Muslims’ unique responsibility to fight terror

By Fethullah Gulen June 11 at 5:36 AM CET on Politico Europe
Updated 6/12/17, 12:39 PM CET

SAYLORSBURG, Pennsylvania — The brutal, deadly attacks in London and Manchester on innocent civilians are the latest in a series of senseless violent acts carried out by the so-called Islamic State, a group that deserves no designation other than the world’s most inhuman criminal network.

In response to this threat, the world’s Muslims can and should help intelligence and security communities ward off future attacks and eliminate the lifelines of this menace.

From its founding amid the ashes of Al Qaeda in Iraq, ISIS has dealt in deception as well as death. Despite its name, ISIS represents a perversion of Islam. The group’s dress, flags and slogans cannot hide their abhorrent betrayal of the spirit of this major world faith.

Denying this barbaric group a geographical base that emboldens them to claim statehood — an essential element of their propaganda to potential recruits — is a worthwhile goal that all Muslims should support. But the challenge isn’t only military.

ISIS, and other groups like it, recruits alienated Muslim youth by offering them a false sense of purpose and belonging in the service of a totalitarian ideology.

Countering that appeal will include religious, political, psycho-social and economic efforts. It will require that local communities and government institutions address structural issues such as discrimination and exclusion.

"Self-examination is an Islamic ethic. There are actions we can take, as Muslim parents, teachers, community leaders and imams, to help our youth protect themselves."

International organizations must protect citizens against violent persecution of the kind we witnessed in Syria and assist with transitions to democratic governance. Western governments, too, have a responsibility to adopt a more ethical and consistent foreign policy.

Muslim citizens and organizations can and should be part of these broader efforts, but we also have a unique role and responsibility in this fight.

Across the world, Muslims need to strengthen the immune system of our communities, especially our youth, against violent extremism. We must ask: How did our communities become grounds for terrorist recruitment? Yes, external factors must be addressed, but we must also look within.

Self-examination is an Islamic ethic. There are actions we can take, as Muslim parents, teachers, community leaders and imams, to help our youth protect themselves. We must defeat these murderous extremists in the battlefield of ideas.

A common fallacy of violent extremist ideologues is to decontextualize the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet (peace be upon him) and misinterpret them to serve their pre-determined goals. These ideologues turn snapshots from his or his companions’ lives into instruments to justify a criminal act.

The antidote is a religious education program that teaches the tradition in a holistic and contextualized way. To be able to resist the deceits of radical ideologues, young Muslims must understand the spirit of their scripture and the overarching principles of their Prophet’s life. We need to teach our youth the full story of how the Prophet moved his society from savagery into ethical norms shared by Abrahamic faiths.

A holistic religious education should start with a commitment to the dignity of every person as a unique creation of God, regardless of faith. When God says “We have honored the children of Adam” (Quran, 17:70), all humanity is honored. The Quran describes taking the life of even one innocent person as a crime against all humanity (Quran, 5:32). Even in a legitimate defensive war, the Prophet’s teachings specifically prohibit violence against any noncombatants, especially women, children and clergy. The belief that one can enter paradise by killing others is a delusion.

Violent extremists also commit another major fallacy: transplanting into the 21st century religious verdicts from the Middle Ages, in which political rivalries were often confused with religious differences. Today, Muslims have the freedom to practice their religion in democratic, secular countries.

The values of participatory governments align with core Muslim ideals of social justice, the rule of law, collective decision-making and equality. Muslims can and do live as contributing citizens of democracies around the world.

Proactively, we must develop positive ways to satisfy the social needs of our youth. Youth groups should be encouraged to volunteer in humanitarian relief projects to help victims of disasters and violent conflicts. In teaching them to help others, we will give them the tools to empower themselves and feel that they are part of something meaningful. We also have a duty to help the youth engage in dialogue with members of other faiths to help nurture mutual understanding and respect. As Muslims, we are not just members of a faith community, but of the human family.

"Being part of the worldwide effort to help stop violent religious radicals from repeating the London and Manchester cruelties elsewhere is both a human and religious responsibility."

Since the 1970s, the participants in the social movement Hizmet — the Turkish word for service — have founded more than 1,000 modern secular schools, free tutoring centers, colleges, hospitals and humanitarian relief organizations in more than 150 countries. By facilitating the involvement of young students and professionals as service providers, mentors, tutors and helpers, these institutions and their social networks foster a sense of identity, belonging, meaning and empowerment that constitute an antidote to the false promises of violent extremists.

Indeed, the best way to proactively protect our youth is to provide them with a positive counter-narrative. By offering opportunities for language learning and cultural exchanges, these kinds of institutions nurture a pluralistic outlook, critical thinking and empathy.

As part of their daily rituals, practicing Muslims pray for God to keep them “on the straight path.” Today, the straight path means examining our understanding of the core values of our faith, how we embody those values in our daily lives and strengthening our youth’s resistance to influences that contradict those values.

Being part of the worldwide effort to help stop violent religious radicals from repeating the London and Manchester cruelties elsewhere is both a human and religious responsibility.

Fethullah Gülen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate.

Source: http://www.politico.eu/article/muslims-unique-responsibility-in-fighting-terror-london-attack-fethullah-gulen/

REPORT Chatham House release report on Africa that details Hizmet (Gulen) Movement activities

A new 22 page report by Ambassador David Shinn and published by Chatham House provides current analysis on developing relations between Turkey and Sub-Saharan Africa. An important part of the report details the activities of the Hizmet Movement inspired by Rumi Forum's Honorary President Fethullah Gulen.


Other op-eds and articles on Hizmet and Fethullah Gulen here



Below are some extracts, link to full report is below:


Turkey’s Engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa Shifting Alliances and Strategic Diversification

Humanitarian and civil society organizations

At the forefront of Turkish civil society engagement in Africa is the ‘Gülen movement’ – referred to by the exiled followers of Fethullah Gülen as Hizmet, meaning service for others. The movement began as a faith-based, non-political, cultural and educational effort inside Turkey, and it has since spread globally. It puts a premium on interfaith dialogue, and once had close ties to the AKP – with which it agreed on the need to take advantage of globalization’s opportunities. The movement’s financial support comes from a tradition of Turkish and Islamic charity, especially provided by the business community. Gülenists have been sharply criticized in some quarters for pursuing their own agenda and seeking to place supporters in key government and security positions in Turkey. The movement is best known in SSA for the high-quality schools – primary and secondary institutions, as well as one university – that Turkish business people inspired by Gülen have financed. There is no central organization in charge of the schools, which are fee-paying private institutions with rigorous academic standards, and which follow the curriculum of the host country. There are close ties between the schools and Turkish sponsors doing business in the countries where they are located. A key to their success is the network that they provide. Graduates in the DRC, for example, often speak Turkish and help drive Turkey’s commercial interests....

