Fethullah Gülen was a multifaceted personality—a Sunni Turkish Muslim devoted to the well-being of the Turkish people; a renowned Sufi Islamic scholar; a mujaddid (renewer of faith); a humanist, visionary, teacher, poet, philosopher, and educationist; a preacher and motivator; a philanthropist; an ardent advocate of peace and non-violence; an Islamically grounded postmodern critic of the modernist vision of development; an ascetic and a loner; a voice for the voiceless and marginalized; a spiritual mentor and guide for millions; and the builder of one of the most vibrant Islamic civic-social movements and developmental models, known as Hizmet. This movement, originating in Turkey, has spread to approximately 160 countries across the world. Above all, he gave hope to the hopeless.

The inclusivity of Gülen’s Islamic thought, along with its philosophy of positive action and adaptive culture, enabled him and the Hizmet movement to thrive in diverse contexts—be they political, social, economic, modern, or traditional. This inclusivity fostered interactions with diverse viewpoints, including political ones, and facilitated collaborative relationships across cultures, faith groups, languages, and civilizations, all with the aim of serving humanity through social initiatives.

For this reason, modern social science scholarship, particularly in the field of religious movements, struggles to categorize Gülen and the Hizmet movement. Labels such as modernist, reformist, revivalist, fundamentalist, traditionalist, conservative, or Islamist fail to capture their essence. This difficulty also highlights why a “modernist mindset” often fails to grasp Gülen’s Islamic moral and ethical universalism and his everyday humility, which is deeply rooted in Prophetic traditions. For example, Dexter Filkins, a writer for The New Yorker who published a largely critical piece on the Hizmet movement following Turkey’s disputed 2016 military coup, expressed surprise and disbelief at Gülen’s response to a question during their interview that same year. When asked how he wished to be remembered, Gülen replied: “I wish to be forgotten after I die. I wish for my grave to remain unknown. I hope to die in solitude, with no one becoming aware of my death, and thus, no one conducting my funeral prayer. I wish for no one to remember me.” The writer sarcastically noted that this was “an answer the like of which I’ve never heard from another leader in politics or religion.”

Filkins, unfamiliar with Sufi discourse, failed to understand the depth of Gülen’s response. In the Sufi tradition, one lives in a constant state of nothingness, or fana (self-annihilation) before God, striving to remain His humble servant and to avoid the worldly temptations of glory, power, fame, and recognition. Similarly, some Western writers reduced the Hizmet movement to the concept of “market Islam.” Such characterizations reveal the limitations of a modernist framework, which relies heavily on rigid categories, binaries, and power-centric narratives. Unsurprisingly, many Western and Westernized media outlets interpreted Gülen’s legacy narrowly through the lens of the disputed 2016 military coup in Turkey.

Gülen’s Islamic ecumenism enabled him to critically address extremist, ideological, reactionary, and exclusivist traditions—whether rooted in Islamic or secular discourses. As such, he refrained from aligning with or approving, and often directly denounced, both the anti-religious, ideological secular state, including Kemalism, and Islamist constructs, such as Erdoğanism. For Gülen, these ideological and political frameworks were inherently inimical to the common good, as they relied on divisive “us versus them” binaries. Instead, he advocated for governance by a “neutral state” that respects the boundaries and autonomy of civil society, alongside the principles of equality, freedom, non-discrimination, and citizenship. This stance explains why both Gülen and the Hizmet movement became targets of attack from various ideological factions in Turkey—Kemalist, secularist, nationalist, and Islamist—primarily from state-centric political forces. These groups perceived Gülen’s vision of a “civil society Islam” as “too autonomous,” “too democratic,” and therefore “too dangerous” for the survival of Turkey’s tradition of statism, prompting efforts to suppress the movement under various pretexts.

It is extremely challenging to encapsulate the legacy of such a multifaceted personality, one who had over five decades of active public life within and beyond Turkey. Yet, certain elements of Gülen’s ideas and actions emerge as uniquely remarkable and exemplary.

First, Gülen’s Islamic hermeneutics is based on interpreting both the Qur’an and the life of the Prophet in synchrony, the latter as the explainer of the former. While many scholars of the twentieth century focused only on the Qur’an and many times on its literal interpretation. Gülen emphasized that the Qur’an is best exemplified through the life and practices of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Companions, viewing them as inseparable. He believed that a proper, balanced, and inclusive understanding of the Qur’an—and its application to modern challenges—requires a profound knowledge of their lives and legacies.

Gülen introduced a methodological framework: an inclusive understanding of Islamic universalism requires an intra-textual approach that integrates the Qur’an and other Scriptures with the lived world of Prophetic Traditions, as narrated in multiple Islamic sources. He argued that an ahistorical, literal, and mechanical reading of the Qur’an and other Islamic texts has, in some cases, led to distorted, radicalized, power-centered, and violence-prone interpretations of Islam and its history. These misinterpretations, depending on the individuals or groups propagating them, have significantly harmed the image of Islam.

