 Analyzing the internal dynamics of a movement is important for two reasons. First, it allows others to perceive the structure by which the movement is organized. Second, it prevents others from falling into the trap of overlooking the totality of the movement, as they focus on partial analyses.
I use dynamics here to mean the key concepts of the movement. Intellectual and social attitudes of a movement are shaped by the movement's dynamics. Social science analyses that study a movement proceed on safer grounds if they are aware of that movement's dynamics, and they do not fall into frequent fallacies. Understanding a movement's dynamics allows us to pinpoint who is making an objective analysis, and who forges a "pirated" analysis without any knowledge. For instance, a person who strives to comply with the basic dynamics of Islamic Sufi practice by being humble in his or her relations with others (tawadhu), or regarding himself as inferior to others (mahwiyat), would surely appear as a shy person. An observer, who is unaware of any Sufi and ascetic dynamics, might interpret this humble attitude as hypocritical or clandestine. If an analysis does not account for this movement's Muslim Sufi dynamics and experiences, can we really call this analysis "scientific"?
Sufi, moral, and spiritual profundity in Islam invites believers to be humble and tolerant in their family and their social relations. Personal virtue and social maturity are pre-requisites. Thus, in order to understand this movement, it is first necessary to understand the spiritual dynamics of Islam, and the extent to which Islam influences its participants. It is almost impossible to analyze even an ordinary Muslim's intellectual and social life without first understanding the profound nature of Islam in general. Cultural Islam gives us a general outlook in regard to the theological, mental, moral, and social relations of Muslims. When we look from the window of general dynamics, we can obtain a first glimpse of the individual, spiritual, moral, and social attitudes of Muslims in a community. From all these points of view, elaborating on the religious/spiritual, social, and cultural dynamics of the Gülen movement would help us formulate a proper rendering of the religious and socio-cultural attitudes of the movement in general. Indeed, the titles and concepts that I will highlight are also important in regard to how they are interpreted and how they are transferred to social practice, as well as to their deep meaning in Muslim cultural perception. The importance of Gülen comes from his success in transforming these dynamics into action in socio-cultural life. In theory, these cultural and religious dynamics existed in books and other sources for almost 1,500 years.
The most distinctive characteristic of these dynamics is that they exist in parallel to "eternity," a notion to which Islam is naturally directed as a divine revelation and religion. Islam undertakes the task of helping people reach eternal and absolute reality by showing them how to pass beyond the relative and transient world of creation. This pace towards eternity is immanent in the essence of all the internal and social dynamics of the Gülen movement. In fact, this ideal exists in the essence of almost all religions. Yet this ideal in the Gülen movement is not solely abstract. It has become an active program that has encompassed almost all internal and social relations. Gülen's human model entails embracing selfless service and altruism with motivations that extend toward eternity. The ideal of eternity broadens the meaning and importance of all other dynamics. This principle is regenerated as a basic dynamic again and again, in every act and attempt, which means that faith is revived in almost every social relation and service.
The topics of focus here comprise the basic dynamics that portray the general outlook of this movement. Some of the titles may not be fully representative of the movement, for they might have been produced due to material, social, or particular conditions over the 30-year course of the movement's development. Gülen's rendering of these dynamics is also worth attention. As in his general Islamic attitude and in his general perception, Gülen can be considered to have a conservative aptitude regarding the movement's dynamics. Yet, commenting on the same dynamics in different times and places, he broadens their meaning and thus creates a self-generating and self-producing system. This wide spectrum of intellectual, philosophical, and literal resources renovates the substance of his discourse without affecting its basic characteristics. Here we will briefly touch upon some of the basic dynamics of the movement. Understanding the diversity of form, meaning, and style which these dynamics have assumed in different times and places would require a more comprehensive analysis of his works and a closer observation of his social activities.
1. Magnanimity
While magnanimity (vicdan genişliği) may not exist as an internal dynamic in the Gülen movement, it certainly has a decisive role in interpreting other dynamics. Since the 1970s, in his writings and speeches, Gülen has charged this concept with a broad meaning, even though he has allusively referred to it without much stress. Magnanimity has a very special status in his system of thinking, belief, and action. In this way, Gülen looks at all manifestations of moral, individual, and social life from a magnanimous perspective.
