In a written statement Gülen indicates that the major terrorist activities of the past few years not only set back the prospects for peace in the locations where they took place, but in the world as a whole. “First of all terror is a threat against the most sacred and global of values, human life. In the same way that it murders human life, terror abolishes social trust. …
Please let me assure you that Islam never approves of any kind of terrorism. Terrorism cannot be a means for any Islamic goal, and a terrorist cannot be a Muslim, nor can a true Muslim be a terrorist. Islam orders peace and a true Muslim can only be a symbol of peace and the maintenance of basic human rights. …
I regret to say that in the countries Muslims live, some religious leaders and immature Muslims have no other weapon on hand than their fundamentalist interpretation of Islam; they use this to engage people in struggles that serve their own purposes. In fact, Islam is a true faith, and it should be lived truly. …
There is no doubt that the Islamic world lacks intellectuals who are aware and knowledgeable about their own existence and able to interpret and understand the creation correctly. It is a great loss for the Islamic world to lack intellectuals who are aware of the time in which they live and ready to question it and able to voice with no hesitation what they know.…
I would say that the revival of the Caliphate would be very difficult and making Muslims accept such a revived Khilafah would be impossible. The perception of the modern world regarding the revival of Khilafah must be considered.…
One can see several reasons why the spirit of ijtihad was lost and the door was closed. The following are considered some of these reasons: Political oppression, inner struggles, the misuse of the institution of ijtihad, an extreme trust in the present legal system, the denial of reform, the blindness caused by the dominant monotonous present system of the time. …
Islam achieved a Renaissance in its third and fourth centuries and, to a certain extent, it became a paradigm for the European Renaissance. With all sincerity, we support a Renaissance that would consist of the rediscovery of lost human values and the rapprochement of humanity with universal human morals. Again, we support a Renaissance that allows the questioning of dictatorship and the end of dictators, and working towards a democratic society.…
On the issue of Islam and democracy, one should remember that the former is a divine and heavenly religion, while the latter is a form of government developed by humans. The main purposes of religion are faith (iman), servanthood to God (ubudiyyah), knowledge of God (ma’rifah), and beautiful actions (ihsan). …