October 22, 2012

Fethullah Gulen on "Intellectual Rebirth in Muslim World"

Q: For centuries, the Muslim world has not produced many great intellectuals. What might be the reason for this? Is it possible to have an intellectual rebirth?

Fethullah Gulen: It depends what is meant by intellectuals. The lack of intellectualism, which gives priority to reason against feelings and will and makes thought the source of creativity, is not a great loss for the Islamic world. There is no doubt that the Islamic world lacks intellectuals who are aware and knowledgeable about their own existence and able to interpret and understand the creation correctly. It is a great loss for the Islamic world to lack intellectuals who are aware of the time in which they live and ready to question it and able to voice with no hesitation what they know. It is unfortunate that the Islamic world lacks such enlightened intellectuals. Here, I have to explain some issues.

Yemeni PM opens new Turkish school, praises Turkey as regional power

Yemen's Prime Minister Muhammad Salim Basindwa has said that Yemen is proud of Turkey as a regional partner, expressing hope that Turkey will also be an international power in the near future, the Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday.