Analyzing the internal dynamics of a movement is important for two reasons. First, it allows others to perceive the structure by which the movement is organized. Second, it prevents others from falling into the trap of overlooking the totality of the movement, as they focus on partial analyses. I use dynamics here to mean the key concepts of the movement. Intellectual and social attitudes of a movement are shaped by the movement's dynamics. Social science analyses that study a movement proceed on safer grounds if they are aware of that movement's dynamics, and they do not fall into frequent fallacies. Understanding a movement's dynamics allows us to pinpoint who is making an objective analysis, and who forges a "pirated" analysis without any knowledge. For instance, a person who strives to comply with the basic dynamics of Islamic Sufi practice by being humble in his or her relations with others (tawadhu), or regarding himself as inferior to others (mahwiyat), would surely appear as a shy person. An observer, who is unaware of any Sufi and ascetic dynamics, might interpret this humble attitude as hypocritical or clandestine. If an analysis does not account for this movement's Muslim Sufi dynamics and experiences, can we really call this analysis "scientific"?
Sufi, moral, and spiritual profundity in Islam invites believers to be humble and tolerant in their family and their social relations. Personal virtue and social maturity are pre-requisites. Thus, in order to understand this movement, it is first necessary to understand the spiritual dynamics of Islam, and the extent to which Islam influences its participants. It is almost impossible to analyze even an ordinary Muslim's intellectual and social life without first understanding the profound nature of Islam in general. Cultural Islam gives us a general outlook in regard to the theological, mental, moral, and social relations of Muslims. When we look from the window of general dynamics, we can obtain a first glimpse of the individual, spiritual, moral, and social attitudes of Muslims in a community. From all these points of view, elaborating on the religious/spiritual, social, and cultural dynamics of the Gülen movement would help us formulate a proper rendering of the religious and socio-cultural attitudes of the movement in general. Indeed, the titles and concepts that I will highlight are also important in regard to how they are interpreted and how they are transferred to social practice, as well as to their deep meaning in Muslim cultural perception. The importance of Gülen comes from his success in transforming these dynamics into action in socio-cultural life. In theory, these cultural and religious dynamics existed in books and other sources for almost 1,500 years.
The most distinctive characteristic of these dynamics is that they exist in parallel to "eternity," a notion to which Islam is naturally directed as a divine revelation and religion. Islam undertakes the task of helping people reach eternal and absolute reality by showing them how to pass beyond the relative and transient world of creation. This pace towards eternity is immanent in the essence of all the internal and social dynamics of the Gülen movement. In fact, this ideal exists in the essence of almost all religions. Yet this ideal in the Gülen movement is not solely abstract. It has become an active program that has encompassed almost all internal and social relations. Gülen's human model entails embracing selfless service and altruism with motivations that extend toward eternity. The ideal of eternity broadens the meaning and importance of all other dynamics. This principle is regenerated as a basic dynamic again and again, in every act and attempt, which means that faith is revived in almost every social relation and service.
The topics of focus here comprise the basic dynamics that portray the general outlook of this movement. Some of the titles may not be fully representative of the movement, for they might have been produced due to material, social, or particular conditions over the 30-year course of the movement's development. Gülen's rendering of these dynamics is also worth attention. As in his general Islamic attitude and in his general perception, Gülen can be considered to have a conservative aptitude regarding the movement's dynamics. Yet, commenting on the same dynamics in different times and places, he broadens their meaning and thus creates a self-generating and self-producing system. This wide spectrum of intellectual, philosophical, and literal resources renovates the substance of his discourse without affecting its basic characteristics. Here we will briefly touch upon some of the basic dynamics of the movement. Understanding the diversity of form, meaning, and style which these dynamics have assumed in different times and places would require a more comprehensive analysis of his works and a closer observation of his social activities.
