A journey steeped in faith

His was a life steeped in faith and purpose, a testimony to what it means to be accepted by the Lord and a beacon for those who seek to walk a path of divine servitude.

Born in 1938 in the modest village of Korucuk, Turkey, Hocaefendi’s journey began with an earnest thirst for knowledge. His life was molded by the teachings of Islam and the rich spiritual tradition that imbued his heart. He was not merely a scholar but a seeker, constantly striving to deepen his connection with the Divine. His teachings transcended the ordinary, emphasizing that true worship is more than ritual—it is a life devoted to God, with each act an offering of service.

Hocaefendi’s unwavering commitment was anchored in a profound understanding of Islam as a source of peace and coexistence. He once said, “The true believer finds God not only in the heights of prayer but in the quiet service to humanity.” This encapsulates the essence of his teachings, which inspired millions to embody the principles of love, compassion, and humility. He reminded his followers, “Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder,” urging a life where gentle acts of kindness and wisdom make a lasting impact.

The vision of Hizmet: Service to humanity

Hocaefendi’s life bore witness to a movement born from sincerity: Hizmet, meaning “service.” The Hizmet movement became a transformative force, one rooted in the belief that serving others is an act of worship. Its mission expanded across continents, establishing schools, humanitarian projects, and interfaith initiatives that served as bridges between cultures. This network of service was driven by the understanding that the fruits of one’s labor are both temporal and eternal.

Hocaefendi’s teachings did not stop at advocating the theological; they blossomed into a movement where actions spoke louder than words. As the Qur’an beautifully encapsulates, “Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind…” (Qur’an 36:12). In this divine promise lies the enduring traces of Hocaefendi’s influence: the schools built, the minds inspired, the bridges of peace extended across borders. Every good deed performed by those he inspired contributes to his eternal legacy, a cycle of goodness that yields its fruit until the end of time.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “When a person dies, their deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them” (Sahih Muslim). Hocaefendi’s vision ensured that his legacy would live on through all three, as generations of students and devotees continue to uplift communities and illuminate the world with acts of kindness and knowledge.

A legacy beyond this world

Hocaefendi was undoubtedly a man whose acceptance by the Divine was evident in the immense good that followed him. As I once shared with his close disciples, a person cannot achieve such enduring impact without being favored by God. His trials—exile, accusations, and challenges—were met with patience and unwavering dignity. Even when accused unjustly of leading a coup in 2016, he stood resilient, embodying the Quranic promise: “Indeed, Allah defends those who have believed” (Qur’an 22:38). The trials that might have broken others only deepened his resolve and strengthened the legacy of Hizmet.

Reflecting on the above-mentioned verse of Surah Yaseen, “Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind” (Qur’an 36:12), one can see that Hocaefendi’s traces of goodness are inscribed in a register that will bear witness until the end of time. The seeds of service he sowed continue to bloom, and his spirit lives on through the countless individuals who carry forward his vision.

Philosophy of tolerance and peace

Hocaefendi’s teachings were a call to a higher understanding, one rooted in the Qur’anic principle of mutual respect and tolerance: “O humankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another” (Qur’an 49:13). He urged Muslims to reclaim Islam’s message of love and understanding. His emphasis on tolerance as a divine mandate not only healed divisions but united diverse communities.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr once reflected, “The future of the world will depend on how various world views and civilizations will be able to live together.” Hocaefendi’s legacy fulfilled this hope. He believed that through service, dialogue, and the embrace of others, peace could flourish, and he devoted his life to nurturing this vision.

Practical advice for those inspired by him

To those who have been moved by his teachings, know this: The greatest tribute you can offer is to continue his work with sincerity and resolve. As Hocaefendi often cited, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” Let us embody his spirit by serving our communities and fostering the inclusivity he envisioned. This is not just a movement; it is a mindset, one made real through action.

A supplication for the departed

O Allah, shower Your mercy upon our teacher, Hocaefendi Fethullah Gülen. Grant him the highest station in Jannah, for his service was an unyielding act of worship. May his soul find peace in Your presence, and may his legacy inspire us to strive for Your acceptance through the service of others.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un—“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return” (Qur’an 2:156).

The trajectory of his remarkable life, writings and work is easy to follow. Yet, most of what is written about him online is couched in simplistic, sloppy terms, revealing both the shallowness of social media and its power in creating and controlling narratives.

Erdogan’s rapid morphing into a 21st century absolutist sultan with plans for a 1000-roomed palace—which Gülen denounced as prohibited by Islam and which Erdogan completed—and his removal of prosecutors investigating allegations of his family’s financial corruption were but some of the things that provoked Gülen’s ire. Erdogan had to deal with an ancient challenge faced by numerous dictatorial sultans before: “Who will save me from this pesky cleric who had grown too big for his boots?”

The perfect opportunity came in 2016 with an attempted “coup”. (Among academic scholars, the jury is still out on whether this was a genuine coup or a planned sideshow by Erdogan to rally support.) Gülen and the movement he led were held responsible.

Gülen’s well-documented written works and speeches testify to a person deeply moved by his faith, simplicity, moral values, calls to justice and the spiritual underpinnings he desired as lodestars for Turkish society. He led an austere life, leaving no property or wealth behind.

Not once did Gülen suggest that he was interested in political power. He rejected what he regarded as the politicisation of religion. All the education institutions founded by the Hizmet Movement aimed to produce quality, well-rounded scholars in all fields, including education, science, Islamic and contemporary law.

I have closely observed the Hizmet movement in the US, Europe and South Africa for more than two decades. As a scholar of religion, I can smell a cult a mile away.

Wherever the Hizmet Movement has planted its seeds, its work has been characterised by serious attempts to engage — not proselytise — people of various communities. Notions of winning over “other Muslims” or non-Muslims are absent from its programmes. Its frequent inter-faith dialogue events are just that — to promote understanding between faiths and to advance the values that drive them.

As in 160 countries, Gülen’s vision inspired the global Hizmet Movement in South Africa. This movement has established schools producing the finest matric results in the country, charitable organisations and platforms for interfaith dialogue mainly focusing on promoting science, literacy and community service. The movement has a significant and deeply impressive footprint and is run by full-time volunteers and staff on a small budget.

Most moving is watching these volunteers set aside their pain as they go about the daily basis of their calling: living and acting in service of humanity in general and, more specifically, South African society.

How can animals in the wild hunt during the night as if it were day? A remarkable biological feature acts as a pair of “natural” night vision goggles.

Animals can move and even hunt in the pitch-dark of the night. How do these animals see comfortably in the dark? How are their eyes different from ours?

Anatomically, the eye consists of three layers called the Tunica fibrosa (outer layer), the Tunica vasculosa (mid layer), and the Tunica nervosa (retina). The outer layer of the eye is composed of the sclera and cornea; the middle section of choroidea, corpus ciliare, and the iris; and the inner section of the retina.

Light rays reflected off objects first pass through the eye’s translucent layer (the cornea), then into the black round part located in the front of the eye (pupillae, or pupil), and later go through the lenses. The colored section around the pupil, covered by smooth muscles, is in charge of regulating the amount of light entering the eye. The real and inverted image of an object is projected on the retina by the refraction of light through the lens; the image is transmitted to the optical center of the brain as a result of nerve cell stimulation via the optical nerves. Sight happens as a result of these causal chains.

Now, there is a twist to all this: the optical center in the brain accepts spots that do not emit light as black. For humans, this means a loss of sight. Black objects are not visible because they absorb and keep all the light reaching them.

How could these animals, without night vision goggles, see in pitch blackness despite having the same optical mechanisms as humans?

The answer to this question was hidden in an anatomic structure (tapetum lucidum) located in the eyes of some vertebrates. This special structure, lacking in humans, monkeys, squirrels, birds, red kangaroos, and some other mammals, is found in equines, ruminants, and many carnivores. This structure is located in the cytoplasm of the choroidea layers in between the innermost light sensitive ocular layer and sclera, and it acts like a biological reflector. With its crystalline composition of varying colors from golden yellow to white, tapetum lucidum is a wonder of creation. The eyes of these animals shine when a light source is projected due to the aforementioned structure.

