The Movement’s chief priority is education. In Gülen’s view the establishment of justice is hindered by the lack of well-rounded education, as is the recognition of human rights and attitudes of acceptance and tolerance toward others: ‘If you wish to keep the masses under control, simply starve them in the area of knowledge.

They can escape such tyranny only through education. The road to social justice is paved with adequate, universal education, for only this will give people sufficient understanding and tolerance to respect the rights of others.’

Gülen holds that a new style of education is necessary. This education will fuse religious and scientific knowledge with morality and spirituality. It will produce genuinely enlightened people with hearts illumined by religious sciences and spirituality, and minds illuminated with positive sciences. The actions and life-styles of such people will embody humanity and moral values, and they will understand the socio-economic and political conditions of their time.

The education supported by the Movement is oriented to enabling people to think for themselves, to be agents of change on behalf of the positive values of social justice, human rights and tolerance. This sharply distinguishes the Movement from exclusivist organizations or cults which are oriented inward and demand conformity from group members (of which the private rites, insignia, etc., are a badge).