Do good and let it unfold: A closer look into Gulen movement and Fethullah Gulen's life

Rainer Hermann

Fethullah Gülen signs one of his books
for his guests at his home in Pennsylvania
Photo: Rainer Hermann

The Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen has been living in the United States for 13 years now. A widely branched network of followers developed also there in his name.

There is no road sign indicating the exit and the dirt track. It leads you through a foggy broadleaf forest coloured in all the shades of autumn to an estate with eight houses. Thirteen years ago, Fethullah Gülen, the most influential preacher of Turkish Islam, retreated to this secluded place.

Fethullah Gulen and Gulen movement featured in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Hermann looks closer into Hizmet movement, Gülen's life in FAZ article

Rainer Hermann speaks during
a conference in İstanbul. (Photo: Cihan)

Rainer Hermann, a respected writer for Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) daily, puts the Hizmet Movement, which includes followers of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen's principles, and Gülen's life under spotlight in an article published on Friday.

Fethullah Gulen: Islamic world does not really exist, Islam is not understood properly

Leonid R. Sykiainen*

In a number of his publications Fethullah Gülen analyses in a short but very deep manner the present situation in the Muslim world. He agrees that during a long period of time the Muslim societies have been witnessing a multidimensional political, social and cultural crisis.

Justice and the Beloved Community in Fethullah Gulen’s Thought

Dr. Joseph Stoutzenberger *

Fethullah Gulen (Photo: AP)

When I heard that the theme of this conference was to be “The Beloved Community,” I decided to revisit Fethullah Gulen’s writings about Sufism since love is so central to that expression of Islam. Sufism entails spiritual training that leads to self-purification so that one can experience God’s love for oneself the practitioner, and out of that realization of God’s love he or she goes out and loves in return—God, of course, and other people as well. As I read through Gulen’s two volumes, I realized that he was not writing about Sufism as if it were practiced by a group of specialists who live in another time and place. Rather, he was speaking about qualities that all of us should strive for.

Fethullah Gülen joins Sandy relief effort with $10,000 donation via Kimse Yok Mu

Fethullah Gulen joins Sandy relief

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) has launched an aid campaign to help pick up the pieces in the wake of Hurricane Sandy which hit the US East Coast in late October, with Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen being the first contributor to the campaign with a donation of $10,000.

Shahbaz lays foundation stone of Pak-Turk school

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan and Turkey enjoy brotherly and friendly relations and, with efforts of the Punjab government, mutual ties between the two countries are transforming into economic cooperation.

He was addressing the foundation-stone laying ceremony of a school under the Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges System at Khayaban-e-Amin in Lahore on Tuesday.

Fethullah Gulen as a Servant Leader

Gürkan Çelik & Yusuf Alan *

Fethullah Gulen

Fethullah Gülen was born in 1941in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, just twenty-odd years after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The war for Independence, transition from one regime to another, the Second World War and global phenomena of modernity versus religion had all taken its toll on Turkey and its newly emerging citizens. It is within this context that Gülen grew up and experienced the difficulty, degradation and poverty of his people.

Kimse Yok Mu provides water with wells in Pakistan

Fazli Mert

The Turkish charitable organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) has dug 22 wells in various parts of Pakistan to help people meet their need for potable water.

Turkish charity reaches out to 75 countries during Eid Al-Adha

This year, Kimse Yok Mu arranged sacrifice organizations in Eid Al-Adha 75 countries including Turkey. In organizations at foreign countries, 59,471 shared animals were slaughtered, and their meats were delivered to approximately 180 thousand families in need.

Fethullah Gulen’s approach to Science and Literature

Tarık Okur

One might think that there is an unambiguous relationship between science and literature. Yet to date nobody has made a significant attempt to reveal the link between the two. While numerous studies have attempted to explain the role of science and literature in our lives, far too little attention has been paid to the impact they may have on each other.

Strategic defamation of Fethullah Gulen

Ahmet Kurucan

I would like to make an addition to a famous statement made by Sakallı Celal, “Such extensive ignorance is possible only by education.”

