Series of articles in honor of F. Gulen: Hostility Born of Ignorance: Gülen and the Baseless Accusations
By Nurullah Albayrak – 22 October 2024
One of the clearest proofs of the saying “People are enemies of what they do not know” is undoubtedly the life of Fethullah Gülen and what he has endured. Just as during the February 28 process he was tried with the threat of the death penalty, today too, through negative propaganda, efforts are being made to portray him as an enemy in the eyes of the public.
Those who do not know Gülen closely, who do not understand his ideas, what he is trying to do, or what his purpose and expectations are, have fallen victim to ignorance and the machinery of propaganda. Those who do know him and value his ideas have understood that his goal was to raise good believers and good human beings. Those who saw his sincerity, lack of personal ambition, and desire to serve humanity believed in this noble purpose and followed him.
The Hizmet (Service) Movement, shaped around his belief that “A better world—more peaceful and prosperous—is possible,” has never acted to commit crimes or seize constitutional institutions but has always sought to benefit humanity and continues to do so today.
As a preacher, writer, and founder of the Hizmet Movement, Fethullah Gülen has been in the public eye since the age of 16. Throughout his life, he never encouraged anyone toward extremism, abnormal behavior, violence, suicide, crime, or any form of abuse. Nor did he display attitudes of arbitrariness or irresponsibility in his thoughts, writings, or actions.
For over 50 years, he led the Hizmet Movement intellectually, promoting activities in education and humanitarian aid. To this day, he has not committed a single crime. However, under the pretext of his activities within the framework of freedom of expression, belief, and association, both he and his followers have been suppressed, unlawfully profiled, and deprived of their freedoms by forces misusing the power of the state.
Persecution in Every Era
The periods of March 12, September 12, February 28, and July 15 have been the harshest times of this repression. Without any concrete evidence of a crime, teachers, businesspeople, academics, journalists, and homemakers have been subjected to a witch hunt simply for showing sympathy toward Gülen.
His books and public talks have been used as so-called evidence against him. Selected quotes from these sources have been manipulated to suggest fabricated intentions. This collage-style quoting method, based on bias and misinterpretation, presented fiction instead of fact. It must be admitted that with such a method, it would be possible to extract crime even from legal texts—or even sacred scriptures.
A careful examination of the themes in Fethullah Gülen’s books and speeches clearly shows his real objectives:
- To promote the moral values of the Islamic faith he belongs to and ensure their broader acceptance;
- To encourage a peaceful, conciliatory approach far removed from conflict or aggression;
- To act with respect for and fidelity to scientific truths;
- To spread themes of brotherhood, peace, reconciliation, and tolerance for all humanity.
And in doing all of this, he has always considered legality and legitimacy as essential principles. Far from attempting to “seize constitutional institutions,” Gülen’s ideas consistently advocated for embracing the existing democratic system and enhancing it through reform and dialogue.
Of course, no one is obliged to agree with Gülen’s thoughts, and they may certainly be subject to criticism. However, being criminalized and demonized simply for holding these views is unacceptable.
The Truth Will Prevail
Because of ideological divides, group identities, and media manipulation, Gülen continues to be targeted with baseless and false accusations. We will continue to stand for truth and justice by exposing the propaganda behind these slanders.
We will persist in our struggle until the injustices faced by Gülen and his supporters end, and the rule of law is fully restored. Despite all oppression, slander, and distortion, we will never give up on defending the truth.
And when the truth emerges and justice is restored, Gülen’s faith in justice, his service to humanity, and his message of peace will be remembered with even greater reverence.
This is one of several posts in the series of articles commemorating the anniversary of F. Gulen’s departure from this world in November 20th 2024. Follow our page for more interviews, articles and videos speaking about the passed away leader of the Hizmet movement. You are welcome to browse through other related articles HERE.
