The Alliance for Shared Values of the US & The Dialogue Platform of the UK prepared a report on “UK’s relations with Turkey” that focuses on the Hizmet Movement. The report may be downloaded, disseminated for free and even printed.
Showing posts with label Analyses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Analyses. Show all posts
December 15, 2016
July 15, 2016
Have Muslim societies succeed in coping with the challenges of globalization? If not, why?
Dogu Ergil
According to Gülen, the answer to this question is very clear. The Muslim countries were caught unprepared with globalization and could not respond to it effectively. One dimension of this weakness was structural problems and not being developed sufficiently. The other dimension was the ineffectiveness of the Muslim intellectuals in their duty of pioneering and guidance.
According to Gülen, the answer to this question is very clear. The Muslim countries were caught unprepared with globalization and could not respond to it effectively. One dimension of this weakness was structural problems and not being developed sufficiently. The other dimension was the ineffectiveness of the Muslim intellectuals in their duty of pioneering and guidance.
July 9, 2016
Has the Gülen Movement ever been convicted of a crime?
Dogu Ergil
“No” is Fethullah Gülen’s short and categorical answer. Why then are he and the movement he inspired so much of a concern? They are worried because the civil society’s growth in strength and declaration of its will would mean narrowing of the political arena where the state is the main factor. All the influence and privileges of those who participate in politics through the use of the state apparatus until now will come to an end. This worry does not generate a little resistance. In fact, the resistances we are talking about are displayed not only against the Gülen Movement. All the influential civil society organizations are subject to the attacks and pressures from the state or political organizations related to the state.
“No” is Fethullah Gülen’s short and categorical answer. Why then are he and the movement he inspired so much of a concern? They are worried because the civil society’s growth in strength and declaration of its will would mean narrowing of the political arena where the state is the main factor. All the influence and privileges of those who participate in politics through the use of the state apparatus until now will come to an end. This worry does not generate a little resistance. In fact, the resistances we are talking about are displayed not only against the Gülen Movement. All the influential civil society organizations are subject to the attacks and pressures from the state or political organizations related to the state.
June 23, 2016
Does Gulen see human rights as a “Western conspiracy” used to divide “our country and nation”?
Doğu Ergil
What are Fethullah Gulen’s views on human rights? Does he, like many others, see these rights as a “Western conspiracy” used to divide “our country (Turkey) and nation”?
What are Fethullah Gulen’s views on human rights? Does he, like many others, see these rights as a “Western conspiracy” used to divide “our country (Turkey) and nation”?
July 31, 2015
Channels through which Hizmet disseminates its core teachings
Ozcan Keles and Ismail Mesut Sezgin
In this section, we cover how Hizmet movement popularizes its core teachings, which act as a positive counter-narrative to violent extremist ideologies and mindsets that seek to appeal to Muslims claiming an Islamic justification.
In this section, we cover how Hizmet movement popularizes its core teachings, which act as a positive counter-narrative to violent extremist ideologies and mindsets that seek to appeal to Muslims claiming an Islamic justification.
July 18, 2015
Fethullah Gülen's Views on the Western Science and Thought (1)
Enes Ergene
Gülen's views differ from the Western thought in several ways. First, he objects to some ideological views that, he believes, penetrated Western science and colored its fundamentals. He principally criticizes the materialistic dimension of Western thought since, he maintains, Western science ignores celestial revelations and reduces sources of knowledge to materialistic phenomena and empirical knowledge. This, Gülen maintains, narrows the channels of science and cuts human being off from metaphysical knowledge. To him, Western science perceives and uses positivism, the idea of progressivism, and pure reason as an ideological tool. Gülen has written the following:
Gülen's views differ from the Western thought in several ways. First, he objects to some ideological views that, he believes, penetrated Western science and colored its fundamentals. He principally criticizes the materialistic dimension of Western thought since, he maintains, Western science ignores celestial revelations and reduces sources of knowledge to materialistic phenomena and empirical knowledge. This, Gülen maintains, narrows the channels of science and cuts human being off from metaphysical knowledge. To him, Western science perceives and uses positivism, the idea of progressivism, and pure reason as an ideological tool. Gülen has written the following:
May 27, 2015
Hizmet’s core teachings to undermine and negate extremism
Ozcan Keles and Ismail Mesut Sezgin
The challenge with linear, traditional government policies directly aimed at defeating violent extremist ideology is that by its nature the policy and the measures that flow from it are formulated in reaction to the problem. Reactionary policies are less inspiring. This matters, especially when community support is needed for its success. Such policies are also more likely to focus on the immediate and visible triggers of the problem over its deep-rooted and fundamental causes, since the former are more likely to be achieved within the lifespan of a parliamentary term. What is more, when a reactive policy is focused on a particular group, in this case Muslims, it can have the unintended consequence of turning them into ‘suspect communities’, or at least making them feel so, further undermining public support from the very people and communities whose involvement is needed most.
