Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
THE FETHULLAH GÜLEN MOVEMENT IN THOUGHT AND
PRACTICE
3 ‐5 November 2006
The University of Oklahoma,
Norman, Oklahoma, USA
FROM ABSURDISM OF RELATIVITY TO THE COMPLEX TRUTH:
THE KNOWLEDGE VIEW OF FETHULLAH GÜLEN
Prof. Dr. Samir Boudinar1
[Please Note: This paper is not for quotation without permission from the author,
since it is subject to checking and finalisation before publication]
Often, a fundamental critique was addressed to modernization as a system that has
a great quantity of release Its views and judgments resemble the religion release
especially at the level of discourse that has taken it from its heavenly source of
release.
Modernization as a view of the cosmos, life, nature, human and the relation ship
between these element may be established on an ancient idea which belongs to the
Greek legend world, where “Prometheus” stole the immortal knowledge and
wisdom flambeau from gods ‐ hence he gave it to man. In fact, this Prometheus
philosophy has been manifested in modernization philosophy beginning from the
European revolution period with its great intellectual, literature and art works; a
crossing the lightened philosophy and the movement it has created in European
societies especially, the French society with its inspiring revolution, arriving at the
change (transformation/development) that happened at the level of state and
society during nineteenth and twentieth century.
1
Chairman of CERHSO‐Oujda City/ Morocco
The fundamental critique on the notion of modernization that was rushing from the
upper authority of reason on the existence and consequently, the man centrality due
to his power of controlling it .
Modernization has changed the power of God by the power of reason which
becomes a new God, and it has abolished religion release contrary to what the
church judged so as to invent a rational religion, that separates the world according
to a sequence of intellectual value, and a strict philosophical judgment, it’s history
follows it with developing subsidizing on the total predominance of human reason
without any reason and knowledge source, or authority upon human.
This critique that modernization was addressed by, is manifested in a shake
directions against law frame work of man and world, may be the most important of
those directions, which was considered as anarchy and vehicle and that not present
a convincing alternative is: “post‐modernisation”.
So, if modernisation is the offspring of mind and its authority, post‐modernisation is
an essay to disengage from that authority.
Also, if modernisation considers the knowledge mind as a solid base in human law
development, post modernization dropped that knowledge to man himself that is
undisciplined by reason knowledge discipline.
In sum, if modernisation was a strict thought construction described an absolute
discourse, post‐modernisation will be an absolute relativity by considering the
relativitism results of self reaction with the surrounding and its react in it .the mark
of his reaction is instability. And, the relativity in dealing with the creativity itself, is a
difficult or may be an impossible thing that can be realized.
It was that the alternative school fell in a case of absurdism, when it lost the sense of
individual view, and emptied language from its communicative message, also, it
made one truth no matter how simple were numerous truths, different due to the
differences of the points of the view that it’s viewers have. But it is a just a modest
thing with regard to its truths.
Perhaps, this dialectic in philosophy between modernization that idolizes the mind at
the expense of any other source of knowledge that transcends human beings and
capable to draw the right direction in its progress time, and between post‐
modernization that is against that idolizm to absolute relativism to any knowledge. It
is the one in charge of the puzzled case, the absence of sense, and the erection of
worrying and “perplexing” questions by the Prof Mohamed Fethullah Gülen term’s,
namely, in it’s existence level, where great issues about man: causes of sort and end,
essence, sense and message, and the essence of life itself, Which attracted the
general direction of human mind, have been manifested in Europe and America
where modernization and its alternative indications both in human and society
building mode, and often in other world regions respectively.
2 | P a g e
Continuously, this reality is calling for the need of knowing the truth, which is not
submissive to simplification, either that one which is narrowing from search sources
about it or that restricts it in the inside man himself, so that man’s answers are
about the desire to look for the truth and the utmost ambition to it has been roofed
by his absolute reason limitation, or the truth simplification by making it a
deliquescent thing without any indications or identity, and consequently without
value.
That book is an essay to answer many questions that face not only believers, but also
human reason.
Indeed, the nature of truth is not simple essential property is complex, in order not
to fall as a prey of any part any matter what is it. To be steno graphed or
monopolized it.
And if the knowledge view of man was the representative image of the truth, that
started from it to view and read the reality, or it is a reflection on the cognitive
reason of the make and available upon the universal, the knowledge of the teach
Fethullah Gülen may be is right to mark it as an assembling view of the truth image,
since, who follows his works saw constantly his continuous farness from the
stenograph the truth in a simple answers whatever the degrees of trust, and no
matter what his level of mastering the mind arguments and proofs which consolidate
it. Maybe the best what clear that character is: his complex deductive system, on all
what he beliefs of truth. It is that what makes his ideas has two fundamental
properties in this field:
• justifying the complete truth according to building the fraction truth
• drawing out the truth by harmonization between approximates
I was in touch with books and articles of this man who has scooped up from the
essential sources of Islamic knowledge, either, the inspiration sources, or the
explanatory tradition that are the most topics of though sensitivity due to its
existence as an affair masked the present of the Muslim, and shaping his image to
the other. Or, the nature of the spiritual, psychological and mental fields that he
concentrate on them on his writing, because, they are pillar in his project of
education, thought and learning.
