Fethullah Gülen's Gift to the World

News outlets all over the world have started the day with a major update, the Turkish cleric and teacher Fethullah Gülen has passed away at the age of 83. It did not make the front pages but it is there somewhere. All the headings mention his name in relation to Erdogan, Türkiye’s authoritarian ruler, and as the mastermind of the coup attempt of 2016. Of course, those are the accusations of the Turkish regime, never proven, and far from the truth for anyone who cares to look beyond the two lines heading of an article. Perhaps I am making the same mistake by starting this post with these words.

Today, I would rather be remembering Mr. Gülen as the figure behind, and I say this sincerely with no intention of exaggerating, the greatest story of our times which few know about, a story of hope and true efforts of peacebuilding impacting the entire world. Mr. Gülen, through his teachings and life work, inspired what’s known today as the Hizmet Movement, a social movement that while rooted in the Islamic faith calls ALL to serve ALL, (hizmet is Turkish for “service”), and this way participate in the creation of a peaceful, diverse and cohesive, society where our shared values, those found in all major faiths and the foundations of our secular laws, are upheld.

Mr. Gülen came from Erzurum, eastern Turkey. By the late 1960’s and early 70’s, Mr. Gülen’s teaching were inspiring young and old who felt that their faith was separated from the reality of their lives, that their spiritual believes and needs were not compatible with modern life. What people heard, some in sermons at a mosque, many in gatherings at local cafes, was that Islam (and for that matter all major faiths) requires for us to actively participate in life, to care for others, to embrace knowledge and science, to build a better world here. For those who are believers, hizmet/service is done for the sake and pleasure of the Creator, but those whose belief is elsewhere are motivated by social wellbeing and the greater good. Focusing on education as the foundation for any positive developments, specially in today’s diverse and multicultural societies, the Hizmet Movement has spread globally to almost all countries in the world, establishing some of the most reputable schools (non-religious) from elementary to universities, as well as intercultural dialog institutions, and relief/aid organizations that have improved the individual lives of millions and countless communities that today are lucky to have a Hizmet participant as a neighbor.

In 2016, after encountering this “Hizmet” and curious about it, I embarked on a visual project aiming at understanding what this movement is and its international character. For a long time, I restrained myself from meeting Mr. Gülen. I know how impactful charismatic figures could be. I will never forget, as a middle-school student, seeing Pope John Paul II when he visited Dominican Republic; and as a young photo-assistant, shaking hands with Kofi Annan during a photoshoot in his office at the United Nations; and just the other day and by chance, exchanging smiles with and saying hello to Sting as we crossed paths while walking in Central Park, (these things happen!).

Recently, I met Hocaefendi Fethullah Gülen. By then I had seen and experience much of what Hizmet is, and I felt that meeting him was not going affect my views on the movement. It took a couple tries, his health was already deteriorating and most times receiving visitors was major effort for him. When I finally saw him, to my own surprise, I had no questions for him. What I thought then, and today it is the main question in my mind, is whether Hizmet was a reflection of him or did he make himself throughout his life into the idea of Hizmet… He signaled for me to come closer and offered me tea and some chocolates. Someone explained to him in Turkish what I have been doing, and passed to him a small box with 10 pictures from the project. He nodded and said thank you. (I lament he will not see the final work.) I did ask him if I could take his picture. He said, “I am not important. Hizmet is all you have already seen, but if you think this can help in any way, I will do as you ask.”

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