“The Journey Beyond Being” –Fethullah Gulen

This writing is a “letter”, a supplication by Mr. Fethullah Gulen to The Creator, in it he speaks of the bounties, mysteries and mercy of God.

Mr. Gulen writes, “We behold the spectacle that You have laid out before us, Your most original and striking works made in the most perfect form, to which You invite our gaze. We behold things and events that, in their inter-relation, are the most brilliant and well-proportioned of Your dazzling pictures. The manifestation of all Your beauties draws out from the bosom of nature a variety of colors unfolding as if in a book of art.”  Read rest of the story

“Hope” –Fethullah Gulen

“Now, as many buds of hope begin to appear, multitudes of seeds are waiting under the soil for the first sign of spring: may God give hope to the despairing.” –M. Fethullah Gulen

As we come to the end of another year, a year of many changes and transitions, Fethullah Gulen highlights in this article the importance of hope in such times and how hope is necessary to reach a flourishing, and bright future. This hope is accessed by means of belief, in this writing Mr. Gulen details beautifully the benefits of hope at the individual, familial and communal levels. “Hope is a condition of mind connected, above all, with belief. Those who believe have hope, and their degree of hope is directly proportional to their degree of belief. It is because of this that certain effects of strong belief can strike some people as miracles . . . An individual develops by means of hope. Likewise, a community gains vitality and sets about becoming prosperous by means of hope. Just as an individual who has lost all hope cannot be regarded as truly alive, so too a community devoid of hope is disabled, paralyzed.” Read rest of the story

“Virtue and Happiness”, M. Fethullah Gulen

In this article, Mr. Gulen defines the attributes of a truly virtuous individual, “Virtue, succinctly, is being distinguished with the most exalted ethical and moral values, and beholding the whole of existence with love. A truly virtuous person has a kind of connection with all things. In the sight of such an individual the flow of events passes like breezes of spring. Life itself relieves the soul and brings it a feeling of bliss, filling the heart with joys. They are enraptured in the constant flood of things and events, savoring fresh scenes in them. Neither the rising and setting of the sun, nor the continuous cycle of night and day can spoil their delight or fill their heart with gloom. They keep living moments of serenity and happiness, viewing different and ever-renewed sights with wisdom.” Read rest of the story

“Consciousness of Responsibility”, M. Fethullah Gulen

The most deeply significant aspect of existence is action and effort . . . Connecting or relating action to responsibility gives action its primary humane dimension. An action or effort which is not disciplined by responsibility cannot be considered to be complete.-M.F. Gulen

All of his life, Fethullah Gulen has embraced fully the essence of conscious action, or the duty to act responsibly for the service of humanity and our world.  For Mr. Gulen, responsible action in service to creation for the sake of The Creator defines our role as human beings in this world. Mr. Gulen writes, “We are charged with the responsibility for endowing our world with a fresh, new spirit, woven from a love of faith, a love of our fellow human being, and a love of freedom.” Read rest of the story

Fethullah Gulen about thankfulness

Thankfulness is a very important and must-have quality of an every human being. Fethullah Gulen wrote an interesting article about thankfulness and its importance in Islam. In Islam, thankfulness is not only gladness or gratitude felt about the good done to somebody; it is fulfillment of the purpose of people’s creation – being thankful to the Creator for what he has bestowed. Only Creator created all good and all bounties as well as the means to get them. Attributing the attainment of some bounties to ourselves or to other people is like thanking a servant who serves us a wonderful meal and ignoring the host who prepared and sent this meal to us. That is why thankfulness is considered half of the faith. Thankfulness to Creator should not be expressed only by words pronounced from time to time, it should be constantly reflected in person’s daily life, in all his/her activities, in heart and in mind. Unfortunately not all people realize the importance of thankfulness and few people give thanks to the Creator in proper way. All people should take example of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, because he was constantly thanking the God for everything and was always reminding his followers to thank the Creator. Read rest of the story

“Worship” by Fethullah Gulen

As we enter into the last ten days of the blessed month of Ramadan, we are reminded of the importance of turning towards the Creator in worship and thanks.

Mr. Gulen writes: “Worship means one’s thankfulness for the bounties with which he or she is endowed, such as life, consciousness, power of perception and faith, while negligence of the duty of worship is crude ingratitude.”

We are especially mindful of the bounties that have been bestowed upon us during this month of fasting. It is a month that strengthens one’s worship and brings one closer to The Almighty Creator of all. It is also a time of giving and charity, and as our hearts bleed for human beings suffering all over the world, we are acutely aware of our brother’s and sister’s in the Horn of Africa and the unnecessary suffering they and their children are enduring. Read rest of the story

“You Alone do We Worship” by Fethullah Gulen

As Muslims all over the world are celebrating the blessed month of Ramadan, we are reminded of our worship and turning towards The All Merciful, All Compassionate One. In his article, “You Alone do We Worship”, Mr. Gulen emphasizes that the word na’budu, in the Holy Qur’an, clearly emphasizes the journey of a believer towards knowing their Creator. Read rest of the story

“On His Path”, a poem, by F. Gulen

“Those who have found The Truth found Him in their souls . . .

Come on, friends, let us reach our destination, let us reach the realm of the Beloved;
And let us see the rose of His beauty for a moment in light.”

In his poem, On His Path, Fethullah Gulen captures the yearning and essence of seeking the Divine through truth. Seeking and finding the Divine is a kind of refuge from this world, one that gives hope for better tomorrows and for a life in the hereafter. Read rest of the story

“Generations With No Ideals” by Fethullah Gulen

“It is not necessary to relate what may happen in the future, and it is also not necessary to drive sensitive minds to despair by depicting corruption. Instead, we must show the people how to renew themselves. We must equip the younger generations, who will shoulder the responsibility for shaping the future, with lofty aims and high ideals . . . This high duty must be undertaken by all institutions, from schools to places of worship, and it must be carried out by enlightened souls . . .” M. Fethullah Gulen

Our youth today are struggling to find their future in this world. Are we equipping them with what is necessary to build and envision that future? What tools do they need, and how can we provide them with those tools? Are we giving them the hope and drive they need to succeed? In his article, Mr. Gulen, emphasizes the imperative we live with today: to prepare our youth, the next generations, for success in the future they will build. Read rest of the story

“Avoiding Extremes”, a meditation by Fethullah Gulen

We live in a world of extremes . . . very hot to subzero temperatures, eating too much to starvation, impoverishment to extravagance . . . like our world, we too can exist in an extreme state. Mr. Gulen highlights this in his meditation: “Avoiding Extremes”. In the extreme situations that we may find ourselves in on a daily basis, it may be good to remember extremes of any kind, occurring all of the time, cannot strike the balance we need to live in a functional, healthy state of being. Read rest of the story