The primary task of this formation is to reflect the light which is projected to the rear section of the eye again without absorbing it. This happens due to the crystalline makeup. Thus, lower light levels are enhanced by the repeated reflection in the eye, and sight is enabled for animals. The second job of Tapetum lucidum is to elevate the sensitivity of the retina to light in order to transmit signals with no stimulation strength to the optical center.

This reminds us of night vision goggles. Night vision cameras are electro-optical devices that strengthen the light that is present. Light enters this device through the lens and hits the charged cathode, which has a lot of high energy. The energy load hits the phosphorous screen where the image is focused after passing through the vacuum inside the charger. The image is an enhanced picture on the phosphorous screen and it is not visible directly through the object. Tapetum lucidum however, is such an artistic work that it cannot even be compared with the night vision systems of technology. While the lifespan of a night vision system is only 2,500–4,000 hours (104–167 days), animals with Tapetum lucidum can benefit from this for a lifetime. The newest night vision systems, with a maximum optic range of 30-120 meters, cannot provide sight under light conditions one fourth of the moon’s illumination strength, whereas animals with Tapetum lucidum can see objects hundreds of meters away in much dimmer light.

This isn’t the only example of how masterfully and diverse eyes can be. Damseflies have over 30,000 simple eyes, called ommatids; eagles can see their prey from thousands of feet above them.

By the principle that “certain things are appreciated best in their absence,” if we imagine a dark night in which we are unable to see anything and cannot even step a foot safely, we can perhaps understand that Tapetum lucidum is a great blessing for these animals.

Reference

Veterinary Ophthalmology (2004) 7, 1,11–22. Comparative morphology of the tapetum lucidum (among selected species), F. J. Ollivier,* D. A. Samuelson, D. E. Brooks, P. A.Lewis, M. E. Kallberg and A. M. Komáromy.

There are so many blessings in life, granted to us free of charge, which we take for granted. Eyesight, being able to see near and far distances, most certainly tops the list. But we do not have to be deprived of our sight in order to understand its wisdom and functioning, and to contemplate upon its true value and worth.

Years of research and hard work were dedicated to develop cameras and multi-featured objective lenses. Initially, one to three lens objective cameras were used for simple shots, whereas today, objectives with seven to ten lenses are being used to take better photographs from a snow drop falling onto a flower to a buzzing bee resting on a flower. I wonder to what extent human beings are aware of the pair of eyes that has been bestowed upon them by God, and its ability to see different colors and shapes both near and far. Unfortunately, as people who often understand the true value of things once they are lost, we understand the blessing of being able to see near after the age of forty when we cannot read the newspaper without glasses and when we cannot put a thread through a needle.

So why is it that we can still see far after the age of forty but fail to see near? In order to understand this we need to examine the structure of the eye and its functions.

The structure of the eye and the ability to see

The exterior part of the eye is made up of a translucent layer (cornea) at the front and a white protective layer (sclera) behind it. The vascular layer of the eye (uvea) is located in the middle of the sclera. The most inner part of the eye is made up of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue responsible for converting light rays into electrical signals. The hole located in the center of the iris, the colored part of the eye, is called the pupil. Behind the pupil is the crystalline lens. For a clear vision, lights reflected from objects need to be focused on the central part of the retina (fovea). While cameras have lens systems to focus the image on the film, it is the cornea and crystalline lens that are responsible for the same function in the eye.

Refraction power of cornea is constant and around 43 diopters. The refraction power of the eye lens when resting is around 20 diopters. Light rays coming from outside refracts at a set ratio and manages to focus on the retina. The light rays coming at the retina are then coded into electrical signals. Afterwards these signals are routed towards related regions of the brain via optic nerves. Most of the stimuli relayed by the optical nerve arrive at the visual center of the brain (occipital cortex). These coded electrical signals then become vision when they reach the optical lobe of the brain.

The function of the lens and accommodation

The refraction power of both the cornea and the lens (43+20+63 diopters) is sufficient to focus an image on the retina when looking at objects farther than 6 meters. Extra refraction power is needed for closer distances in order to focus images on the retina. Mobile lens systems enable this job to take place in camera objectives. Since refraction power of the cornea in human eye does not change, this additional task of refraction is set to be provided by the ocular lens. It is built as a flexible structure without any blood vessels. Aqueous humor (lens fluid) which is secreted by the ciliary body is responsible for lens nourishment, removal of waste products and toning of the eye since the lens does not contain any blood vessels. This internal fluid has low oxygen concentration therefore the lens is made to derive its energy supply mostly from anaerobic metabolism.

The iris is positioned in a suitable place where it can change the shape of the internal lens behind the pupil. The lens in this special place is suspended into position via zonule of zinn ligaments attached to the eye as a ciliary body. The ciliary body contains ciliary muscles where zinn ligaments are attached. Only 0.5 mm of space exists between the lens and the ciliary body. Zinn ligaments are tight when ciliary muscles are resting and this enables a flatter configuration of the lens. Upon contraction of ciliary muscles, zinn ligaments become relaxed and the diameter of the lens decreases along with an increase in its thickness. Thicker lens becomes more globular and this increases its refractive power, thus enabling vision of the closer distances. This increase in refractive power of the lens in order to see closer objects is called “accommodation.” If the stimuli of the ciliary muscles expire, ciliary muscles then relax making zinn ligaments tighter, reducing thickness of the lens, making it flatter and therefore less refractive. This reshapes it to focus on distant objects for a clearer vision.

Accommodation mechanisms and loss of accommodation during aging

The vision blurs temporarily when one takes an immediate shift from staring at an object in the distance to another object nearby. As soon as this blurry image reaches the occipital cortex, stimuli generated here arrives first at the Edinger-Westphal nucleus via special nerve tracks and then to the ciliary muscles of the eye. In a very short time, this blurry vision is corrected and becomes clearer without us even noticing with optimal increase of refraction in the internal lens. In a time as short as 0.35 seconds, for thousands of times in a day, this mechanism is set to function in such a perfect manner to spur those thoughtful minds into reflection and wonder.

Accommodation ability is at its highest point in children and this feature of the eye decreases with age. Refractive power of the lens can increase up to 34 diopters with a 14 diopters accommodation power along with 20 diopters of resting refraction during childhood. This way, children can clearly see objects as close as 7 centimeters. Accommodation power decreases with age. It reduces to 4-8 diopters after the age of 40 and 2-3 diopters around the age of 50. It is widely accepted that refractive power disappears entirely after the age of 60.

In the advanced stages of aging, the eye lens loses its transparency, becomes cloudy as it develops cataract. Eye lens in this poor transparent stage is removed via cataract surgery, to be replaced with an artificial lens to carry out the refracting task. Unfortunately today, technology is still unable to produce an artificial lens that is capable of all the tasks that a human eye can perform. Artificial internal eye lenses that are used in surgeries today cannot carry out accommodation functions. Majority of these lenses can only focus on one point at a near or far distance. Newly developed multifocal lenses can utilize various mechanisms to see both near and far distances yet they are not in any position to replace the human lens completely.

Ocular motions when looking near and far

Thanks to ocular movements, we do not have to move our head constantly while looking around. The eye movement involving both eyes in which each eye moves in the same direction is referred to as version type movements. Another movement type is called vergence, and this is when both eyes move in opposite directions. Vergence type movements are a type of ocular motility coded in a special center part of the brain. It is called convergence because the eyes get closer to each other when looking at closer distances, and called divergence when both eyes focus on the same spot by directing away from each other. If eyes only moved in the same direction without this convergence mechanism, both eyes would not be able to focus on closer points and would not be able to develop three dimensional visions (depth perception).

In addition to accommodation and convergence, when we look closer, our pupils get smaller (Miosis). Light rays coming from outside objects get improved focus on the retina via this constriction of the pupils. This way, a clearer image is provided.

When we look closer, accommodation, convergence and miosis all happen at the same time in a synchronized manner to provide a clear vision. The details of these complicated chains of events have yet to be understood.

Conclusion

The fineness of refractive power of the eye with a single lens, accommodation ability and sensitive balances of ocular motility is only a few of the blessings of the eye granted to humankind. The ability to see near being at its peak during young ages when learning is most active is another dimension to this miracle. These wisdom-filled capacities given to the eye makes one ponder upon the importance of the eye for survival, in addition to being a reminder to those with an open mind and heart to gaze upon the natural world and contemplate upon the Almighty.