The challenge with linear, traditional government policies directly aimed at defeating violent extremist ideology is that by its nature the policy and the measures that flow from it are formulated in reaction to the problem. Reactionary policies are less inspiring. This matters, especially when community support is needed for its success. Such policies are also more likely to focus on the immediate and visible triggers of the problem over its deep-rooted and fundamental causes, since the former are more likely to be achieved within the lifespan of a parliamentary term. What is more, when a reactive policy is focused on a particular group, in this case Muslims, it can have the unintended consequence of turning them into ‘suspect communities’, or at least making them feel so, further undermining public support from the very people and communities whose involvement is needed most.
May 15, 2015
Fethullah Gülen’s specific responses against particular incidents of violent extremism
Ozcan Keles and Ismail Mesut Sezgin
Fethullah Gülen’s (and Gülen movement’s) position on violent extremism is based on a comprehensive, thorough and robust understanding and reading of the spirit and teachings of Islam’s primary sources, the Qur’an and Sunna – the same foundations on which its core teachings are based.
Fethullah Gülen’s (and Gülen movement’s) position on violent extremism is based on a comprehensive, thorough and robust understanding and reading of the spirit and teachings of Islam’s primary sources, the Qur’an and Sunna – the same foundations on which its core teachings are based.
April 2, 2015
Is it civil disobedience or passive resistance?
Ahmet Kurucan*
Can the stance adopted by the Gülen movement in the face of the government's attempts to discredit it and ultimately wipe it out be described within the framework of “civil disobedience”?
Can the stance adopted by the Gülen movement in the face of the government's attempts to discredit it and ultimately wipe it out be described within the framework of “civil disobedience”?
February 8, 2015
Gov’t’s pressure for closure of Turkish schools abroad yields no result
The movement that started out a quarter-century ago to support education for children abroad starting with the autonomous Azerbaijani republic of Nakhchivan has now reached 160 foreign countries, with the founders of the movement and its volunteers welcomed with open arms around the world.
December 9, 2014
The Persecution of the Hizmet (Gülen) Movement in Turkey: A Chronicle
July 22, 2014
Erdoğan’s war against Hizmet: Step by step
İsmail Mesut Sezgin*
Turkish prosecutors carried out a number of arrests and raids on the morning of 17th December 2013 as part of a series of on-going corruption investigations implicating a number of people (e.g. sons of three cabinet members) with very close ties to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AK Party government.
Turkish prosecutors carried out a number of arrests and raids on the morning of 17th December 2013 as part of a series of on-going corruption investigations implicating a number of people (e.g. sons of three cabinet members) with very close ties to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AK Party government.
July 20, 2014
Erdoğan gov't transforms Turkey into land of oppression, bans
An upward trend of democratic achievements and efforts to make Turkey a more civilized and democratic country have been reversed recently -- particularly after the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) grew more authoritarian and intolerant toward criticism starting from the Gezi Park protests of last summer.
June 5, 2014
Hizmet and March 30 elections: What happened? (2)
Haluk A. Savaş*
The people who were unable to acquire representation in the state because of the domination and influence of the pro-Western or pro-Republican People's Party (CHP) bureaucrats and officers within the state apparatus who consolidated their domination during the CHP's single-party rule of 27 years, which restricted the sphere of public activity and religious displays and practice, see Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a leader who has opened up the state and its sphere of influence to the people.
The people who were unable to acquire representation in the state because of the domination and influence of the pro-Western or pro-Republican People's Party (CHP) bureaucrats and officers within the state apparatus who consolidated their domination during the CHP's single-party rule of 27 years, which restricted the sphere of public activity and religious displays and practice, see Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a leader who has opened up the state and its sphere of influence to the people.
