Gülen and Reconciliation

Fethullah Guleh Hodjaefendi emphasizes religion together with adorning contemporary knowledge or a kind of enlightenment. He indicates that religion never became as great a show as it has today, and calls upon Muslims to avoid display.

Emphasizing that this approach damages the chance for reconciliation in Turkey, Fethullah Hodja states the dangers of politicizing religion as follows: "Politicizing religion is dangerous, but it's more dangerous for religion than for the regime. Actually, it darkens religion's spirit, for religion belongs to everyone. Those who make a claim for religion with political considerations want to make everything an instrument of their politics, political considerations, and political goals. Famous people should be more careful. What they represent in the name of religious feeling and religious thought should not be injured because of their behavior, which can be misunderstood."

My liking Fethullah Hodja and seeing him to an extent as an example derives from his being a sincere man of the heart. Some leave the human heart outside... This means they leave something else outside... Let's understand one another.

Riza Zelyut, Aksam daily, 4/19/97