“Life is a shared bridge of “passing over” and “coming back.” It is a passing over to other cultures and faiths, not to disown one’s own heritage, but to come back to incorporate new wisdoms and insight into one’s own worldview. The Gülen Movement is one such bridge.”

What the religious scholar John Dunne wrote in the 1970s remains true today:

What seems to be happening in our world today is what we might call ‘passing over,’ passing over from one culture to another, from one way of life to another, from one religion to another. Passing over is a shifting of standpoint, a going over to the standpoint of another culture, another way of life, another religion. It is followed by equal and opposite process of what we might call ‘coming back,’ coming back with new insight into one’s own culture, one’s own way of life, one’s own religion. The holy man of our time [is] . . . a figure like Gandhi, a man who passes over by sympathetic understanding from his own religion to other religions and comes back again with new insight into his own. Passing over and coming back is the spiritual adventure of our time. (1972, ix)

I think that this spiritual adventure of passing over and coming back also occurs in the person of Fethullah Gülen. But more importantly, his passing over and coming back has led to a bridge that makes it possible for the rest of us, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Humanists, to engage in the spiritual adventure of our time. We too can use the “Gülen bridge” to pass over from our standpoint, be it in America as a Christian (as for myself) or from Turkey as a Muslim, as for my new Turkish friends. We can pass over and come back with new appreciation of Islam, a new understanding of the Anatolian culture, and a transformed spirit. Muslims too can be transformed as they pass over into American life and its religious diversity and come back to Islam with a renewed perspective. But I will share how my encounter with this movement and the people involved in the movement affected my outlook and shaped my spirit.

Who is Fethullah Gülen? And what sort of bridge did he build for us? Mr. Gülen himself was nurtured in the religion of Islam, as that religion expressed itself in Turkey during the latter half of the 20th century. Turkey has an unusual history in the 20th century. To make a long and complex story somewhat shorter, the Ottoman Empire that ruled a region that is greater than present day Turkey until the 1920s had a close relation to Islam. Islamic law, Sharia, was the law of the land. But when the empire began to crumble, the reformers successfully pushed for a new secular Turkish republic that outlawed religion in the public square. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the new nation of Turkey, considered religion to be antithetical to modernization, and so pushed religion and its institutions into the private sphere. Ataturk himself schooled in the European philosophy of laicite, or radical secularism, advocated a strict separation of church and state. The free exercise of religion is allowed so long as it stays at home; religion is not accommodated but rather it is actively suppressed from public expression. The new Turkish state sought to create a homogenous society based on science and Turkish nationalism, and therefore tried to root out all other influences, especially religious ones, in the life of the people. So overnight, a Muslim culture was to be wiped away and replaced by scientific secularism in the interest of modernization.

One might imagine that such a project will have no success, but to some degree it has been achieved in Turkey. Still, religion is not easily eradicated; religion has a way of transforming itself and emerging in unforeseen ways. Religion can be privatized, but it will not always stay at home, for religion is an expansive force in human life, it is an urge toward greater good, toward greater freedom, and this urge found a decisive vehicle in the person of Fethullah Gülen. Gülen was raised in a Muslim home, but by all accounts, it was a progressive home life. As Helen Ebaugh says in her study of the movement: “Mr. Gülen was raised in a circle of people who were constantly exploring spirituality and its place in the modernizing world” (2010, 24). As a young man he was introduced to the writings of Said Nursi, the great Sufi scholar of the revolution. Although Ataturk’s secularism won the day after the revolution, Nursi’s progressive Islam continued to influence many Turks, and Gülen’s own developing vision of Islam for our global society is greatly indebted to Nursi’s thinking. To quote Ebaugh again: “Nursi had developed ideas of a modern Islam that insisted on the necessity of a significant role for religious beliefs in public life while embracing scientific and technological developments” (2010, 24).

What is Gülen’s vision of a modern Islam, and how does religion become a public force in a secular state that suppresses its expression? My trip to Turkey helped me to see the answer to such questions. I witnessed two cornerstones of the Gülen movement: education and dialog. Both of these are essential elements of the bridge that Gülen has built between Islam, the U.S., and the rest of the world. The Islam that Gülen advocates stresses that education is not enemy of religious faith but an ally. As part of his own crossing over and coming back, Gülen followed in the footsteps of Nursi and learned everything he could about European culture, especially the scientific mentality, but also the economic, political and social scientific developments. And he then synthesized this with his vision of a progressive Islam. Progressive Islam means an Islam that sees the Qur’an and the traditions as compatible with reason and experience. Education in Gülen’s vision means an education in the sciences, but also an education that stresses moral character and spiritual development. The result is a worldview that is both spiritually rich and intellectually sophisticated. How did I discover this?

During my trip to Turkey we visited numerous schools that have been founded by the Gülen movement. We visited with the principals and teachers, the deans and the faculty, and of course the students. I witnessed their commitment, their diligence and their joy in learning. The educational institutions the movement is sustaining for the children of Turkey, (and growingly across the globe), will greatly increase the real-life opportunities for these children to develop into the full personhood that God intended. These schools integrate scientific knowledge with ethical values; they address the whole person. As Gülen himself says, “The main duty and purpose of life is to seek understanding. The effort of doing so, known as education, is a perfecting process through which we earn, in the spiritual, intellectual and physical dimensions of our beings, the rank appointed for us as the perfect pattern of creation” (2006, 202). Nothing could be more important to a country’s development; GDP is important, but real human development is more important. We know this is so in America, but we are not emphasizing it as strongly as many in the Gülen movement are. We could learn something about education here.

Not only did we visit schools, but I was welcomed into the homes of volunteers active in the Gülen movement. While we enjoyed Turkish foods, we discussed serious matters: what was the aim of the movement? What was taught in the schools? Did instruction include ethics and religious matters? What did the “reading circles,” the gatherings of followers of Gülen, read and discuss? How will the movement be affected when Gülen passes away? And the individuals whose homes I visited wanted to hear about my impressions of Turkey; they wanted to learn about America: What was happening to education in America? What was the religious climate like in America? Who are the leaders? We engaged in genuine substantive dialogue about faith and life. How refreshing to visit with adults and discuss topics of real significance!

What was really transformative for me, and what led me to realize that this is a movement of profound depth, were these visits with individuals and families committed to the movement’s aims of education and dialog. The people involved in the Gülen movement are on a spiritual adventure; they are not defending a static vision, but one that affirms dialog across cultures and religions. They are passing over and coming back. I will confess to you that my study of religion and other cultures had been (up to this point) mostly of East Asian traditions, especially Buddhism. I came to appreciate Buddhist perspectives on the human spiritual situation. I have not disowned my Christian heritage, but I have incorporated some of the Buddhist wisdom in my Christian faith. I passed over and came back. But now I have passed over and come back again; I have come back to my faith with a new appreciation of Islam, and I now incorporate the wisdom of the Gülen movement into my Christian worldview.

Finally, I think that the Gülen movement has been so successful in large part because of the soil from which it emerged. This soil was a culture where religion was looking for a way to express itself in public without overstepping what was (to most Turks) an increasingly successful process of modernization. But that is true for many places in our world today. People are hungry for a world view that does not ask them to deny their spiritual heritage, that allows them to express their faith in public ways, but one that also does not ask them to deny their neighbor’s religious standpoint, but learn from their neighbor, nor to deny the science and technology that have lead to great gains for human life today. I predict that the Gülen movement will afford many people an answer to these yearnings; it provides a vision for a post-modern spirituality, one at home in an interdependent pluralistic world.

The Sociologist Peter Berger has written that there are “three options that all contemporary religious communities now face: to resist pluralism, to withdraw from it, or to engage with it. None is without difficulties and risks, but only engagement is compatible with liberal democracy. Engagement means that the tradition is carried into the open discourse of the culture and that those who represent the tradition make unapologetic truth claims” (Berger, 2005). The Gülen movement is a religious vision that is engaging our pluralistic world; the movement is not simply compatible with democracy, it is a force for democracy in our world. Furthermore, the Gülen movement proves that we can engage in diversity, that we can take our spiritual voice into the public square of liberal democracy, and make our truth claims while we yet listen to, acknowledge and evaluate the other parties’ truth claims. Indeed, the movement that bears Fethullah Gülen’s name is a way to spiritually pass over and come back, come back enriched and transformed. The Gülen movement is spiritual bridge for our time.