....The influence of the Gülenist movement on Turkey’s Africa policy has been such that it was credited by many observers with pioneering the opening up to the continent, but the recent schism in relations between Erdoğan and Gülen has led some within the Turkish establishment to call for a revision of foreign policy. President Erdoğan has even urged foreign governments, including those in SSA, to close down Gülen-affiliated projects. At the Second Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in November 2014, Erdoğan warned the assembled African leaders of the ‘hidden agendas’ of the Gülenists. Pro-government media sources have reported that Erdoğan has managed to convince Gabon and Senegal to shut down Gülenist-run schools, and that the Republic of the Congo and Somalia have implemented processes for their closure, although these schools appear to remain open. However, President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique has expressed his support for the movement, announcing in mid-2015 that he intended to visit the Gülenist school in Maputo from which his son had graduated. Côte d’Ivoire’s deputy education minister was reported as having informed one news agency that Erdoğan’s stance against Africa was ‘similar to colonial states’ in seeking an ‘educationally backward’ continent....

...Kimse Yok Mu (‘Is Anybody There’ – KYM) is a non-governmental, Gülen-inspired relief organization, established after the 1999 earthquakes in Turkey, which has expanded globally. Unlike the Gülenaffiliated schools, KYM has a formal, hierarchical structure and organized mechanism for fundraising. Between 2006, when it began assistance to Africa, and 2013, KYM provided about $65.4 million to 45 countries. KYM assistance to Africa reached its highest point in 2011, but it has since declined; in 2013 it distributed about $17.5 million to 43 African countries, with most aid going to development projects, health, education, water wells and support for orphans. During Ramadan KYM offers iftar (fastbreaking meals) and food packages in many SSA countries. The AKP government’s efforts against the Gülenist movement have even extended to KYM, which has had its bank accounts frozen and which was reported in April 2015 to be under investigation for alleged terrorist activities.101 None the less, KYM, which inter alia aims to build 1,000 new schools in Africa by 2020, has subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Union on efforts to increase cooperation in aid, development and education...


SOURCE: https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/field/field_document/20150909TurkeySubSaharanAfricaShinn.pdf

Thought & Practice Series: Gülen on Dialogue

This publication is about the thought and practice espoused and practised by Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet movement. Fethullah Gülen is one of the most important Muslim scholars of our time for whom dialogue is not just about overcoming problems of the globalising world but is necessitated by the essence of humanity and the spirit and teachings of Islam. Therefore, dialogue is an ever-present and underlying theme for Gülen in addition to being a particular area of thought and practice that he seeks to promote and develop. What is significant about Gülen, however, is that he is not just a scholar and thinker but also a doer who has inspired millions to think and act alongside him in what has now emerged as a civil society movement known as the Hizmet movement.

This publication provides a short biography of Gülen’s life in relation to his dialogue efforts and then goes on to study the main features and characteristics of his dialogue thought such as: love, tolerance, empathetic acceptance, positive action, and humility. It then explores how Gülen’s notion of dialogue, dialogically developed and practised by the Hizmet movement, is now being put into practice in different parts of the world. The section on practice concludes with a list of the twelve ‘dialogue principles’ extrapolated from Gülen’s teachings and the Hizmet movement’s practice.

Source: Center for Hizmet Studies

Religious Festivals by Fethullah Gulen

On the occasion of Eid Al Adha, it's appropriate to revisit Fethullah Gulen's article on religious festivals, particularly from a Muslim scholar's perspective

See also these popular blog posts:
Rumi Forum's Suggested Links - Media, Conferences, Writings
Washington Post editors at Rumi Forum
NEW YORK TIMES - Full interview with Fethullah Gulen by Brian Knowlton




Issue 7 / July - September 1994

Religious Festivals

M. Fethullah Gulen

Almost every nation has religious festivals to commemorate important events in their history or to celebrate special occasions.

There are two religious festivals in Islam. ‘Id al-Fitr, the festival of the breaking of the fast, comes at the end of the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. ‘Id al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, comes on the tenth of Dhu’I-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year in which the pilgrimage is performed. Both festivals enjoy a very special place in the life of Muslims and leave indelible impressions on the culture of Muslim people.

Religious festivals for Muslims are times of heightened Islamic thoughts and feelings when memories of a long and honourable past are revived, recalled and ‘lived’ afresh with all its joys and sorrows.

Religious festivals are, for Muslims, occasions of paradoxical feelings - pangs of separation and hopes of re-union, regrets and expectations, and joys and sorrows. While on the one hand, they feel sadness over losses in either individual or national spheres, on the other, they feel, paradoxically, the exhilarating pleasure of an expected revival, like the revival of nature in spring after a severe winter.

Muslims enjoy the pleasure of re-union and of a universal brotherhood on festival days. They smile at each other lovingly, greet each other respectfully, and pay visits to each other. Members of divided families whom modern, industrialized life has forced to live apart from each other in different towns, come together and feel the intoxicating pleasure of once more eating together and spending a few days together.

For Muslims, religious festivals are occasions for spiritual revival through seeking God’s forgiveness and praising and glorifying Him. They are enraptured by special supplications, odes and eulogies for the Prophet. Especially in traditional circles where the traces of the past are still alive, people experience the meaning of the festival in a more vivid, colourful fashion, on cushions or sofas, or around stoves or fire-places in their humble houses or cottages, or under the trees among the flowers in their gardens, or in the spacious halls of their homes. They feel the meaning of the festival in each morsel they eat, in each sip they drink and in each word they speak about their traditional and religious values.

Religious festivals are of a much greater significance for children. They feel a different joy and pleasure in the warm, embracing climate of the festivals, which they have been preparing to welcome a few days before. Like nightingales singing on branches of trees, they cause us to experience the festivals more deeply through their plays, songs, smiles and cheers.

