Fethullah Gülen expresses thanks for condolences extended after brother's death

Fethullah Gulen

Turkish-Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has thanked those who expressed their condolences following the death of his brother, Hasbi Nidai Gülen, last week.

Gülen's brother died on Friday morning at a hospital in Ankara, where he was receiving treatment for lung cancer. He was 66.

Hundreds bade him farewell at funeral ceremonies held in Ankara and in his hometown of Erzurum.

In a two-page message published in the Zaman daily on Wednesday, Gülen listed the names of figures from politics, media and the business world who had sent him messages and said he was grateful for their condolences at a time when his grief was doubled due to his inability to attend the funeral of his brother.

President Abdullah Gül, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, ministers, chairmen of leading business companies, such as Bülent Eczacıbaşı, Fettah Tamince, Ahmet Çalık, Ferit Şahenk and Mustafa Koç, and leading figures in the media, such as Ali Akbulut, Aydın Doğan, Turgay Ciner and Enis Berberoğlu, were among those who Gülen thanked.

The Islamic scholar also offered his thanks to Kurdish singer Şivan Perwer, Seval Türkeş, the widow of former Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Alparslan Türkeş, leaders of the Jewish community in Turkey and some Republican People's Party (CHP) members.

Gülen is highly respected both in Turkey and in many countries around the world for educational activities he has pioneered along with his efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the globe. He is in self-imposed exile in the US, although there is no legal hurdle that prevents him from returning to Turkey. Shortly after he went to the US in 2000, he was charged with establishing an illegal organization in Turkey but was eventually acquitted in 2008.

To an invitation to Turkey from Prime Minister Erdoğan in June, Gülen said he prefers staying in the US to “avoid damaging positive developments in Turkey.”

Published on Today's Zaman, 17 October 2012, Wednesday