The Gülen Movement: A Sufi-Type Spirituality for Modern Societies

1. The need for a modern spirituality

The emergence in Europe and North America of interest in the thought of Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen is a phenomenon that demands explanation. Several American universities, such as Rice and Georgetown, have held academic seminars to study the various aspects of his thought. In Europe, in the Netherlands, for example, at least four universities (Nijmegen, Tilburg, Erasmus in Rotterdam, and Amsterdam) have hosted seminars on “Forerunners for Peace,” which prominently feature the views of Gulen and his movement.

In trying to understanding the reasons for this, I think that several factors can be mentioned. Firstly, people who feel oppressed by the materialist and consumerist character of modern life are looking for a spirituality that can point a way to live authentically and usefully, and many find this spirituality in the writings and movement of Fethullah Gulen. Secondly, Muslims seeking a way to live their Islamic faith in modern situations and make a positive contribution to the transformation of society find in the movement a constructive interpretation of Qur’anic teaching that stresses good deeds and service to humanity. Thirdly, non-Muslims who are looking for Muslim partners with whom they can live and work together, share ideas, and form friendships find in the Gulen movement a body of ethically concerned individuals who are open to cooperate in a pluralist approach to issues of peace, justice, and human development. All these factors contribute to the interest in the ideas of Mr. Gülen and the activities of the Gulen movement associated with his name shown in universities, community centers, churches and mosques. In this talk, I will treat the Sufi-oriented spirituality of Gülen’s interpretation of Islamic life and teaching.

In my paper, I cannot hope to treat all aspects of the thought of Fethullah Gulen or all the activities of the movement associated with his name. I intend to take up only one aspect, that is, the Sufi-oriented spirituality of Gülen’s interpretation of Islamic life and teaching.

A recent survey in Europe showed that there is a decreasing interest in “religion,” but a corresponding increase of interest in “spirituality.” At first glance, this seems inconsistent, but it does reflect, I believe, a widespread and typical modern attitude. When people express disinterest in “religion,” I believe that they are referring to traditional ritual, which they consider, perhaps based on their own unhappy experience, to be dry, formalistic, and empty of deeper meaning. Conversely, their interest in spirituality reflects the need for some form of contact with the Divine in their lives. They are dissatisfied with a purely positivist approach to life and are seeking transcendent input, relevant insights which can help them deal with the challenges raised by post-modern living, a program of exercises that can help one progress on the path of personal interior growth and transformation.

Sufism, the generally accepted term for the Islamic mystical tradition, is seen by many as offering such food for the spirit. Sufism is not a single clearly defined movement, but an interrelated network of ideas and practices aimed at a deeper understanding and faithful pursuit of the Qur’anic message. Non-Muslim scholars, as well as Sufis themselves, inevitably pull out certain elements and emphases that have been central among some Sufis at various periods of history, while ignoring or downplaying other characteristics that do not fit in and perhaps even contradict their definition.

For some, it is asceticism and simplicity of life that is the key to a true following of Islam. Others emphasize love as the central idea and understand the Sufi path as one leading to a union of love with God, the Beloved. For others, Sufism is a voluntarist path by which the believer, by concentrating on virtue and moral behavior, comes into a union of will with God, a state in which the mystic no longer has an independent will of his or her own, but seeks only to do the will of God. Many mystics see the Path as primarily one of knowledge, of becoming aware of the eternal Truth, the perennial wisdom of the heart that is the only sure font of true insight. Still others affirm the oneness of all existence, so that the mystical path is essentially a psychological movement toward recognition that the believer is simply a transient manifestation of the eternal One present in the cosmos and at the depths of one’s own personality. Some Sufis emphasize extraordinary mystical experience, expressed in states of ecstasy, inspired utterances, visions, and dreams, while for others the path is a contemplative pilgrimage to God residing in the silent cave of the heart.

2. Fethullah Gülen and Sufism

When one studies the writings and the actions of Fethullah Gülen in this context, a question that arises is whether “Khoja effendi,” as he is affectionately called by his followers and associates, is a Sufi. At various times in his life, Mr. Gülen has had to defend his movement from accusations that he has founded a new Sufi order, of which he is regarded as the shaykh. In Turkey today, the charge of founding a secret tarekat (tariqa) carries social, legal and political implications. Secular modernists view Sufism as part of the pre-modern past, a relic from Ottoman times, an obstacle to progress, development and prosperity. Conversely, Muslim activists of salafi tendency view Sufism as responsible for introducing unwarranted and unorthodox innovations and for promulgating a passive, pietistic religiosity.