Religious festivals provide the most practical means for improving human relationships. People experience a deep inward pleasure, they meet and exchange good wishes in a blessed atmosphere of spiritual harmony. It is especially when the festival permeates hearts with prayer and supplications performed consciously that souls are elevated to the realm of eternity. They then feel the urge to get rid of the clutches of worldly attachments and live in the depths of their spiritual being. In the atmosphere overflowing with love and mercy, a new hope is injected with life.

Believing souls welcome the religious festivals with wonder, expectations and otherworldly pleasures. It is, indeed, difficult to understand fully what believing souls feel during the religious festivals in the depths of their hearts. To perceive the feelings that the festivals arouse in pure souls who lead their life in ecstasies of otherworldly pleasures, it is necessary to experience such pleasures in the same degree.

Having reached the day of the festival after fulfilling their prescribed duty and responsibility, these souls display such a dignity and serenity, such a grace and spiritual excellence that those who see them think that they have all received a perfect religious and spiritual education. Some of them are so sincere and so devoted to God that each seems to represent the outcome of a long glorious history and to be the embodiment of centuries-old universal values. One may experience through their conduct and manners that taste of the fruits of Paradise, the peaceful atmosphere on the slopes of firdaws-the highest abode in Paradise-and the delight of being near to God.

SOURCE:  http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/Religious-Festivals

HUFFINGTON POST : Hate Speech is Undermining Turkey's Fragile Democracy By Emre Celik

Rumi Forum's Emre Celik penned his most recent op-ed in the Huffington Post considering the anti-Hizmet and anti-Gulen stance that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken. The video used in the article is of particularly interest - watch it below.
---

Many TV viewers could not believe their ears upon hearing the terms "blood sucking vampires, leeches, traitors, spies, worse than Shiites, and assassins" uttered by then Turkish prime minister Erdogan in his political rallies.

Immediately after a graft probe involving members of his cabinet became public, then prime minister Erdogan targeted the Gülen movement (a.k.a. Hizmet), one of the largest faith-based communities in Turkey, with offensive statements. Erdogan labeled the probes "a political coup" and accused prosecutors, police chiefs and judges involved in the probes as being sympathizers of Fethullah Gulen. In the subsequent months, the prime minister used every opportunity to defame and slander Gulen and his sympathizers with phrases like "Pennsylvania gang", referring to Gulen's state of residence. In a report published recently, D.C.-based Think Tank ReThink underlined that Erdogan's language clearly represents hate speech as defined by European Court of Human Rights.

A video with English translations illustrates the vulgar language and hate speech used by Erdogan, who has relentlessly worked to make Gulen's sympathizers a scape goat and ostracize part of the Turkish society as part of a campaign to cover up the corruption investigations involving his cabinet members and his government's violation of human rights and eradication of freedoms.

Erdogan has employed a multidimensional effort to intimidate, silence and otherwise persecute every institution or individual remotely associated with Gulen. The latest victim of this campaign is Asya Bank, which is targeted by politicized regulatory bodies in Turkey under pressure by Erdogan.

Hizmet is a recognized global civic society movement in as many as 160 countries. The movement benefits the less fortunate with educational and peace-building efforts. They address poverty, illiteracy and ignorance by investing in schools, hospitals, dialogue centers, relief work and numerous other NGOs. Participants and volunteers number in the millions across six continents.

Active since the early 1970's, the movement has more than four decades of experience dealing with difficult circumstances. Mr. Gulen's numerous media interviews attest to his firm belief in the rule of law, human rights, due process and the service to others, as well as his belief and love in God and country. A 60 Minutes report on CBS News reveals the passion with which Hizmet participants work and uphold the values of democracy, respect and education.

It's not hard to recall that Turkey was once a model democracy in the Middle East and was the example many commentators hailed during the Arab Spring. Sadly, that is no longer the case.

During my private conversations in Washington DC, many scholars and experts have come to realize the U-turn Erdogan made during his third term in office. More recently, Erdogan's refusal to provide full support for the campaign against ISIS terrorist organization puzzled Turkey's western allies.

Despite the sympathy they felt for the 49 hostages held by ISIS, Turkey's friends have hard time understanding Turkish leaders' failure to commit to stopping ISIS recruitment in Turkey and their funding mechanisms that rely on Turkish border transactions.

Like many, I too was naive. Like others, we saw the AKP's efforts to improve and increase interest in EU ascension, rule of law, constitutional reform, democratic values, respect and rights to all sectors of society, basic human rights as sincere.

Erdogan's U-Turn is understood in many D.C. circles as "power poisoning". Unfortunately, Turkish society is no stranger to authoritarian practices by their government or military-dominated post-coup administrations.

On the back of a seemingly economic high, at least until recently, Erdogan continues to win elections and grows his illiberal democracy. To this end, he may appear successful. But such derision and polarization in a country -- and history has shown this -- is not sustainable. They've gone from being 'justice and development' party to 'justice or development'.

President Obama smartly reprimanded Erdogan for polarizing the community and increasing anti-Semitism . While the world's major leaders came together at the NATO summit to discuss ISIS and terrorism, Erdogan was happy to bring to the fore to discuss Gulen and Hizmet.

Erdogan's demise will not come at the hand of foreign plots or alleged domestic coups - but by his very own hands. His polarizing rhetoric shows no signs of care for the country's social cohesion.

See related Huffington Post articles:
Fethullah Gulen's Message Condemning ISIS Appears in 5 U.S. Dailies Today
Fethullah Gulen: From Izmir to the Global Hizmet Movement

SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emre-celik/hate-speech-is-underminin_b_5902958.html

FOREIGN AFFAIRS :The Muslim Martin Luther? by Victor Gaetan

Foreign Affairs magazine published an important article by Victor Gaetan on Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement. Below is an exerpt and link to the orginal article.

...His commitment to education as the main solution to problems plaguing most Muslim societies is the most concrete expression of Gulen's religious teachings. Drawing on Islam's sacred texts -- the Koran, hadith (words of the Prophet), and Sira (biography of the Prophet) -- as well as Turkish and Ottoman cultural tradition, Gulen has developed a distinct form of Islamic theology that puts social engagement, not political engagement, at its center.... Read More

Fethullah Gulen's firm position against terrorism on Rita Cosby's Show

Radio show host Rita Cosby discusses Fethullah Gulen's strong position against terrorism with Alp Aslandogan. Gulen was the first scholar in the Islamic world to condemn 9/11 attacks by saying "no muslim can be a terrorist and no terrorist can be a Muslim."