Prejudice should also be included in the preceding remark because Fethullah Gülen, who is the main subject matter in the book “Strategic Defamation of Fethullah Gülen: English vs. Turkish” that I will discuss in this column, is victimized by the prejudices of some people who call themselves intellectuals and, unfortunately, he has been subjected to hatred and enmity as well as competition and jealousy caused by these prejudices.

Kazakh-Turkish school wins medals in Brazil

Students of the Kazakh-Turkish School have brought 1 silver and 3 gold medals for their mathematics projects from Brazil. They took part in the 27th International fair of projects in the field of technology.

A new international conference on Fethullah Gulen to be held in Pakistan

The Fountain Magazine and Rumi Forum are jointly holding an international conference "Ideal Human and Ideal Society in the Thoughts of M. Fethullah Gülen".

Columnist: Rodrik distorted Fethullah Gulen's views

Taha Kıvanç

"Ergenekon is on the attack..." This is how a friend of mine thinks.

Dani Rodrik, whose father-in-law is facing trial on the Sledgehammer Case, tweeted "My favorite defense of wife-beating, from Fethullah Gulen: if it does some good in one out of hundred women, why would Islam prohibit it?" My friend said "Hundreds of people retweeted this message in a matter of a few hours."

Fethullah Gülen writes special prayer against Sandy

Fethullah Gulen

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has expressed his deep sorrow for devastating effects of Super Storm Sandy and reportedly wrote a blessing and prayer against the storm for his followers before the US East Coast was hit by the monster storm on Monday.

Locals rename African village ‘Türkiye' to show thanks for aid

Mehmet Kuru

Residents of a village in the West African country of Burkina Faso have changed the name of the settlement to "Türkiye" (Turkey) to show their appreciation for the aid they received during the Eid al-Adha holiday from civil society organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There).

Gulen Movement Planting Seeds of Understanding

Cathy Ziengs

Imagine,

"...a world where people are deeply grounded in a moral and ethical tradition, where humility and service are highly valued and where reason, science and technology are fully utilized for the benefit of all."[1]

Does this sound like some sort of utopia that we would like to choose for the human race? A place where harmony reigns and suffering is diminished? From a Buddhist perspective, does it resonate with the ideal of following the middle path for the sake of all sentient beings?

These words, this dream, mirror the dedicated work of a Turkish Muslim scholar living in our modern times. His force of philosophy and concerns for peaceful coexistence among men has spawned a movement of believers around the world. His name is Fethullah Gülen.

Fethullah Gulen on "Islam and Terrorism"

Q: In our modern day, the relationship between Islam and terrorism is greatly debated. Can terrorism be considered a way of struggle for freedom? What is the Islamic alternative to terrorism and struggle?

Fethullah Gülen: As I said in an interview with Nuriye Akman for Daily Zaman, today, at best we can say that Islam is not known at all. Muslims should say, “In true Islam, terror does not exist.” No person should kill another human being. No one can touch an innocent person, even in time of war. No one can give a fatwa (a legal pronouncement) commending this matter. No one should be a suicide bomber. No one can rush into crowds with bombs tied to his or her body. Regardless of the religion of these crowds, this is not religiously permissible. Even in the event of war – during which it is difficult to maintain balances – this is not permitted in Islam.

Filipino-Turkish School Donates Beef

Nonoy E. Lacson

The Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School in this city yesterday commemorated the feast of Eid’l Adha or the facet of Sacrifice by slaughtering some 300 heads of cows and distributed their meat to the poor Muslim and Christian people residing in poor villages of this city.

Turkish organizations pour out aid during Eid al-Adha

The Kimse Yok Mu charity delivered packages

of meat to 15,000 families in Bangladesh
during Eid al-Adha. (Photo: Today's Zaman)

Turkish charities have taken the opportunity to extend a helping hand to those in need both across the country and around the world during Eid al-Adha, an Islamic holiday celebrated by millions around the globe, delivering various relief items, including sacrificial meat, to put a smile on people's faces during this joyous time.