In response, Gülen affirms that he has not founded a tarekat nor ever belonged to any Sufi order. He states: “The religious orders are institutions that appeared six centuries after our Prophet, upon whom be peace, in the name of representing Sufism. They have their own rules and structures. I never joined a Sufi order, and I have never had any relationship with one.” To the question of why he is called Khoja, literally, “Teacher,” a form of address traditionally used by Sufis for their master, he answers that the title carries no hierarchical or Ottoman revivalist connotation, but is simply “a respectful way of addressing someone whose knowledge on religious matters is recognized and acknowledged by the general public.”

Given that Gülen has never belonged to a tarekat, is it still accurate to regard him as a Sufi? In a seminal work on Sufi elements in Gülen’s thought, Zeki Saritoprak calls Gülen “a Sufi in his own way.” Saritoprak affirms that many Sufis in history belonged to no Sufi Order. For the first six centuries of Islam, there were no Sufi Orders, yet there were many important Sufis. Even after the appearance of Sufi orders in the 13th-14th Century, there are instances of well-known Sufis who did not belong to any tarekat.

Yet the appearance of the “independent Sufi” has usually been considered anomalous by most practitioners of the Sufi path. Saritoprak notes the problematic situation of the modern Sufi who follows no tarekat and has no spiritual guide.

“Early Sufis had neither orders nor even Sufi organizations. Rabia, Junayd, Muhasibi, Bishr, Ghazzali, Feriduddin Attar, and even Rumi did not belong to a tariqah. However, they were Sufis. From the vantage point of institutionalized Sufism, their Sufism would be problematic, because these early Sufis did not have a spiritual master. In the Sufi tradition, he who has no a shaykh, finds Satan as his shaykh."

Concerning the necessity for a spiritual guide, it is true that the vast majority of Sufis have discouraged or even forbidden one from following the Sufi path without a shaykh or pir. However, a minority view has always held that the spiritual guide need not be a living person. Kharaqani, for example, was initiated into the Sufi path by the spirit of Abu Yazid al-Bistami, while ‘Attar was inspired by the spirit of Al-Hallaj. Other Sufis claimed to have as their guide Khidr, the mysterious companion of Moses whose story is recounted in the Qur’an.

Gülen’s position is that he is guided in his spiritual development by the Qur’an and the sunna. He holds that the Qur’an is the source and font of all Sufi thought and practice. Rooted in the Qur’an and sunna, and supplemented by the views and experiences of later Sufis down through the centuries who applied the Qur’anic teachings through their own personal efforts (ijtihad), Sufism is not an “alternative” path followed by some Muslims in contradiction to the shari’a, but rather, Sufism should be regarded as one of the basic sciences of Islam.

[Tasawwuf] is not contradictory with any of the Islamic ways based on the Book and the Sunna. Far from being contradictory, it has its source, just like the other religious sciences, in the Book and the Sunna and the conclusions the purified scholars of the early period of Islam drawn from the Qur’an and the Sunna - ijtihad.

Tasawwuf and shari’a are two ways of expressing the same truth and arise from differences in personality rather than from any internal contradictions. Both lead the Muslim to believe and practice the one Islamic truth, but each must find the path most suited to his disposition.
While adherence to the former [shari’a] has been regarded as exotericism (self-restriction to the outward dimension of religion), following the latter [tasawwuf] has been seen as pure esotericism. Although this discrimination partly arises from the assertions that the commandments of Shari’a are represented by jurisprudents or muftis, and the other by the Sufis, it should be viewed as the result of a natural human tendency, which is that everyone gives priority to the way more compatible with his temperament and for which he has aptitude.

Sufism has known antinomian Sufis who claimed that following the exoteric (zahir) regulations of the shari’a were unnecessary for those on the esoteric (batin) path, but Gülen’s position comes down clearly in the camp of those who stress that the Sufi must not abandon the shari’a. Gülen exemplifies the long line of shari’a-oriented Sufis, represented most strongly by the Qadiri and Naqshbandi traditions, and in modern times by Said Nursi, who regard tasawwuf as an interiorized facet of the life of the sincere Muslim who seeks to live fully the message contained in the Qur’an and sunna.

