Fethullah Gulen's Op-ed in Le Monde: Muslims, we have to critically review our understanding of Islam

 Words fall short to truly express my deep sadness and revolt in the face of the carnage perpetrated by terrorist groups such as the so-called ISIS. I share a profound frustration with a billion and a half Muslims around the world at the fact that such groups commit terror while dressing up their perverted ideologies as religion. We Muslims have a special responsibility to not only join hands with fellow human beings to save our world from the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, but also to help repair the tarnished image of our faith.

It is easy to proclaim a certain identity in the abstract with words and symbols. The sincerity of such claims, however, can only be measured by comparing our actions with core values of our self-proclaimed identities. The true test for belief is not slogans or dressing up in a certain way; the true test of our beliefs is in living up to core principles shared by all major world faiths such as upholding the sanctity of life and respecting the dignity of all humans.

We must categorically condemn the ideology that terrorists propagate and instead promote a pluralistic mindset with clarity and confidence. After all, before our ethnic, national or religious identity comes our common humanity, which suffers a setback each time a barbaric act is committed. French citizens who lost their lives in Paris, Shiite Muslim Lebanese citizens who lost their lives in Beirut a day earlier and scores of Sunni Muslims in Iraq who lost their lives in the hands of the same terrorists are first and foremost human beings. Our civilization will not progress until we treat the suffering of humans regardless of their religious or ethnic identity as equally tragic in our empathy and respond with the same determination.

Muslims must also reject and avoid conspiracy theories, which have so far only helped us avoid facing our social problems. Instead, we must tackle the real questions: do our communities provide recruitment ground for groups with totalitarian mindsets due to unrecognized authoritarianism within ourselves, domestic physical abuse, neglect of youth, lack of balanced education? Did our failure to establish basic human rights and freedoms, supremacy of the rule of law, and pluralist mindsets in our communities lead those who are struggling to seek alternative paths?

The recent tragedy in Paris is yet another reminder for both theologians and ordinary Muslims to strongly reject and condemn barbaric acts perpetrated in the name of our religion. However, at this juncture, rejection and condemnation are not enough; terrorist recruitment within Muslim communities must be fought and countered by an effective collaboration of state authorities, religious leaders and civil society actors. We must organize community-wide efforts to address all factors that aid terrorist recruitment.

Ways of expressing support and dissent within democratic means

We need to work with our community to set up the necessary framework for identifying at-risk youth, preventing them from seeking self-destructive paths, assisting families with counseling and other support services. We must promote a proactive, positive government engagement so that engaged Muslim citizens can sit at the table where counterterrorism measures are planned and share their ideas. Our youth should be taught ways of expressing support and dissent within democratic means. Incorporation of democratic values into school curricula early on is crucial for inculcating a culture of democracy in young minds.

In the aftermath of such tragedies, historically strong reactions have surfaced. Anti-Muslim and anti-religious sentiment as well as governments’ security-driven treatment of their Muslim citizens would be counter-productive. The Muslim citizens of Europe want to live in peace and tranquility. Despite the negative climate, they should strive to engage more with their local and national governments to help work toward more inclusive policies that better integrate their community into the larger society.

It is also important for us Muslims to critically review our understanding and practice of Islam, in the light of the conditions and requirements of our age and the clarifications provided by our collective historic experiences. This does not mean a rupture from the cumulative Islamic tradition but rather, an intelligent questioning so we can confirm the true teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition that our Muslim predecessors attempted to reveal.

We must proactively marginalize de-contextualized reading of our religious sources that have been employed in the service of perverted ideologies. Muslim thinkers and intellectuals should encourage a holistic approach and reconsider jurisprudential verdicts of the Middle Ages that were issued under perpetual conflict where religious affiliation often coincided with political affiliation. Having core beliefs should be distinguished from dogmatism. It is possible, indeed absolutely necessary, to revive the spirit of freedom of thought that gave birth to a renaissance of Islam while staying true to the ethos of the religion. Only in such an atmosphere can Muslims effectively combat incivility and violent extremism.

In the aftermath of the recent events I witness, with chagrin, the revival of the thesis of the clash of civilizations. I do not know whether those who first put out such a hypothesis did so out of vision or desire. What is certain is that today, the revival of this rhetoric simply serves the recruitment efforts of the terrorist networks. I want to state clearly that what we are witnessing is not a clash of civilizations but rather the clash of our common civilization as humanity with barbarity.

