A Dream Rising on Our Horizon

While reading Fethullah Gülen Hodjaefendi, we sense that the geography of a culture that has been left without a horizon or a dream by a 300 year-long gradual decline is once again on the threshold of a brand new, gleaming, broad-scoped, and universal vital leap forward

Mixed in a crucible of love, pious asceticism, service to others, unbelievable simplicity and modesty, this resistance climbed and persisted in climbing a very steep mountain throughout this dark period of decline. Without relinquishing for even a second the hope received from God, it swam counter to the flood-like current, and overcame physical and metaphysical barriers with unbelievable patience and spiritual knowledge. Finally, carried over from one generation to the next, this legendary resistance, standing on "Mount Everest," pauses to take a new look at the world. Taking into view the universe's horizon from a 360-degree perspective, it smiles. When we look at the horizon from this perspective, we share a cosmic dream, broken off from the ancient Earth's garden, a fully universal and peaceful spring dream's breadth, indescribable pleasure, and translucency.

It's the 1,000-year-old collective heritage of the freedom-loving Anatolian people. It carries no defect of malice or prejudice. There's a benevolent stamp of broad tolerance and vast well-being in every atom.

In this heritage, which is a product of generations, there is the possibility of choosing a common search by people of many diverse inclinations. If we only consider recent times, a Yahya Kemal, a Kemal Tahir, a Necip FazIl, a Sezai Karakoc, a Cemil Meric, discovering some parts of this dream, tried to find hope

On one end, the defense of Bosnia; on another side, the venerable Fethullah Gülen. Humanity has always sensed that it was free, a child of infinity, and close to eternity. I salute the beautiful dream reflected on the horizon.

Ayse Sasa, Comments on Ufuk Turu by Eyup Can, Istanbul, 1996