Ozdalga sees three “positive reference points” which have shaped Gülen’s thinking: 1) orthodox Sunni Islam, 2) the Naqshbandi Sufi tradition, 3) the Nurculuk movement, that is, those influenced by the writings of Said Nursi. The Naqshbandis have always insisted on the careful performance of the prescriptions of the shari’a, so there is no contradiction between the first two points. Gülen differs from the Naqshbandi Order, however, in that the Naqshbandi disciple is presented with an explicit program of spiritual development, which is closely monitored by the shaykh, whereas Gülen’s approach is more open-ended in stressing good deeds and service to humanity (hizmet) more than spiritual exercises and devotions.

Probably the most important formative influence on the development of Gülen’s thought, including his approach to Sufism, was Said Nursi. Like Nursi, who was also formed in the Naqshbandi tradition but chose to work and teach outside the confines of an established tarekat, so also Gülen sees the Sufi tradition more as the accumulated wisdom of the saints of Islam, rather than an institutionalized precondition to internalize Islamic values. According to Nursi, Sufism “has been proclaimed, taught, and described in thousands of books written by the scholars among the people of illumination and those who have had unfolded to them the reality of creation, who have told the Muslim community and us of that truth.”

Moreover, like Said Nursi, Gülen is aware that not everything that historically has passed in the name of Sufism is of positive value. A critical approach to the Sufi tradition, however, must recognize the intrinsic strength of the movement as an instrument for fostering and building a sense of community and brotherhood. As Said Nursi states:
“The Sufi path may not be condemned because of the evils of certain ways which have adopted practices outside the bounds of taqwa, and even of Islam, and have wrongfully given themselves the name of Sufi paths. Quite apart from the important and elevated religious and spiritual results of the Sufi path and those that look to the hereafter, it is the Sufi paths which are the first and most effective and fervent means of expanding and developing brotherhood, a sacred bond within the World of Islam.

Gülen understands Sufism as the inner dimension of the shari’a, and the two dimensions must never be separated. Performance of the externals without attention to their interior transformative power results in dry ritualism. Concentration on the interior disciplines and rejecting prescribed ritual and behavior reduces spiritual striving to following one’s own preferences and proclivities. Only by activating both dimensions of Islam will the seeker be able to humbly submit (islam) one’s life fully to God.

An initiate or traveler on the path (salik) never separates the outer observance of the Shari’a from its inner dimension, and therefore observes all of the requirements of both the outer and the inner dimensions of Islam. Through such observance, he or she travels toward the goal in utmost humility and submission.

Just as Sufism is what “gives new life to the religious sciences,” so the shari’a keeps the believer rooted in the Islamic tradition. “If the traveler has not been able to prepare his heart according to both the requirements of his spiritual journeying and the commandments of the Shari’a, that is, if he does not think and reason in the light of Prophethood while his feelings fly in the boundless realm of his spiritual state, he will inevitably fall. He will be confused and bewildered, speaking and acting contrary to the spirit of the Shari’a.”

According to Saritoprak, both the appellation, the question of whether one is called a Sufi, as well as that of membership in a tarekat are secondary. He cites Mevlana to the effect that it is not the external trappings that make one a Sufi but the purity of one’s interior disposition:

Gülen never calls himself a Sufi. One is not a Sufi in name, but rather in spirit and heart. As Rumi says: “What makes the Sufi? Purity of heart, not the patched mantle and the perverse lust of those earth-bound men who steal his name. He [the true Sufi] in all things discerns the pure essence.” In short, Gülen understands that one may annihilate himself in the rays of the existence of the Truth through knowing of his impotence, poverty and nothingness.

If Gülen is to be considered a Sufi, what does Sufism mean to him? In two works on the subject, Gülen offers his own definition. In the earlier work he states “Tasawwuf [Sufism] means that by being freed from the vices and weaknesses particular to human nature and acquiring angelic qualities and conduct pleasing to God, one lives one’s life in accordance with the requirements of knowledge and love of God and in the spiritual delight that comes thereby.” In the later work, he gives a very similar definition of the Sufi path: “Sufism is the path followed by an individual who, having been able to free himself or herself from human vices and weaknesses in order to acquire angelic qualities and whose conduct is pleasing to God, lives in accordance with the requirements of God’s knowledge and love and in the resulting spiritual delight that ensues.”