Our responsibility as Muslim citizens is to be part of the solution despite our grievances. If we want to defend the life and civil liberties of Muslims around the world, and the peace and tranquility of every human regardless of their faith, we must act now to tackle the violent extremism problem in all its dimensions: political, economic, social and religious. By setting virtuous examples through our lives, by discrediting and marginalizing the extremist interpretations of religious sources, by staying vigilant toward their impact on our youth, and by incorporating democratic values early in education, we can counter violence and terrorism as well as totalitarian ideologies that lead to them.


This article appeared in Le Monde on December 17, 2015.

Original article can be accessed here: http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2015/12/17/musulmans-procedons-a-un-examen-critique-de-notre-comprehension-de-la-foi_4834205_3232.html

 

MEDIA: Mandela and Gulen by Ibrahim Ozdemir

Mandela and Gülen by İbrahim Özdemir *

Illustration, Cem Kızıltuğ


1 July 2013
(This story was written during the darkest days of the so-called Feb. 28 process and was published in the Zaman daily on Dec. 21, 1999. Today the whole world is focused on Nelson Mandela who has been in hospital for the last few days. I think it is time to rethink the message given by two great leaders of our time, Mandela and Fethullah Gülen, a decade ago at the Parliament of the World's Religions. We join in the prayers for Mandela and wish these two great leaders health and peace.)


The Parliament of the World's Religions held its largest and final meeting of the century on Dec. 1-8, 1999 in the South African city of Cape Town.


As is known, this parliament held its first meeting in Chicago in 1893. The second gathering was again held in Chicago a hundred years later. Approximately 8,000 people from various religions and beliefs participated in the latter event and accepted the Declaration of a Global Ethic.

Search for solutions to mankind's problems

This point made by Parliament President Dr. Howard Sulkin was very important: The 20th century was the stage of two World Wars and many smaller ones. Emphasizing that approximately 200 million people had lost their lives in these wars, he said: “The scientific and technological advances in the 20th century caused many problems, the environmental crisis in particular. For this reason, it can be seen that many people are turning once again to spiritual traditions and religion as they enter a new century. All religions and their members have a great responsibility to make the 21st century an age of peace, tolerance and love. As was clearly seen in Communist Russia, it's not possible to destroy religious belief by using violence and force. In addition, taking a lesson from religious wars in history, an opportunity should not be given to those who want to make the 21st century a stage for a war of civilizations. For this reason, we all have to take on great responsibility. Protecting our differences and taking strength from our spiritual traditions, we must find solutions to mankind's problems.”

New turning point

As a result, the meeting held at Cape Town was very important and it appears that this will be a new turning point for all religions. Just like UN decisions, all decisions made here will be announced to the world and those acting contrary to these or those infringing on them will be publicly criticized and exposed. The most important aspect of this meeting, in which more than 6,000 people from different religions participated, was the fact that it was held in a spirit of civil initiative.


This meeting carried a unique meaning and Cape Town was specially selected. South Africa is not only a country of people whose people are black, but at the same time it is a country where one of this century's darkest, most dictatorial, racist and oppressive regimes came to power. For many years people had been segregated into groups according to color, language, race and religion and were ruled by a white, racist regime that comprised only 13 percent of the population. When you take into account the fact that South Africa's hero Mandela spent 28 years in prison and that the country had turned into a prison, the nature of the oppressive regime can be better understood. In addition, people had been divided into three categories: whites, mulattos and local blacks. Non-whites being able to enter white residential areas and certain districts in the city was dependent on “permission.”

However, all this oppression and persecution didn't stand for long against man's belief, honor and human rights and freedoms. The end came in 1994 when Mandela was elected president. Thus the underlying spirit of the Parliament of the World's Religions gathering here was: It is not possible to eliminate man's rights and freedoms and religious beliefs by means of force, oppression, violence or terror. In addition, one of the basic goals of the meeting was a discussion of religions' contribution to man's peace, security and a sustainable world.