Fethullah Gulen on "Women in Islam"

Q: The relationship between men and women in Islam is one of the controversial topics debated in the modern day. What are your thoughts of the place of women in society?

Fethullah Gulen: The Qur’an invites people to form a family life and points out many wisdoms and benefits of marriage. “And Allah has given you wives of your own kind, and has given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve?” (16:72). The Qur’an views marriage as a serious commitment on the part of the husband and wife; it is a covenant between the husband and wife. It speaks of the rights of the husband and the wife. “If you wish to divorce one wife and marry another, do not take from her the dowry you have given her, even if it be a talent of gold. Is it appropriate to take this by making up reasons for divorce and intentionally sinning? How can you take it back when you have lain with each other and put your heads on the same pillow and entered into a firm contract? That would be improper and grossly unjust” (4:20-21).

Fethullah Gulen and his Amazing Social Reforms

Elsa Lam

Books on/by Fethullah Gulen

Hence, there is no doubt that a person who is armoured with love needs no other weapon. Indeed, love is strong enough to stop a bullet or even a canon [sic] ball.

Fethullah Gülen, Love Towards Humankind (p. 6)

We all live in this world and we are passengers on the same ship. In this respect, there are many common points that can be discussed and shared with people from every segment of society.

Fethullah Gülen, Understanding Fethullah Gülen (p. 22)



Turkish NGOs preparing to distribute aid to poor during Eid al-Adha

This year's Eid al-Adha, Islam's most important religious holiday, will be a time to remember the poor, with an increased sense of spirituality and civil society organizations in Turkey striving to put smiles on the faces of the needy.

Each year, Turkish aid organizations -- including Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There?), the Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH) and the Cansuyu Aid and Solidarity Association -- distribute food, clothing, money and other forms of assistance to the less fortunate both in Turkey and around the globe during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), which begins on Oct. 25 this year.

Fethullah Gulen's book translated into Belarusian

A book by renowned Turkish-Islamic intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gulen, which has previously been translated into many languages, is now available in the Belarusian language.

"I believe the Gulen movement will protect my son from the terrorists"

As PKK terrorist organization burns the schools in southeastern Turkey, a father's school preference for his son, located in Batman province has started a debate.

A letter to Fethullah Gulen from a Catholic Priest

In Niğde, we visited the schools of the Sungurbey Education Foundation, established by by a private businessman-donor, Celal Afşar, whom we were privileged to have as our host.

He is also a close colleague of Fethullah Gülen and good friend of Fr. Alexei Smith. Mr. Afşar asked Fr. Alexei to write a letter to Mr. Gülen describing our group and the nature of our trip, which Mr. Afşar will deliver personally to him when he visits him next week in the USA. Here are excerpts from the letter:

Southern California priests participate in landmark trip to Turkey

Paula Doyle

Twelve archdiocesan priests are exploring ancient Christian sites and visiting Catholic faith communities in Turkey this week, as part of a trip organized exclusively for Catholic clergy by an organization of Turkish-American Muslims that promotes intercultural and interreligious awareness.

Father Alexei Smith, archdiocesan director of ecumenical/interreligious affairs, and Msgr. Thomas Welbers, pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Beverly Hills, are co-leading the trip, which is being sponsored and organized by the Pacifica Institute.

Fethullah Gulen on "Ijtihad – Independent Reasoning"

Q: The subject of ijtihad (independent reasoning) has been debated in the Muslim world for a long time. Some thought that the door of ijtihad was closed, and of course this caused a stagnation of reasoning. What might be the criteria to use the methodology of ijtihad?

Fethullah Gulen: The word Ijtihad, independent reasoning, literally means “to use all your power and effort in order to bring some hard and difficult works into existence.” In Islamic terminology, the word means “to use all your power to deduct some hypothetical judicial decisions from the clear sources (adilla-i tafsiliyyah) of Islamic law.” The one who makes this effort is called a Mujtahid. The issue in which these efforts are made is called Mujtahadun fih.

