Even though the movement has its origins in a framework of reference based on Islamic values, it is not a movement that espouses superiority through nationalistic or religious identities. It’s not Pan-Turkish or Pan-Islamist. It is not a religious sect, fraternity, or cult; nor is it an extension or a branch of any of the above. The movement celebrates the universal moral dynamics and values that were exemplified by the Sufis of the early Islamic history and continue to be universally appreciated today; nonetheless, the movement is by no means a Sufi order, either in its classical or modern definition. The movement encapsulates a faith-inspired peace-invoking service. It promotes universal values, superiority of the law and human rights along with freedom of belief, freedom of religion and freedom of expression.

The Gülen Movement’s ‘Turkishness’

Yet its roots are quintessentially Turkish, located in Turkey’s historical baggage, its domestic political circumstances, and in a version of Islam that arguably has more currency in Turkey…

Why does the West love the Gülen movement so much?

One of the ways with which the Gülen movement is firmly pegged to the wider western world is its ability to connect with the western norms of liberal…

Are there autonomous Hizmet groups?

As someone who has been working on the movement in my academic capacity for more than a decade, I feel responsible to try and set the record straight.…