Magnanimity covers all intrinsic experience and knowledge of faith, while practically being in the social and ethical realm of existence. By this concept, Gülen seems to refer to a mature, sincere piety and integrity on the one hand, and he emphasizes a virtuous society comprised of people with a high quality of wisdom and knowledge of God on the other. In his discourse, the concept expands from the spiritual/moral depths of individuals to the endlessness realms of social existence. Gülen also considers this concept as the only touchstone of goodness, refinement, and reality. He considers this concept to be a criterion against which all thoughts, actions, and social projects should be evaluated to find out whether they can really bring a benefit and favor to all of humanity. Gülen states that one cannot speak of revival or renaissance within a given society if that society is unaware of this reality.
2. Communicating the word of God (call, conveyance, and guidance)
Over the course of Muslim history, i'lay-i kelimetullah, communicating the word of God, has been a matter of discussion in individual, social, and political contexts. Excluding those interpretations designed according to social or temporal conditions, this concept covers three dimensions in its broadest sense: the call to faith, conveying the message, and guidance. In Gülen's discourse, communicating the name of God includes all three dimensions. He integrates each with human existence in this world. The purpose of existence in this world is to exalt God's name and word.
The association of physical jihad with i'lay-i kelimetullah is being exploited and misrepresented in current Western analyses. Such discourses often equate Islam with war, violence, and terror. Gülen has a separate work in which he extensively explains this concept.[1] We suggest that when scholars seek to analyze the basic dynamics by which Muslims exalt God, they should consult this work for an in-depth, internal perspective. In this work, readers will find that Gülen assigns a cosmic meaning to this concept to explain the human existence in this world.
3. Living for others
Gülen attaches importance to this principle of "living for others" (yaşatma ideali) such that he interprets it as a basic dynamic that would make a nation awaken. Every society must make sacrifices. Sacrifice is beyond and above worldly gain, and thus its definition exceeds that of mere altruism. On the contrary, it is more akin to idealistic heroism. Such altruism constitutes the character of people who are uninterested in personal or worldly gain, and who are committed to God's favor. Gülen describes these types of people as "architects of soul" and as "physicians of thought." These are people who are able to instill in the society a consciousness of responsibility and concern for others. Without physicians of soul, it is not possible to preserve the established values that pertain to the Islamic civilization and that have formed its historical identity. If such preservation is not possible, any hope of instigating a renaissance and revival of this civilization and identity will be lost. Such people are an important dynamic, according to Gülen:
Today, what we need are brave people who selflessly work in the service of
God and who wave aside personal benefits and egoism... who writhe with people's
miseries... who have a torch of knowledge in their hands, and who fight the
ignorance and rudeness that ignites tinder everywhere... who, with eminent belief
and determination, come to the rescue of those stranded... like stallions, hold
on their course without repelling and without griming... those who ramp with
pleasure of living for others while forgetting the desire of living.[2]
I believe that all humanity will be pleased, and that the centuries-long
miseries of suffering people, will come to an end, and that the world will once
again will come to an axis of thanks in regard to the ideals that related his
salvation with rescuing others. Such people can trample on their future and
prosperity in the name of others' happiness; they can circulate in the veins
of others like blood; they can splash over yearning and thirsts and breathe
life everywhere. They then can bind their actions to the responsibility that
is idealized in the depths of their inner selves. With compassion that transcends
personal responsibility, and through kindness that could encompass all humanity,
they will try to bring for us the spirit and significance that we have lost;
they will remind us of our human significance. Meanwhile, they will constitute
a model for perplexed souls who have lived without ideals for such a long time.[3]
Our society needs only heroes of ideals: those who can reach out to help
first our nation, and then all humanity, with the feeling of compassion; and
every time they raise their hand to God, they pray for others. As such a great
requirement could not be met by others, it falls upon us who start from ourselves to articulate it.
We consider living for ourselves as egoism, and we have found such a consideration
revolting. It has been our passion to live for others and to prepare them for
eternal happiness. Even if it were possible to return to life, even if we were
free to choose the alternatives of this new life, we would certainly choose
to "live for others" again, we would certainly dedicate ourselves to humanity,
and we would prepare humankind for resurrection. We would not mind any misprision...
We would not be deterred by cries of reaction... We would not quarrel with anybody
who has accused us with false and malicious accusations... We would smile while
weeping inside.[4]
The ideal people burn like candles despite themselves, and they illuminate
others...[5]
A true friend who is a mature person is the one who can utter "after you,"
even while exiting from Hell and entering Paradise.