Mandela: My belief kept me going

Participating in the meeting, Mandela made some very interesting points about the power of religion. Mandela is known by the slogan, “The Struggle Is My Life” and he endured unthinkable kinds and amounts of torture. “If I didn't have religious belief, I could not have endured oppression and torture. My faith was the basic motivation of my spirit of struggle. In other words, if I'm addressing you here today, it's a result of my religious faith and God's grace. Without this kind of faith it wouldn't be possible to withstand this kind of inhumane torture. As a result, many of my friends met ruin because they didn't have such faith,” he said. Concerning the role of religions, Mandela said: “While we were in prison, our connections with the outside world were cut. However, Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious people and groups didn't leave us all alone. With their help, we left prison as educated people. For this reason, in order for the 21st century to be a time of peace and not confrontation, great duties and responsibilities face religious people. In this respect, the significance of this parliament is even greater.”

Hocaefendi, Mandela and Dalai Lama

Everyone gave these views a standing ovation. Like Mandela, world-famous Tibetan monk the Dalai Lama was another leader who attracted a lot of attention. He was the center of attention, especially for Western youth and other groups. Pointing out the mission that awaits religions in the new millennium, the Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of dialogue among different faiths and civilizations. Even though he didn't attend the meeting, Fethullah Gülen Hocaefendi was another person who attracted attention with the message and presentations he sent in his stead. Hocaefendi was personally invited to the parliament, but he was unable to attend due to poor health. In spite of this, he sent a message of greetings and two presentations. In my opinion, this shows the importance and support Hocaefendi gave to the meeting, on the one hand, and to efforts for peace and tolerance among religions and civilizations on the other. Because of this, both the message and presentations were received with great interest. The West knows him not only for his wisdom and educational efforts, but also for his initiatives to build “Peace and Dialogue” on the foundations of love, mercy, accepting everyone as they are, mutual respect, human rights and justice. The image of his being received as a Muslim scholar by the Pope at the Vatican is preserved in Westerners' memories. The interest in him shown by international communities is interesting in light of the fact that despite all these constructive efforts, some people in Turkey persist in not recognizing Hocaefendi or in misinterpreting his message. For this reason, I believe it's necessary to underscore some of the points in Hocaefendi's presentations.


The first point Fethullah Hoca made regarding the parliament was the meaning the 21st century has for all religions. “Every new dawn, every new day, every spring, every new century and millennium in human history means a new beginning and new hope. In this respect, within the wheel of time that turns regardless of our will, man has always sought a new breath in the freshness of the dawn and a new breath of life, especially in moments of difficulty, and with the ease of stepping out of the cradle, he felt hope and desire to step out of the darkness and into the light.


It can only be estimated how much time has passed since our first ancestors walked on this earth, which is mentioned together with the vast skies in the Quran and held as their equal in respect to its divine artistry and ontological meaning. It appears that it will always be only an estimate on man's part. However, according to the calendar we use to measure time since Jesus' (p.b.u.h.) birth, we are at the threshold of the third millennium. Actually, just as time is perceived by the individual's perspective, the dimension in which he exists, according to its position in the universe, it turns in spiral relativity as well. For this reason, because of its meaning and date and social value, which is going from one condition to another, from tribalism to civilization, from belief to action, from the individual to society, the Hijra was accepted as the beginning of Islam's calendar. Along with this, time measurement has gained an international character, and the world is at the threshold of a new millennium. At this point it is beneficial to mention that there is a situation of relativity here. It is a point to consider that in the history of man, just as a century is measured as 100 years, an average lifespan of 60 years could be considered a century as well. Approaching the matter from this angle, we are already in the fourth millennium A.D. and the third millennium A.H. On the other hand, using the measurement of 100 years as a century, we are already in the eighth millennium according to the Judaic calendar. In the Hindu historical line we are living in the “Kali Yuga” period. I especially wanted to mention this issue in view of the fact that frightening events that are expected in the third millennium by the Western world have already begun to have their effect on people's spirits.”


In the following text, Hocaefendi emphasizes the importance of faith and belief, which were underscored in the previously mentioned words of Mandela, “I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for my religious faith.”


