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 Gulen Movement: A Shared Bridge between the U.S. and Islam

Peter J. Mehl “Life is a shared bridge of “passing over” and “coming back.” It is a passing over to other cultures and faiths, not to disown one’s…

Understanding Structure and Hierarchy in the Gülen Movement – 2

Martin Taylor In my previous blog, in an effort to understand and explain how the Gülen Movement (also called Hizmet) operates without a top-down organizational structure, I looked at…

Do people take part in the Gulen movement or are they recruited by it?

The significance of the Gulen Movement that has attracted the most scholarly attention is its development of certain networks that transcend national boundaries. The Movement is not chary…