What we are always stressing is that it is those who live their lives in
sincerity, loyalty, and altruism at the expense of their own selves in order
to make others live who are the true inheritors of the historical dynamics to
whom we can entrust our souls. They do not ever desire that the masses follow
them. Yet their existence is such a powerful, inevitable invitation that all
run to them, wherever they are, as if these devout people were a centre of attraction.[6]
Individual projects of enlightenment that are not planned to aid the community
are doomed to fruitlessness. Moreover, it is not possible to revive values that
have been destroyed in the hearts of the individual in society, nor in the conscience,
nor in the will power. Just as plans and projects for individual salvation that
are independent of the salvation of others are nothing more than an illusion,
so, too, the thought of achieving success as a whole by paralyzing the individual awakening is a fantasy.
Living for others is the most important factor that determines the behavior
of such heroes. Their greatest worry is their quest for eligibility for such
missions, whereas their most prevalent characteristic is that their utmost ambition
is their search for God's consent. When striving to enlighten others, they feel
no pain nor do they undergo any shock caused by the delight of enlightening
others. The achievements that such people accomplish are regarded as revelations
of His holy aid, and such people bow in modesty, nullifying themselves again
and again, every day. In addition to all this, they tremble at the idea that
their emotions are bound to interfere with the works that they have caused to
come into existence, and groan; "You are all I need."[7]
Expecting nothing in return is the rose of our land. Altruism is the lotus
of our gardens. It is our lot to attain but not to enjoy. We forget living for
ourselves while burning with the desire of living for others. It is our people
who know how to be in the front while serving, and how to stay behind in compensation.
The world has discovered from us to love unconditionally.[8]
Perfect believers do not stick only to their personal development or perfection;
they are determined almost like prophets to open themselves up for everyone
and to embrace each and every person. They devote their lives to the happiness
of others both in this world as well as in the hereafter, at the expense of
neglecting themselves. They live like the Companions of the Prophet; they walk
in a direction opposite to where their carnal selves urge, and they spread light
all around, for they have that potential to illuminate in their essence like
a candle. They are always on alert for darkness, and they struggle to keep it
at bay... As they burn all the time, they are hurt inside; nevertheless, neither
constant burning nor extermination can restrain them from enlightening others.[9]
We are not in need of local or foreign grants, favors or ideologies. We need
the physicians of thought and spirit who can arouse in all people the consciousness
of the value of responsibility, sacrifice, and suffering for others; who can
produce mental and spiritual depth and sincerity in the place of promises of
passing happiness; who can, with a single attempt, make us reach the point of
observing the beginning and the end of creation.
Now we are waiting, looking forward to the arrival of these people, who have
so much love for their responsibility and cause that, if necessary, they would
even give up entering Paradise; people like this, if they have already entered,
would then seek ways of leaving Paradise. Like Muhammad, the Messenger of God,
who said, "If they placed the sun in my right and the moon in my left to abandon
my cause, I would not until God made the truth prevail or I died in the attempt."
This is the horizon of God's Messenger. Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, a scholar exuberant
with the rays that emanate from God's Messenger, bent double by the pain of
his cause said, "In my eyes I have neither love for Paradise nor fear for Hell,
and if I saw the faith of my people secure, I would be ready now to be burned
in hell-fire." Likewise, Abu Bakr opened his hands and prayed in a way that
would shake the heavens, "O my Lord, make my body so great that I alone fill
up Hell and thus no place may be left for anyone else."