Both definitions come down to the same thing. Gülen gives priority to the will, emphasizing that Sufism means overcoming the human obstacles to God’s power and grace and acquiring the virtues and behavior that God desires in His servants. The person who lives in this way is gradually growing in ma’rifa or spiritual wisdom and in love (mahabba, ‘ashq), both for God and for others. God encourages and confirms the faithful follower of this path by granting the gift of spiritual joy. This understanding is consistent with the mainstream of Sufi teaching down through the centuries, in which the Sufi exerts his or her own efforts to remove one by one the obstacles to divine grace, and then wait trustfully for God to grant as gifts the spiritual states of knowledge, love, and delight.

What is the attraction of the Sufi tradition for Gülen? In a telling comment, he notes that the Muslims who, down through the centuries, most reflected upon and sought to practice the interior values taught by Islam and who developed the spiritual disciplines for controlling selfish impulses, were in fact Sufis. One could almost say that Sufism is the essence or, as he states elsewhere, the spirit of Islam.
As a religion, Islam naturally emphasizes the spiritual realm. It takes the training of the ego as a basic principle. Asceticism, piety, kindness and sincerity are essential to it. In the history of Islam, the discipline that dwelt most on these matters was Sufism. Opposing this would be opposing the essence of Islam.

Gülen finds the importance of Sufism for a modern Islamic spirituality in its offering a program of discipline by which the believer can step by step renounce consumerist tendencies and secular heedlessness. This renunciation is not an empty asceticism for its own sake, but is oriented toward the greater reward of becoming aware of spiritual realities. For Gülen, Sufism brings the blessing of an experiential confirmation of the truths of faith which had previously been only intellectually apprehended. Gülen explains:
“Sufism enables individuals to deepen their awareness of themselves as devotees of God. Through the renunciation of this transient, material world, as well as the desires and emotions it engenders, they awaken to the reality of the other world, which is turned toward God’s Beautiful Names. Sufism allows individuals to develop the moral dimension of one’s existence, and enables the acquisition of a strong, heartfelt, and personally experienced conviction of the articles of faith that before had only been accepted superficially.”

In other words, the genius of Sufism, according to Gülen, is its ability to interiorize the message of the Qur’an and sunna so that it influences and shapes the behavior of the Muslim. Through Sufism, the Muslim learns to move beyond obeying commands and regulations that he or she does not understand to an appreciation of Islamic teaching which becomes part and parcel of the believer’s way of life. Sufism shows how a Muslim can overcome selfish tendencies, respond to frustration and opposition, and with patience and perseverance move beyond discouragement and routine. Sufism enables the Muslim to attain the virtuous qualities and the personal disciplines required to live fully in accord with the will of God. Sufism leads the way to shawq, delight, so that religious commitment is not some onerous and unpleasant burden that a person is forced to carry, but can be conducive to a joyful, loving acceptance of life.

What is of most interest for Gülen in Sufism is its ability to provide a practical program by which the Muslim can internalize Islamic faith so that it motivates a life of service to humankind. For Gülen, the ecstatic or para-normal mystical experiences sometimes claimed by or for Sufi saints appear to be of relatively little interest.

Gülen’s appreciation for the teaching of the Sufi masters does not prevent him from criticizing on occasion the way that Sufi life was often put into practice. The dynamism of the early Sufis often got mired in the institutional forms that took shape in the Sufi Orders.

Sufis, in Gülen’s view, are among those responsible for the crisis of education in the Muslim world, including the Turkish republic. In fact, his educational efforts can be understood as a reaction to the impoverishment of choice available to Turkish students. Until Gülen and his colleagues began their schools, Turkish students were forced to study either at schools on the secular republican model, at traditional madrasas, at the Sufi takyas, or at military academies. None of these models was able to integrate successfully scientific training with human and spiritual values. “At a time when modern schools concentrated on ideological dogmas, institutions of religious education (madrasas) broke with life, institutions of spiritual training (takyas) were immersed in sheer metaphysics, and the army restricted itself to sheer force, this coordination [of knowledge] was essentially not possible.”