“Man always lives with hope; he is the child of hope. When hope is extinguished, his life is finished, even if it continues physically. Hope is in direct proportion to faith. Just as the winter season comprises one-fourth of the year, the periods similar to winter in an individual or society's life are always less. The wheel of divine activity is so magnificent; Divine Unity, which surrounds all of existence and individual existence at the same time, turns with the wisdom of change. Just as each day the revolution of night and day constantly gives hope to man and life to his spirit, every year the purity of spring, the maturity of summer and the austerity of fall lead us to say ‘hello' to winter. Similarly, in the full wheel of life, whether on the basis of individuals, nations or all mankind, the expectations of dawn, spring and summer make us smile at the winter snow. This wisdom-filled ‘period of Allah' revolution is a vehicle for contemplation, insight and gratefulness rather than fear and pessimism for those who possess faith, foresight and the sensitivity to feel the truth, or, in other words, people whose hearts are clear and whose ears are open. Just as day develops in the bosom of night and just as winter serves as the womb of spring, in this evolution life becomes clarified, matures and gives the expected fruit. Within this evolution, the aptitudes latent in man become skills; like rose petals opening, knowledge weaves technology on the loom of time and, parallel to the advancement of time, mankind draws closer, step by step, to the result that is destined for it.”


At this meeting attended by members of all the world's major religions and where discussions were held on what religion could contribute to resolving the problems facing mankind in the 21st century, Hocaefendi summarized what was required as follows: “It is necessary to neither close our eyes to reality nor to leave it as it is. Man mirrors all of Allah's attributes and names and he has the honor of being the means for the task of construction on this Earth in His name and he has the responsibilities this entails. If he doesn't see the wisdom in events which are absolute good in respect to creation and the Creator, but contain evil in some aspects respective to man, then he cannot be saved from the despair and pessimism that man usually falls into, like the existentialists who expressed themselves in the most spectacular way of the century. Thus, life becomes a meaningless process; existence is an emptiness without substance; nonsense is the only criterion; suicide has value and death is the only inevitable truth. In this respect, in the awareness and acceptance that one spoke of the wheel that moves history forward is tied to man, it is necessary to see and pinpoint the realities of life and mankind. On the other hand, it is necessary to give direction to these realities in line with the purpose and ideals based on that which has existed since the first day without changing and which will continue to exist in the foundation of universal values based on faith. This is a necessity of being a man and the only way to sustain life within an orbit of hope, love, excitement, enthusiasm and joy.”

Hocaefendi described the meaning and importance of inter-faith dialogue and tolerance for mankind as follows:

“I hope and believe that the new millennium, contrary to what the West fears, will promise at least a happier, more just and more merciful world than the previous one. Although Islam, Christianity and Judaism come from the same root, possess the same basic principles and are fed from the same source, they have existed for centuries as rival religions. Now, we witness that efforts for dialogue among these religions, efforts that extend to even the ancient Hindu and Chinese religions, are having positive results. As was briefly mentioned previously, in a world that has become a global village, this dialogue will develop as a necessary process and members of the great religions mentioned will inevitably draw closer to one another and find ways to help one another.”


Pointing out that even the conflict between religion and science has lost its attraction and that a more compatible atmosphere has developed between them, Hocaefendi underscored the important role of the Risale-i Nur in this as follows:


“The word of God, which is a ladder of light taking man to God, is manifested in historical form in the Qur'an and the Old and New Testaments. Nature and, on the micro plane, man are manifestations of the will and might of God. Thus, there can be no real conflict between religion and science which examines nature and man. However, previous centuries have painfully witnessed that science has led to a positivist and materialist denial of religion. Christianity has been most affected by this. Efforts made on this issue whether by Christian theologians and scientists or by Muslims, especially the book, Risale-i Nur, taking up this subject in a wonderful way, have enabled this conflict to be resolved. I am hopeful that this centuries-old conflict between religion and science will come to an end, or at least that the futility of such a conflict will be verified.”


As can be seen, a culture of peace, tolerance, acceptance of differences and living together in harmony has met wide acceptance all over the world. In spite of those who see their interests and gains in conflict, genocide and war, mankind wants to enter the new millennium in peace, harmony and justice. It is suggested that national funds spent on arms, conflict and war be spent in the solution of problems that affect us all, especially education, health, poverty and the environment. The most joyful point is that people and groups of different religions and beliefs are showing the will to work together and cooperate on these issues. There is no reason not to hope that the coming century will be better than the previous one.