Humanity is terribly in need of people with inner depths and sincerity now,
more than anything else, for people who suffer and cry for the sins and errors
of others; who look forward to forgiveness and pardon of others before their
own; who, instead of entering Paradise and taking their pleasures individually
there, prefer to stay in the A'raf (between the Paradise and Hell) and from
there, try to take all the people to Paradise along with them; and who, even
if they enter Paradise, will not be able find time to enjoy the pleasures of
Paradise because of their thoughts for others, and their concern to save them
from the hell-fire.[10]
4. The spirit of devotion
This principle should be viewed as a continuation of the previous discussion in regard to the level of moral dynamic ascribed to "living for others," whereby individuals devote themselves to God and to other people. Let us elaborate. As we know, the origin of love, in all its forms, emanates from the Almighty Creator. All loves and affections, as well as all delights and beauties, are the manifestations of His beautiful names. The same manifestation is best expressed in the famous Turkish couplet, "Loving all creatures by reason of the Creator" (yaratığı severiz, Yaratan'dan ötürü) by Yunus and celebrated in the West as Muslim humanism. This is such a great manifestation that it compasses all fields of human existence and relations. This phrase is the most concise "humanist" message of Islam. It could be said that for Gülen, this principle is kept alive and reproduced within the very spirit of devotion. When we comprehend the notions of "Creator and created," we will catch the basic characteristics of Muslim affection as distinguished from philosophic humanism that has no relation with the divine. For in Islam, in the origin of all loves is the reality of the Creator. If it were not for the manifestation of His beautiful names and attributes, humanity would be deprived of affection, compassion, and kindness. According to Islam, therefore, people should dedicate all love and affection to the Creator before all else. Without this focus, one cannot devote one's love or affection to another person by way of giving up one's own pleasures. The spirit and feeling of devotion to God, therefore, bestows the basic motivation for serving humanity. The spirit of devotion produces a moral dynamic that electrifies all love, every relation, every sacrifice, and every service therein:
The most remarkable feature of those who have devoted themselves to the bestowal
of God's consent and to the ideal of loving and being loved by Him is that they
never expect anything—material or spiritual—in return. Things like profit, wealth,
cost, comfort, etc., things to which people of this world pay great attention,
do not mean much; they hold no value, nor are they considered as criteria.
To devotees, the value of their ideals transcends that of the earthly ones
to such an extent that it is almost impossible to divert them from what they
seek—God's gratuitous consent—and lead them to any other ideal. In fact, stripped
entirely of finite and transient things, devotees undergo such a transformation
in their hearts to turn to God that they are changed because they recognize
no goal other than their ideal. Since they devote themselves completely to making
people love God and to being loved by God, dedicating their lives to enlightening
others—and, once again, because they have managed to orient their goal in this
unified direction, which in a sense contributes to the value of this ideal—they
avoid divisive and antagonist thoughts, such as "they" and "we," "others," and
"ours." Neither do such people have any problems—explicit or concealed—with
other people. In contrast, all they think of is how they can be useful to society
and how they can avoid disputes with the society of which they are members.
When they detect a problem in society, they take action, like a spiritual leader
rather than a warrior, leading people to virtue and lofty spirituality, abstaining
from any sort of political dominance or thought of rule.
What composes the depths of these devoted spirits is knowledge, the use of
this knowledge, a strong and sound understanding of morality and its application
in every aspect of life, faithful virtue and the awareness of its indispensability,
among other factors. They seek refuge in God from fame and interest-based cold
propaganda and ostentatious acts and deeds, things which indeed do not promise
anything in the name of their future—that is, for their afterlife. Furthermore,
living in accordance with their principles, they ceaselessly endeavor to lead
those who watch and imitate to be in awe of sublime human values. Doing all
this, such people do not ever expect any interest or kindness from anyone, and
they try hard to evade any kind of personal interest or profit; they avoid this
as they would a snake or a scorpion. After all, their inner richness has a centripetal
power that does not allow any acts of advertisement, boasting, or ostentation.
Their amiable behavior, also a reflection of their spirits, is of such a quality
that it fascinates and makes discerning people follow them.
For this very reason, these devotees never desire to boast about themselves
or to advertise or spread propaganda about themselves, nor are they ambitious
to be well-known or appreciated...
Devotees do not experience emptiness in their mental lives and reasoning
thanks to this understanding of a unified direction. On the contrary, they remain
open to reason, science and logic, regarding this as a prerequisite for their
beliefs. Having been melted in the depths of closeness to God, a closeness which
depends on one's merit, and in the ocean that is like divine unity, their earthly
desires and corporeal passion take on a new shape (spiritual enjoyment as a
result of God's consent) with a new pattern, a new style. Thus, devotees can
breathe the same air as the angels at the peaks of spiritual life while conversing
with terrestrial ones, fulfilling the licit requirements of life on Earth. For
this reason, these devotees are considered as being related to both the present
and the future worlds. Their relation with the present world is due to the fact
that they apply and comply with physical forces. What ties them to the next
world is the fact that they evaluate every matter in the light of their spiritual
life and that of the heart. Any inhibitions in the worldly life that are imposed
by the spiritual life do not necessarily entail a complete abandonment of the
worldly life; it is for this reason that these people cannot entirely despise
the world. In contrast, they always stand in the center rather than on the periphery
of the world and rule it. This stance, however, is not one for, or in, the name
of the world, but rather one in the name of complying with physical forces and
an attempt to connect everything to the Hereafter.