Dr. Mehl is a Professor of Philosophy & Religion at the University of Central Arkansas. 

References

• Berger, Peter. “Religious Pluralism for a Pluralistic Age” http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/berger1/English (accessed February 21, 2012)
• Dunne, John S. 1972. The Way of All the Earth: Experiments in Truth and Religion, Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
• Ebaugh, Helen Rose. 2010. The Gülen Movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam, New York: Springer.
• Gülen, M. Fethullah. 2006. Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance, Somerset, NJ: The Light, Inc.

Octopuses are equipped with a very powerful sensing system in addition to their sharp vision. For example, an octopus whose vision is obstructed can sense the size of objects and the distance between them. Regulation and synchronization of vision is realized with internal and external movement of the lens contrary to human beings. When it faces a threat, the octopus releases dark blue-black ink and tries to repel its enemy. Immediately after the spray, its color changes and it carefully leaves that spot. The secretion glands found in the inner face of the bladder have been programmed to secrete ink the moment the animal becomes frightened. Another function of the ink is to blunt the attacking animal’s sense of smell. Even if the animal touches the octopus at this time, it cannot recognize it.

Another striking and important ability given to the octopus is its ability to camouflage. In some situations it tries to protect itself from danger by hiding itself with this capability. If it has not been able to find a suitable place to hide, the octopus swims among the corals and, taking on the color and shape of its surroundings with the help of color cells comprised of richly colored matter (chromatophores) found under the skin, it camouflages itself perfectly.

At first glance the suckers of an octopus are no different from suction cups vacuum pressed onto smooth surfaces. However, in reality this organ is more complex than it appears to be. This organ was not created just for the purpose of sticking on objects. By means of muscles unique to it, the octopus is able to make various maneuvers.

There are approximately 200-250 suckers in two lines on each arm of the octopus. This means there are approximately 2 thousand suckers on its eight arms. There are two small chambers on each sucker. The external chamber is called a cone and the internal one is called a pot. When it sights its prey, the muscles of the external cone take the shape of the surface of the prey and completely cover it. The muscles of the internal pot structure are full of water and, disconnected from the outside world, decrease the inner pressure. This difference from the outside pressure has the effect of a vacuum. The external muscle structure enables the octopus to turn from an erect or parallel angle by decreasing the pressure difference around the object and without destroying the functional structure of the sucker.

In addition to possessing the complex muscle structures explained above, the suckers have an amazing nerve system. The chemical receptors found on the edge of the suckers (chemo-receptors) give feedback regarding the taste of the object, and the pressure and position receptors give information regarding pressure and touch. The nerves of these receptors, gathered in a node, act as a tiny brain. The chain structure extending the length of the octopus’ arm connects the suckers and nodes and synchronizes them. This structure enables the animal to lift and raise its arms without need of a command from the main brain. How this amazing task is accomplished by the brain, arm and suckers is a subject that needs investigation.

Only considering its suckers, the octopus appears before us as a creature adorned with perfect artistry and special capabilities. The characteristics of these animals being in a wise and most appropriate form is one of the clearest proofs of the blessings and benefaction of a compassionate and merciful Creator.

Canoglu is a freelance writer from Turkey with a degree on zoology.

The United States and many other developed countries are becoming more multi cultural, multi ethnic, and multi racial than ever before. This may to a certain extent cause less communication, interconnectedness or dialogue between diverse individuals. This lack of communication and dialogue, especially in education, manifests itself as less participation and involvement, which negatively affects educational success. Since educational success is highly associated with parental and community involvement, social capital plays a critical role in improving overall successes in education. Educators and policy makers should seek new ways and strategies to improve social capital with greater efficacy. This also includes reexamining leadership styles, practices and setting exemplary leadership frameworks.

1. Social capital

Due to the abstract nature of the concept, social capital is mostly defined by its functions or manifestations. In other words, definitions mostly answer the question of what social capital does rather than what it is. Don Cohen and Laurence Prusak (2001) refer to social capital as a dynamic and even organic phenomenon. Their approach also emphasizes social capital’s role and function, rather than social capital itself. They underline (1) how social capital works in organizations, (2) how investments are made in social capital, and (3) the return that these organizations and individuals experience from these investments (p. 3). In this framework, Cohen and Prusak (2001) offer the working definition of social capital as “the stock of active connections among people.” Yet, there seems to be a more concrete definition offered by The World Bank Social Capital Initiative (1998). According to The World Bank Social Capital Initiative, social capital is the “internal, social and cultural coherence of society, the norms and values that govern interactions among people and the institutions in which they are embedded” (p. iii). Thus, social capital is seen as the glue that holds societies together. Consequently. without social capital, society at large will collapse. Due to its importance, researchers from different fields, such including political science, economics and education, investigate social capital, as many people see social capital as a solution to persistent social problems.

2. Social capital and education

In the world of education, social capital is formed by social networks connecting families, schools and communities. In other words, parental and community involvement are the forms of social capital which are most associated with academic success. The World Bank (1998) argues that there is evidence that schools are more successful when parents and community members are actively involved. Discussions about school issues, parental monitoring, active tutoring, providing encouragement, attending school events, responding to school obligations, etc are all examples of parental involvement. Less effective community involvement examples include (1) supporting schools financially, (2) participating in school events, and (3) involving schools in community meetings. Community involvements render teachers more committed. Furthermore, it effects students’ general achievement, including achievement in reading, math, or other specific curricular areas, as well as IQ scores and an array of attitudinal and behavioral outcomes.

3. Education and leadership

Even a cursory review of the leadership literature reveals that there are multiple definitions of leadership, and these all arise from mainly different perceptions and specific disciplinary conceptualizations. For example, some authors choose to treat leadership as a psychological fact while others see it as sociological (Pierce & Newstrom, 2008). In different disciplines, such as education or health, the definitions are based upon the references of that particular discipline. Therefore, a wide range of definitions of leadership are offered, but not a single model or term given. Accordingly, while some leadership approaches focus on the different characteristics between the followers and the leaders, others look at internal or external variables such as representation and effectiveness.

In education, leadership is mostly represented in schools by school administrations. Specifically, principals and teachers are expected to possess the leadership skills necessary to run their schools. Leadership practices are not only expectations but also obligations and requirements as part of the profession. This is especially true for principals. Since they form school policies, they’re considered critical for academic and disciplinary success.

Kouzes and Posner (2007) see the concept of leadership as a practice rather than as a personality type. After several case analyses, surveys and questionnaires, they uncovered five leadership practices common to personal-best leadership experiences as guidance for all leaders. These five practices of exemplary leadership are essentials and applicable for all leaders who want ot get extraordinary things done in organizations, including educational institutions. The five practices are: (1) modeling the way, (2) inspiring a shared vision, (3) challenging the process, (4) enabling others to act, and (5) encouraging the heart.

4. Exemplary leadership, K-12 education, and social capital

To improve and benefit from the existing social capital in a family, school and community, the five practices of leadership proposed by Kouzes and Posner may be implemented in K-12 institutions. Accordingly, this model may improve academic and disciplinary success in K-12 education. The following titles will focus on possible actions, attitudes or procedures to improve social capital as conducted by school principals and teachers.

a. Model the way

Behaviors are more important than the title that people carry in organizations. It is through behavior that people win the respect of other members of an organization. If leaders want to gain commitment and better standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect from others. Overall, leaders model the way (Kouzes & Posner, 2007). School principals and teachers should act and behave in the best way possible, as exemplary models, towards colleagues, parents and community members if they wish to utilize and improve social capital. Modeling the way can be done by more involvement and participation in the activities organized in and out school. However, principals and teachers should prioritize their needs when they are choosing activities and events. For instance, different ethnic and cultural groups in a community can isolate themselves, since other members of the community may not want to communicate. Although these different groups may open their activities to all community members, lack of communication and dialogue creates isolation and, as explained before, cause lack of trust, reciprocal respect, interaction and safety, all of which are essential to building social capital. Thus, principals and teachers should prioritize communication and dialogue rather than basic social needs such as entertainment. Modeling the way can also include mutual family visits, joining social organizations and participating in community workshops, conferences and diversity meetings. In short, principals and teachers should represent – model the way – rather than present what social capital requires as a discourse.

b. Inspire a shared vision

Keenness, interest, diligence, inspiration, enthusiasm, dreams and imagination are essential factors for leaders in an organization (Kouzes & Posner, 2007). When leaders are visionary, and if their visions are realistic and if they have confidence in their capacity and skill, remarkable achievement can be realized. According to Kouzes and Posner (2007), every organization and social movement begins with a dream. Dream is a force which helps shape the future. However, dreams cannot work alone and must be shared. Leaders with dreams, or even leaders with more tangible projects, may not initiate an organized movement or substantive change. People will not follow leaders unless they accept the vision or dream as their own. To do so, leaders need to inspire people to share their vision.