HUFFINGTON POST Op-Ed: Fethullah Gulen: From Izmir to the Global Hizmet Movement by Emre Celik, President, Rumi Forum

Gulen's name has progressively reached a wider Western audience. From the New York Times to 60 Minutes, the average American has had slight and subtle exposure. But over the last two months, Gulen's name has been featured prominently in the global press (such as the BBC who scored a very rare video interview). Now there are thousands of references to his name in the world media. Attention is being paid.

But, let us note that most of news coverage paints Gulen within a political narrative -- forgetting (or ignoring) four decades of civil society advocacy, education and dialogue activities and support for democracy and human rights. There is more to Gulen than this current political paradigm. Some history and perspective will help set the facts straight.

Gulen was raised in a very pious family in Eastern Turkey in traditional Sunni Islam while also being immersed in various sufi teachings. He was trained in the spiritual and religious sciences, both at home and under the tutelage of the region's religious and spiritual masters. He was very influenced by the sufi works of Rumi and Yunus Emre.

He was also introduced to Said Nursi's Risale-i Nur ("Treatise of Light") a collection of some 6000 pages on issues of faith and science and their interdependence. In one section Nursi's speaks of the three social ills in the Muslim world being ignorance, poverty and disunity, and the responsibility of all Muslims to overcome these. Gulen takes this social awareness one very important step further -- these three social issues are not Muslim specific, but affect all humanity, and that it is incumbent on all Muslims to help alleviate them no matter one's race, creed or color. These are the intellectual seeds for Gulen's "Service" Movement (Hizmet in Turkish).

During the late 1960s and 1970s, Gulen preached these ideals from the mosque pulpit to local coffee houses in Izmir, Turkey's third largest city, and garnered a following -- particularly among the local business people and, later, university students. His eloquence and oratory skills, his passion and tears-filled discourses, his love of country, love of God and Prophet Muhammed, love for humanity, his encouragement of service, and his desire to break the rigid mold of building mosque and madrassa initially led to a small fan base of supporters who volunteered and raised funds to support the first small dormitory and education center in the seventies. During his travels as a guest preacher, he became more well-known and popular throughout Anatolia. Similar projects begin outside of Izmir. During this time in 1979, supporters began publishing Sizinti (meaning a spring or fountain), a magazine dedicated to spiritual values and science. Throughtout the '80s, institutions start to increase in size and number. The first private college opens in Istanbul in 1986 -- the private Fatih High School.

During this time Zaman newspaper is purchased with an daily circulation of approximately 5000. Today, it is Turkey's most read newspaper with more than 1.2 million daily circulation. In 2007, an English daily, Today's Zaman started publication. With time various institutions were founded and multiplied, amongst them FEM prep schools, Fatih University, Kaynak Publishing Group, Samanyolu Television Group, Kimse Yokmu a relief and humanitarian aide organization now services more than 100 countries through various social service and community building projects and relief work. Dialogue and bringing together polarized communities was an essential element in Gulen's message and the first organization to bring together disparate sectors of society was the Journalists and Writers Foundation which brought together Turks and Kurds, the political left and right, Alevis and Sunnis, secular liberals and religious conservatives and Muslims and Non-Muslims. Tuskon, a national federation of various regional and provincial business networks, now has the largest membership in Turkey of any business organization with numerous international offices encouraging trade and cooperation.

All these institutions added to the Hizmet's mix of civil society initiatives -- all with those initial three social issues in mind. Numerous and various institutions supporting these shared values appeared throughout Turkey over these past four decades. In the early 1990s with the break up of the Soviet Union, Gulen encouraged business people to take up the challenges of Central Asia. Within a short time with the assistance of philanthropic business people investing in the region schools began to open. Similarly through business people's and university students' engagement with local diaspora groups, Gulen's ideas spread initially through Europe, Australia and North America and later Africa, Asia and South America.

The role model and positive activism of Hizmet participants were crucial in this process. As too was the example of institutions already flourishing and successful in Turkey. Gulen's articles, books, audio and video cassettes also played an important intellectual role.

Follow Emre Celik on Twitter: www.twitter.com/emrecelikrumi

SOURCE: bit.ly/Izmir2Global 

Huffington Post Op-Ed from Rumi Forum President, Emre Celik: “To Good To Be True”

When was the last time you heard that?

I've heard it a few times -- here's the story.

I am now in my fifth year in Washington, D.C., having immigrated from Australia. Here I have had the pleasure and responsibility of presiding over the Rumi Forum, an organization dedicated to interfaith and intercultural understanding. As part of my position I have the good fortune to travel and talk about issues relating to pluralism, social cohesion, and peaceful coexistence.

On one occasion returning from a speaking engagement in Jacksonville, Florida, I stopped over at the Philadelphia airport for a short commute to a similar engagement at Georgetown, Delaware. I was seated amongst numerous dignitaries including State Legislators and various community leaders. After initial pleasantries we started speaking about the role of the Rumi Forum, and in particular the inspiration that Fethullah Gulen plays (Gulen is our Honorary President), and the motivation behind a global movement, Hizmet). This person had been on one of our study trips to Turkey as part of our intercultural mission to better educate leaders about this important Muslim majority country and strategic U.S. (and Western) ally. He knew quite well the important role Hizmet had played through numerous NGOs both globally and in the U.S. in regards to the values of civilizational dialogue, democracy, human rights, and respect for the 'other'.

Yet at the end of the conversation he leant over to me and said, "I like what the forum and the wider movement does, but it's too good to be true."

Three days later, I was in Norfolk, Virginia, to speak at our local chapter's awards night. I sat next to one of the recipients. An important civil servant, he had worked hard and passionately on various initiatives. He hadn't known much about our forum but had inclined to accept the award after some personal research. After we had developed a rapport, he turned to me and said, "Emre, I respect all that you do and am honored to be receiving this award but it's too good to be true."

