Fethullah Gülen

Fethullah Gülen
Born	1941 Erzurum, Turkey
Website	http://en.fgulen.com
Notes
Some pictures of Gülen together with religious and community leaders.

Fethullah Gülen (born 27 April,1941) is a Turkish philosopher, modernist Islamic scholar, writer, and leader of the Gülen movement. He is the author of over 60 books.

Gülen's proclaimed ideal is to promote peaceful coexistence, and dialog of civilizations at the international scale, and to see a renaissance of the modern Muslim world with Turkey at the forefront in the local scale. Fethullah Gülen has started a movement. In many countries schools are opened according to his philosophy. These schools are intended to promote peace and dialog in general and offer a moderate vision of Islam in Muslim countries. He has invested in interfaith dialog by meeting Jewish and Christian leaders, including the Pope. Gülen's theology can be described as Sunni/Hanafi Islam, similar to that of Said Nursi.

Gülen is characterized in the media as one of the world's most important Muslim figures, with the Gülen movement as one of the world's leading Muslim movements. Gülen has been the subject of several academic studies.

Biography

Gülen was born in Erzurum, Turkey in 1941. He started primary education at his home village, but did not continue after his family moved, and instead focused on informal Islamic education. He gave his first sermon when he was 14. In 1959 he was awarded a state preacher's license in Edirne. In 1966 he was transferred to a post in İzmir. It was here that Gülen's recurring themes began to crystallize and his audience base began to expand. He also traveled around the provinces in Anatolia and gave sermons in mosques, town meetings and coffee houses among other places. From İzmir on, he placed a special emphasis on promulgating his ideas to high school and college students and recruiting them for his movement.

In the 1970s Gülen was imprisoned for three years for activities undermining the Turkish state.

Gülen retired from formal preaching duties in 1981. From 1988 to 1991 he gave a series of sermons in popular mosques of major cities. His long career had made him a well-known figure in Islamic circles, however, it was the interfaith dialog efforts, Islamic political activism and his courtship with the center-right political parties in the 1990s that made him a public figure. In 1994, he helped found the "Journalists and Writers Foundation".

Through his speeches, he gained a following in society. In particular, by adopting a theme that was previously explored by Said-i Nursi, he envisioned a society of devout Muslims who nevertheless would adopt methods and technical knowledge that led to development in western countries.

Gülen has been living in the US since 1998 to receive better treatment for his health problems as he suffers from diabetes and a range of its side effects.

Philosophy and activities

According to Gülen his theological views lie solidly within the Turkish Sunni mainstream while being more responsive to modern world than other Islamic movements . He has also adopted some views of founder of the Nur (light) movement, Said Nursi, among others.

Gülen claims the modern world is plagued by individuals' lack of faith, and in particular, the failure to adopt scientific methods while in the same time preserving moral values and belief in God. Gülen argues science and faith are two different aspects of the truth, and that science can benefit from or requires a moral foundation from religion.

Gülen movement

Main article: Gülen Movement

Gülen has founded a movement to communicate his views. This movement has become an imfluential Muslim organisation. It has opened about 500 educational institutions in more than 90 countries in Eurasia, Africa and North America.

Interfaith Dialog

Gülen's published works in the 1990s advocated dialog among communities and faiths, tolerance, and acceptance of others. He personally met with religious leaders, including Pope John Paul II, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos, and Israeli Sephardic Head Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron. His tolerance to other religions is however not extended to atheism.

Terrorism

Gülen does not approve use of Islam and terrorism together . That is, he agrees that such terrorism exists but argues that it is not Islamic or Muslim. He formulates his ideas as "A Real Muslim cannot be a Terrorist". He has written an article in response to the September 11 attacks saying:

We condemn in the strongest of terms the latest terrorist attack on the United States of America, and feel the pain of the American people at the bottom of our hearts.

A question asked by Nuriye Akman of Zaman: It appears that al-Qaeda network has a cell in Turkey. You explained about the religious side of the matter. Does it have different meanings as well? Gülen's response was:

One of the people in the world I hate the most is [Osama] Bin Laden, because he spoiled the bright appearance of Islam. He created a dirty image. Even if we try to fix that terrible damage with all our best, it would take years. We will tell about it everywhere in different platforms. We will write books about it. We will say, 'this is not Islam.' Bin Laden replaced Islamic logic with his feelings and desires. He is a monster, as are the men around him. If there is any one similar to them, they too are nothing more than monsters.