However when he was in touch with that topics, he never drift in simplification to
deal with truths either, by proofing or denying them, he did not give up his style of
building the truth image with a harmonious pieces (subsidizing) on drawing out the
truth from the opposite truth that he harmonize between them, in order to be an
affirmation proof of what he is saying and fluent argument upon him.
3 | P a g e
First: The Complex from Building Truths Proofs Parts
The knowledge view of truth essence that professor Gülen has is taken from two
principals sources:
First, the persist reading of existence, the effort for recognizing it and submitting its
essence. Second the directed reason with aiming elements that are hidden in human
depths, and manifested on the soul reaction to call inspiration. In that field he was
very influenced by the professor Nursi.2
Concerning the persist reading of existence; Fethullah Gülen condenses the essence
of reason in the function of view meditating. When he interpreted the Nursi view
“reason by considering its depths that are in Bediuzzaman Said Nursi view and
Muslims thinkers, in an eye that reads the creatures book, and an internal ear
opened on larger and various shakings.3
Reason according to him is not a part from the material nature, but it is separated
being to rediscover it again, and to continue its truth reading. And with equal to his
performance of that role which is extended materiality arriving at post‐material or
what he defines reason as “essence” free from matter, but adjoining it… And
luminary extended inside physics and metaphysics …it is an essential colleges of soul,
the brightest light of human and a distinctive between right and fake. It is that the
basic of the second source of Gülen view of truth knowledge. It means directing
reason with other knowledge elements.
Firstly, he decides that: “reason is a sense of meaning is the guiding spirit of the man
as directed to the human thought, awareness and understanding and the restrain
from ugly and the insist on good deeds”.4 Reason is not separated from value
sources, but taken from it, so as to be trust worthy on principal presentation, from
that its tasks on (soul guidance) as professor Gülen said: “is the founder by
supporting inspiration and emotion, also its opposite” : the narrowing reason that is
not turned around the metaphysics observations which is separated from the
heavenly relationship.”5
No wonder to see that harmony in Fethullah Gülen thoughts. He forbids any formula
of alienation or contradiction between religion and reason, or Qur’an and logic. But
he believes that “the Qur’an never leaves in his direction and his calls an empty
reason, heart or spiritual, when it refers all that issues‐except for floods orders of
worshiping‐to reason and logic”.6 Which means that the knowledge view that the
Qur’an established, is subsidized on reason to invent the truth that answer all human
question, no matter what its numerous sources:
2
The great reformist Bediuzzaman Said Nursi lived in the first half of that century. He was famous by
his letters “The Light Letters” which are a philosophic view about the Quran and the norms.
3
Fethullah Gülen. We also build our civilisation. Chapter: Rationalism. http://ar.fgulen.com
/a.page/building_the state_ofsoula/a754.html.
4
Itself
5
Itself
6
Itself
4 | P a g e
Reason, Spirit or Soul
However, the importance of the reflection of view and rational meditation of the
professor Gülen represent the means that lead to the truth, and its indications. It is
the production of the fraction of the truths that yield from two sources, the heart
and the reason. He rather presents a view of history track. He says:” progression and
regression in the continuous repetition of history are alternation, between languor
stages towards inspiration and neglecting “reason”, and between an atrophy of
divine and reason activity. so, whenever heart and mind were enlightened with light
that the prophets spread it, and corporality and matter were contracted in their
angels, and metaphysics and physics were stated in their places, and the “divine
reason “(in words of Mawlana Jalal al‐din Rumi) and “re‐mind” (in words of imam al‐
Ghazali) and “dusty reason”, then a new intermixture of heart and reason has
achieved.
In that time, the truth was born by building its nucleus:
“The new birthday”. It means “birth connects existence with its real owner in
the wariness (perception) of the age again, by interpreting the existence and
the birth of the salvation of human internal contradictions”.
On the basis of the necessary conditions to touch the truth in the universe. The
professor Fethullah Gülen mentions a description of the truth man by this formula:
“he is capable to:
1. confrontation and resistance all the puzzles
2. His thought and reason are mixed in one causable of modern
knowledge and concept with an eternity with an eternity truth.
3. His spiritism and heartism faculties are by the same flavour of
dispositions and faculties that our master Rumi (1273‐1207), and
Yunus (1320‐1238) to one melting pot.
From that we can see how the professor Gülen explained that truth which is not only
justified by its founder conditions, and its special features and its trace in history. But
also in world goodness of “human truth” and with whom participate in life with him
because “ at the end he has a mature and knowing heart, while he sees himself a
normal man among people who could forget and sacrifice his pleasures and chances
for the best and the happiness of others”.7
Maybe that view is looking for the original of a truth and the method to arrive to it. It
presents a suggestion in that level which manifests a view of disputation to it,
between withdrawals of rationalism influences among many direction. Either on the
complete beliefs, or the complete cancellation.