In my five years in this position, I had only heard those words twice, and they were three days apart. I wasn't at all surprised. People for various reasons can have doubt or be skeptical about individuals or groups. But at the same time, I was somewhat saddened that after close to 15 years of service to the wider American community, particularly in the wider D.C. metropolitan area, the forum had people that had known us and our mission well or had come into contact with us through various programs still fostered doubt.

I wasn't sure if it was our Muslimness, or Turkishness or the fact that the forum is part of a global movement (only becoming recently known to the wider American population through various articles) that somehow led to such skepticism. Is it purely a post 9/11 syndrome by a small minority or simply an attitude toward all forms of 'other' -- and we happen to be the new or current 'other'?

Does such skepticism further ostracize the 'other' or does it give rise to greater motivation and encouragement for such communities, groups and organizations to be more proactive? I believe it is the latter. Our passion for community service can (and never should) be dampened by a handful. We need to ask ourselves, "What can we do further to bridge the gap between communities and eradicate doubt, prejudice and misunderstanding -- personally, socially and intellectually?"

We should all be proactive in dialogue, and this is not too good to be true!

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emre-celik/too-good-to-be-true_1_b_4350879.html

VIDEOS: The Hizmet Movement and Peacebuilding: Global Cases

More than 20 countries represented by scholars - watch the videos of Symposium on:

Hizmet Movement and Peacebuilding : Global Cases

held at the National Press Club in Washington DC on October 24-26 2013.

INTERVIEW Professor Wagner: With Gülen, the key is love

5 November 2013 /AYDOĞAN VATANDAŞ, NEW YORK

In his recent book, “Beginnings and Endings -- Fethullah Gülen’s Vision for Today’s World,” Professor Walter Wagner shares his insights about Gülen’s take on Islamic eschatology and the challenges of the contemporary word. According to the Wagner, the world is faced with a leadership crisis whose resolution could fulfill the prophetic message of love to human beings. In the last century, the world suffered under authoritarian leaders who were unable to meet the needs of the people.

Wagner says: “There was a Hitler, there was a Stalin, and there was an Osama bin Laden. We must be very careful and we must examine the heart. In Gülen’s case, the key is love. If the charismatic leader does not lead you to love, does not lead you to acceptance, you should be careful. We live in a world where people are hungry for leadership and, in this country, hungry for leadership and the end of stalemates. We need to say we need leadership. Some of that will be God-given, but also cultivated. [It is] cultivated in the mosques, in the schools, in the churches and synagogues, and it means not fearing the other person. That’s key. Gülen is not afraid.”

Today’s Zaman interviewed Wagner about his recent book and his insights about Fethullah Gülen.

How did the idea to write a book about Mr. Gülen arise?

I have a number of students at the Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. I also teach at the Lutheran Centre. I am a Christian, I’m a Lutheran-style Protestant Christian and I have a number of Turkish Muslim students who are members of Hizmet, are inspired by Hocaefendi Fethullah Gülen. I also had the honor -- I don’t know if that’s right [to say that I had dinner with Mr. Gülen] -- to even have dinner, once, with him and with several others and I was very impressed by the spirituality and the depth of the man. He does have an atmosphere about him, [a] very gentle atmosphere, but yet deep. This became quite clear. And along with that, I became interested in him. [My] book on the Quran [“Opening the Qu’ran: Introducing Islam’s Holy Book”] was written before I had any contact with Hizmet or before I had contact with any Turkish community. I had been to Turkey once on a tour as a result of iftar dinners. There was a conference at Temple University, in Philadelphia, at that conference someone asked me if I’d like to present a paper. Academic 15 minutes of fame; actually it was squished down to 12 minutes since I was the last one and told, “Hurry up, because there’s another use for this room.” It was a conference on Fethullah Gülen and his views and influence on peace, environment and the Creation. I began to think, “How could I do something?” It occurred to me that the heart of his theology and his spirituality and of the movement is in the creation of the world, the creation of human beings and the destiny of human beings and the afterlife with, “What do you do in between?” Your beginning and resurrection. It seems to me, reading him and the reading of Said Nursi, that that was the key to his thought, but in looking at the literature and in looking at what others have said, they spoke more of him and of Nursi and of Hizmet as social movements, of changing the society, dealing with curriculum and so on. And I thought, you have to see the larger picture of where this life begin, what it is all about and where it’s going and then -- also it was part of the study of the Quran that I had these materials -- it became helpful to, then, look at that and to be helped by the students.

Eschatology-related issues at center

So, you primarily focused on his vision and thoughts about the beginning of the worlds and his vision about eschatology. This is why eschatology-related issues are very central in your book. Is that correct?

Yes, especially about before the absolute end. There are two ways of looking at end, one is cut off, another one is fulfillment -- this is also Biblical, both are in the Bible, both are in Christianity and in Judaism -- and he looks for the fulfillment of this world with a role of Jesus/Isa, peace be upon him. … You don’t have to run directly to chopping off the world. … God gives us the opportunities to fulfill God’s plan in this world now. That’s one of the ideas to fight ignorance, poverty and division. It fits with the plan of Hizmet.

Is there anything you’d like to share with us about your impressions from when you talked to him?

In the conversation with him, the deep respect that he engenders. For those who know him, he is the kind of person [that] when he comes into a room [people stand up], not just because the students … or the people I was with know him. … He’s a man whose presence makes you want to stand up, out of respect for him, out of honoring him. He was able in the conversation to draw people out. He does not speak English, so we had a translator. How he engaged everyone around the table, very quietly but very insightfully, taking a person’s comment or question and making more of it than the question asker ever thought would be there and engaging with [it]. When someone said something, Hocaefendi would say, “Well, think of it this way.” He is a good teacher.

Tell us a little bit about your methodology. What kind of research did you do, what kind of books did you read to write this book?

Part of my own academic preparation, my field is early Christian history and the whole … of Christian history, as well as Biblical material. So I was familiar with eschatology. I have taught courses on the testaments and in those areas. I knew a little something about Islam. I grew to know more about it. Part of the methodology, as you ask, was in the research. I was, actually, working on another book, which is still in a box in my study. When they suggested, “Why don’t you go ahead and take the paper that you gave at Temple, flesh it out and go with it?”

Let’s talk a little bit about the similarities and differences between the perceptions of eschatology in these three religions. Do you think that eschatology is as central to Islam as it is to Christianity?