Hizmet and March 30 elections: What happened? (1)
Haluk A. Savaş*
This piece reviews the political and social position of a community referred to as the Hizmet movement -- which has been involved in social service since the 1970s as a social movement, both before and after the local elections on March 30, 2014 -- the processes it was involved in, as well as the outcomes of all this.
This piece reviews the political and social position of a community referred to as the Hizmet movement -- which has been involved in social service since the 1970s as a social movement, both before and after the local elections on March 30, 2014 -- the processes it was involved in, as well as the outcomes of all this.
May 20, 2014
How strong is the Gülen movement in France?
Ariane Bonzon*
The confrontation between Islamists, led by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the Gülen movement has repercussions in France where this little known organization counts several thousands of followers.
The confrontation between Islamists, led by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the Gülen movement has repercussions in France where this little known organization counts several thousands of followers.
May 3, 2014
Fethullah Gulen's Dialogue
M. Hakan Yavuz*
Gulen’s interfaith dialogue is based on his understanding of human beings and human identity. What it means to be human (insan) and live a human life is determined in large part by our religious identities. These identities are formed and expanded as a result of encounters with other traditions and in relation to God. The latter relationship unifies us with other traditions. The former relationship involves encounters with other traditions and this encounter helps us to mold our self-identity. There is always a spiritual “home” (ie, an internalized tradition) that helps us to go out and interact with others and return having been enriched. We are not the same when we come back home.” In other words, through reading a text and conversing with others, we transform our understanding and enrich our own tradition. In fact, Gulen insists on the authenticity of each tradition and calls upon his followers to respect each tradition as it is and invite people to study theirs in order to appreciate the difference and to realize their human potential. Dialogue, for Gulen, becomes essential for identity formation and self-enrichment. Dialogue should focus on our particular understandings and situated stories of God. Gulen has a dynamic sense of transcendence: it is simultaneously particular and universal.
Gulen’s interfaith dialogue is based on his understanding of human beings and human identity. What it means to be human (insan) and live a human life is determined in large part by our religious identities. These identities are formed and expanded as a result of encounters with other traditions and in relation to God. The latter relationship unifies us with other traditions. The former relationship involves encounters with other traditions and this encounter helps us to mold our self-identity. There is always a spiritual “home” (ie, an internalized tradition) that helps us to go out and interact with others and return having been enriched. We are not the same when we come back home.” In other words, through reading a text and conversing with others, we transform our understanding and enrich our own tradition. In fact, Gulen insists on the authenticity of each tradition and calls upon his followers to respect each tradition as it is and invite people to study theirs in order to appreciate the difference and to realize their human potential. Dialogue, for Gulen, becomes essential for identity formation and self-enrichment. Dialogue should focus on our particular understandings and situated stories of God. Gulen has a dynamic sense of transcendence: it is simultaneously particular and universal.
April 24, 2014
Hizmet Movement’s contributions to multiculturalism and global peace
The Hizmet movement began in the 1970s in Turkey to improve education and grew into a global civic movement which encourages interfaith and intercultural dialogue. It is inspired by the ideas of Fethullah Gulen, who Foreign Policy magazine listed as the “World’s top intellectual.” Gulen a scholar, educator and author who advocates a moderate brand of Islam, is best known for his quote: “A terrorist cannot be a Muslim, nor can a true Muslim be a terrorist.” He says that “Extremism will be curbed and tolerance will be promoted by education.”
April 10, 2014
Where does Gülen stand on: democracy, human rights, and minorities?
Democracy
Fethullah Gülen recognizes democracy as the only viable political system of governance. He denounces turning religion into a political ideology, while encouraging all citizens to take an informed and responsible part in political life of their country. He stresses the flexibilities in the Islamic principles relating to governance and their compatibility with a true democracy [1].
Fethullah Gülen recognizes democracy as the only viable political system of governance. He denounces turning religion into a political ideology, while encouraging all citizens to take an informed and responsible part in political life of their country. He stresses the flexibilities in the Islamic principles relating to governance and their compatibility with a true democracy [1].
April 6, 2014
Erdoğan resorts to varied strategies to win local elections
Cumali Önal
Turkey has left behind one of the most noteworthy elections in its history. The Recep Tayyip Erdoğan-led Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won a significant victory in the last local elections.
Turkey has left behind one of the most noteworthy elections in its history. The Recep Tayyip Erdoğan-led Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won a significant victory in the last local elections.
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