A shared vision is as important as modeling the way in the process to utilize and improve social capital. People need to be convinced about the benefits of social capital in academic and disciplinary success in schools. Since many studies (Dika & Singh, 2002) show positive links between high social capital and overall success in K-12 education, making people believe in its benefits may not prove a difficult task for principals and teachers. However, a simple belief does not help much with improving social capital. Kouzes and Posner’s (2007) second practice of exemplary leadership, which is inspire a shared vision, might help leaders, principals and teachers achieve sufficient utilization and improvement in education. The visions and dreams may include (1) high involvement in activities and events, (2) strong connections with parents and community members, and (3) moral and financial support. The first step towards realizing such visions is telling them to the targeted individuals. The second is paralleling the visions with people’s expectations, hopes, and dreams. To do so, principals and teachers should engage in dialogue, not only with their colleagues, but also with parents and community members. The third involves further interaction and dialogue with people to amend or modify the vision for more effective utilization, if needed. Thus, plans and preparations for the planned goal or for the better utilization and improvement of social capital can be improved, and thus become more appealing.

c. Challenge the process

Leadership cases mostly involve a case of change or are perceived to be a challenge to the status quo. Studies done by Kouzes and Posner (2007) confirm this. For example, leaders may challenge a system, its processes or procedures so that they obtain new or better products, processes, services, systems, or outcomes. Challenge might involve an innovative product, a cutting-edge service, a revolutionary piece of legislation, or a reformed cadre of different personnel.

In a school environments, change and challenge occurs in and through the existing policies, internal culture and the status quo. To achieve a significant or better organized transformation, school leaders, primarily principals, happen to take risks. Change might be perceived as a challenge in different forms to the existing attitudes, means, methods and personnel. It might not be seen within the framework or practice of the existing action-plans that allege to benefit social capital within a community. By and large, attempts to improve or further utilize social capital can be perceived as a challenge if there is already some resistance to and confrontation with the rank-and-file towards the process of change and development in any community. As for schools, school leaders can challenge the attitudes and processes that are not effective and valuable for better social capital. Their action plans need to include overall participation, steady attendance, constant involvement, frequent visits and positive relations which would invoke further responses, participation, and contribution from individual families or lager communities. Challenging stagnant, unpromising, unproductive methods, means, or processes with a positive attitude is usually acknowledged as a needed form of action and practice towards achieving objectives.

d. Enable others to act

Leadership is about team work, and cannot be restricted to a small group of loyalists. It must include peers, managers, customers, clients, and citizens – all those who have a stake in the vision. The command-and-control techniques of the Industrial Revolution are no longer applicable. Leaders must work to make people feel strong, capable, and committed. They need to enable others to act and to participate in team efforts in order to accomplish either an organized movement or significant change (Kouzes & Posner, 2007).

Kouzes and Posner’s fourth practice of exemplary leadership is an essential instrument, especially when a single person leads an activity or a project in an organization. This is true for schools principals. At schools, principals give direct orders to realize internal and external procedures. In many cases, teachers, parents, and community members fulfill or complete these orders without becoming a part of them. Teachers, parents, and community members need to be inspired and encouraged to feel like team members who can actively participate in utilizing and improving social capital for their schools. For instance, teachers should be able to contribute to an event organization not only as guests but also as team members who arrange the event. Parents and community members should also be enabled to work as team members working towards improvements or success. Rather than simply participate, they can get involved in the events and organizations, at least to a certain extent, as controllers, coordinators, sponsors, or organizers. This simple involvement naturally attracts and increases the level of interest in school and overall education by society at large, and of course results in the improvement and utilization of social capital accordingly.

e. Encourage the heart

Encouraging the heart is another practice of exemplary leadership offered by Kouzes and Posner (2007). It is essential for leaders, because people get exhausted, frustrated, disenchanted, and often temped to give up. Leaders encourage the hearts of their constituents to carry on. Encouragement may come in many forms, ranging from dramatic gestures to simple actions. For instance, in recognition of performance of the constituents, a simply participating in their celebrations encourages people’s hearts. Such simple actions show that their performance is recognized and appreciated by the leader (Kouzes & Posner, 2007). .

Similar to principals, teachers, as leaders, also should encourage the hearts of their students and students’ parents. Teacher-parent contacts, interactions and dialogues should be accommodated between individuals for academic success and educational progress.

Conclusion

As argued, there are several factors that promote academic and disciplinary success in K-12 education. Educators, in most cases, have the initiative and inherent power to utilize and modify these factors. Social capital is one of these factors and has a critical role for the overall success in schools, especially in K-12 education. Statistics and research show positive links between improved social capital and educational success in the US and elsewhere.

Environments with improved social capital have better educational success, whereas low social capital environments have lower educational success, with high dropout rates and lower tests scores. Although studies clearly support the importance of developing social capital, further proposals, action plans, or practices are still needed to improve and utilize the social capital in K12 education. These proposals can be set by specific disciplines and also by interdisciplinary approaches, such as sociology, psychology, and education.

Erkan Acar is a PhD candidate in education at Marywood University, Pennsylvania.

References

• Cohen, D. & Prusak, L. (2001). In good company. How social capital makes organizations work. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
• Coleman, S., J., (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. The American Journal of Sociology, 94, (supplement) 95-120.
• Dika, S.L. & Singh, K., (2002). Applications of social capital in educational literature: A critical synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 72(1), 31-60.
• Fukuyama, F., (1999). Social capital and civil society. Retrieved September, 1, 2008, from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/seminar/1999/reforms/fukuyama.html
• Kao, G., (2004). Social capital and its relevance to minority and immigrant populations.
• Sociology of Education, 77(2), 172-175.
• Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z., (2007). Leadership the challenge (5rd Ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Pierce, J., L. & Newstrom, J.,W., (2008). Leadership & the leadership process: Readings, self-assessments & applications (International Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
• The World Bank Social Capital Initiative, (1998). The initiative on defining, monitoring and measuring social capital. Social Capital Working Paper, 1.

Here is our vision on the eve of our journey: Pregnant women go through a period when they feel hungry for a great quantity and variety of food. This is because of what is growing in them; what is buried in the night of the womb. Similarly, when somebody is seeded with an inspiration or when one reaches a time in life that marks the activation of a potential, one feels hunger according to the needs of that inspiration or potential so that it can realize itself in this physical world. A child needs to eat in order to build his body; hence, they feel hunger for food. Adolescents need to become separate individuals by finding their own personalities; hence, they feel hunger for freedom. As young people grow, they reach a time when they are ready to establish a family; hence they feel hunger for beauty and loyalty. The elderly experience the hardships of this life more intensely, and they feel the proximity of the end of their lives; hence, they feel hunger for relaxation and eternity.

On the day of our journey, as we reflect on our vision of the past night, we conclude that depending on the way it is created, each organ of the human body feels hunger, and needs food accordingly. The hunger of the body is satisfied with food, the hunger of the mind is quenched by knowledge, and the hunger of heart by inspiration and love. This list can be extended for the other organs or faculties of a human. Therefore, as human beings, we need not only food to sustain the life of our biological body, but also food for our other faculties such as vision, hearing, spirit, mind, and so on.

As our ship sails through the ocean, we experience a storm in the early afternoon. The clouds make the day seem like night. As the hours pass, we feel saddened. Since we have already been craving light, the nightfall brings a definite darkness to the world outside and inside. This sad state shapes the vision of the second night. We come to understand that we need light and, therefore, we feel hunger for light. The daytime corresponds to our period of feeding with light, and the nighttime to the period when we feel hunger for light. Thus, alternation of day and night also becomes a part of our spiritual lives, aside from the astronomical sense.