Feminism

Despite "progressive views" on women, "modern professional women in Turkey still find his ideas far from acceptable." (So Aras and Caha.) The coming of Islam, Gülen claims, "saved" women, who "were absolutely not confined to their home and...never oppressed" in the early years of the religion. Western-style feminism, however, is "doomed to imbalance like all other reactionary movements...being full of hatred towards men..."

Controversies

Gülen is a controversial figure for some secularists in Turkey. On the other hand, some radical groups severely criticize his interfaith dialog efforts. Controversies over Gülen are even enhanced after his meeting with the Pope John Paul II .

In a recent interview, professor and a leader of Alevi circles, Izzettin Dogan expressed his respect and stated that he has never doubt about Gülen's openness and ideas, although he is not always agree with him. He commented further that Gülen aims to Islamise Turkey by democratic means using education.

Gülen was widely criticized in 2004 when he, in contrast with his public calls for tolerance, commented that he considered terrorism to be equally despicable as atheism. In a follow-up interview he declared he did not intent to equate atheists and murderers; rather, he wanted to highlight the fact that according to Islam both were destined to suffer eternal punishment.

Recent legal issues

Gülen has been living in the US since 1998. While in the US Gülen was claimed to have urged his followers in the judiciary and public service to "work patiently for the sake of the (Islamic) state" through prerecorded video cassettes. Gülen himself declared that the footage was a collation of fragment and presented out of context. In spite of his statement, Gülen was prosecuted in 2000 for inciting his followers to plot the overthrow of Turkey's secular government. In 2006 he was acquited of this charge. The Supreme Court of Appeals confimred the acquittal in an appeal procedure.

Ergenekon, an ultra-nationalist Turkish organisation, was implied in the fabrication of the Gülen video tapes Ergenekon may have attempted to manipulate Gülen's trial , by buying false witnesses and faking evidence..

In June 2008, Gülen's application for a U.S. Permanent Resident Card, widely known as the green card,has been refused by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS. Gülen appealed and the court ordered that USCIS shall approve Gülen's petition for alien worker as an alien of extraordinary ability by August 1, 2008.

Views on Gülen

Media Coverage

The ideas of Fethullah Gülen, and the schools opened by his followers in many countries have recently been the subject of articles by Forbes magazine and the French daily Le Monde. In the Forbes article entitled "Gülen Inspires Muslims Worldwide", the chief characteristic of the Gülen movement is identified as not seeking to subvert modern secular states but rather encouraging practicing Muslims to use to the fullest the opportunities those countries offer. In an article in The Economist, the Gülen movement is reported as a Turkish-based movement, vying to be recognized as the world's leading Muslim network, and Gülen himself as one of the world's most important Muslim figures. Reuters also analyzed Gülen and Gülen movement in a recent article : Gülen wants to see a renaissance of the modern Muslim world with Turkey at the forefront.

In a 2008 internet poll of Foreign Policy magazine Gülen was named as the top public thinker . Concerns about the validity of the poll were raised though, as it seems likely that press attention to the poll in Turkey increased voting for Gülen dramatically. Gülen himself stated that he has never imagined being or wished to be chosen as something important in the world, but he has always tried to be a humble servant of God and a humble member of humanity .

Gülen was described as the modern face of the Sufi Ottoman tradition in an article in the center-left British monthly, Prospect. Prospect reported that Gülen insists on friendship among people of all faiths and that "no one should be seen as an outsider." "Millions of people inside and outside Turkey have been inspired by Gülen," the magazine said, citing "a combination of charisma, good organization and an attractive message" as reasons for his overwhelming support worldwide .

Academic studies about Gülen

Gülen has been the subject of several academic studies. In November 2006 one conference was held at the University of Oklahoma titled The Fethullah Gülen Movement in Thought and Practice, and in October 2007 a second conference was held at the House of Lords, under the sponsorship of the London School of Economics, and the University of London to study Gülen and his movement. Yet another conference is held in November 2008 at Georgetown University, which is titled Islam in the age of global challenges, Alternative Perspectives of the Gülen Movement.

Community perception

Gülen and his movement have won praise from many non-Muslim quarters, with their belief in science, interfaith dialogue and multi-party democracy. They are viewed as modernist and all-embracing Muslims, who can counterbalance extremism in the Muslim world. For instance, Sabrina Tavernise of New York Times has stated that they come from a moderate blend of Islam that is very inclusive.' In the same newspaper, Turkish schools opened and operated by Gülen movement are accounted in an article titled, 'Turkish Schools Offer Pakistan a Gentler Vision of Islam' exclusively based on the Pakistan example. In fact, in a prestigious weekly journal of Pakistan, Cutting Edge, Gülen and his movement is analyzed, recently. Gülen is described as 'An icon of universal peace' in an article with the same title.

