A New Year’s Resolution: Compassion
“Beyond everything else, it is the compassion that invigorates our hearts that triggers humane feelings, and again it is nothing but compassion which drives us in our inner world to do good, to welcome and to help others.” M. Fethullah Gulen
I would like to open the New Year with an article by Mr. Gulen on a topic that our humanity and our world is in desperate need of, compassion. Mr. Gulen states, “Compassion has such a great power that it softens the hearts of the pitiless; the obstinate come to heel by it, and even the worst feeling of ill-will surrenders to compassion. If there is such an elixir to obviate enmity and abhorrence, it is nothing but compassion, and again if there is anything that can invert animosity, anger, and violence completely, it is nothing other than compassion.” Read rest of the story
“Kimse Yok Mu?”, which is Turkey’s one of the largest humanitarian aid organizations operating both locally and globally, represents practical implementation of Gulen Movement’s main ideas – to provide altruistic service to those who are in need regardless of their race, religion, culture and social status. Originally established as a TV program after Turkey’s 1999 earthquake, “Kimse yok mu?” became so popular and received so much attention that it became an NGO in March 2004. Since 2004, the organization has been rushing to help the victims of the world’s scariest natural disasters such as Indonesian tsunami in 2004, earthquake in Haiti and many others. The organization, which is supported solely by donations of volunteers, has only one, but extremely important target – to build more prosperous world for everyone to live in. At the present time, “Kimse Yok mu?” operates under 7 different categories: aid for disasters, aid for health, aid for education, aid in holidays, individual aid campaigns, aid for Africa and Sister family aids. One of the most successful and important categories is Sister family aid which provides support for any Turkish family in need. To find more information about the organization, please follow the following link: 
When wrapping up the recent International Gulen Conference that’s been held in the University of Chicago, Dr. Scott Alexander, Chair of the Catholic Theological Union’s Department of Intercultural Studies, said he’s been very much inspired by M. Fethullah Gulen. “I am neither Turkish nor Muslim but still a member of the movement” stated Dr. Alexander.
Now it’s youth’s turn to address one of the most crucial issues of centuries that adults obviously could still not find an effective solution: Democracy or Militarism to resolve our conflicts?
Rumi Forum, located in Washington DC, is a well-known nonprofit organization with the mission of fostering intercultural dialogue, promote tolerance and understanding, and strengthening democracy and global peace. Rumi Forum’s honorary president is Fethullah Gulen. His ideas and teachings of promoting peace and dialogue have a significant role for the Rumi Forum’s activities. No matter what Rumi Forum is engaged with, it passionately follows the famous message of prominent 13th century poet and philosopher Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi, “Come, whoever you are, come…” The organization organizes various seminars, conferences, luncheons, round table discussions and panels which are open to anyone and welcome everybody’s participation. 
In what could be called a historic gathering of Islamic Scholars in Istanbul, Turkey. Muslim scholars from around the world came together to discuss the life of Prophet Muhammed. Fethullah Gulen though he could not be present sent a pertinent message to the gathered group emphasising spiritual development. 
Imagine you have only 72 hours to live. What would you do first? Who should you apologize to? The Fountain, a bimonthly magazine of scientific and spiritual thought, asks this question in its Last 72 Writing Contest. 
Hanefi Avci, a Turkish police chief, has been arrested last week on charges of aiding and abetting a terrorist organization -Revolutionary Headquarters- and violating the confidentiality of an ongoing investigation. The arrest of Avci, who recently published a book and poured slanders on the Gulen Movement, has sparked a debate in the country.
R.Scott Appleby, 27 September 2010 from OpenDemocracy.net lauds the pro-democracy, open minded, tolerant and social action – oriented Gulen Movement. Appleby highlights in a succinct manner the important characteristics of the Gulen-inspired Movement that reaches out globally to help one and all in the hope of greater social harmony…. 
In another example, Fethullah Gulen‘s ideas on interfaith dialogue and respect towards one’s fellow human being have been applauded by the Cardinal of Uganda. Gulen’s ideas on tolerance and respect continue to gain main stream acceptance globally. 
