Rumi Forum Hosts Truman National Security Project over Ramadan Iftar Dinner

Rumi Forum hosted guests from Truman National Security Project along with Turkish-American community leaders for Ramadan Iftar on 26^th June, 2015. President for Center for National Policy, Scott Bates, delivered a short speech, followed by Truman Fellows Joshua Walker and Jen Nedua.

President Scott Bates addressed the attendees of the Ramadan dinner, delivering a short message on the power of believing in hope and ultimate justice. “The arc of history bends slowly to justice”, he said, echoing the words of Martin Luther King. Despite the deep tragedies and sorrows of our time, in the United States and elsewhere in the world, there are always new opportunities for healing and new birth of freedom for our nations. 

Truman Fellow Joshua Walker touched upon the value of loyalty and friendship in the relationship between America and Turkey. Despite the “difficult” friendship, he considers Turkey their closest allies and puts his faith and hope in continuing a healthy partnership with the Turkish people at large. Citing his love for Turkish culture and hospitality and Ramadan as one of his favorite holiday periods, he says, “To just be embraced regardless of peoples’ political views - this shows us the real future of the relationship. Its’ going to be done by people like us, by future leaders, who can look past political differences, challenges of the situation, difficulties of geography and the bridging of worlds by doing it one person at a time, one meal at a time.”

Mr. Walker advises friends of Turkey to be both critical and skeptical of the euphoria and also skeptical and cautious of extreme pessimism, when dealing with news of the ever-changing political landscape of the country. The history of all countries has been to take one step forward and two steps back, and so it is with Turkey. He believes that the senseless violence pervading the Middle East, the ongoing conflicting wars in Syria and Iraq, the tendency towards authoritarianism in the region can only be countered when diverse groups of people come together to engage in dialogue and discussion. Even though the volatile political period in Turkey promises a difficult road ahead, it is a struggle that can be overcome if embracing diversity is marked as the way to move forward.

“Thinking about the future and where we go as a progressive community focused on national security, we have to speak to our own populations…Just like many of us in this [American] community, we don’t fit into a nice box.” Mr. Walker emphasizes the problem of categorizing people into boxes, instead urging the U.S. government and Turkey to move beyond bigotry and myopic visions and learn how to broaden perspectives and adapt to each other. Turkey’s great challenge in the current period is to move towards a truly people’s driven democracy. In a world that is deeply interconnected, Mr. Walker believes it is America’s responsibility to “reach out and be our brothers’ keepers” across the waters.

NEW BOOK: Renewing Islam by Service, Pim Valkenberg, Catholic University of America

Renewing Islam by Service offers a theological account of the contemporary Turkish faith-based service movement started by Fethullah Gülen, and placed against the backdrop of changes in modern Turkish society. The life and works of Gülen are analyzed against the background of developments in Turkish society, and of spiritual Islamic tendencies in the transition from the Ottoman empire to the secular republic. Pim Valkenberg includes stories of his personal experiences with supporters of this movement, in a number of different countries, and analyzes the spiritual practices and the faith-based service of this movement that is also compared to some important Christian religious movements.

Available for purchase here.

Fethullah Gülen (born 1941 in Erzurum) is sometimes mentioned as one of the most influential Islamic scholars of the twenty-first century. During his work as a scholar-preacher in Izmir in the 1970s he started to provide learning opportunities for his students. He attracted many supporters and inspired them to form communities that put their Islamic faith into practice by serving others. When the political and economic situation of the Turkish republic improved, Gülen and the Hizmet (service) Movement began to take initiatives in order to overcome ignorance, disunity and poverty.

At the beginning of the 21­st century the Hizmet Movement ormed one of the most influential networks of Muslims, not only in Turkey but in Europe and the United States as well. Gulen now lives in the United States where he still inspires many groups to engage in dialogue initiatives, excellent schools, public media and service organizatons. However, these initiatives are often met with suspicion by a number of different groups - secularists as well as radical Muslims. While the Hizmet Movement has thus far mainly been studied from a social scientific perspective, this book claims that Gulen and the Hizmet can best be understood by researching the religious drive that empowers them. Since this book has been written by a Christian theologian, this is done in a comparative theological approach that not only shows how Gulen and the Hizmet Movement renew Islam by service, but also how Christians can be inspired by such a religious renewal movement.

Rumi Forum's Ramadan Iftar Dinner with Friends of Anatolia

The Iftar dinner with friends of Anatolia was attended by more than 60 people ranging from academics to NGO leaders. Most of the participants were previous attendees of Rumi Forum's Turkey trips.

Todd Theringer, part of the Harvard Club of DC, began the talks by sharing his experiences of the trip to Turkey. Explaining that “prior to the trip, if you had mentioned Turkey to me, I would have thought Thanksgiving”, Mr. Theringer described how his visit of the country significantly changed his perspective. He gave an example of this awareness through his eagerness to meet Kurds when traveling around Cappadocia, before realizing that everyone around him was Kurdish. As a result of these experiences, he explained that “my whole concept of Turkey vs. Kurdish and East vs. West started to blend together” and that his curiosity regarding the region has grown. He finished by thanking Rumi Forum for organizing the trip. 

Jennifer Cate followed upon Theringer and positively described her visit to the Middle-Eastern country. Although she “for years had a crush on Turkey”, it turned into “full-blown love” after the visit with the Rumi Forum. She praised the wide-range of Turkish individuals they were able to meet, from journalists to politicians, and the many activities they were able to embark on. Their trip coincided with the upcoming parliamentary elections, and Ms. Cate explained her resulting growth in knowledge of the political landscape of the country, even though she realized “with each meeting how little we know”. She applauded the Turkish sense of hospitality and the unforgettable experience she went through. 

