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| Gulen Conference, Netherlands |
Despite the fact that some Muslims in the world have been radicalized as a result of being challenged and influenced by the juggernauts of modernity, nationalism, imperialism and neo-colonialism in addition to being harshly subjected to ignorance, poverty and dissension, the overwhelming majority of Muslims still believe that respect for diversity -- as exemplified in the ideas and practices of Rumi and many others -- is a religious obligation. When we look at modern times, this tradition is represented in the Turkish milieu by sufis and scholars, such as Mevlana Khalid-i Bağdadi, Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, Muhammed Lutfi and, recently, Fethullah Gülen.
Gülen -- whose message has been heard not only in Turkey, but also across the world -- has frequently been compared with Rumi. It would not be wrong to argue that Gülen is today's most prominent representative of apolitical Turkish Islam or Turkish Muslim identity based on socially active but tolerant Sufism (tasawwuf), which was once represented by activist scholars like Rumi. These Muslim scholars are social innovators -- to use the modern terminology -- who endeavor to address the pressing spiritual, social and cultural needs of the masses in tune with their respective zeitgeists. But they perform their tasks without radically departing from tradition and authentic religious sources, which allows them to maintain their legitimacy with the Muslim public. Although Rumi lived about 800 years before Gülen, they both lived in cosmopolitan environments and thus both made intercultural dialogue their main tool of in the search for social inclusion, coherence and peaceful coexistence. They inspired the lives and practices of their students, sympathizers and followers as well as scholars, and the larger community, inspiring them all to contribute to solutions that better the world. Put differently, they both served to re-read religion, faith and society. They also endeavored to strike a delicate balance between serving the community, solving pressing problems, challenging threats to the coherence of society and staying away from the instrumentalist use of religion in politics.
Both Rumi and Gülen have the same main messages of acceptance of the other and peaceful coexistence and they both employed similar instruments, such as socio-cultural activism, education and intercultural dialogue. As noted by several academics, both Rumi and Gülen, perhaps unintentionally, maximized their social impact with their altruism, devotion, piety, dedication and knowledge, helping them to inspire similar initiatives in their surrounding communities.
It goes without saying that both are of the same tradition despite differences in context, shapes, formats, appearances and minute details. Gülen is very socially active -- in contrast to the stereotypical image of the sufi, or mutasawwif -- aspiring to have his discourse implemented and practiced within the wider society, just like Rumi. Likewise, both men have been accused of seeking political power, although when analyzed in detail it can be seen that their ideas and practices have little to do with daily politics.
Rumi's teachings and practices of peaceful coexistence and his tradition of intercultural activism, the most important methods of social innovation, live in the thought and practice of Gülen. It is thus not a coincidence that their antagonists' accusations are also of similar nature and content.
It would not be wrong to suggest that Gülen is renewing Rumi's message in accordance with the contemporary needs of the public for a lasting peaceful coexistence through education and dialogue. Given that Rumi's ideas and practices are deeply rooted in Islam, Gülen could be said to represent a renewal (tajdid) of Islam, which is another dimension of his social innovation.
Published on Sunday's Zaman, 25 November 2007, Sunday