Interestingly, just as night and darkness on one side of the earth correspond to daytime on the other, the hunger of one part of the human body corresponds to the feeding time of some other parts. For example, the spirit is fed by keeping away from the material world, and conversely, our body is fed by the material world. As we feed our spirit, our body becomes hungry; then, as we feed our body, our spirit becomes hungry. This is the state of a healthy human character. Trying to make the day of one part permanent will result in the collapse and death of the entire system. Therefore, too much indulgence in worldly pleasures or an extreme refusal of the world are both unhealthy attitudes. This fact brings us to the conclusion that change is a blessing for the continuity of our biological, spiritual and mental lives.

With these thoughts in our minds, we get up the next morning to bright sunshine. As we inhale the fresh air, our contemplation brings us to the conclusion that we need opposites or contrasting experiences in order to appreciate the value of the blessings we have in our lives. The continuity of blessings without their opposites leads to a degeneration in our perception of them. For example: a child who has caring parents does not understand how valuable it is to have such parents; people who do not suffer from hunger cannot appreciate the value of the food they eat; people who have never been poor would take for granted the peace derived from being able to find what they need. Given that the manifestations of God’s attributes are the provisions to quench the varying hunger types arising from our organs and senses, a lack of appreciation of these foods means ignorance of God. To save us from this innate ignorance, God changes His creation periodically so that different kinds and levels of hunger make us understand, feel and experience all levels of qualities in God’s works.

After so much sailing in the spiritual and mental realms, our body falls hungry, and we share lunch with friends. The minor rain shower in the afternoon reminds us of the vision in the previous night, which was inspired by the analogous relation between daytime and feeding, and nighttime and hunger. Knowing that these alternations are omnipresent, the entire universe becomes a palace filled with different kinds of feasts that address the hunger of all our senses.1 An explosion of gratitude towards God shakes us.

During the night, the clouds disappear from the skies, and the face of the heavens draws our gaze with irresistible beauty. Our eyes remain locked on deep distances, as the fresh waters of inspiration flow into our hearts. The level of satisfaction we feel at that moment recalls the moments before setting out on this exploration, and there comes the vision of the night: all this started because of our desire to learn what was hidden behind the question regarding the kind of pregnancy to which everybody is entitled. Desire is a kind of hunger. For anybody, the possibility of change depends on the level of desire, and hence the level of hunger, and hunger is a means of education. Many people can remember how they changed during their adolescence when they felt intense hunger for beauty. Even animals can be trained to perform certain actions based on a hunger-feeding cycle that reinforces those actions. Also, it is reported that God tested Satan with very many different things upon his rebellion. Each time, Satan would not give up his rebellion. But when he was tormented with hunger, only then he said, “You are my Lord, and I am Your slave.”

By now, it has been several days since we left the comfortable lands, where we did not have these questions in mind. At this moment, we are in the middle of the ocean with no land on the horizon, no clue to the answer to the initial problem we set out to solve. It could be that we have undertaken all this toil in vain, that everything was just a figment of our imagination. What if we cannot even go back, and instead we drown in this ocean of questions and visions? No, no, all this cannot be a mere lie. But what if …

We are in a deep and vast ocean, nobody knows the way back home, and nobody knows if the new land really exists. Our food is almost gone, and the extreme uncertainty of the future increases our tension. We need someone who can turn our night into day, someone who knows where we are and where and what our imagined reality actually is. Along with the imaginary character of our visions, the alternation of day and night betrays us; we are stuck in a night of uncertainty and sadness. We need someone to make them alternate. “Please! Save us!”

The following night, in our dream, we see ourselves in the front line of an army ready to fight. We think that this fight is, maybe, the price we have to pay to deserve the answer to the pregnancy question because, without sacrifice, the answer would not be legitimate food for our mind. At the end of the battle, with the excitement and joy of victory, we cry out to people, “This is a realization! ‘God is the friend of the believers; He takes them from layers of darkness into the light.’” With that, we wake up. Pondering the dream of the night before, two flashes of lightning illuminate our minds. The first flash is a further understanding that hunger is a means of education. Our most sincere prayers come in times of misfortune, which take the veil from our eyes which keeps us from seeing God as the only and the ultimate point of help. Therefore, if we are patient enough, our Lord wants to further our relationship with Him, that is, our faith, by answering our sincere prayers. In the light of the second flash, we see that hunger is not only a means of education but also a means of examination because our inner condition is revealed in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the challenges throughout our lives. Hunger forces us to move towards the sustenance that is going to satisfy it. However, there are both legitimate and illegitimate ways to find sustenance; and also, there is legitimate and illegitimate sustenance. Are we to diverge from the straight path, blinded by our hunger? Or are we to keep upright with God’s pleasure as our only and ultimate goal? Thus, hunger reveals what is inside, and in that way, eliminates the immature and the hypocritical.

Hunger has an inherent link to hardship. So, the properties of hunger can be observed in hardship as well. Times of hardship are times when we feel a strong desire for that which is going to deliver us. Therefore, similar to hunger, hardship is a time of education and examination, too. To use another analogy, just like hunger is linked to the nighttime, hardship is also like the night that brings a break in the flow of our lives. That is why we feel under pressure in times when we have to resist the great momentum of events in our lives. Therefore, with the motivating hunger it brings, a night of hardship provides us with an opportunity to evaluate ourselves for a new start. As prayers and worship performed in the lonely hours of the night are invaluable, so too are actions and intentions during times of hardship very important; not only because they are the basis of a new start, but also because they are part of the reason for our existence in this world: to worship God. Therefore, we have to pay the dues of the night.

After a final night of hunger and hardship, the land appears in the horizon as a distant darkness enshrouding the fertility, and we realize that if we are in a period of hunger, then we are pregnant with a new personality and life.

Sermed Ogretim has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow at West Virginia University. He has a special interest in psychological fiction.

Notes

1- Nursi, S., Second fruit of fifth branch, 24th Word, The Words, Kaynak 1997.

2- Nursi, S., First Aim, 30th Word, The Words, pp. 240, Kaynak 1997. This is the place where Said Nursi describes the three journeys to the other side of the earth. At the start of these symbolic journeys, he explains the darkness covering the side he departs from, and expresses his desire for light.

3- Quran (3:190–191), “Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for the people of discernment. They remember and mention God, standing and sitting and lying down on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth.”

4- Nursi, S., First Aim, ibid, pp. 228–229. “An entity that is absolute and all-encompassing has no limits and no terms: it cannot be shaped or formed, it cannot be ‘determined’ in any way such that its essential nature can be comprehended.”

5- Quran (2:155), “We will certainly test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth, and lives, and fruits (earnings); but give glad tidings to the persevering and patient.”

6- Nursi, S., Ninth point of second section, 29th Letter, The Letters, Vol. 2, Kaynak 1995.

7- Quran (3:27) “You make the night pass into the day and You make the day pass in to the night, …”

8- The quoted text is a part of a verse from the Quran (2:257).

9- Quran (3:138-140) “This is a plain exposition for all people, and a clear guidance and an instruction for the God-revering, pious. Do not, then, bee faint of heart, nor grieve, for you are always the superior side if you are believers. If a wound has touched you, a similar wound touched those people. Such days – We deal them out in turns among people so that God may mark out those who Believe and select from among you such as bear witness to the truth;”

10- Quran (2:168-169) “O humankind! Eat of what is on the earth provided it is lawful, and pure and wholesome; and do not follow in the footsteps of Satan; indeed he is a manifest enemy to you. He only commands you to evil and indecency and that you should speak against God the things about which you have no knowledge.”

11- Quran (51:56) “I have not created the jinn and humankind but to worship Me.”

Scientifically known as Daucus Carota, carrots categorically are in the same family as fennel, cumin, dill, celery and parsley. They mainly originated in geographies of Central Asia and Middle East and their original flavor were somewhat different to the contemporary ones. The carrot as a plant stores its foodstuff in its roots. Besides their common use for consumption, they can be juiced or grated. They bring a distinct flavor when used in salads and meals. Although generally considered to be orange, yet carrots’ color can be as diverse as green, red, white and even purple.