As a matter of fact, this is the way to keep the body in its own frame and
the spirit on its own horizon; it is the way to lead life under the leadership
of the heart and the spirit. The finite and restricted corporeal life must be
to the extent that corporeality deserves, while the spiritual life, always open
to eternity, must seek infinitude. If one thinks only supreme and transcendent
thoughts, if one leads a life as the Life-Giver demands, if one regards illuminating
others as the fundamental of one's life, and if one always seeks the zenith,
then one naturally becomes a practitioner of a supreme program, and, thus, to
a certain extent, one limits personal desires and passions...
Provided this devotion is wholehearted and sincere, it is always likely that
God will bestow His blessings onto these kinds of people. The more that people
aim to please God, and the more wholeheartedly that they are attached to God,
the more likely they are to be appreciated and rewarded, and the more likely
it is that they will become the subject of supreme conversations. The every
thought, word and act of such people will become a luminous atmosphere in the
next world, an atmosphere which can also be called "the smiling face of fate."
Such fortunate people, who filled their sails with the white winds of their
fortune, sail with special blessing toward Him, not attaching themselves elsewhere.
What the Qur'an presents as a depiction of these people is worth seeing:
Men (of great distinction) whom neither commerce nor exchange (nor any other
worldly preoccupations) can divert from the remembrance of God, and establishing
the Prayer in conformity with all its conditions, and paying the Prescribed
Purifying Alms; they are in fear of a Day on which all hearts and eyes will
be overturned. God will reward them in accordance with the best of what they
have ever done, and give them yet more out of His bounty (i.e. more than they
deserve). God provides beyond all measure for whom He wills. (Nur 24:37-38)[11]
5. Sacrifice, fidelity, and loyalty
One of the most remarkable dynamics of the Gülen movement centers on sacrifice (fedakarlık) and fidelity (sadakat). These concepts are obviously not particular to this movement. There has always been a common emphasis on these concepts in the Muslim tradition. As we tried to emphasize in previous sections, the reason we include them as core concepts for the Gülen movement is that Gülen himself defines these characteristics with a deep sense of profundity and with rich and layered meaning. He has motivated peoples' sensations to the extent that he has generated a new system and campaign of sacrifice. When we speak of sacrifice or fidelity in the Gülen movement, we do not simply speak of solidarity and helping. Gülen prescribes, as in other criteria of piety, an open-ended sense of sacrifice that reaches for the extreme limits of human and moral senses. When the issue is piety or service of humanity, he is never satisfied with normal limits. He longs to amplify human beneficence, loyalty, and fidelity. Because of this, Gülen often refers to the metaphors of, "a horse that runs until his/her heart bursts," and "a winged turtle-dove." The horse in his system symbolizes the heroes of love who hurry by day and night to their service; the turtle-dove symbolizes high and eminent ideals. From here, we may discover that his heroes are each idealistic people:
Sacrifice is one of the important characteristics of a person who teaches
others. Those who do not, or cannot, risk sacrifice from the start can never
be a person of cause. People who do not have a cause cannot be successful. Yes,
those who are ready to leave at one stretch whenever necessary, their wealth,
life, family, position, fame, etc., things which many people desire and put
as the purpose of life—that their cause eventually reaches the peaks is certain and inevitable.
Thus, the Prophet, peace be upon him, instilled, starting from himself and
then from his close circle, the spirit of sacrifice. He practiced and demonstrated
this throughout his life to all people who have devoted themselves to his cause.
For instance, Khadija, may God be pleased with her, spent everything she had
for the sake of this sacred cause, even without the Prophet, her husband, asking.
She covered all the expenses for banquets offered to Meccan pagans in order
to convey the message of Islam to them. Being once one of the richest people
of pre-Islamic Mecca, this renowned woman had not even the wealth to buy her burial shroud when she died.
In addition to expending their wealth for people of cause, the emigration
to another place—i.e., leaving behind their home when required, leaving all
that they know in order to be able to practice their religion, thought, freedom,
and humanity—is a sacrificial act in search of God's favor. For example, Abu
Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (may God be pleased with them), rich and poor, young
and old, men and women—almost all of them emigrated at one point or another.
