of Oklahoma (2006) and Rice University (2005).
Dean Varun Soni - University of Southern California Prof. Juan Campo - UC Santa Barbara Prof. Reza Aslan - UC Riverside Prof. Jill Carroll - Rice University Prof. Darryl Tippens - Pepperdine University Prof. Reuven Firestone - Hebrew Union College Prof. Marcia Hermansen - Loyola University of Chicago Prof. William Martin - Rice University Prof. Paul Weller - University of Derby, UK Prof. Helen Rose Ebaugh - University of Houston Prof. Amir Hussain - Loyola Marymount University Prof. Andrew Achenbaum - University of Houston Prof. Daniel Skubik - California Baptist University Prof. Jon Paulien - Loma Linda University Prof. John Olsen - University of Arizona Prof. David Capes - Houston Baptist University Prof. Marilyn Gottschall - Whittier College Prof. Richard Penaskovic - Auburn University Prof. Thomas Burns - University of Oklahoma Prof. Alan Godlas - University of Georgia Prof. Lynn Mitchell - University of Houston Prof. Tom Gage - Humboldt State University
During the past several years, over 300 academics like yourself around the world studied and presented on the impact of Gülen movement over religious, cultural, social spheres of the world. The growing interest in this new exciting field led us to give attention and thus, we are convening another International Conference on the Gülen movement with the title “East and West Encounters: The Gülen Movement” on December 4-6, 2009 at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. Please note that the abstract deadline for presentations is July 15, 2009.
The Editorial Board is especially interested to the contributions regarding the following topics: • Contributions of the Gülen movement to the dialogue between East and West • Gülen’s view of the challenges facing Muslim citizens in the western democracies • Gülen’s view on Zimmi’s: status of non-Muslims in the Muslim world • Violence in the name of God: Gülen’s fight with violence • Gülen’s view of the clash of civilizations • Gülen’s view on Islamic theocracies • Gülen’s perspective on Muslim and non-Muslim thinkers and philosophers • Gülen’s understanding of humanism • Social sciences and arts in Gülen inspired schools • The impact of the Environment and Energy Olympiads by Gülen inspired schools and organizations • Educational transformation of African youth by Gülen inspired schools • Character education in Gülen inspired schools • Recruitment and fundraising in the Gülen movement • Gülen’s role in the movement • Post-Gülen survival of the Gülen Movement • Advantages and disadvantages of the lack of central coordination in the Gülen movement • Is a Gülen inspired insurance company, Işık Sigorta, a new concept in modern Islamic finance? • Mobilization of the young generation by Gülen’s ideals • Gülen’s views on women rights • Gülen’s view on roles and rights of the family members • Gülen’s view on inheritance, equality and divorce rights of Muslim women
Topics include: • Impact of Gülen movement in the encounter between East and West • Democracy and dialogue: Gülen's contributions • Gülen inspired educational institutions • Structure, development and finance in the Gülen movement • Women and gender roles in the Gülen movement • Humanistic vision of Gülen • Gülen's contributions to Islamic theology • Gülen's impact on the youth
Sponsors: Office of Religious Life at the University of Southern California Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University Santa Monica College International Education Center Department of Religious Studies at Humboldt State University Pacifica Institute
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With Tansu Ciller, ex-prime minister, in the inauguration of Asya Finans, a Turkey-based bank in 1996
With Bulent Ecevit, ex-prime minister in 1997
With Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ex-Mayor of Istanbul, in the Intercultural Dialogue Symposium in 1998
With Yildirim Akbulut, ex-prime minister in the meeting 90 'Hand in Hand towards to a Happy Tomorrow' in 1996
Paying a visit to the late Pope John Paul II in Rome in 1998
With David Aseo, the late Chief Rabbi of Jewish Community in Turkey in 1996
With Eliyahu Bakshi Doron, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel in 1998
With Suleyman Demirel, 10th President of Turkey, in the inauguration of Fatih University in 1996
Paying a visit to Ali Riza Tanrisever, one of his close friends
At the meeting 'Tolerance Awards' in 1996
With the leaders of ADL (Anti-Defamation League) paying a visit to Gulen in 1998 5
Resting after a heart catheterization operation in 2008
At the meeting 'Tolerance Awards' in 1996
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With Cem Karaca, a late pop-singer, in the opening ceremony of the Journalists and Writers Foundation in 1994
At the dinner hosted by Turkish Ambassador Altan Guven while in Rome in 1998
At the meeting 'National Reconciliation and Tolerance Awards' in 1997fg
With the editorial of NTV television in 1998
With the panel of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) in 1998
With 92 George Marovitch, Representative of Vatican to Istanbul, Reha Erus of Hurriyet and Turkish Ambassador Altan Guven in Rome in 1998
At the meeting 'National Reconciliation and Tolerance Awards' in 1997f
At the Intercultural Dialogue Syposium in Istanbul in 1998
With the leaders of ADL (Anti-Defamation League) paying a visit to Gulen in 1998 5
With the panel of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) in 1998 2
At the meeting 'Tolerance Awards' in 1996
In the 'Everything for Bosnian Children' football match in Istanbul in 1995
With his nephew, Esat
In the 'Everything for Bosnian Children' football match in Istanbul in 1995
At the meeting 'National Reconciliation and Tolerance Awards' in 1997e
With Andrew Finkel of Time in the inauguration 93 of Fatih University in 1996
We are the avant-garde of love;
* we don't have time for hostility.
Be tongueless to those who curse, handless to those who hit.
* Self-renewal is the only condition * of continues existence. Be an advocate of others, but a judge to yourself.
* way has been established on science, * Our knowledge and love of human. * Love all the creation because of the Creator. * Do not preach; instead act as a living model. * Do not hurt even if you were offended. Always bear in mind that even * your enemy is a human. If you do not like something, * try to make something better than it. We forget living for ourselves while burning * with the desire of living for others. * There is no limit to doing good to others. Most people can be teachers, * but the number of educators is limited. Science is the light illuminating * roads towards the reality. *
Our humanity is directly proportional to the purity of our emotions. Those who want to reform the world must first reform themselves.
* believers devote their lives * Perfect to the happiness of others * Be a piece of soil for roses to flourish. are only truly human if we learn, * We teach, and inspire others. M. Fethullah G端len
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