Now she is very interested to read other books of mr. In 2012, 60 minutes examined why the exiled cleric is in the u. His critics accuse him of undermining turkish secular values, while his followers claim that he is a moder. Their relationship can hardly get worse after the coup that turkish forces. Jan 15, 2014 fethullah gulens website describes him as an authoritative mainstream turkish muslim scholarwho supports interfaith and intercultural dialogue, science, democracy and spirituality and opposes violence and turning religion into a political ideology. Turkey feels sway of fethullah gulen, a reclusive cleric. Modernization brings significant impact in many aspects, both positive and negative. Fethullah gulen, including namaz, tevhidname, bahar nesidesi, m. Key concepts in the practice of sufism1 fethullah gulen. Finally, a concise reading of his compilation, key concepts in the practice of sufism iii, will be presented. She said that she never thought about the messenger of god like this before. Fethullah gulen has long advocated a moderate, tolerant brand of islam, but critics say his movement is persecuting opponents and working toward a conservative islamic turkey. This approach has helped the movement stay away from corruption and politics. Jul 21, 2016 turkeys president erdogan has accused the gulen movement of being behind the failed coup but what is the movement and what does it want.
Turkish president erdogan says fethullah gulen is responsible for this summers coup. Like many turkish citizens, the hizmet movements participants supported mr. The gulen movement funds all of its activities by donations from members of the community from the general public and does not accept any help support from governments in any form. Fethullah gulen and his liberal turkish islam movement. Aug 03, 2016 fethullah gulen is an islamic scholar and cleric from turkey. Pdf sociosufism and social change movements in modern. Fethullah gulens website describes him as an authoritative mainstream turkish muslim scholarwho supports interfaith and intercultural dialogue, science, democracy and spirituality and opposes violence and turning religion into a political ideology. Sufism and fethullah gulen fethullah gulens official. He left turkey in 1999, and is now living in selfimposed exile in pennsylvania. Fethullah gulen wrote this book with deep feelings. Cleric who leads global hizmet movement from exile in pennyslvania, us, is a critic of recep tayyip erdogan and. He is regarded as the initiator and inspirer of the worldwide social movement of human values known as the hizmet service movement or the gulen movement. Fethullah gulen, the jews, and hypocrisy balyoz davas. In 2012, 60 minutes examined why gulen is in the u.
Turkey formally seeks fethullah gulens extradition from the. Focusing on the sufi aspect of gulen should not mean that gulen is only a sufi. Gulens propagated reputation as harmless educator and the already in place network system. Dpa turkish president tayyip erdogan once regarded fethullah gulen as an ally in his effort to cement power, then as a rival, and now as a mortal enemy set on ousting him through a military coup. Reconciling science and islam a thesis presented by erol nazim gulay to the chairman of the examiners for the degree of m. Theology fethullah gulen, along with many of the turks operating in america, is a sufi muslim. Aviv fethullah gulen is a moderate turkish muslim scholar, a prolific writer, philosopher, and leader of a selfnamed movement.
Osman kavala, cleared over the gezi park protests, is accused of involvement in the 2016 coup attempt. Who is fethullah gulen, the man blamed for coup attempt in. Ankara accuses usbased religious leader fethullah gulen s network of masterminding a coup attempt in july 2016. In gulens thinking, tolerance is indispensable to sufism. On center stage is one muhammed fethullah gulen, a 75 year old turk who has been living and preaching his brand of islam from a multimillion dollar. Fethullah gulen currently resides in the us state of pennsylvania. Who is fethullah gulen, and what is the gulen movement. For gulen, sufism is a form of selfpurification leading to inner dimension of islamic rituals, a deeper understanding of the divine acts, and a greater knowledge and love of the divine. A wellorganised community of people not a political party named after the usbased islamic cleric fethullah gulen. With an introduction on the heart and some of its dynamics, this work is a rich addition with more gates into spirituality. In sunni cult fight, turkey guns for americas richest. Jul 16, 2016 but who is fethullah gulen and why does erdogan blame his movement for the coup attempt.
In particular, as we delved deeper into the details concerning the gulen movement, it became obvious that the carefullycultivated external image of harmony, interfaith dialogue, and tolerance promoted by the gulenists, in fact, masks a far. F ethullah gulen was born in a small village near turkeys erzurum province in 1941. This research was inspired by the problem of the mercy of islam which is reduced in the contemporary era, on the one side, and awareness of the islamic preaching sufism of m. Fethullah gulen and the secret plotters accused of trying.
Dec 20, 2015 in sunni cult fight, turkey guns for americas richest and most politically connected cleric. Above all, he has signified the tolerant nature of sufism by the three principles of sufism, as overflowing with divine love and getting along with all other beings in the realization originating from divine love that the universe is a cradle of brotherhood. Key concepts in the practice of sufism1 fethullah gulens. Ankara accuses usbased religious leader fethullah gulens network of. Fethullah gulen emerged from an environment in which the sufi life was both exemplified in practice and taught in theory.