While emigrating from their homeland, they left all their wealth to the cruel
and oppressive people of Mecca, and they only took enough food to suffice them
during journey. Yes, while emigrants (Muhajirun) sacrificed in order to convey
and represent their cause, they sincerely believed and devoted themselves to
God's will. In return, the helpers (Ansar) in Medina showed great sacrifice
by welcoming and embracing them. Yes, the Ansar welcomed their Meccan brothers
and sisters, though they were poor and earned their living from farming only;
they behaved in an extraordinarily noble manner.
Today's people who communicate faith and guidance should perform in the same
way by practicing the sacrifice represented by the Companions of the Prophet,
who once fashioned a zenith society in almost every field of life. Otherwise,...
these people cannot succeed in communicating the faith.[12]
Loyalty (vefa) is one of the roses grown in a friendly environment.
It is uncommon and even impossible to see loyalty in an atmosphere of enmity.
The peaceful breeze of loyalty blows around those who share the same things
in feeling, thought, and imagination. Enmity, hatred, and jealousy do not give
loyalty an instant to take a breath. In an environment of love and generosity,
loyalty grows, whereas in an environment of hatred, loyalty diminishes.
Some define fidelity as the integration of the human being with his or her
soul. This is appropriate, though incomplete. The truth is that it is very hard
to speak of loyalty in regard to those who have no spiritual life. Talking the
truth, and keeping one's word or oath, is connected with one's spiritual profundity.
Hypocrites cannot save themselves from lying and deceptions; they violate their
own word and they are never serious about the responsibilities they have undertaken.
Expecting loyalty from people who are deprived of a soulful dimension illustrates unawareness and naiveté.
Whoever trusts someone without loyalty becomes wretched. Whoever sets off on a journey with them gets stranded. Whoever respects him as a guide grieves all the time:
Hoping for loyalty from him
Filled my eyes with grief
And left one foot cureless.
A person deserves trust and ascends through loyalty. If a home is built on
loyalty, then it keeps on standing and becomes lively. A nation would attain
virtues with this noble sense. A state maintains its reputation only with this
sense in the eyes of its citizens. If loyalty is lost in a country, it is unlikely
to talk of a mature person, or a home that promises security, or a stabilized
and reliable state. In such a country, people are suspicious against each other;
homes are troubled; the state is inauspicious to its citizens; and everything
is alien to the other, even though they happen to be aligned next to one another.[13]
6. Representing and communicating the faith
Today, there are numerous political, philosophical, and ideological schools of thought and movements, and each of them vocalizes some grand cause that they claim to have inherited from the past. Among them, there are some that, although their discourse includes useful things for humanity, amount to little more than glorified slogans. They do not bother referring to any criteria or social reality to ascertain whether their thoughts are feasible or not, and whether they are uttered by true representatives. Despite this, any idea, thought, or movement has theoretical and practical aspects. Practical feasibility is as important as the idea and theory itself. At this point, the people who carry these ideas into practice come into question. Their merit and ability to represent the theory determine that movement's success. Representation (temsil) comprises the feasibility of opinions and ideas as it relates to the credibility of their holders. No movement can be successful without having sufficient people who can represent its cause. The fact that the degree of success can change in accordance to some criteria does not affect validity of this fact.
Gülen has emphasized this fact of representation since his early years. Full of sincerity, excitement, and action, he quoted passages from the lives of Prophets and the lives of their followers, to highlight the necessity of turning thought into action. In his retelling of their stories, their distinctive personalities, their patience, their endurance, and their sincerity, Gülen highlighted the importance of this principle as being primary in the mobilization of the movement. To him, if you do not have the ability to represent, society will not take your cause seriously and you will have nothing to say to the society. Gülen interprets this principle as internal-external integrity:
Those who want to reform the world must first reform themselves. If they
want to lead others to a better world, they must purify their inner worlds of
hatred, rancor, and jealousy, and adorn their outer worlds with virtue. The
words of those who cannot control and discipline themselves, and who have not
refined their feelings, may seem attractive and insightful at first. However,
even if they somehow manage to inspire others, which they sometimes do, the
sentiments they arouse will soon wither.[14]
When hearts do not lend an ear to Islam carefully, it does not make its voice
heard; if the spoken words are not represented in conduct, then its voice is
turned down and it does not inspire anything in hearts. Words not only spoken
but also conducted instill thrill in hearts and attain all aptitudes beyond
all distances.[15]
Believers must believe very sincerely in the heart; they must behave as if
they see God at every instant and feel the reverence of being observed by Him.