Paul Wee, a lecturer at George Washington University, built on the remarks of the previous speakers. He began by explaining that he has learned that breaking bread with others “allows people to see things they did not see before.” Describing a pleasant meal with a family who welcomed him into their home in Ankara, Wee emphasized how important the value of sharing truly is. Mr. Wee also praised Mehmet’s ability to introduce the members of the trip to personalities of the Turkish parliament and media, providing a “great learning experience”. He then briefly addressed his concerns for “the direction of the country”, mentioning the detainment of journalists and the government’s shift towards more rightist policies. He emphasized his fears of the country’s changing politics, drawing a comparison with Germany in the 1930s which eventually turned to Hitler’s Nazism. Focusing on the Gulen movement, he congratulated “the fantastic work that is being done” while criticizing the pressure on Hizmet in Turkey.  Mr. Wee then discussed the theological aspect of his trip, highlighting the importance of values of love and forgiveness. Rather than contrasting faiths, Wee emphasized focusing on the common principles of these religions, therefore “transcending differences.” Having such discussions, he explains, created a closer personal relation between him and Islam. Paul Wee expressed his hope that “this dynamic may overcome the hostilities and bring us together in a world of peace” to conclude his remarks. 

Speaker Videos: 

Paul Wee, George Washington University

  

Todd Theringer, Harvard Club of DC

Jennifer Cate, HANDS

Photos: 

2015 Ramadan Iftars

Rumi Forum Organized 2nd Annual Ramadan Suhoor

The 2^nd Annual Ramadan Suhoor, organized by the Rumi Forum took place on the 11^th of July, 2015. Various ambassadors, members of the media, intellectuals from think tanks, scholars, NGO leaders and other professions all shared a meal together, forming a crowd of more than 80 people. 

Laurie Fulton, former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, and Earl Rasmussen, from the Eurasia center gave a few remarks regarding Ramadan and addressed the concept of sharing meals. Although she hosted many Iftars as Ambassador, Mrs. Fulton explained that this was her first Suhoor. She discussed the importance of shared meals in the 3 Abrahamic religions, explaining that more than religious events, “they are now part of our culture.” In fact, she emphasized their positive aspects by describing a study that found a correlation between sharing meals and traits of “generosity, altruism and the ability to interact.” She therefore concluded that communal meals are significant because they allow us to “get acquainted, to know more about each other and to enjoy life.”

Additionally, Earl Rasmussen explained that sharing a meal is indeed “much more than preparing your body to go on for the rest of the day.” Sharing a meal gives the opportunity to share thoughts, ideas and feelings. More than a biological necessity, sharing a meal builds relationships. He emphasized that “we are not just nourishing our bodies, but our minds and souls.” This is particularly important in today’s society where working days have become “so busy”. Rasmussen ended his remarks by citing a quote from the prophet, “Eat together, and not separately, for the blessing is associated with the company.”

Speaker Videos:

Ambassador Laurie Fulton

Earl Rasmussen, Eurasia Center

See Photos of the event here:

2015 Ramadan Iftars

Fethullah Gulen Awarded 2015 Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award

Atlanta, April 9, 2015 – Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse Collegeawarded its prestigious 2015Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award to Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen in recognition of his life-long dedication to promoting peace and human rights. The chapel has been giving a community builders prize and a peace award since 2001. Past recipients of these awards include leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Andrew Young and Archbishop Desmund M. Tutu.

In a statement presented today, Mr. Gulen said he was humbled by the honor and accepted this award on behalf of the Hizmet participants from different nations, religions and ethnic backgrounds who have devoted themselves to serving fellow humans. “These educators keep schools open in places like Iraq despite the ISIS threat; they provide education opportunities to girls in Nigeria and Afghanistan; doctors, nurses and humanitarian relief workers serve under dire conditions in places like Somalia and Sudan; entrepreneurs donate to charitable causes despite economic hardship.” He said in his statement: “You were kind enough to recognize their efforts and I simply accept this award on their behalf.” For his full statement, please visit: Fethullah Gulen Statement Accepting the 2015 Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award.

The Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award was designed to promote the importance of positive social transformation by honoring those who demonstrate extraordinary global leadership toward reconciling differences. Although Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu from India, Martin Luther King Jr. a Christian from the U.S., and Daisaku Ikeda a Japanese Buddhist, the overwhelming ethical consistency in the global reach of their philosophies and influence serve as an inspiration to all the world’s citizens. The chapel’s dean Dr. Lawrence Carter said that the chapel will recognize Gulen alongside photos of Gandhi, King and Ikeda in the chapel, as a Muslim representative of the same spirit. For details on the award, please visit: http://www.morehouse.edu/mlkchapel/our-work/college-of-ministers-laity/.

Fethullah Gulen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate, whose decades-long commitment to education, altruistic community service, and interfaith harmony has inspired millions in Turkey and around the world. Described as one of the world’s most important Muslim figures, Gulen has dedicated his life to interfaith and intercultural dialogue, community service and providing access to quality education.

Alliance for Shared Values is a non-profit that serves as a voice for dialogue organizations affiliated with Hizmet in the U.S. (also known as Gulen movement). The Alliance serves as a central source of information on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet. For more information, please visit www.afsv.org.