Moderate Islamic Gulen Movement Builds Bridges of Understanding With Christians, Jews


Date posted: February 1, 2011

Jim Buie

Gulen Movement is trying to identify youths at risk to join terrorist groups and give them free tuition to private schools and a place in the Gulen communities, in hopes of turning their lives around.

I was reading in Today’s Zaman (English language daily newspaper in Turkey) about a conference at the University of Maryland focusing on the moderate, peace-seeking Islamic “Gulen Movement,” which has an estimated four million followers, mostly Muslims. It is seeking to be recognized as the world’s leading Muslim movement.

This article sparked a great conversation with a teacher colleague about Islam. As a faithful Muslim and as a Turk who has lived in Pakistan and is now seeking his green card to teach in U.S., he brought up to me how much he hates terrorism and Bin Laden, who he said is not a real Muslim but a criminal.

I asked him what he could tell me about the Gulen movement. Turns out he is an active part of it. The Gulen movement emphasizes that “education is the ultimate means through which we can deduce the divine will and thus improve the world.” Fethullah Gulen (still living) believes in a moderate and inclusive brand of Islam, and seeks to see a renaissance if not a reformation of his religion. There are three root causes of violence — ignorance, disunity and poverty. Founded in Turkey, the Gulen movement believes in science, interfaith dialog, and multi-party democracy. The movement has been praised by both Jews and Christians.

The Gulen schools serve more than two million students in 90 countries. In Pakistan and Afghanistan the Gulen Movement is trying to identify youths at risk to join terrorist groups and give them free tuition to private schools and a place in the Gulen communities, in hopes of turning their lives around.

The Gulen Movement also helps fund a daily English-language newspaper, Today’s Zamen, here in Turkey, which is quite good and is run by real journalists, not simply advocates.

Source: Original blog may be found at http://jimbuie.blogs.com/journal/2009/11/moderate-islamic-gulen-movement-builds-bridges-of-understanding-with-christians-jews.html

Jim Buie is an American Journalist and Teacher Living in Turkey.

Tags: | |


Related News

Hizmet movement sticks to principles, AK Party transformed by the state

Holding ia press conference in light of the recent row between the government and the Hizmet movement on Wednesday, Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) President Mustafa Yeşil asdi the Hizmet movement has not changed its principles in the last half century but the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has been transformed by the state and lost its reformist nature.

I’m ashamed

A defamation campaign was kicked off to demonize the Hizmet movement — just as the “deep state” would do in the past — and a witch hunt was launched in various state organs. Despite the fact that the prep school debate started months ago, the probe was portrayed as part of it.

Amir Hussain on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Dr. Amir Hussain is a professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. He has written numerous scholarly articles, and his area of research is on the study of Islam, specifically contemporary Muslim societies in North America.

President Gül dismisses calls to help tackle political turmoil

During a press conference held on Monday, the GYV, whose honorary chairman is Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, stated that a hate crime is being carried out against the Hizmet movement in Turkey and called on President Gül to take the initiative to investigate the executive branch’s recent attempts to render the judiciary dysfunctional.

German view of Hizmet Movement (1)

I remember the late, right-minded orientalist Annemarie Schimmel’s words saying, “The most attacked and least understood religion in the West is Islam.” Today, we come across a similar statement in a recently published scholarly report too. I’m referring to the report titled, “Überdehnt sich die Bewegung von Fethullah Gülen?” by Stiftung für Wissenschaftund Politik (SWP), which put the Hizmet Movement under a scholarly microscope.

Gülen’s lawyer files libel suit against Interior Minister Ala

Albayrak stated in the petition that unrealistic allegations and imputations, intended to defame his client Gülen, were made by Ala during his speech in Erzurum. Albayrak stated: “The expressions used by Ala cannot be considered within the scope of freedom of expression as they clearly violate the personal rights of Gülen.”

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Students from 32 countries participate in international cultural festival in Cambodia

A Visit with Turkey’s Controversial Religious Movement

Fethullah Gülen extends condolences over death of Turkish literary giant

Friendship Dinner hosted by Pacific Dialogue Foundation in Philippines

Money trail in corruption case

Unlawful acts revealed in police raids on Gülen-inspired schools

American academic: Hizmet Movement serves for entire humanity

Copyright 2024 Insightful Neighbor