For this reason, Gülen emphasized that Muslims must prioritize the accurate representation of Islam in both private and public domains, both among themselves and in their interactions with others. Notably, he was one of the first Islamic scholars to unequivocally condemn the 9/11 attacks and global terrorism. Drawing from his understanding of Islamic universal ethics and morality, he boldly stated: “A Muslim cannot be a terrorist, and a terrorist cannot be a Muslim.”

Second, Gülen’s Islamic ontology and praxis, following the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), has developed a human-centered theology. This paradigm, rare in the annals of Islamic philosophical and theological thought, advocates for the peaceful coexistence of diverse cultures, religions, civilizations, nationalities, races, political ideologies, and governing systems in the rapidly globalizing world. It is grounded in God-ordained universal human values such as love, tolerance, peace, friendship, trust, altruism, respect, compassion, forgiveness, solidarity, and social responsibility.

For this reason, Gülen, departing from conventional understandings of the Divine, boldly declared that “diversity is divinely intended.” This entails that promoting and preserving diversity in its various forms is a sacred act. Notably, for Gülen, the concept of diversity extends beyond collective differences to include diversity within each collective. He believed that faith in diversity is fundamental to any conception of democracy, as it necessitates an accommodation of differences. Most violent conflicts, in his view, arise from the politics of intolerance and a rejection of differences.

It is therefore unsurprising that Gülen prioritized “dialogue” and “consultation” as the two most essential principles for the functioning of any democratic society and state.

These humanistic values were crushed under various forms of modernity, pursued in the name of “science,” “positivism,” and “systems,” which have produced and continue to foster violence and homogenization. For Gülen, the challenge of his era—and for future generations—was to re-center these humanistic values within global developmental and political discourses. He believed that the promotion and expansion of these values are the true measure of sincerity, worship, and service to both God and humanity.

For this reason, Gülen strongly advocated for the need to “humanize and spiritualize” modernity and modern governance systems. Such an approach, he argued, would prioritize “human security” over the narrower concept of “national security.”

A third prominent legacy of Fethullah Gülen is his groundbreaking work in education, for which the Hizmet movement is renowned across the globe. One of the key reasons behind Gülen’s success in the field of education, both within and beyond Turkey, is his framing of access to and attainment of education as a fundamental expression of Islamic universal faith, identity, and humanity. While many have advocated for education, few have transformed their call into a vibrant social movement that has significantly contributed to the democratization of Turkish public life. This peaceful, democratic assertion of the “Muslim periphery” has made Turkish society more inclusive and diverse—a remarkable legacy in the Turkish context.

Gülen viewed education not only as a prerequisite for attaining iman (faith) but also as an equalizing force and a means of building capabilities to navigate the complexities of the modern world. This perspective inspired a dedicated generation, who, within a short span of time, carried the educational mission to many parts of the world, often in the face of great challenges and difficulties. I believe Gülen’s educational model as a “social movement” is desperately needed in underdeveloped regions across the globe to help reduce social and economic inequalities and contribute to the common good.

Gülen considered education as a vocation, an ethical enterprise, a holistic experience, and a social process with the potential to transform human beings. The high modernism of the West, while making significant positive contributions to humanity, has also produced a “scientific-technocratic, heartless mind” that has failed to prevent cycles of violence and destruction. Gülen’s educational model seeks to balance the virtues of the heart with the rational mind, ensuring that softer humanistic values guide and temper the destructive ambitions often associated with unchecked scientific and technological advancement. I believe this model of education, particularly in schools, is highly relevant to today’s globalized world, which stands at a crossroads marked by high nationalist-populist politics. The unpredictable impulses of these movements risk pushing the world toward greater conflict and violence on a global scale.

Above all, Gülen will be remembered as an apostle of peace and non-violence. This is evident in his resolute commitment to ensuring the Hizmet movement remained peaceful despite decades of relentless, systematic attacks by the Erdoğan regime. These attacks included the illegal appropriation of Hizmet properties, estimated at approximately $50 billion, and the widespread persecution of its volunteers. Few instances of such prolonged persecution exist in recent human history. Despite these immense challenges and false accusations, he responded with unwavering peace, legality, and non-violence. He lifted the “Gülen community” from a “slumber of hopelessness” and guided them to continue their hizmet—service to humanity for the sake of Allah—without expectation of reward.