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.

Fethullah Gulen on "Re-Establishing Caliphate"

Q: After the abolishment of the Caliphate (Khilafah) in Turkey, many new movements to restore this institution arose, especially in India. Thinking of the fast development in our world, do you think that the Caliphate could be re-established? Or is the Caliphate an unattainable utopia? What are your thoughts?

Fethullah Gulen: When the institution of the Caliphate was abolished there were many views articulated either for this or against it. A contemporary Turkish sociologist, Ziya Gokalp, and those following his line of thought had the following approach: “The institution of the Khilafah which draws its power from the Turkish Grand National assembly has an honorable place among Muslims. If there is no such institution, the world of Islam will be similar to a rosary which has no center (imamah); all the beads would fall off.” Thinkers like Seyyid Bey believed that, “Khilafah (the Caliphate) has a wise purpose and it is the issue of the nation itself and it follows the requirements of the time. When the Prophet died, he did not mention anything about Khilafah (the succession) to his Companions. In fact, even in the Qur’an there is no verse to this effect.” Seyyid emphasizes the importance of consultation and obedience to the rulers, as mentioned in the Qur’an. These two aspects are related to administration and politics. He believes that with the caliphate of Ali, the fourth caliph in Islamic history, in the thirtieth year of the Islamic calendar, the caliphate came to an end. In this regard, he mentions the opinions of scholars of Islamic law and Islamic thought. He speaks of the historicity of Khilafah, in one sense, and suggests that one should benefit from this experience and understand the goal and the aim of Khilafah. According to Seyyid, the rulers who came after the first four caliphs were not real caliphs; in appearance they were caliphs, but in quality they did not follow the previous caliphs. With this opinion, he supported the abolishment of Khilafah as found in the following statement of Turkish parliament: “The caliph has been deposed. The institution of Khilafah is abolished since the meaning and the context of this institution has been absorbed into the government and the republic.”

Gulen Movement and the Environment

Mustafa Kasim Erol *

Are We Doing Enough to Save the Environment?
An Islamic Response from the Gulen Movement

There are increasing concerns across the world for the necessity of looking after of our environment which surrounds us. The obvious reason behind the increase of that awareness has been the contribution of various organisations that have been keeping many issues relevant to the environment such as global warming, droughts, pollution etc. for our attention. People’s concerns come from various motives and causes where many of them are very obvious and there is no need to mention here. I believe that one of them is very important but not implicated in the way it should be. That is religious motives and reasons. I would like to narrow the issue to the motives of Islam for the environmental awareness in brief, then I will look into Gulen movement (aka Hizmet movement), which operates worldwide. This will include opinions of its founder and movement’s activities, which show Islamic awareness on the ecology, environment and other relevant issues surrounding that.

Earthquakes strengthen Taiwan, Turkey friendship

Christie Chen

Two major earthquakes that struck 13 years ago far apart from each other, have brought two distant countries - Taiwan and Turkey - together on the path of humanitarian aid.

"I was certain that my house was going to collapse," Turkey-based Taiwanese businessman Faisal Hu recalled the night of Aug. 17, 1999, when a 7.6 earthquake hit Turkey, claiming tens of thousands of lives.

Gulen-inspired Afghan Turkish schools have won 75 medals in 2012

The students of Afghan Turkish schools have won 75 medals in international science olympiads this year. The students who won medals were rewarded at an award ceremony at Afghan Turkish School in Kabul. These students have brought to Afghanistan 12 gold, 24 silver and 39 bronze medals, 75 medals in total.

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.

An interfaith concert of Muslim-Jewish harmony

Robert Wiener

For years, Phil Kruger of Montville has been interested in interfaith dialogue. He’s led fellow members of Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell in comparative studies of the Koran, the Torah, and the Christian Bible, and led a group of Jews, Christians, and Muslims in regular text study.