Some astounding medical benefits

Created rich in Vitamin A carotene, carrot is an excellent source of antioxidant for the treatment of cancer and protection from some cardiovascular diseases. They are also instrumental for the regulation of sugar in our blood. The findings of a survey conducted on 1,300 patients, reveal those who eat carotene-rich foods such as carrot or squash, at least once a day, have about 60% less risk of cancer than those deficient in their carotene intakes. In specific terms, while the regular consumption of carotenoid reduces the risk of post-menopause breast cancer by an estimated 20%; on the other hand esophageal cancer, bladder cancer, uterine cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, throat cancer and lung cancer are believed to reduce the risk by an astounding 50%.

Scientists state that the risk-reducing influence of the carrot comes not only as a result of its beta-carotene ingredient but also from its alpha-carotene and some other elements.

How does carrot improve the quality of vision?

Unsurprisingly carrots are known for the goodness they bring to the eyes; particularly valuable for improving night vision. The beta carotene has been made to play a pivotal role in this respect. An incredibly sophisticated process eventuates as Vitamin A is converted in the liver into beta-carotene and is then carried to the retina of the eye. It is here when beta-carotene is converted to rhodopsin, imperative pigment that aids night vision. It is with rohdopsin that vision is sharpened and sight becomes possible in darker environments. On the contrary however, when there is Vitamin A deficiency in the body, night sight is adversely impacted. Moreover the antioxidant in beta-carotene has been equipped with an additional protective role against macular degeneration as well as cataract.

Carrot’s falcarinol and colon’s well being

The natural pesticide (falcarinol) found in carrots is believed to reduce the risk of cancer. In order to ascertain this relationship between falcarinol and cancer risk reduction, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, conducted an experimental study on the subject. Three different groups of laboratory animals had been given precancerous colon lesions. The first group was fed with standard diet, the second group with freeze-dried carrots that contained a natural level of falcarinol while the third group was exclusively fed falcarionol/g derived from carrots. After 18 weeks period, the number of lesions which were given to potentially increase the class size, significantly decreased in those rats fed with one of the two experimental treatments. The finding demonstrated that dietary treatments with carrot’s falcarinol caused delay and in some cases the retardation in the development of large tumors.

This established a significant relationship between those critical endowed carrot contents and the risk-reduction of cancerous tumors.

Carrots and lung protection

Overtime a number of studies have been conducted and research have established direct link between Vitamin A and its role in the protection of lungs. The scientifically established relationship between Vitamin A, pneumonia and emphysema, found that the benzo(a)pyrene, the main carcinogen in cigarette smoke causes the Vitamin A to diminish. This is especially true when long term smoke addicts who have also had poor Vitamin A diet, causes more cancer-related diseases and emphysema.

Earlier studies have also demonstrated that a diet poor in Vitamin A causes emphysema. Subsequent studies have further substantiated that a diet rich in Vitamin A can help reduce emphysema. Indisputably carrots are rich in their Vitamin A reserves. Carrots have been also made with the capacity to aid and protect our lungs.

Experts are therefore of the opinion that carrot is stomach and intestines’ close friend. It can be said that their overall benefits can range from blood-formation, to strength, from diarrhea control, to being laxative, to their help with bile discharges and the strengthening of the liver brings to attention the remarkably latent benefits within carrots and makes them an indispensable vegetable beyond the immediate value of taste and color.

This discovery about carrots, amongst innumerable other vegetables, virtually makes the earth a mighty pharmacy which is orderly fashioned with numerous therapeutic qualities in the form of vegetables and herbs spread out in abundance. Quite substantially it appears that not only do they attract with their beauty and color the gazes of our eyes; not only do they afford us with innumerable varieties of tastes and flavors but in addition with the use of their innate given potentials they work extraordinarily and in remedial manner whilst in our bodies.

All this appropriately recalls to mind the Might and Power of God Almighty as eloquently expressed in the Quran “Who is it that provides for you from heaven and earth?” (Quran Al-Yunus, 10:31)

Although throughout much of the 1990s a segment of the political sympathies in the US aligned with a libertarian spirit, over time, particularly with the Libertarian Party’s paltry response to 9/11, certain inadequacies in any strict adherence to that outlook began to reveal themselves. A libertarian system, almost by definition, presupposes a citizenry that is already educated, moral, ethical, informed, self-disciplined and respecting of the natural rights of every individual within that system. In that regard, it would seem to be a reward for a well-developed society rather than the beginning point for nurturing one.

Specifically, weaknesses in two main areas of libertarianism can be challenged. The first concerns exactly how a free society can inculcate a moral point of view among its people, especially the youth, such that the interactions within that society can be conducted from a common frame of reference. The second is the question of how a free society deals with citizens who refuse to observe its basic precepts in their conduct toward their fellow citizens. Under scrutiny it appeared that libertarianism could offer no satisfactory practical answer to either.

The third way

The Communitarian Network, founded by Amitai Etzioni in 1990, is a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, transnational coalition of individuals and organizations who have come together to shore up the social, moral and political environment.2 The Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies, based at the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and headed by Etzioni, is a research organization dedicated to finding constructive solutions to social problems through morally informed policy analysis and open moral dialogue, bringing the best scholarship and analysis to bear on policy issues affecting family, schools, the community and the moral climate of society.

The Network and the Institute recognize that humans are first and foremost social beings with social needs to be addressed. People do, and should-regardless of individual preferences concerning degrees of autonomy-always exist within the body of a society. Furthermore, especially appealing to persons of faith was their recognition that man is additionally a moral and spiritual being. And any societal system that fails to take that into account is doomed to unravel.

The communitarian movement began to be more widely referenced in the political literature and discourse of the mid–1990s. Perhaps the greatest charge that could be leveled against communitarianism is its lack of specificity. It might be characterized as an attitude, not a policy-long on theory and ideals and short on practical detail, lacking a clear mechanism to effect its vision. Nevertheless, in 2003 a serendipitous chain of events commenced that would lead me to a whole new assessment of the possibilities for a living communitarian imperative.

The Turkish connection

Following the explosion of the evolution/education debate of 2000 in Kansas, I joined an Internet listserv to keep abreast of the ongoing controversy. I was intrigued by the frequent postings of a Turkish Muslim in Istanbul, a rising young journalist named Mustafa Akyol. We struck up an e-mail friendship and working journalistic relationship, which in turn led to my acquaintance with a group of Turkish students in my local area who were associated with the Institute of Interfaith Dialog (IID)-an organization promoting the vision of compassion, education and peace espoused by the Turkish spiritual leader M. Fethullah Gulen. This connection eventually resulted in my joining with a group of clergy in December 2005 for an eleven-day tour of Turkey to witness the Gulen philosophy in action. It was for me an experience of profound import.

What the tour provided to the participants was an opportunity to experience directly the history, culture, faith and people from which the Gulen movement has taken root and flourished. We were privileged to visit Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Konya, Ankara, Gaziantep, Urfa and Harran. At every stop, the occasion for personal interaction with people was made available and encouraged, especially during home visits. Guides were at our elbow at every turn to answer our many questions and serve as interpreters.

The inspiration for the movement, M. Fethullah Gulen is often referred to as the “Mahatma Gandhi of Turkey” and “the modern Rumi.” Fethullah Gulen is a teacher, Islamic scholar, thinker, prolific writer and poet of broad and significant influence. The topics of his speeches and writings range beyond religious matters to include education, science, history, economics and social justice. His efforts in world interfaith dialogue and interfaith education have been groundbreaking and monumental. Gulen has observed, “There are so many things we have in common to emphasize.”3 A unique aspect of the movement inspired by his teachings is that it is self-sustaining and self-proliferating, not dependent upon the charisma of its founder but rather upon the efficacy of his vision.

