August 9, 2011

Gülen Movement and Transparency

İsmail Mesut Sezgin

gulen-movement-and-transparency
The transparency of the Hizmet or Gülen Movement has long been a theme of various critics – writers, intellectuals and politicians. In the context of Turkey where secularism is deployed as a means to control religion rather than to separate it from politics, it is not hard to understand why this theme has been so popular. Since Ataturk placed severest legal restrictions on religious institutions and important sites (like graveyards and religious centres), all religious groups, in order to exist all, have been forced to give themselves a make-over. Some, such as the Mevlevis (Rumi), Bektashis and Alavis, were more successful than others at securing the approval of the authorities. However, other groups, including other Sufi movements, have to be registered with and monitored by the official authority (Diyanet) responsible for religious affairs in Turkey.