Prof. İzzettin Doğan: Ramadan is opportunity to get to know Islam

Cem Faundation president Prof. İzzettin Doğan
Cem Faundation president Prof. İzzettin Doğan


Date posted: August 8, 2013

KENAN BAŞ – ANTALYA

As the inclusiveness of Ramadan is felt throughout the country, an iftar in Belek, Antalya brought together people from all walks life. The iftar was organized by the Antalya Intercultural Dialogue Center (AKDIM).

Differences came together at this iftar where speakers mostly touched upon love, brotherhood and tolerance, which are the values needed mostly these days.

Cem Foundation president, Alevite community leader Prof. İzzettin Doğan made an inspiring speech. He said that humanity does not know enough about Islam; Ramadan provides opportunity to get to know more about it. He further said Islam has the values that will protect Muslims as well as humanity. He also underlined the importance of bringing under the same roof people together that have differing opinions. He further remarked, “God loves those who love Him. What it means is that pleasure of God is earned by loving people. We are members of a religion who believe in love, togetherness and tawhid (oneness of God); administration models that divide Muslims into fractions such as Alevite and Sunni must not be harbored anymore in Muslim countries as these kinds of policies creates animosity between such groups.”

Metropolitan mayor Prof. Mustafa Akaydin expressed his happiness as the main theme of the speeches was “dialogue and tolerance.” He thanked AKDIM for the dinner and hoped that this program would be an example for other segments of the society.

Former Defence Minister Vecdi Gönül was in attendance. He pointed to the harrowing events in Muslim countries. He said, “We believe in the same prophets, holy books and these holy books have similar contents. Ten commandments were revealed to Moses but we [Muslims] too honor them. So, we must understand each other more.”

Governor Sebahattin Öztürk stressed that Turkey needs unity, peace and brotherhood more than ever. He said he salutes each and every activity that will help settle these ideals.

In addition to Keynote speaker Prof. İzzettin Doğan, Former Defence Minister Vecdi Gönül, Governor Sebahattin Öztürk, Metropolitan Mayor Prof. Mustafa Akaydın, more than 600 guests that include many politicians, mayors, NGO representatives, and business people attended the dinner.

akdim-antalya-iftar-1

 

Disclaimer: The original article is in Turkish. Slight deviations from the original meaning may have occurred due to the difficulties in translating phrases and idioms. PII volunteers translated the article.

Source: Zaman Newspaper , July 27, 2013


Related News

The Guardian view on Turkey’s repression: stop this stalemate

Turkey’s western allies are alarmed, but against a complex geopolitical backdrop, they have chosen discretion rather than valour. After the EU parliament last week voted to freeze EU accession talks with Turkey, Mr Erdoğan lashed out by threatening to open the country’s borders to migrants heading to Europe. This is tantamount to blackmail.

Five pilots who bombed coup base on July 15 arrested over Gulen links

Five pilots who bombed the Akincilar Air Base in Ankara to halt the coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016, were later arrested as part of an investigation into the Gulen movement.

Counterterrorism judge found to be PM’s strong supporter

Judge Yusuf Şahin, who was appointed to the Van Counterterrorism Court in April, shared a photo of the prime minister on Facebook with the tag “Liderlerin lideri Erdoğan” (Erdoğan, leader of all leaders). The judge also posted comments on Facebook praising the prime minister and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and leveling strong criticism at Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, the inspiration behind the faith-based Hizmet movement, which works in the fields of education, charity and outreach.

Erdogan’s Faux Coup may have been Turkey’s Reichstag Fire

Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute just gave us a pat on the back confirming our original assessment of July 2016 that Erdogan had staged the July 2016 coup. Several career Turkish military officers make a persuasive case that Erdogan’s narrative is false and that the coup was essentially Turkey’s equivalent of the Reichstag fire.

60-year-old Turkish villager detained after questioning gov’t coup narrative

Murat Gulen, a 60-year-old villager and a relative of Fethullah Gulen was detained after he was revealed questioning the government’s narrative over the July 15, 2016 coup attempt during a video interview by the pro-government Ihlas News Agency.

Failing to arrest outspoken NBA star, Turkish gov’t detains father

Turkish police on Friday detained Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kanter, father of NBA Oklahoma City Thunder player Enes Kanter, who the government seeks to arrest over links to the Gülen movement. “HEY WORLD MY DAD HAS BEEN ARRESTED by Turkish government and the Hitler of our century He is potentially to get tortured as thousand others,” tweeted Enes Kanter on Friday.

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

Criminal complaint filed against prosecutor accusing Hizmet of being terrorist

PM’s discourse over ‘no family, children’ offensive, hurtful

When lawlessness becomes a way of life

Men accused of attempting to rape 6 teachers: We thought they were Gulenists

[Alleged] “Coup leader” Gülen’s friendships with the Catholic Church

Gülen’s lawyer refutes Erdoğan’s claims as baseless

‘Turkish people not silly to believe slanderous news about Gülen’

Copyright 2024 Insightful Neighbor