I think so but the term is not used in Islam. End times, resurrection may be more terms that are used but I think the concept is present. In Judaism it’s very much mixed, as it would be biblically, in what the Christians would call the Old Testament. Sometimes many Jews would say, “We’ll leave that to people who speculate, to people who want to set up calendars.” That’s very dangerous; there are Muslims who want to set up calendars as well. Muslim apocalyptic thinking, end-of-the-world kind of thinking. Most Jews will say, “Let God take care of it. We’ll work as hard as we can with justice, compassion.”

[In] Christianity, this is very different. Christianity grows out of Judaism as a movement within Judaism that stressed the coming of the Kingdom of God, and the question was, “When is it coming?’ Some looked at it as end, some looked at it as fulfillment, and biblically, in Christianity, those two ideas go side by side. There is a concept among some Christians, which will have Jesus influencing the world from a heavenly place or another dimension … and inspiring persons to live as best as they can, in mercy, compassion, service, humility, not giving into the affairs of society, the morality of society. That passes into Islam and that was one of the things I saw in Hocaefendi. Where Jesus does not have to return physically but can be an influence on persons who are attuned, whether they are Muslim, Christian or Jewish or they don’t know what they are yet.

Gülen at the center of Islamic thought

When you focused on Mr. Gülen’s opinions about eschatology, what is your take on that?

I think what he’s adding to, what he’s doing with this -- he is creatively taking the material from the Quran, from Hadiths materials and from Said Nursi, for example, and he’s creatively combining these, seeing how these ideas have developed, with an Islamic center to it. He is in the center of Islamic thought; he’s not off on any edge for he has his own voice; he’s not copying anyone, in a sense, just bringing it all together, hanging it all together. But rather, he has added the dimension that we need to understand a way in which to do things which aim at justice and aim at lifting people out of despair into hope. On that basis, there’s something distinct for him to see: That, as some of you are aware, the three great problems are ignorance, poverty and division. They ought to be addressed through education, social justice, lifting people up and dialogue. I think, and I’m trying to make a point, that it is very important that in interreligious dialogue -- we do that in our area, we have 10 or 12 sessions, we’ll bring Muslims and Christians to address more spiritual issues -- we need to address the issue of eschatology, that is yet to be addressed in the dialogues. We can talk about the Quran, we can talk about scripture, we can talk about prophecy, spirituality, family, women’s relationships and what they do with the kids. But to get to the deeper levels, we have to talk about what is life about. Where is it going and how we’re going to get there.

Islam is identified with violence and terror due to the wrongdoings of some groups or people in the Muslim world. How do you think Mr. Gülen has distanced himself from this and managed to promote exactly the opposite? What is his difference? How do you think he managed to do that and what was his motivation?

I think he’s been very clear, he has written about that. … He was very clear: “You cannot be a Muslim and a terrorist.” I think that was the name of one of his articles. It took a full page in the New York Times. No one was listening. The noise of 9/11 was too great for other voices to be heard. .. The Islamic Republic of Iran, for example, was one of the first to speak against that, as were many other Muslim groups. I think what he has done; he has certainly and consistently said that a Muslim cannot do it. The Quran forbids it. That this is a disaster that has been perpetrated in the name of Islam, and I think he has shown passages of the Quran. I think the movement, Hizmet, is emphasizing the role of dialogue and cooperation and to find the spiritual grounds rather than the political grounds for cooperation. It’s easy to talk about that we shouldn’t destroy each other, let’s maybe have tea together. That’s ok, that’s dialogue by tea and baklava but you need kebabs, you need to go deeper than that. He’s distancing himself, I think, through organizations that are taking shape in these Peace Islands Institutes. To create these islands of peace that can, then, grow into continents, as well as I understand some of that. To say that there is, also, an Islamic understanding of exertion for justice, for understanding, for education and for helping. The founding of schools and universities in Central Asia is highly important. What kind of Islam will come into Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the old Soviet Republics?

Some believe that interfaith dialogue is actually impossible. What’s your response to that?

Religions don’t dialogue, people do. That would be very important. People need to come together. They need to have baklava. They need to have whole meals together, to sit and talk with each other. I think through the students here present, that there is the hope, the expectation. Also, for characters of my age, I’m further down the chronological path than most people here, we must leave a better world behind us and we can do it! What Gülen has done is to really say, we have the ability to do it, get busy doing it. I’m not quite clear about the relationships of the Turkish movements and the other movements in the Muslim world, the connections.

I think you can point to people like Mahatma Gandhi, Archbishop Romero in El Salvador, young John Sobrino and others who are this way. There’s some kind of spiritual gift that these persons are given by God. We’d call this in Christianity a charisma, a gift that comes from outside. These persons can be inspired. They have a kind of magnetism to themselves, as well as a kind of sharing that will engender cooperation from others so that they’ll be, I don’t want to use the word infected. They’ll transmit this kind [of gift]. I think Prophet Muhammad, Jesus and others have this gift. They can bring people together and then send them out as well. This takes what can be called, biblically and also Islamically, the Wisdom of God. That’s one of the beautiful names of God in Islam. Also, very important is that such individuals walk the straight path. To go in the straight way that has been lined up. There can be people who have magnetism about them and send people out for destructive purposes, as well. I’m a German immigrant, old enough. There was a Hitler, there was a Stalin, and there was an Osama Bin Laden. We must be very careful and we must examine the heart. In Gülen’s case, the key is love. If the charismatic leader does not lead you to love, does not lead you to acceptance, you should be careful. We live in a world where people are hungry for leadership and, in this country, hungry for leadership and the end of stalemates. We need to say we need leadership. Some of that will be God-given, but also cultivated. Cultivated in the mosques, in the schools, in the churches and synagogues, and it means not fearing the other person. That’s key. Gülen is not afraid.

Profile:

Professor Walter Wagner is adjunct professor of history and Islamic studies at Moravian Theological Seminary. He is the author of a number of books, including “Opening the Qur’an: Introducing Islam’s Holy Book” and “After the Apostles: Christianity in the Second Century.”