7
The Balances or Light on the Street. Chapter: Equilibrium between Body and Soul.
http://ar.fgulen.com/a.page/building_thestatue_ofsoula /a754.html.
5 | P a g e
Second: The Harmony Between Approximates As A Source of Drawing the Truth
According to many centuries, more than one philosopher like Plato, Karl Marx, and
Hegel were considered the dialectic as a generalising principals to the necessary
elements for developing thought, consequently, the development of human social
life and that is den of the existence of two contradictory principals produced a third
principals, but in reality the knowledge view of Fethullah Gülen does not use that
interpreting tool to understand and analyse phenomenon. He relies on his writings
to view issues and ideas on frequency principals to make out the fraction truth and
build the complete truth. Maybe Gülen uses that style for two reasons:
1. the accuracy of educational and ethnics topics in Gülen, he is aware
of the importance to treat it so as to avoid statement and ready
made ideas shorthand that many people do it .they repeat it without
any conscious.
2. Gülen thought engagement that deals with education, spirit and
ethics issues, and beginning from the Qur’an source making him
avoid the monism view of religion truth that others full in it. He
allows his readers to think over the one truth from two different
angles, or help him by presenting the complete truth trough the
conciliation between two opposite truths because truths usually
refuse simplification and its perception level connected with the
capacity of watching the complex images with its complete
dimensions.
It maybe, one of an excellent conceiting examples between the opposite fraction
truth is what appears in Fethullah speech about death as an important existing truth
that continuously stops man, he is speaking about “the other face of death”, and he
says “that death according to us is always a place with a variety of dimensions, and
time with depths soul in travelling in”.8
He carries on manifesting sides of truth till he arrives that” it’s suitable for us even
with regards to materiality – not to cry and be unhappy, but we should be happy for
death”.
Examples for those types are numerous in his writings. And as an example is his
speech on oppositeness of grasping and extending”.9
The professor begins according to his fixed method in his deductive system by
putting the two concepts inside the finale and the complete truth .he says
“constriction and expansion” enter the orbit life of any man and at any level, and
with different dimensions to obsess him. They are clinging any individual lives with
feelings”.
8
Mohamed Fethullah Gülen N. Soul And Hearty Grieves. Trans Orkhan Mohammed Ali. First Edition
2004. No House of Publication and Press.
9
M. Fethullah Gülen. Emerald Hills: towards life of heart and soul. Trans. Ihsan Kasem Asolhi. T1‐
1425_2005.nile house of publication and press, P 227 and the following.
6 | P a g e
Than, he defines by detailed the two concepts, and emphasizes on that oppositeness
and its rule by saying» constriction and expansion are a treatment with a secret that
has no relation with some willing causes. They either cut off the way, or elevate the
person who chooses the right way.
Taking the same method, the professor Gülen explains sides that are not noticeable
in both opposite truth. He tells us that” constriction on one hand, benefits from fear
of those who are still in the way”. On the other hand, he manifests that “expansion
maybe is a cause of delusion and a loss part of skinny souls that are not bloom up to
matching supernatural, and are not changing its system according to the after live”.
We arrive with him that “maybe extension which is due to our nonfeasance and
inadvertence, is an introduction to other extension. And Extension that leads to
slackness is a cause to other varieties of destructive construction”
To shed light on the darkness side of one topic, by compromise between
oppositeness builds a new problem about truths that reason sees it and soul know it.
All that is achieved by method forbid contradiction, and harmonize between the
simple units to build the one complex truth.
Method that Gülen approaches truth from an accurate world like the world of
spiritualism is the one that he treads with other human truth like in individual life
and social with other oppositeness as
• Poverty and wealth when he reminds us that poverty leads to
wealth”.10
the most important side of that method is the contradiction with truth that are
standing front of reason, is his answers to questions that seem to be very difficult
reason like:
• the conciliation between the complete will of the creator and the
fraction will of human
• The conciliation between guidance of God and volition if human.
• The relationship between grant life to man and the love of them by
the supreme granter.
• And other issues that are related with many truths that are facing man, and
he determines in each one by his fixed method.11
The knowledge view of the professor Gülen establishes a method to build the
complex truth from the fraction truth. It works to solve a problem about the relation
10
Itself p. 284
11
Gülen. The Perplexing Question of That Age. Chapter: Solving the Problematic Between Two
Opposite Ideas. P37‐44.
7 | P a g e
between opposite fraction in that truth. In reality, it participates to present a style
that neglects many advantages when we deal with a truth, either from its source, or
from considering it a unit that refuses analysis and disassembly or, by focusing on
one tool of knowledge to arrive at the essence of the truth that is presenting
towards man and its governor laws .maybe that is the most important features of
that knowledge view that transcend release of the knowledge of modernization and
its philosophy without falling down in the absurdism of the absolute relativity. But it
is an establishment of a new method requires his depths and preference to view
truth without any simplification which neglected it immortal character: each truth is
a complex truth.
8 | P a g e