Gulen s informative analysis of sufi ideas is a must read for those who seek a understanding of the dynamics of sufism. Gulen is considered one of the most important islamic thinkers alive today, and he is widely believed to be the architect behind turkeys corruption investigation. On center stage is one muhammed fethullah gulen, a 75 year. Readers of headlines and consumers of news broadcasts are likely to identify him as. T his book is the second volume of the emerald hills of the heart series, which brings out a comprehensive and unique examination of concepts and terms associated with sufism in islam. Sufism and modernity in the thought of fethullah gulen. Gulen, who has lived in exile since 1999 in the united states, is a. Jun 09, 2010 pim valkenberg, a dutch academic who has attended gulen conferences and who told a german newspaper in 2009 that he was not a critic of the gulen movement, wrote about fethullah gulen in his 2006 book sharing lights on the way to god. Muslimchristian dialogue and theology in the context of the abrahamic partnership. All in all, it is a good book, a great deal of interesting information, although sometimes it gets a quite gushy and sentimental using images of flowers. The many faces of fethullah gulen turkey al jazeera. Gulen, who has lived in exile since 1999 in the united states, is a onetime erdogan ally who helped the turkish presidents religiously conservative justice and development party akp come to.
Turkish author, educator, and muslim scholar living in selfimposed exile in pennsylvania, usa. Gulens father ramiz gulen, was an imam in the region and his mother, refia gulen, was the primary caregiver of the family and a major influence on mr. Written by the famous turkish humanist fethullah gulen its a study of the prophets life, of his companions, and of prophethood in general. Jul 16, 2016 the expression is mr erdogans shadowy shorthand for followers of fethullah gulen, a muslim cleric whom he has repeatedly accused of trying to foment an uprising in the military, media and. From14 march 2003 28 august 2014, erdogan was the prime minister of his country, turkey. Fethullah gulen and the secret plotters accused of. Factors influencing fethullah gulens understanding of sufism. A reading list on fethullah gulen, the cleric accused of helping orchestrate fridays coup attempt. Through this method of spiritual selfdiscipline, the individuals heart is purified and his or her senses and faculties are employed in the way of god, which means that.
About fethullah gulen dialogue institute of the southwest. Was a plan to overthrow turkeys government really hatched behind a gated compound in a small, leafy pennsylvania town, or is that merely a smoke screen. Gulen is 72 and is reported to have come the us for health related issues. Turkey orders 176 soldiers detained over gulen ties. Erdogans early efforts to democratize turkey and fulfill the requirements for membership in the european union. Fethullah gulen has 156 books on goodreads with 6690 ratings. Who is fethullah gulen and what is the gulen movement. Jan 27, 2014 the movement is inspired by the teachings of islamic preacher fethullah gulen, who lives in exile in the us gulen is a mainstream sunni hanafi muslim scholar, influenced by anatolian sufism. In this volume, gulen looks at fifty different concepts. The publications listed are said to have links to fethullah gulen, whom turkey blames for an attempted coup. The expression is mr erdogans shadowy shorthand for followers of fethullah gulen, a muslim cleric whom he has repeatedly accused of trying to. Described as one of the worlds most important muslim figures, gulen has reinterpreted aspects of islamic trad. The positive impact of modernization is the realization of life more effective, efficient, and practical.
He is based out of the golden generation worship and retreat center. Browse the independents complete collection of articles and commentary on fethullah gulen. Sufism and its origins by fethullah gulen sufism requires the strict observance of all religious obligations, an austere lifestyle, and the renunciation of carnal desires. Turkish president erdogan says the exiled cleric is responsible for this summers coup. Fethullah gulen is an islamic scholar and cleric from turkey. The movement is inspired by the teachings of islamic preacher fethullah gulen, who lives in exile in the us gulen is a mainstream sunni hanafi muslim scholar, influenced by anatolian sufism. Fethullah gulen is the most powerful religious leader in turkey today, even though he lives in pennsylvania. But at the same time she said that this book was very detailed and mr. Since the 1970s, gulen and his followers have slowly built up a network of educational institutions, nongovernmental organizations and businesses that started in turkey, spread to central asia, and now is entrenched in every continent. Jul 16, 2016 was a plan to overthrow turkeys government really hatched behind a gated compound in a small, leafy pennsylvania town, or is that merely a smoke screen. But in 100 soruda fethullah gulen ve hareketi book by dogu ergil, fethullah gulen answers a question about whether his world view changed on anything. He has been described in the englishlanguage media as an imam who promotes a tolerant islam which emphasises altruism, hard work and education and as one.
Turkey has been rocked by a massive corruption probe, and its widely believed that a reclusive preacher in pennsylvania is behind it. State department said tuesday the government of turkey formally sought the extradition of fethullah gulen, the pennsylvaniabased cleric whom ankara has accused of. Described as one of the worlds most important muslim figures, gulen has reinterpreted aspects of islamic tradition to meet the needs of contemporary muslims. Turkey formally seeks fethullah gulens extradition from. The excerpt is below in turkish but the gist of is that he acknowledges his overarching and stereotypical views on jews and claims he changed his views.