The Sufi takyas, although they had concerned themselves with fostering the development of spiritual values, failed to meet the challenges of contemporary society and, in Gülen’s word, “console themselves with virtues and wonders of the saints who had lived in previous centuries.” Even if the way that Sufism was handed down in recent decades has not been able to provide guidance for the modern Muslim, the Sufi tradition can enrich still Muslim spirituality and offer direction for the future. If a precondition for progress is the changing of outdated and ineffective mentalities, this is only achieved when one acknowledges his own limitations, recognizes the need for controlling his impulses, and finds motivation to strive for virtue and knowledge. This is what Sufism is all about. “The Islamic spiritual life based on asceticism, regular worship, abstention from all major and minor sins, sincerity and purity of intention, love and yearning, and the individual’s admission of his essential impotence and destitution became the subject-matter of Sufism.”

The Sufi training enables the Muslim to confront modernity critically without falling into the snares either of unreflective acceptance or angry refusal. The question all modern people face is how to develop humane qualities, good behavior, love for others, enthusiasm for self-improvement, and an active desire to serve others, make a difference in the world, and to persevere in this desire in the face of setbacks and failures. For the Muslim, according to Gülen, it is the Sufi thinkers who, down through the centuries, have thought through these questions and have followed the experimental method of dealing with them.

If modern Muslims want to engage modernity critically and make necessary changes, they must begin with their own selves. Sufism offers the collected wisdom transmitted down through the centuries by which one can move toward a transformed mentality, deeper love, positive character traits, and courage to work for the improvement of society. The spiritual program offered by Sufism provides a firm basis for purifying modern scientific study from its ethical inadequacies and positivist limitations. In this way, science and humanities, scientific and humane values, a scientific and a religious approach to life, can be reconciled. This is the challenge facing scholars, educators, and religious teachers today.

Gulen Inspired Schools: Glocal Schools serving with Integrity and Sincerity

Some say they are the best schools around, and some say they can’t be that good without support from global powers. Some say they serve for global peace, and some other say: “Don’t be naive they must have a hidden agenda”.  I will not get into questions like “water of the mill” as they have been addressed previously. The main question I am going after is, what are really Gulen Inspired Schools? What makes them standout? How can you distinguish a Gulen Inspired School from any other public or community school?

As a parent and educator somewhat involved with several of such schools, unfortunately I do not have a short answer to the above questions. I wish I could summarize my thoughts in two sentences, as Jay Matthews of the Washington Post did for KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) schools, and say “Work Hard. Be Nice”. I really worked hard, but I could not come up with a nice motto like that.  Then I looked at the teaching methods or the curriculum at these schools in order to come up with a set of principles that constitute the design of Gulen Inspired Schools. That did not work out well either, as most schools implement the same curriculum or the standards based teaching methodologies used in the nearby public schools, and if you ask the people involved, they all have their own perspectives. Fortunately, my short analysis helped me to identify the following common three pillars or letters of Gulen Inspired Schools. By no means is it an exclusive list; you could come with your own three or increase them to five or seven, or even reduce it to one common basic principle, but  I will summarize my findings on Gulen Inspired Schools in three letters: G-I-S.

The first pillar or letter: G

Well let’s start with what “G” is not.  First of all it does not stand for Gulen, as Fethullah Gulen himself denounces indentifying these schools with his name. There are two aspects of this disapproval: one his modesty about his inspiration and motivation of ordinary people for very high expectation and achievements, and second is, he is not directly involved with any of these schools except one or two he visited in Turkey.  Fethullah Gulen does not know most of the people establishing schools related with his name, or have not met any of the administrators or teachers that are working at those schools.  Considering the number of schools in over hundred different countries, it is practically impossible for Gulen to know the educators running these schools or the entrepreneurs that have established them.

Fethullah Gulen is a Turkish scholar and preacher that have always emphasized the role of education in man’s life. This fact does not only stand out in his writings, but also his actions and teachings as well. Gulen himself is an educator that has taught and researched the foundations Turkish Islamic faith and culture. In his writings Gulen provides his own interpretations that are innovative yet compatible with the classical and traditional methods of Quran and the life and teachings of the messenger Mohammad (PBUH).  Most of Gulen’s work is about addressing the problems of the modern society, and looking for solutions from the well established and researched principles of the tradition. Gulen’s ideas and even the movement he has inspired pursue the solutions to the three major problems of the society: Ignorance, Poverty and Disunity. Mr Thomas Michel, former Ecumenical Secretary at Asia Desk of the Vatican Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, categorizes the organizations related to Gulen movement according to the three problems they address : The schools are established to overcome the ignorance and illiteracy, whereas charity organizations are set to reach out to needy people in the poor neighborhoods or disaster areas, and interfaith and intercultural centers are set to promote dialogue among people from different walks of life. One might argue that education, charity and dialogue are the basic principles of citizenship, hence every concerned citizen would contribute for such purposes. That is exactly the point why Gulen disapproves naming the institutions established for education, charity or dialogue as Gulen Institutions or Gulen Movement in its entirety.