The flourishing existence of peaceful social relationships begins with the seed of dialogue. Rather than categorizing human beings into labels of specific religions or belief backgrounds, one should yearn for the beauty that lies within true understandings of actions and the strength that is derived from channels of interfaith conversations. Perhaps such connections are made when a person practicing their religion is provided a platform, while also taking part actively in the efforts that are put forward to create spaces where they are willingly listened to rather than simply heard.

This distinctive factor highlights how the Parliament of the World’s Religions illuminates vital aspects of humanity and peacebuilding by establishing empathetic conversations that first interact with an individual’s heart to focus attention on the search for peace, progress, and justice when it seems like hope is not nearby. In its historic home city of Chicago, where the first official Parliament took place in 1893 in an effort to harmoniously engage religions from the east and west, a beautiful recurrence took place this year: the 2023 convening of the Parliament brought together thousands of attendees from more than 95 countries at the Lakeside Center between August 14th and 18th [1]. As time has gone by, the last three decades mark numerous gatherings of the Parliament focusing on diverse themes that aim to represent pivotal issues facing different cultural and religious groups and individuals. This year’s theme focused on A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom and Human Rights to place attention on humanity’s struggle with despotic rulers and authoritarian regimes. The theme represents the need to uphold democratic values in sacred spaces through peaceful interfaith dialogue, which can act as an antidote for the violation of rights.

While walking through the large program space, one could come across a luminary voice or figure speaking for or representing a specific religious or spiritual group. In the air, there was a search for conversations that sparked a feeling of understanding not through long sentences but merely through a few words. The conference was organized into spaces where attendees could explore an array of program aspects: exhibition booths where various organizations could connect with attendees, a large plenary space for speeches, and session rooms that provided insight into specific topics falling under the overarching theme of urging action in times of injustice and undemocratic governments that threaten the power of peaceful societies.

Considering how interactive the global setting has become, the numerous options of parallel sessions to attend provided relevant and fruitful perspectives on elevating voices from all spheres of religious and spiritual conversations. To provide some insight, we can take into consideration the session on Creating Inclusive Sacred Spaces: Interfaith Dialogue, Contemplation, and Action, where the discussion revolved around how characteristics of spaces determine how well we are able to connect with others in a gentle manner without encouraging an unwelcoming feeling that can sometimes happen due to having different beliefs and traditions. This session focused on finding common ground and seeking channels of collaboration that would strengthen the peaceful bonds between the people we exist with during our time in the universe. Tessa Bielecki, a writer who is a former Carmelite monk, spoke about the beauty of seeing another individual when considering characteristics that make up sacred spaces. Referencing an Afghan phrase, “From seeing you, I am made very happy,” she emphasized how our “inner sacred space” must be home to kindness and peace so that when we interact with others, our intentions are translated through humble actions. In correlation to how the session highlighted the value of unanimity and peace, Fethullah Gülen’s understanding of dialogue is characterized as the action of embracing the beauty and need to unite bonds in an altruistic, humanitarian approach delivered through acts of tolerance and “love, compassion, forgiveness and humility,” as Dr. Heon Kim wrote in his article on Gülen’s approach to dialogic Sufism [2].

By the time one session ended, another began. The hallways of the convention center overflowed with new and familiar faces as the transitions took place, and ultimately left one feeling tranquil for being a part of a crowd of such diversity and love. There was even a medium-sized stage in the center of the second-floor main area surrounded by comfortable bean bags for attendees looking to take a short nap. If you sat nearby the stage, you had the chance to listen to anyone who wanted to read or recite something special to them, whether that was a call to prayer or a divine verse from a holy book. Watching candid discussions taking place, while seeing how welcomed individuals were in this space, reminded me of Dr. King’s vision of a Beloved Community, a community that receives with open arms all people and makes sure that every individual is cared for. In spaces like the Parliament, such an enlightening perspective makes one believe that Dr. King’s vision might possibly be achieved only when all aspects of systems that are vital in our society become one for a shared purpose of respect for human dignity [3].

While trying to understand what represents quality aspects of a Beloved Community, one transitioned their focus to recognizing strong characteristics of leaders who became role models to lead their communities with determination and resilience during difficult times. The Embracing the Other in Unwelcoming Times: Examples of Interfaith Pioneers session provided a platform where panelists brought forth valuable stories of important leaders and mentors who, at all moments of their life, served as sources of hope and guidance for people. Panelist Reverend Donald Rooney, who is President of the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers, discussed the importance of praying for one another and caring for our sisters and brothers who are part of our “great human family.” Transitioning from era to era changes our perspectives on how we creatively approach topics in contemporary ways. There follows a need to revisit what helps build characters of this “great human family” with a careful introspective lens that views how every moment of a life echoes with a lesson from the past that our mentors have been through, especially at times of hardship. Senior Rabbi Morris Zimbalist of Congregation Beth Judea highlighted how establishing empathy among one another during important moments allows for the teaching of love, which assists with the approaches we take when overcoming unwelcoming conditions and allows us to become pioneers in interfaith relations. Rabbi Zimbalist honored the work that Rabbi Meshullam Zelman Schachter-Shalomi, commonly referred to as Reb Zalman, did throughout his efforts at interfaith dialogue. In Reb Zalman’s words, “As believers, we all have an opportunity and moral obligation to recognize our spiritual common ground, to rise above our differences, to combat prejudice, and intolerance.”