A communitarian cousin

The core of the Gulen philosophy is a theistic view of the universe-specifically a moderate Islamic one, but one compatible with the other Abrahamic faiths-and of the moral order of man descending from that recognition of God. Gulen’s perspective on individualism contrasts with the libertarian stance:

It is impossible to have unrestricted individualism. This is because humans are either both free with no acceptance of any moral values and rebellious with no moral criteria, or they are servants who are dependent on God and seriously obedient to His commands.4

Much of his religious writing refers to Christian and Judaic, as well as Qur’anic, sources. The central corollary of his view on freedom and the individual is a great emphasis on education from cradle to grave. This education encompasses the whole person-intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually-and is geared toward invigorating the person’s heart and soul as well as mind, and to achieving competence useful to both her/himself and others. This education takes place optimally within the context of a strong family structure, a historical heritage and a democratic polity.5 It awakens the individual’s sense of responsibility because, according to Gulen, “Connecting or relating action to responsibility gives action its primary humane dimension.”6

This vision has spawned a host of humanitarian efforts on an international scale. More than seven hundred Gulen-inspired schools of every academic level, where students of all faiths are taught together (without religious indoctrination), often by teachers of Turkish background, have sprung up across Turkey and in other countries on every continent. The emphasis is on academic excellence, and students in Gulen-inspired schools take trophies in science, math, biology, chemistry and physics at World Olympiads. Gulen was quick to recognize the importance of mass media to society and helped found the Journalists and Writers Foundation in 1994. In the area of health care, Glen-inspired hospitals have been established.7 In the interests of world peace and understanding, numerous intercultural and interfaith dialogue activities have been established. Businessmen and industrialists, grassroots and community leaders have rallied to his call to fund and support the creation and maintenance of these programs. A community spirit of good will and desire for harmony and progress permeates the vision and activities of the Gulen movement.8

So, might there be a correlation with communitarian philosophy in Gulen’s perspective? A reading of The Responsive Communitarian Platform reveals the communitarian movement’s most salient concerns: the reciprocity of social life; renewed moral values; the importance of historical context; strong, participatory democracy; a vibrant family structure; schools and education; government involvement guided by degree of necessity; responsibilities of citizenship; protection of human rights; social justice; public safety and public health; and internationalizing the primacy of human community.9 It is a sensible outline of focus areas for community-minded attention that could indeed mesh well with the aims of the Gulen movement. In the words of Gulen himself, speaking of a spiritually-centered life, “Order is evident in every effort, and compassion resides in every achievement.”10 Elsewhere in an interview he states, “Personal and social responsibilities are inter-related…the life of heart and spirit, and social and governmental issues are all facets of one unit.”11 Words which, it strikes me, apply equally to Glen’s vision and the communitarian platform.

A communitarian fertile ground

What cultural milieu might best be suited to fostering a communitarian approach? Might the land which nurtured the heart and soul of Fethullah Gulen be a candidate? Although all societies to one degree or another bear some burden of past injustices and current internal strife-Turkey being no exception as is vividly depicted in Pamuk’s novel Snow (2004)-a focus on, and examination of life and interaction at the local, community level can yield propitious insights regarding communitarian possibilities.

The modern Republic of Turkey dates back to 1923 and owes much of its progressive societal advancements to the efforts of its revered founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; however, the legacy of the once extensive Ottoman Empire still exerts a measurable influence on the area which was once at its heart.12 One quickly comes to appreciate certain bedrock strengths evident throughout the culture. To begin with, while Turkey prides itself on its secular governance, religiosity in daily life is pervasive. The call to prayer defines the structure of each day and provides a commonality to the flow of life. The moral obligations of one man to another, as revealed in the Qur’an, are taken very seriously and inform interactions at all social levels. Discretion is left to the individual in matters such as drinking alcohol or wearing the headscarf, but a spirit of comity is instilled at an early age and is evident everywhere, especially in domestic hospitality. When one is invited to a Turkish home for a meal, one comes away not only with a satisfied palate but also with a storehouse of good stories and lovely gifts. Tesekkür ederim, which means “thank you,” are the first Turkish words learned and the most frequently employed.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on individual responsibility and self-reliance throughout Turkish society. Family structure is extended, and sons are expected to care for their old. The family is also obliged to direct the religious training of the young and to oversee their schooling and education. Welfare assistance, when necessary, is often administered anonymously family to family or through the local mosque.13

The culture is rich with charming observances and customs that reveal a concern and charity toward one’s fellow human. The beautiful fruit trees and water fountains in public spaces, of which anyone may avail themselves without charge, are said to be provided so that no man need be left hungry or thirsty. The concept of neighborhood is inclusive of many dwellings round about any given home, so that a family may quite literally be acquainted with more than a hundred nearby families. On an occasion such as the Festival of Sacrifice, neighbors visit one another and exchange the meat from the sacrifice. That would seem to be, indeed, the very definition of “community.”14

Historically, the area now occupied by Turkey has been both a geographic and a cultural bridge between Europe and the Middle East. Countless armies and evangelists have crisscrossed these mountains and shores leaving behind their legacy in stone. The Turkish people are mindful always to take pride in and preserve their archeological treasures as stones in the foundation of their modern civilization.15 All in all, Turkey is a modern nation on a par with its European brethren, yet at the same time retaining many of its classical traditions. Its strength as a nation of caring people derives from its moderate form of Islam, the secular reforms of Ataturk and, now, the compassionate vision of Gulen.

During our visit there as we were departing a Turkish home one evening, an American priest remarked to me, “You know, there’s a ‘communitarian’ flavor to all of this.” This observation is shared by a number of other religious scholars writing on Glen and Turkey. Dr. Tom W. Boyd at the University of Oklahoma argues, “Gulen’s strategy is predominantly communitarian.”16 Marie-Elisabeth Maigre, alluding to Gulen’s analogy of society as an organism with interrelated parts “in need of one another,” characterizes his view as “a communitarian vision of society.”17

A call for action

Having been introduced to communitarianism, it was my acquaintance with students associated with the IID and my fortuitous travel to Turkey to experience the land and people that enabled me to envision its practical implementation. At its most fundamental, I see communitarianism as a mind-set and life style of individual social responsibility and reciprocal moral obligation. In many ways, I believe Turkish society infused by the Gulen movement offers a sterling example of this.

I believe with greater public awareness of the communitarian mind-set, its possibilities become manifest. However, achieving that balance in society will demand great joint effort. Nevertheless, it is an effort that can bear sweet fruit, like the trees along the thoroughfares in Turkey, for all. The Turkish word to describe the activities of the Gulen movement is hizmet. That translates into English as “service.” To me, that is a perfect word to describe communitarianism.

This is an abridged version of the paper presented at “Peaceful Coexistence: Fethullah Gulen’s Initiatives in the Contemporary World” conference, conducted at Erasmus University, Rotterdam, November 22-23, 2007. The complete paper can be downloaded at www.gulenconference.nl

Mark Scheel is the prose editor of Kansas City Voices magazine. He is the author of A Backward View: Stories and Poems and recipient of the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award.

Notes

1. Hayek, F. A. The Road to Serfdom, New York: 1944, Routledge Classics, p. 34. [Last name Hayek first in order.]
2. The Communitarian Network Web site, home page.
3. Ã’nal, Ali, Alphonse Williams (compiled by), Advocate of Dialogue, Virgina: 2000, The Fountain. p. 205.
4. Saritoprak, Z. and Unal, A. (trans.) (2005) “An Interview with Fethullah Gulen.” The Muslim World, 95:3, 447-467.
5. M. Fethullah Gulen, Essays – Perspectives – Opinions, NJ: 2004, compiled by The Light, Inc.
6. Gulen, M. Fethullah, The Statue of Our Souls, The Light, Inc. NJ: 2005, p. 99. [Last name Gulen first in order.]
7. Scheel, M. (2006, April 17) “The Wonder of Anatolia: Land of Ataturk and Gulen.” At: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleld-281474976745124 [Period at end?]
8. Unal, p. 325.
9. The Communitarian Network Web site, Project and Activities page.
10. Gulen 2004, p. 55.
11. Saritoprak, p. 449.
12. Ergener, R.and Ergener, R. (2002) About Turkey: Geography, Economy, Politics, Religion, and Culture (Boulder, CO: Pilgrims’ Process, Inc.), p. 5.
13. Ibid, pp. 31–37.
14. Ibid, p. 38.
15. Ibid, p. 5.
16. Boyd 2006:48.
17. Maigre, M. (2006, February 17) “The Fethullaci, or the Project of an ‘Enlightened’ Turkey” Islam in Business Web site. http://islaminbusiness.blogspot.com/. (Last accessed September 26, 2007.)