SOURCE: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-330654-professor-wagner-with-gulen-the-key-is-love.html

NEW BOOK: So That Others May Live: A Fethullah Gulen Reader

Fethullah Gülen is undoubtedly one of the most influential Muslim thinkers of our time. His work and writings have inspired a transnational civic movement that advocates for education, promotes intercultural and interfaith understanding, and delivers humanitarian aid and disaster relief. Originated in Turkey, this “Hizmet” or “Gülen Movement” is active in more than one hundred countries across the globe.

So That Others May Live offers a definitive compilation of Gülen’s characteristic essays. Some of them are available here in English for the first time. The rest have been carefully re-translated and edited, providing even familiar readers with new insight into Gülen’s most remarkable writings on faith, morality, education, civic service, and modern civilization. Together, this selection functions as a valuable guide to the ethical impetuses of a global social movement—one that has rooted itself in Gülen’s signature synthesis of humanism and Islam.

About the Author:
Erkan M. Kurt is a researcher at the Institute of Interfaith Dialog, Houston, TX. He has a PhD in Islamic theology and a Master’s degree in Christian theology. He is the author of Creation: The Principle of Nature in Islamic Metaphysics.

More Info: http://www.amazon.com/That-Others-May-Live-Fethullah/dp/1935295209

THE ATLANTIC: A Rare Meeting With Reclusive Turkish Spiritual Leader Fethullah Gulen

See also:

• FINANCIAL TIMES - Opinion (Op-ed) by Fethullah Gulen: Violence is not in the tradition of the Prophet
• F.A.Z. - Do good and let it unfold
• NEW YORK TIMES - Original interview transcript
• NEW YORK TIMES - Turkish Schools Offer Pakistan a Gentler Vision of Islam
• CBS News - Fethullah Gulen and the 60 minutes 'web extras'
• CHICAGO TRIBUNE - Patriarch Bartholomew praises Gülen's dialogue efforts
• read more press articles & interviews

*JAMIE TARABAY

Fethullah Gulen is a Turkish religious spiritual leader, some say to millions of Turks both in Turkey and around the world, and the head of the Gulenist movement. His network of followers span the globe and have opened academically-focused schools across 90 countries, including the U.S.

The hocaefendi, meaning "respected teacher," as he is called, left Turkey in 1998 to avoid charges from the Turkish government of involvement in anti-secular activities. He eventually settled in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, where he continues to preach, write, and guide his followers through television and the Internet.

He is sickly and doesn't travel, yet secular Turks worry his influence in political ranks will grow Islamist influence there and turn the country into a religious state. He is well-known in Turkey and across Central Asia, yet here in the United States, he remains a mystery.

The reclusive spiritualist keeps to his home in the Poconos, attended by believers, praying, lecturing, and claiming his influence is not as wide-ranging as his critics claim it to be. He rarely gives interviews, but I was recently allowed to travel to the idyllic resort-like compound he has been living in for around 14 years and meet with Gulen for an interview.

An edited transcript of his translated answers follows:

The Atlantic: It's so rare to have an interview with you, why is that?

Fethullah Gulen: I grew up in a humble family with a shy personality. I accept these kind offers out of respect for those who are requesting such interviews, otherwise, I would prefer to live a secluded life just by myself.

We just saw your living quarters, and I saw a very small bed, a small mat, a small room. When you can have all the space you need, why do you use such a small area for yourself?

My whole life has been this way, during my years as a student, and later on in life I have always lived in such humble spaces. It's because I would like to live like my fellow citizens because I consider myself among them. By no means do I consider myself superior in any sense. Also, it is in my nature. I believe in the hereafter; I believe that's the true life, therefore I don't want to attach myself too much to this world.

Do you still teach every day?

I try to spend time with the students here every day as much as my health allows me. Some days my health prevents me from doing so, but I'd like to continue to study with them for as long as I am alive.

I heard you had no female students.

In Turkey, our friends are running a program in which female students are taking graduate-level courses in divinity. Here, the same system couldn't be replicated, but there are ladies who regularly follow the lectures.

According to Islamic tradition, is the role of women limited to motherhood?

No, it is not. The noble position of motherhood aside, our general opinion about women is that, while taking into account their specific needs, it should be made possible for them to take on every role, including the jobs of physician, military officer, judge and president of a country. As a matter of fact, in every aspect of life throughout history Muslim women made contributions to their society. In the golden age (referring to the years during Mohammed's lifetime) starting with Aisha, Hafsa, and Um Salama (the Prophet's wives), had their places among the jurists and they taught men.

When these examples are taken into consideration, it would be clearly understood that it is out of the question to restrict the lives of women, narrowing down their activities. Unfortunately, the isolation of women from social activities in some places today, a practice that stems from the misinterpretation of Islamic sources, has been a subject of a worldwide propaganda campaign against Islam.

If there is one thing that you would say to people here in this country who don't know a lot about you, your beliefs and your teachings, what would that message be?

I don't have a need to promote myself. I've never sought to be known or recognized by people. I simply share ideas I believe in with people around me. If people recognize me despite that, that's their mistake. But my core belief is to seek peace in the world, helping people eliminate certain malevolent attitudes through education as much as possible. An Arabic proverb says: "If something cannot be attained fully, it shouldn't be abandoned completely."

What message do you have for Americans who are concerned about the number of charter schools founded by people you inspire? How do you expect that influence to reflect on that educator's life?

First of all, let me clarify that I have never been personally involved in the founding or operation of any school. My influence, if any, has been through my sermons, talks and seminars. If I have any credit among the people who listen to my words, I have channeled that credit or credibility to encouraging them to establish institutions of education. I have tried to explain that we can achieve peace and reconciliation around the world only through raising a generation of people who read, who think critically, who love fellow humans and who offer their assets in service of humanity.

You don't seek to be noticed, yet you were one of TIME's 100 people, and called a voice of moderation that is desperately needed. Why? And what more could other moderate voices do to be heard today?

Although there are voices of moderation around the world, it's sometimes hard to reach a consensus among them. Perhaps what is more important is to be an example. Could Turkey be an example in this regard? Could this movement be an example, could this community be an example? I believe if we're to face ourselves, ask ourselves, perhaps because we haven't been able to set a good example and fully represent our values, there hasn't been great interest or sympathy in the world. But we are hopeful, that God willing this will happen. These views were not welcome in Turkey, but now they are slowly being embraced. If you remember, when I said 20 years ago that democracy was a process from which there would be no return, certain media organizations that are now supportive of the present government were very skeptical and they criticized me severely.