The next featured session on Women and Political Conflict: Turkey, Trauma, and Spiritual Coping Strategies took into account the human rights violations in Turkey that have drastically altered the lives of the Hizmet movement’s participants as well as other critics of the government. The panel provided insight into the lives that have been destroyed as a result of the government’s actions, but also presented ways to place attention and advocate for the rights of those who have been wrongfully convicted. Speaker Vonya Womack, who is the executive director at Refugees Unknown-Stories Untold (RUSU), called the audience members to action in a heartfelt manner: “…as interfaith leaders, our compassion knows no bounds, transcending the confines of doctrine or dogma. We bear witness to the shared human experience. In the face of human rights violations and the haunting echoes of trauma that follow those violations, our hearts must recognize no division.”

To establish solidarity, empathetic connections must be made to transform lives through patience and advocacy, as Dr. Sophia Pandya who is department chair at California State University at Long Beach in the Department of Religious Studies, discussed when she highlighted the act of “dertlenmek”— that is, sharing the suffering of another as if it is your own situation, as Fethullah Gülen suggests when building bridges of empathy. A crucial aspect of patience comes with how well we can put ourselves in another person’s shoes, how well we can stand in solidarity, and how open we are to rebuilding our character to feel more deeply the struggles our brothers and sisters around the world undergo.

As time progressed throughout the day, the search for good food began. Although stopping by the mini pop-up stands providing various options was a good choice, my interest was piqued by the Guru Ka Langar being served by our Sikh friends outside of the main building. The beauty of Langar, which translates to “open kitchen,” is the instant wave of hospitality one feels when being greeted at the door by fellow Sikh community members who make sure you feel at home. The act of sharing is at the center of Langar, with important characteristics of “nishkam sewa” (self-less service) and “daya” (compassion) being a part of the hospitable atmosphere in the space [4]. Langar allows for community members to serve their guests in a selfless manner through humble actions, taking us back to the importance of dialogic Sufism. The act of sewa reminds one of how dialogue can be delivered by words that are spoken, as well as the kindness felt between the gestures and actions one exchanges with another.

The Parliament’s convening is crucially important for this generation, as well as the next, to create inclusive spaces for members of all beliefs and spiritual practices. Inclusivity brings diverse, integrated perspectives that bloom with the assistance of knowledge sharing and discovering common ground. The need to attain knowledge and refresh one’s mind by interacting with other brothers and sisters emphasizes what Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, a 20th century Islamic scholar and writer of the “Risale-i Nur” (“Epistles of Light”), reminds individuals in Al-Mathnawi Al-Nuri (Seedbed of the Light): “Knowledge without the heart’s insight is ignorance” [5].

Often, we forget how the call to conscience begins with our intentions—intentions that should seek insight into various fields of knowledge. This insight is sometimes awakened by a small conversation or simply from seeing a dance group train before their upcoming performance. Stumbling upon the humble team of Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy’s dance team at the Parliament, our method of communication was established through a friend who spoke fluent Chinese. Monica Wang, a representative with the academy, emphasized how they were a part of the program to “express love and peace from ourselves and to interact with more people.” The pin she gave to our team members is one that we will cherish for years to come and is a reminder to humanity to always keep an open heart for those our lives intersect with as our journey transcends all limits and boundaries through the power of humility and respect that is derived from selflessly serving humanity.

Notes

1. Parliament of the Worlds Religions. (n.d.). 2023 Chicago. Parliament of the Worlds Religions.https://parliamentofreligions.org/parliament/2023-chicago-2/
2. Kim, H. C. (n.d.). Fethullah Gülen’s Dialogic Sufism: A theological framework. Gulen Movement. https://www.gulenmovement.com/fethullah-gulens-dialogic-sufism-a-theological-framework.html
3. Tatter, G. (2019, January 18). Achieving King’s Beloved Community. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/news/19/01/achieving-kings-beloved-community
4. Guru Ka Langar: The Sikh ethos of Sharing Hospitality – Parliament of the world’s religions. Parliament of the Worlds Religions. (2019, September 17). https://parliamentofreligions.org/articles/guru-ka-langar-the-sikh-ethos-of-sharing-hospitality/
5. Nursi, S. (2007). Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri: Seedbed of the light. The Light.