No Return from Democracy: A Survey of Interviews with Fethullah Gulen

by Faruk Mercan

Overview

It was rare, if not impossible, to find in ’80s and ’90s a Muslim cleric who spoke in favor of democracy, integration with the Western world, and universal human values. Fethullah Gülen was one of those. Many of his avant-garde ideas did not only earn him one of the largest and most influential faith-inspired social movements of recent history, but also many foes, especially from the Turkish ruling elite, placing him in the center of many social and political developments in Turkey. Despite the enormous defamation from some political groups in Turkey, Gülen is recognized in the world as a devout Muslim cleric, whose thoughts and life style are deeply rooted in the Islamic faith, but who also believes Islam is not in conflict with the progressive values of the modern world. This book collates Gülen’s ahead-of-his-time comments on some of the debated issues as he phrased in interviews in the past few decades.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682060179
Publisher:	Blue Dome Press
Publication date:	09/05/2017
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Faruk Mercan has worked for various media organizations in Turkey in different capacities. He has written various books on Turkish politics and military-state relations in Turkey.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Islam and Democracy 9

Chapter 2 Modernity and Secularism 43

Chapter 3 Western Civilization 57

Chapter 4 Politics 79

Chapter 5 Fundamental Rights and Freedoms 101

Chapter 6 Islam and Women 119

Chapter 7 Dialogue and Coexistence 133

Chapter 8 Terrorism and Jihad 157

Chapter 9 The Kurdish Question 171

Chapter 10 Alevi-Sunni Divide 187

Chapter 11 Minorities and Their Rights 201

Appendix: Gülen's recent articles on Turkey, the coup attempt, and denouncement of terrorism 219