You said earlier if you live in a democracy where you have full freedom of expression as a Muslim, then there's no need for any other kind of government. What is an example of being a Muslim without that freedom of expression, and what should they do in that situation?

In many places around the world, including Turkey until the 1950s, Muslims didn't have full freedom of religion. Even personal practice was not allowed, and they had to practice in secret. I remember when I was in elementary school around the age of 6 and when I did my noon prayer during recess once, I was locked in the basement as punishment by the principal. Such pressure was real. Today, on the one hand, some Muslims face oppression and in response, certain individuals commit suicide attacks. Religion doesn't condone or justify responding to those who oppress with oppression. Today, Muslims face oppressive conditions in some places, and Christians in others. Some things take time. All humanity should embrace a peaceful attitude, but this can only be achieved in the long term through rehabilitation of society. Can we achieve this? We will achieve whatever we can, and for our unrealized goals, we will be rewarded for our intention.

Many people love you, but there are also many people who fear you. Some want you to return to Turkey, and others fear what you might do should you go there.

I am neither the first nor the last to create such polarized attitudes and perspectives. Indeed throughout history, friends of the truth have faced obstacles and enmity, including the messengers of God. Perhaps, when looking at this situation, we should say that maybe we haven't represented ourselves or explained ourselves accurately to people. When we reflect on this, we should say, "If we were able to make it clear that we have nothing for them to be concerned about, then they wouldn't harbor enmity against us." We should give others the benefit of the doubt. Around the world, whole societies experience paranoia. And people in Turkey are also affected by this. We should act and express ourselves in such a way that eliminates every negative thought or suspicion. But we should also accept the fact that some people have historically entrenched attitudes and cannot change. So it is not possible to be praised and loved at the same degree by everybody.

Chief Rabbi of Israel Eliyahu Bakshi Doron, left, gives a vase as gift to Islamic scholar and spiritual leader Fethullah Gulen, right, during his visit to Istanbul on Feb. 25, 1998. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)

Some statements concerning Jews or Israel in your early sermons have been perceived as anti-Semitic. How do you respond to this?

We can consider this matter from different angles. First, it is always possible for a person to go through an evolution in his thinking. In an article I wrote years ago I asked: Are you today the same person as yesterday? And are your interlocutors the same people as yesterday? Neither you are exactly the same person, nor are your interlocutors, which means tomorrow neither of you will be the same person either.

The actions and attitudes of your interlocutors affect your views and expressions. During the interfaith dialogue process of the 1990s, I had a chance to get to know practitioners of non-Muslim faiths better, and I felt a need to revise my expressions from earlier periods.

I sincerely admit that I might have misunderstood some verses and prophetic sayings. I realized and then stated that the critiques and condemnations that are found in the Koran or prophetic tradition are not targeted against people who belong to a religious group, but at characteristics that can be found in any person.

In some cases my words have been taken out of context. Sometimes people with questionable intentions selectively extract statements from my speeches and writings without regard to the context or circumstances. My efforts for interfaith dialogue were criticized as softening Muslims' perspectives on Jews and Christians. I have not done anything that I did not believe to be in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammed. He was the one who stood for a funeral procession of a Jewish resident of Medina, showing respect for a deceased fellow human being.

It is a fact that I criticized certain actions of Israel in the past. But in my mosque sermons, I also categorically condemn terrorism and suicide bombings that target innocent civilians.

Why do you choose to stay in Pennsylvania?

Although there are no legal obstacles for my return to Turkey, I am concerned that certain circles are waiting for an opportunity to reverse the democratic reforms that were started in the early 1990s and accelerated in the last decade. I am concerned that these elements will try to take advantage of my return by putting the government in a difficult position. I have to sacrifice my intense desire to return to my homeland in the interest of both Turkey and the good work of volunteers of the (Gulen) movement around the world. I feel that I need to live with my pain of yearning to return and stay here until there are no more concerns about the consolidation of democratic reforms. Additionally, while in Turkey, I would seek corrections and possible legal actions against libel and slander. Here, I am away from such harassment, and I am less affected by them. I find this place more tranquil.

How do you view Turkey's current political ambitions and place in the world?

Turkey is in accession talks with the European Union. Part of Turkey is considered in Europe and the other part in Asia, and sometimes it is considered in the Middle East. It stands in a very important place geographically and politically. It is crucial for Turkey to preserve and advance its achievements in democratization, thanks in part to its ongoing relationship with the European Union.

Turkey also needs to make use of certain dynamics to take on a more active role in the region. For instance, if there is a favorable view and positive perception of Turkey due to its historic ties in the region, Turkey should be careful to protect those perceptions. It should protect its reputation. Good relationships and influence depend on love, respect, and good will, and collaborating around mutually agreeable goals. Is Turkey doing these fully today or not? This is a question that deserves discussion. If Turkey is indeed able to develop good diplomatic relations in the region, I believe it will be in the interest of Europe, the United States and the world. But I don't think Turkey is doing what it can toward this end at the moment.

How would you define your vision of Islam and the kind of Muslim you are?

I consider myself an ordinary Muslim who is constantly working to put himself in the framework established by the Koran and the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed. I study the works of experts of jurisprudence, Koranic commentary, hadith commentary, and Sufism. In the past I was asked about my views on the spiritual dimension of Islam. I was asked whether I belonged to a Sufi order or whether I was against Sufism. Although I do not belong to any Sufi order and I have never attempted to establish one, I can say that the righteous masters of Sufism have influenced me greatly.

Finally, my understanding and vision of Islam cannot be understood only through my words. My lifework and the projects through which my friends and I hope to serve humanity should also be considered. The educational dialogue, humanitarian assistance initiatives represent our vision better than words.

*JAMIE TARABAY is a former contributing editor at Atlantic Media. Her writing has appeared in National Journal, TheAtlantic.com and the quarterly dispatch: Beyond Iraq. As Baghdad Bureau Chief for NPR News, her reporting on the war in Iraq received the Alfred I duPont-Columbia University Award. She is the author of A Crazy Occupation; Eyewitness to the Intifada.

SOURCE: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/08/a-rare-meeting-with-reclusive-turkish-spiritual-leader-fethullah-gulen/278662/