Gulen movement is of high interest to Moroccans

Abdülhamit Bilici

…The counterbalancing, both modern and traditional attitudes of scholars like Ahmed Abbadi, president of League of Moroccan Ulama, who calls attentions to the facts that Morocco has never come under the rule of any pride-motivated power since the Umayyad; the Ottomans established an everlasting relation here based on mutual respect that dates back to caliphate having its roots in Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); it disseminates a tolerant Islamic understanding throughout a vast area ranging from Andalusia to Nigeria; Moroccans, who recognize thoughts and value the individual as much as they do the state and who have no hidden agenda; are Ash’ari in belief, Maliki in practice and unanimous in opting for Cuneydi Bagdadi’s interpretation; have a significant role in the country’s current success.

The same prevalent attitude is also evident in the locals’ interest towards Hizmet Movement. The movement enjoys a high interest among not only scholars and intellects, but high profile statesmen as well. It is known that the King Muhammad VI earlier invited the Honorable Gulen to ulama lessons in his presence at the palace. Morocco is among the first Arab countries where Turkish schools were established. The nation’s prominent scholars like Prof. Abbadi are closely following Fethullah Gulen, a religious scholar, who, with a civilization, individual and education-centered approach -rather than a political one- based on tolerance, offers the most effective cures for the Muslim world. The narrative book entitled “Return of Cavaliers” on Fethullah Gulen’s life and Hizmet by the late, prominent Moroccan scholar, Farid al-Ansari, has been enjoying a large popularity not only in Morocco but in the greater Arab world, in search for a new direction, as well.

While we are on Morocco’s distinctive profile in the Arab world, it needs to be brought to attention of those having difficulty in understanding Hizmet -as is seen in prep course debate- that a substantial volume of literature on Hizmet have been formed in the Western and Muslim world.

Excerpted from the column published [in Turkish] on Zaman, 19 November 2013, Tuesday