Now he is taking his interest in a musical direction — as the organizer of an Oct. 20 concert of Jewish and Muslim musicians.

Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right

Dr. Brian L. Desbiens *

As kids, our parents told us: “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

So it is with confusion and sadness that I read about the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi and the death of Ambassador Stevens. The violence was allegedly carried out in reaction to the airing of an American film that depicted the Prophet Muhammad— a known insult to Muslim tradition, which forbids any illustration of Islam’s most sacred prophet. Upon reflection, we see there are at least two “wrongs” being committed, and no, they don’t “make a right.”

Turkish delight: The multi-cultural call of South Africa's newest mosque

Kalim Rajab

The Nizamiye Mosque and Complex, built with largely Turkish funding, was officially opened last week by President Zuma. Truly exquisite, there is no structure comparable to it in Southern Africa or in what it means for South Africans and interfaith harmony.

Fethullah Gülen's brother laid to rest amid grief

Hasbi Nidai Gülen

Hundreds bid farewell to Hasbi Nidai Gülen, the brother to one of Turkey's leading Islamic scholars Fethullah Gülen, at a funeral ceremony in his hometown of Erzurum on Sunday. Gülen died Friday morning in a hospital in Ankara, where he was receiving treatment for lung cancer. He was 66.

Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards given in Washington

The Rumi Forum, a nongovernmental organization established in the United States to improve interfaith and intercultural dialogue, gave its traditional Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards in a ceremony held in Washington on Wednesday.

Gulen-inspired Turkish firm offers to set up schools in Sindh

[Inspired by ideas of Fethullah Gulen, a] Turkish foundation has offered to establish state-of-the-art institutions across the province in a bid to help the Sindh government improve the education sector.

NGOs from 80 nations share intercultural experiences at GYV meeting

İpek Üzüm

Representatives of Turkish-run nongovernmental organizations from 80 countries, established by people inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen's teachings, have shared their experiences of intercultural and interfaith dialogue during a three-day meeting organized by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV).

A festival in Houston

Beril Dedeoğlu

The Syrian crisis has turned the social transformation process in the Arab world into well-known inter-state tensions. As of today, when talking about possible ways to resolve the Syrian crisis, we only mention states and their policies.

It isn't fair to tar 1.8 billion for actions of a few

We, the undersigned members of the Auburn Ministerial Association, wish to disassociate ourselves from the remarks made by the Rev. Rudy Tidwell about Islam and Muslims in the Sept. 20 edition of The Auburn-Opelika News for these reasons:

Book on Fethullah Gulen's teachings to be taught at Belarus universities

A group of academics from Belarus were in Istanbul on Tuesday for the presentation of the book “Social and Philosophical Aspects of the Teaching of Gülen: The Look of Belarusian Intellectuals,” which will be used in the county's universities as a course book.

Hira Magazine Brings Together Arab Scholars in Istanbul

Gulen conference by Hira Magazine, Istanbul

Egypt’s prominent scholars came together at a conference titled “According to Gulen, the Basic Dynamics of the Resurrection” on Thursday in Istanbul. The Egyptian scholars have shared the results of their study on “the horizon of thought” of the scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Members of the Egyptian Parliament Visited the Turkish School in Cairo

About 40 members of the Egyptian Parliament visited the Salahaldin International Turkish School in Cairo. They had dinner at Turkish School with their families before their upcoming trip to Turkey. Turkish ambassador to Egypt Huseyin Avni Botsali hosted the dinner. Students of Turkish school sang songs in Arabic and in English after the dinner.

Botsali mentioned in his speech that Turkey sincerely supports democratic improvement in Egypt. He emphasized that both Turkey and Egypt must overcome poverty and ignorance in order to take the right place in world politics.

Turkish, Pakistani teachers observe ‘their’ day

International Teachers’ Day was observed by Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges system as Turkish teachers were joined in by parents and students to acknowledge the contributions of the faculty members towards services for better education, training and nurturing the younger generations in Pakistan.

