In Western countries where Muslims are a minority, the Hizmet movement's openness to dialogue and coexistence attracted attention and was appreciated… - Fethullah Gülen

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In Western countries where Muslims are a minority, the Hizmet movement's openness to dialogue and coexistence attracted attention and was appreciated. While the service participants were striving to properly represent Islam in the West, they also set a good example by integrating aspects of modernity that did not conflict with Islam. They played a role in breaking negative opinions about Muslims in the West. However, it cannot be said that this can be fully explained in Muslim-majority countries. Dialogue activities in Turkey in the 90s were evaluated as diluting and compromising Islam, and smear campaigns were carried out. Recently, the Erdogan government has tried to discredit the Service in the eyes of the public by presenting it as a pawn of foreign powers, the Vatican, the CIA and MOSSAD. Some groups affiliated with them have also made this propaganda in Muslim-populated countries outside Turkey and continue to do so. That's why we cannot say that we can express ourselves properly in countries with Muslim populations.

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About Fethullah Gülen

(27 April 1941 – 20 October 2024) was a Turkish preacher, former imam, writer and political figure.

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Muhammad Fethullah Gülen Fetullah Gülen Gülen beweging Gülen-beweging Fetullah Gulen Gulen beweging Fethullah Gulen Gulen-beweging Muhammed Fethullah Gülen
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Additional quotes by Fethullah Gülen

The world should be assured that, although there may always be some who exploit any religion for their interests, Islam does not approve of terrorism in any form. Terrorism cannot be used to achieve any Islamic goal. No terrorist can be a Muslim, and no true Muslim can be a terrorist. Islam orders peace, and the Qur’an demands from each true Muslim that he or she be a symbol of peace and support the maintenance of basic human rights. If a ship is carrying nine criminals and one innocent person, Islam does not allow the ship to be sunk to punish the nine criminals, for doing so would violate the innocent person’s rights.

Among the people who knew the service well and devoted themselves to it, no one stepped back, with very few exceptions. However, among people with poor communication, there were those who remained silent or preferred to stay away for a while due to the influence of pressure and fear. In an environment where the state attacks an entire group and makes them a scapegoat, this should be considered normal in terms of social psychology. The Turkish Government was perhaps effective in some countries. By using bribes, threats and state relations as blackmail, they managed to close schools in some places or transfer them to the Maarif Foundation. However, they were not successful in western countries, America, Europe, Australia, Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, where they could buy people with money and not get the law delivered. On the contrary, Turkey's pressure and oppression created a positive curiosity and interest in service in many parts of the world. Some western countries also supported the service participants who fled the persecution in Turkey.

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