Gülen gains respect from the Jewish circles of the international society as well. Center for Interreligious Understanding Director Rabbi Jack Bemporad has said the Gülen movement, led by well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen, aims to create a more peaceful world and invites all people to unity.

In a recent interview, İzzettin Doğan, a well-known leader of Alevi circles and President of Cem Foundation, mentioned Gülen as a thinker and a philosopher. He expressed his respect and said that:

He has made positive contributions to the construction of cemevis (Alevi places of worship). Years ago, he said, "Cemevis should be constructed next to mosques." This is a considerably important statement. In addition, he is open to discussion. In this regard, I never had any doubts about Gülen's ideas.

A decision made by the local government of Houston, Texas indicates the appearance of Gülen's ideas in the Western world. Feb. 21 is declared Gülen Institute Day in Houston. It is stated in the decision letter that the organization, whose honorary president is Fethullah Gülen, serves all humanity without discrimination and boosts mutual understanding and respect and cooperation among people from diverse backgrounds. Similarly, Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik has said the ideas of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish-Muslim scholar, and the activities of his movement are in complete harmony with the approach of The Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights, which Bondevik currently heads. He stated that:

We both believe in dialogue, in respecting and trying to understand each other, in building bridges between main cultures and religions.'

Although there has been a concern about if the Turkish Cosmicus College in Holland is helping integration, the Dutch minister of Education, Maria van der Hoeven, stated in the reopening ceremony of the College that the schools is making history. She gave the school a subsidy of 300,000 euro because she found the teaching program impressive, the participation of the parents innovative and because the education at Cosmicus is directed at integration . In response to questions by the commission members, Integration Minister Eberhard Van der Laan has also stated in Dutch parliamentary commission that

An overall analysis of this movement demonstrates that it is pacifist and prone to dialogue. Obviously the movement also believes that Islam and modernism can coexist. It is active in different fields, but lacks a central unit or hierarchical structure. I may even say that we would do better to talk about an alliance of loosely affiliated independent institutions rather than a movement. Of course, there are criticisms directed at this entity, and some even raise concerns about its activities. Opponents and skeptics argue that members of this movement hide their real agenda; however, when we review their activities in Holland, we see that their work facilitates integration. Letters addressed to me by Dutch parents whose children study at Cosmicus College confirm this, stressing that there are no different or unusual practices in this school.

Works

Gülen has authored over 60 books and many articles on a variety of topics: social, political and religious issues, art, science and sports, and recorded thousands of audio and video cassettes. He contributes to a number of journals and magazines owned by his followers. He writes the lead article for the Fountain, Yeni Ümit, Sızıntı, and Yağmur, Islamic and philosophical magazines in Turkey. Some of his books are available in English, German, Russian, Albanian, Japanese, Indonesian, Korean, Spanish and Kazakh.

Bibliography in English

Some of his English books are as listed below:

Philosophy of religion: Questions and Answers, Essentials of the Islamic Faith, Questions and Answers about Faith, Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism (3 vols)

Religion: Muhammad: The Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammed as Commander, The Infinite Light vol 1–2

Education: Pearls of Wisdom

Art: Truth Through Colors, Emerald Hills of the Heart

Social issues: Towards the Lost Paradise, Towards Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance, The Statues of Our Souls

See also

• Islam in Turkey
• Ali Ünal

External links

The Gülen movement

• Fethullah Gülen's official website
• The Gülen Institute
• Fethullah Gülen Conference
• The Journalists and Writers Foundation
• Understanding Fethullah Gulen
• Fethullah Gülen and Media

Other sources

• Fethullah Gülen and his Liberal "Turkish Islam" movement
• Turkish Islam's Moderate Face
• The Gülen Movement: a modern expression of Turkish Islam
• The Nurcu Movement in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
• FORBES - Gulen Inspires Muslims Worldwide
• Turkey's Champion of Interfaith Dialogue
• The Economist - Global Muslim networks- How far they have travelled
• The Economist- Fethullah Gulen- A farm boy on the world stage
• Reuters - Turkish Islamic preacher - threat or benefactor?
• The New York Times - Turkish Schools Offer Pakistan a Gentler Vision of Islam
• Prospect Magazine - Islam 1 Prospect 0
• Fethullah Gülen sources and documents