A Classic Hatchet Job

Scott C. Alexander

In response to the Stephen Schwartz's recent article that appeared on Gatestone Institute's website:

I am puzzled by the fact that a man as seemingly intelligent and articulate as Mr. Schwartz appears to have deliberately misread the Op-Ed piece by Mr. Gülen. I say this because, in the very beginning of Mr. Schwartz's critique, he clearly demonstrates that he has no intention of striving for even the least degree of objectivity and fairness in his analysis of Gülen's remarks. In fact, I am saddened to say that what Mr. Schwartz attempts to offer as a trenchant critique of Gülen and the global Gönüllüler Hareketi ("Volunteers' Movement") amounts to little more than a hatchet job on a religious leader who has inspired thousands, perhaps millions, of men and women to a reawakening of their faith and a faith-based commitment to service.

In Houston, a celebration

Yavuz Baydar

Not at all surprising, a trip to Houston, Texas, demands thorough preparation to spend time in a hothouse. At this time of the year, you feel the humidity at its worst, which helps you understand why the vastly spread cityscape is one of the most air-conditioned places on earth.

Yet, it is a magnet that attracts more and more people because of the work it offers, its vibrant industries and the chances it gives for a good life. Despite the fact that it is a location no Native American tribe ever chose to settle due to such unpleasant living conditions, mosquito assaults, etc., it is the fourth largest city in the US, covering 660 square miles (1062 square kilometers).

An untold African story: Gulen Movement activities

Emre Çelik *

Kudos to them! I had the privilege of traveling to Africa recently. It was somewhat a whirlwind tour of 4 countries - South Africa, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Kenya and Ethiopia. It was full of many surprises. I hope to share some of my thoughts and feelings over the course some words in this article.


Fethullah Gulen

The purpose of this journey was to discover and note the Hizmet activities (commonly referred to as the Gulen Movement in academic circles). For the uninitiated, Hizmet is a loosely connected group of individuals and NGOs inspired by the ideas and ideals of Fethullah Gulen - a Turkish Muslim scholar and thinker. The movement's activities span some 140 or so countries occupying an important place in the field of education, intercultural dialogue, health and relief activities. The main emphasis is a selfless approach to serving all others while personally gaining God's pleasure.

The Gülen Effect: Filipino Muslims, Christians connect for peace

Suat Erguvan

Harmony, tolerance stem from Turkish schools

Most children of the picturesque city of Zamboanga in the Philippines’ troubled south are groomed to be cautious in making friends believing in a different religions.

Zamboanga Peninsula, the sixth most populous region and the third geographically largest in the Philippines, is home to 70 per cent Christians and 30% percent Buddhist and Muslim people.

South African President Applauds New Turkish Mosque

The Nizamiye Mosque -
(Photo: Madelene Cronjé)

Johannesburg - South Africa's tourism is set to benefit from the first mosque built in South Africa to cater for the Turkish Islamic community, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

Speaking at the official opening of the mosque - a first on the continent of Africa and the largest religious complex in the southern hemisphere - Zuma said the facility will help create greater understanding and tolerance between diverse religions.

Place and Role of Tourism in the Intercultural Dialogue

Dedicated to September 27 World Tourism Day, a conference on "The role and place of tourism in the intercultural dialogue", was held in the Azerbaijan Institute of Tourism in preparation for the World Forum for Intercultural Dialogue, which will take place in May 2013.

Fethullah Gülen on “Political Islam” versus “Islamic Duty”

Fabio Vicini *

Fethullah Gülen thinks that in order to spread its beneficial effects, the religious message should reach as many members of society as possible. However, he rejects any political use of Islam. He argues religion cannot be yielded to party needs because it cannot be reduced to an ideological instrument. In his words politics “darkens religion’s spirit, for religion belongs to everyone” (1). This does not mean he is refusing secular forms of governance. In his discourses he upholds democracy, which, in his opinion, is the most fair form of political organization known to men.