So if G does not stand for Gulen, what does it represent? I would say Glocalization.  In his approach to education,Fethullah Gulen integrates modern methods and fields to the traditional ways and areas of study. He equally emphasizes the teaching of moral values and modern sciences, and quotes Einstein in his various writings as “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”  He actually extends this approach into a method of education addressing both the heart and mind at the same time. So when you look at a Gulen Inspired School you would immediately recognize a modern curriculum integrated with extracurricular activities focusing on global social skills and ethical values. The common language used in all schools is English, that is, almost all subject areas are taught in English. The educators do not only teach basic math, science and technology, but go the extra mile, and help students to attend international math-science fairs and competitions. Most students at Gulen Inspired Schools are decorated with medals from International Science and Technology Olympiads.

If you dig a little further, you will also recognize that these students are well versed in their own culture, and they have managed to harmonize the global modern values with their local cultural traditions. The parents testify that their children attending a Gulen Inspired School did not only earn medal in international Olympiads but also became more engaged with their family and more respectful for their elders in the community. It does not end there: When these students graduate, they follow their teachers in traveling and switching homes to distant cities and countries, and teach the same values customized and adjusted to these new communities. Hence, the letter “G” for Glocalization.

The second pillar or letter: I

As “G” does not represent Gulen, “I” does not represent Islam or Inspiration either.  Gulen Inspired Schools are not missionary schools. A quick analysis will show that these schools are neither “Islamic Schools” nor have any Islamic Sciences included in the curriculum.  Of course conspiring minds will not get satisfied with this observation.  Well then, they should dig more and look at the actual demographics of these schools. Because another quick analysis will show that, at any given school there are many students from various ethno-religious groups, sometimes attending those schools despite the ethnical or religious conflicts in their neighborhoods.

Gulen Inspired Schools are mostly defined as “Peace Islands” as they provide a safe harbor for children from all walks of life, and also following Gulen’s example, the schools promote respect for other cultures and thoughts of life. Throughout their education students learn to appreciate other faiths and cultures as well as their own. Fethullah Gulen is also known as neo-Rumi, as he promotes opening one’s mind and heart to all beliefs and cultures and have a seat in their heart for any person no matter what the other’s background is. Rumi  is quoted as “Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come." Gulen goes beyond that and encourages everyone to reach out to the other, that is, even if they do not come to you, you take the first step, go to others and establish a medium of dialogue.  Following the examples of Rumi and Gulen, Gulen Inspired Schools establish bridges or “peace islands” closing the gap among various nations and civilizations.

Getting back to the “I” in G-I-S again, I believe, “I” stands for “integrity”, both in the meaning of moral soundness, and also an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting.  Being a holistic concept, Gulen Inspired Schools’ holistic approach to education, can be depicted best by “integrity”, as these schools do integrate the modern sciences and technology with the traditional wisdom. Educators at these schools utilize both the modern concepts and traditional methods together in order to educate the whole-child. The curriculum is designed around the state-of-the-art technology and sciences whereas the extracurricular activities expose the children to global ethical and moral values. Moreover the students learn respecting the local culture and values of their own as well as the other cultures and faiths. In the long-term, they learn not to only coexist but also to co-work and collaborate together for the common good of entire humanity.

Moreover, the students develop strong moral values by avoiding from bad habits and corruption with the help of guidance and character education provided at these schools. The students are exposed to high expectations from very early grades, so that by their graduation, they all do become exemplary citizens in their own communities. Hence the ultimate goal of every Gulen Inspired School and every student at each of these schools is integrity, that is, to overcome the challenges of ignorance and prejudice through a quality education integrating the best practices of the past and the present.