For real believers, their conduct must suffice for telling about their faith
to other people and convincing them; there should be no need for them to design
mind stretchers. Their sleep, speech, glance, and posture must suffice. People
who see them must be able to tell that "this earnest human being may not behave
in frivolity; this harmless face may not lie." One of the major problems today
is the inability to strike an attitude like this, leading to the failure to
act out of internal maturity both individually and socially."[16]
The great magic of Jesus' apostles was their sincerity and the credibility
of their manners. The most important reason the friends of the last Prophet
managed to convey the light of faith to the entire world, and why they found
friendly reception, was their Muslim manner. Centuries later, students of the
Bediüzzaman exemplified similar sincerity and cordiality in a way as if they
could see God (ihsan). In our time, however, Muslims have expanded in
quantity; but they have lost much of Islam's inner spirit. While we possess
reason and logic, and while science and technology is more advanced than in
our ancestors' time, we do not have the same heart they bore. We are deprived
of the real favor of feeling God in every heartbeat. Our heartbeats should have
a manifestation on the outside, like a clock which has an inner mechanism that
is simultaneously transferred to action on the hands outside every second. The
real center of life is the heart.[17]
Gülen attributes the chronic social posture of the Muslim world to a deficiency in representation:
The deficiency of the Muslim world is not in science, technology, or richness.
I have to admit that these all have some influence; however, the primary reason
behind our deficiency is conduct and the immense quality of heart that should
direct all our actions. Our deficiency is with regards to a Muslim-like image.
Because of this deficiency, we do not have people today like Sadreddin Konevi,
Rumi, Naqshiband, Hasan Shadhili, Ahmad Badawi, Imam Rabbani, Mevlana Halid,
or Bediüzzaman. We live away from these spiritual people; our world is deprived
of their colors. Islam is perceived by others by looking into our manners. As
we depend on the Holy Qur'an for guidance, the Holy Qur'an depends upon sincerely
devoted people to express its full potential. Even if the Qur'an is kept on
high shelves in velvet covers but is not represented by people, then the Qur'an
cannot speak for itself. Since its revelation, the Qur'an has been a guide for
humanity in the form of a materialized spirit. However, as you may see, sometimes
its voice has been loud, while other times, it has been silent, as if its mouth
was zipped and it was locked in secret chambers.[18]
In short, when representation was strong, communicating the faith was also strong:
Without conscious and strong-minded representatives, the Holy Qur'an
experiences a pathetic situation. The perfect book can promulgate its message
only through a perfect team of representatives. Unfortunately, because the world
today lacks such representatives, many who study Islam are forced to view those
who fail as representing the truth. A perfect team of representatives, a team
that devotes itself completely to communicating God's name and to becoming a
part of the religion, will be able to illustrate properly the ways in which
the Qur'an might find expression. The main principle is not to intermediate,
or to get in the way of another person finding God on his or her own; rather,
our goal is to merely provide an uncompromising example of true faith. Each
of us should strive to make people say, "There is no sign of lying on his face."
We must show people the reality and make people think, "If their religion instills
such depth of truth and morality, then their religion must not be false."[19]
People who consider "communicating the faith" as their business can learn
many lessons from the life of the Prophet. The only way to affect other people
is to practice the message first. If you want to explain to someone about what
it feels like to burst into tears for God, then you have to wake up at night
and you have to weep until you wet your prayer mat. Only then will you see how
your words the next day will make a tremendous impression. Otherwise, you may
be slapped on your face, as in the verse, "Why do you say what you do not do?" (Saff 61:2).[20]
[Believers who communicate the message] must pursue the same behavior they
adopted while amongst people also when they are by themselves, and they must
be sincere in all their behaviors. They must not contradict themselves in their
personal or social behaviors. Their nights must be as bright as their days,
and their days must be so lucid as to illuminate the sun. Any mistake they make
out of carelessness must make them groan. They must feel ashamed to mention
prayer in the morning if they have not performed the tahajjud[21]
prayer at night. They must weep until they purify the sin they committed with
their eyes. Any unlawful or doubtful food they ate must make their stomach ache
for days and days, and they must feel any diversion as flames from the Hellfire.