1. Magnanimity
While magnanimity (vicdan genişliği) may not exist as an internal dynamic in the Gülen movement, it certainly has a decisive role in interpreting other dynamics. Since the 1970s, in his writings and speeches, Gülen has charged this concept with a broad meaning, even though he has allusively referred to it without much stress. Magnanimity has a very special status in his system of thinking, belief, and action. In this way, Gülen looks at all manifestations of moral, individual, and social life from a magnanimous perspective.
Magnanimity covers all intrinsic experience and knowledge of faith, while practically being in the social and ethical realm of existence. By this concept, Gülen seems to refer to a mature, sincere piety and integrity on the one hand, and he emphasizes a virtuous society comprised of people with a high quality of wisdom and knowledge of God on the other. In his discourse, the concept expands from the spiritual/moral depths of individuals to the endlessness realms of social existence. Gülen also considers this concept as the only touchstone of goodness, refinement, and reality. He considers this concept to be a criterion against which all thoughts, actions, and social projects should be evaluated to find out whether they can really bring a benefit and favor to all of humanity. Gülen states that one cannot speak of revival or renaissance within a given society if that society is unaware of this reality.
2. Communicating the word of God (call, conveyance, and guidance)
Over the course of Muslim history, i'lay-i kelimetullah, communicating the word of God, has been a matter of discussion in individual, social, and political contexts. Excluding those interpretations designed according to social or temporal conditions, this concept covers three dimensions in its broadest sense: the call to faith, conveying the message, and guidance. In Gülen's discourse, communicating the name of God includes all three dimensions. He integrates each with human existence in this world. The purpose of existence in this world is to exalt God's name and word.
The association of physical jihad with i'lay-i kelimetullah is being exploited and misrepresented in current Western analyses. Such discourses often equate Islam with war, violence, and terror. Gülen has a separate work in which he extensively explains this concept.[1] We suggest that when scholars seek to analyze the basic dynamics by which Muslims exalt God, they should consult this work for an in-depth, internal perspective. In this work, readers will find that Gülen assigns a cosmic meaning to this concept to explain the human existence in this world.
3. Living for others
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. Without physicians of soul, it is not possible to preserve the established values that pertain to the Islamic civilization and that have formed its historical identity. If such preservation is not possible, any hope of instigating a renaissance and revival of this civilization and identity will be lost. 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]HM Blog's Note: You may read the post titled Basic Dynamics of the Gulen Movement - 2 for the rest of the analysis.
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. They then can bind their actions to the responsibility that is idealized in the depths of their inner selves. 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. They do not ever desire that the masses follow them. Yet their existence is such a powerful, inevitable invitation that all run to them, wherever they are, as if these devout people were a centre of attraction.[6]
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]
We are not in need of local or foreign grants, favors or ideologies. We need the physicians of thought and spirit who can arouse in all people the consciousness of the value of responsibility, sacrifice, and suffering for others; who can produce mental and spiritual depth and sincerity in the place of promises of passing happiness; who can, with a single attempt, make us reach the point of observing the beginning and the end of creation.
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]
Footnote
[1] Gülen, İ'lay-i Kelimetullah veya Cihad, Istanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2001.
[2] Gülen, Yitirilmiş Cennete Doğru, p. 128.
[3] Gülen, Işığın Göründüğü Ufuk, p. 138.
[4] Gülen, Örnekleri Kendinden Bir Hareket, p. 218–219.
[5] Gülen, Ölçü veya Yoldaki Işıklar, p. 108.
[6] Gülen, The Statue of Our Souls, p. 95.
[7] Gülen, Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance, NJ: The Light, Inc., 2006, pp. 21, 23.
[8] Gülen, Çağ ve Nesil, p. 143
[9] Gülen, Işığın Göründüğü Ufuk, p. 261.
[10] Gülen, The Statue of Our Souls, p. 97.
Ergene, E. (2008). Tradition Witnessing Modern Age: An Analysis of the Gulen Movement (pp. 167-175). Somerset, NJ: Tughra Books.