The third pillar or letter: S

I guess the most striking pillar in Gulen Inspired Schools is this third one: Sincerity.  However one should not read this the other way around, that is, it does not mean other educators or other schools are insincere or pretentious. It is just that, sincerity stands out as the most distinguishing attribute of anyone involved Gulen Inspired schools.

At first, the motivation of the entrepreneurs establishing these schools can best be articulated by the concept of sincerity, as they are not pursuing any missionary goals or any hidden agenda, but only actualizing the basic principles of charity and reaching out to others. In “The Gulen Movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam” , Helen Rose Ebaugh, studies the Turkish-Islamic Culture of Giving, and concludes thatthe Gulen Movement is a revival of Turkish-Islamic Philanthropy.  Most of the Gulen Inspired Schools are run by non-profit organizations supported by donations from decent, honest, hard working businessmen. They could invest their money in many other ways that could earn them much more profit in very short time, but they prefer to donate all that to these schools without any business or profit expectations.  What would you call this, if not sincerity?

Secondly, parents and children are choosing Gulen Inspired School despite the not-so-minimal tuitions and limited seats available per grades. The admission rates at some locations go below one in hundred due to the high demand. Almost all the schools require a higher level of engagement from parents than other public or community schools. Students are also aware of the work load and high expectation they will be held at these schools. It takes parents and children a much more extra effort and time to regularly commit to a Gulen Inspired school. Despite of all these challenges, they to choose these schools; a decision that requires significant sincerity on their side!

Thirdly, the commitment of the teachers working at these schools can also be best articulated with the concept of sincerity, as you cannot explain such devotion in terms of any materialized measures.  Most teachers travel to far distant countries and cities, some to places that they have never even heard of. Some work in very poor conditions on minimal wage. Some do have the appropriate facilities but not all. But they all do volunteer in after hours and help with extracurricular activities, and none give up due to any of the obstacles that come with this territory. Some have switched careers to education from engineering or social sciences, so they continue on learning new methods and ways to improve their teaching. Finally, they all enjoy going the extra mile for students, and visiting parents and families at their homes, providing one-on-one tutoring.  Why do they do all this? For a few extra bucks they will never get? I seriously doubt it. Again the best term to articulate this is sincerity.

Last but not least, when you objectively evaluate the facilities, the staff, the administration of these schools, you might find out that they might not be your favorite. I mean these schools could have average teachers or not-so-perfect administrators or facilities lacking labs and libraries. There is no specifically-designed curriculum or agreed-on teaching methods described for Gulen Inspired Schools. But overall they all are successful, and most of the time, despite the lack of mentioned factors.  All these different people with different backgrounds at different parts of the world, and there is still very high demand for these schools. What brings all this success? Once again, I know no other term than the sincerity of people involved in the common good.

Turkish cleric Gülen tops intellectuals list

Western readers are likely to learn a few new names by checking out the final results of the Foreign Policy/Prospect poll of the World's Top Public Intellectuals. In an unprecedented development, all of the top 10 are Muslims, some of whom are barely known in the United States. No result was more surprising than our winner-by-a-landslide, Fethullah Gulen.

The Western media has never known quite what to make of this Turkish religious leader, who lives in exile near Philadelphia. He is described alternately as a leading voice for moderation and education in the Muslim world or the second coming of Ayatollah Khomeini. But, as we've learned here at FP, the passion and dedication of his supporters is impressive, to say the least. After an article on the poll appeared in Turkey's Zaman newspaper, the avalanche of votes for Gülen began.

While voting for their champion, Gülen's supporters tended to pick other Muslim names for the other four choices. This boosted the standing of lesser-known academics such as Abdolkarim Soroush (No. 7) and Mahmood Mamdani (No. 9) as well as famed Nobel laureates like Muhammad Yunus (No. 2), Orhan Pamuk (No. 4), and Shirin Ebadi (No. 10). When all was said and done, the top non-Muslim on the list was Noam Chomsky in 11th place. Ironically, historian Bernard Lewis, who made his name by describing the rift between the Islamic world and West, came in thirteenth.

The top 20 list hardly looks as we expected, but any group that includes both the fiercely anti-Islamic activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali (No. 15) and conservative Islamist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi (No. 3) is sure to at least provoke discussion, which was really the main reason for having a poll in the first place. So, FP readers, have a look at the list and let us know what you think.

PS: For those radical fundamentalists who call themselves the Colbert Nation, your man was the top write-in vote.

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