Reflections and thoughts that are not practiced by individuals are not welcomed,
regardless of how attractive and necessary they are. The words must be welcomed
first in the hearts of the person uttering them. If the thought is not settled
in one's heart, then it is impossible to expect it to be accepted by others.[22]
Exposing the internal dynamics of the Gülen movement and interpreting these in a systematic way, is not limited to this analysis. When we look at Gülen's discourse more closely, we observe other concepts such as humility (tevazu) and modesty (mahviyet); brotherhood (kardeşlik) and annihilation in friendship (tefani); material-spiritual benevolence (himmet) and advising each other what is good (hayırhahlık); connection with God (Allah'la irtibat) and becoming one with one's remembrances and prayers (evrad ve ezkar ile bütünleşme); being a person of heart (gönül insanı olma); abandoning one's spiritual prosperity (füyuzat hislerinden feragat); positive action (müspet hareket); etc. We elaborated on only some of the features in order to give examples. This elaboration is no way a deep analysis. But I think that even this may give us some hints about the Gülen movement and its basic discourse. Before one can comment on the movement's action in society, these basic dynamics should be understood and taken into account. Such is the same for studying other Islamic movements, be they analyzed from a Muslim perspective or through social methods. The internal and spiritual dynamics of a movement gives life to its social existence at every movement; it spreads to the capillaries of individuals and to the social existence and identity of the movement as a whole. Ideals and social realities may contradict each other, but this generally stems from imbalances between thoughts and action. Sometimes, actions are at the front of thoughts and ideals, while sometimes, thoughts and ideals lead to actions. Observation of such imbalances may lead some to unjust critiques about the movement, or to some false descriptions or accusations.
This often happens when one Islamic movement critiques and evaluates another. Temporal developments may shape the discourse of a movement in its outward form on the basis of floating values. This may lead some people to speculate that a movement has strayed from internal/ideal principles. What is evident, however, is that variable values are necessary for flexibility and for occasional expansion. Variable values cannot determine ideal principles, but they may affect the movement when a new expansion is necessary. Obviously, change is not always something that every movement may desire all the time, and movements may not always need to renew or expand from their local milieu. This often leads to steadiness for some movements, and this steadiness must also be questioned. I argue, however, that variable values also display a capacity to adapt to a changing society and a capacity to produce new relations and values. A movement that does not possess this capacity will surely disappear. I hope my observation around "constants and variables" is not misinterpreted. The reason I utter this worry is because this issue designates a highly slippery ground. Further, it associates with loose and incurious observations and interpretations that we observe in modern political environments. Liberal readings often suggest that every change and development is inevitable. Our intent here is simply to disagree with an approach that suggests a sociological possibility for transformations without a base or parameters, one which idolizes all carnal egotistic pleasures and passion. Every interpretation and analysis must look at constant and dynamic values more closely. This is too often overlooked in the analysis of movements. Emotional and ideological readings trivialize everything and bear neither human nor moral concerns.
Footnote[1] Gülen, İ'lay-i Kelimetullah veya Cihad, Istanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2001. [2] Gülen, Yitirilmiş Cennete Doğru, p. 128. [3] Gülen, Işığın Göründüğü Ufuk, p. 138. [4] Gülen, Örnekleri Kendinden Bir Hareket, p. 218–219. [5] Gülen, Ölçü veya Yoldaki Işıklar, p. 108. [6] Gülen, The Statue of Our Souls, p. 95. [7] Gülen, Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance, NJ: The Light, Inc., 2006, pp. 21, 23. [8] Gülen , Çağ ve Nesil, p. 143 [9] Gülen, Işığın Göründüğü Ufuk, p. 261. [10] Gülen, The Statue of Our Souls, p. 97. [11] Gülen, Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance, pp. 100–103. [12] Gülen, İrşad Ekseni, pp. 188–189. [13] Gülen, Buhranlar Anaforunda İnsan, pp. 38–39. [14] Gülen, Pearls of Wisdom, NJ: The Light, Inc., 2006, p. 105. [15] Gülen, Işığın Göründüğü Ufuk, p. 4. [16] Gülen, Sohbet-i Canan, p. 96. [17] Ibid., 98–99. [18] Ibid., pp. 99–100. [19] Ibid., pp. 103–4. [20] Gülen, Sonsuz Nur, Vol. 1, p. 244. [21] A voluntary prayer observed late at night. [22] Gülen, İrşad Ekseni, pp. 134–136.
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