SOURCE: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-319714-mandela-and-gulen-by-ibrahim-ozdemir-.html

FETHULLAH GULEN: Respect For Humankind

M. Fethullah Gulen

Loving and respecting humanity merely because they are human is an expression of respect for the Almighty Creator. The other side of the coin, loving and showing respect to only those who think the same as one thinks, is nothing but egotism and self-worship. More than this, it is irreverent and self-conceited behavior to hurt the feelings of others who may not think exactly as we think, but who still are on the same main road with us in their thoughts and visions.

We dream of a generation who will embrace and build the future upon interpreting problems not according to the sources or reasons from which they arise, but with respect to their ideals. If we are passengers who are on different paths and using different strategies, but all heading for the same destination, then why should we defame the others who are with us on this sacred journey that has such a lofty goal?

The circumstances that will shape humanity in the future, in particular current world affairs, are forcing us to act with utmost care and alertness; in fact, they are forcing us to do so to such an extent that any decision hastily taken for temporary measures will result in errors that have no compensation. The architects of the future are obliged to build their world on the foundations of what human love and respect stand for and what they appear to be.

With its many dimensions, the modern world has pushed humanity into many dark alleys. And we have come face to face with many problems, the nature of which we have no idea. We are trying to cope with these problems, but they are extremely slippery and inconsistent, and in due proportion the outcomes are full of contradictions. There are thousands of Khidrs who are committed to fetch the water of life from Mount Qaf for humanity, but none of them possess any sign of the elixir of immortality. Despite all the efforts of these people who are “apostles-to-be,” respect for the human soul has been severely challenged by real dangers.

We have struggled for many years in this way; nevertheless, we have not accomplished any synthesis that will constitute the pillars of tomorrow. This has indeed been impossible. Our feelings and thoughts have promised and brought about discrete things, and we were like musicians with a broken record and an incomplete composition, swaying from one door to another, looking for a producer. When every individual denies all the other truths because of the portion of truth which they hold in their hands, and when they compel others to stick to their respective portions, will it ever be possible to have ideas line up one after another, to attain new syntheses, or to discover remedies that save? Can this ever be possible while some are harassing others with accusations of unbelief and sinning, or even physically assaulting them? 

The present situation that we have reached today is very dramatic and thought-provoking. Those who walked side-by-side in the past are strangers to one another today. The truths and untruths have been shifted, in accordance with group preferences, from their foundational pillars to rest on slippery rails. Under such chaotic conditions, it is impossible to discern either the loftiness of the goal or the differences of the means to attain it.

Humanity today appears to have become fixated on a single flower alone, although they had set out to enjoy the spring. They have lost all their hopes for reaching the goal that is on this path; the means to do so are what they have been fighting for. Their efforts and actions are merely to engage in effort and action. Just like a guide who has forgotten the responsibility of serving the temple and their servanthood to God, who is absorbed by trying to entertain the visiting tourists, so too have those who devoted themselves to a clique or a party today become foreign and indifferent to the ideal and the goal.

The humanity of our time has been imprisoned by focusing on one flower on the way to the spring, and has been deceived by a drop while chasing the ocean. I feel that such slavery will be impossible to overcome until we have liberated humanity and given them a new outlook. We are burdened with the task of expressing the truth . . I wish that we had been able to have done so!

No matter how charming and enchanting the atmosphere that catches the eye or fills the heart is there is no permission for us to forget the truth to which we are committed. We cannot stay alien toward each other while we are in the same camp. We do not have a monopoly of the good and the beautiful; therefore we cannot be allowed to wage a war with the passengers who are heading to the same destination but on a different path.

We may have some criticisms about the path and system of someone who thinks differently from us; this is an expression of minds that operate in different ways. But, if we are striving to reach the same horizon, we must at least respect the way others think. This is a prerequisite of heading in the same direction, sharing the same belief, utilizing the same terminology, and finally and above all, of respecting the sacred meaning glorified by God Almighty.

Let us be respectful to humankind! Let us respect the exalted truths they possess. Let us love them because of their Almighty Creator. If we can raise a community upon this perspective, people will eventually recover and they will manage to compensate for whatever they have lost.

The Fountain  - Issue 53 / January - March 2006

SOURCE:  http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/Respect-For-Humankind