first published on www.notdeleted.net in january 2013
In reaction to criticism towards Gülen for opinions he expresses in his writings, his followers usually reply that he wrote those pieces a very long time ago and that he changed his mind in the meantime. He himself though never ever has written or spoken about having been wrong or having changed his opinion.
What happens is that those earlier pieces just disappear, text passages are changed in later editions, and older editions of his works disappear from the libraries and the market. It is now almost impossible to find Gülen’s works from before 1980 in any secondhand bookstore. We collected some quite shocking quotes in english here, that either must have been overseen, or even worse, that he and his editors might still agree with. Anyway, they are all still online on Gülen’s websites now, in january 2013, and we assume they show the true face of this movement. His followers might again argue that there is nothing wrong with these religious viewpoints. And indeed they can very well be compared to orthodox jewish or christian convictions.
The problem here is that his adherents do educate european, US-american, african and asian children while completely hiding their network and their life philosophy that is built on these ideals. When asked about their involvement in this movement they again and again deny any membership.
But then, where are their over 1000 Gülen-inspired schools? In case these quotes do disappear from the internet, we will publish the screenshots.
The ‘perfect goodness’ in killing kindly
“Surely, God has decreed that you excel in whatever you do. When you punish someone by killing, do it kindly; when you slaughter an animal, slaughter it kindly. Let him who will slaughter it sharpen his knife and avoid giving the animal much pain.”
http://en.fgulen.com/sufism-1/891-ihsan-perfect-goodness
The rights of parents, the education of children and girls as ‘female Lions’
“Children who are inconsiderate of their parents’ rights and disobey them are monsters derived from a deteriorated human being. Parents who do not secure their children’s moral and spiritual welfare also are merciless and cruel. Most brutish and pitiless of all are parents who paralyze their children’s moral and spiritual development after their children have found their way to human perfection.”
http://www.eseeds.org/flowers/flowers/230-the-rights-of-parents.html
“If parents encourage their children to develop their abilities and be useful to themselves and the community, they have given the nation a strong new pillar. If, on the contrary, they do not cultivate their children’s human feelings, they will have released scorpions into the community.”
http://www.eseeds.org/flowers/flowers/227-children.html
“Although it is fundamental that girls be brought up to be delicate like flowers and mild and affectionate educators of children, due attention must be given to making them inflexible defenders of truth. Otherwise, we shall have transformed them into poor, impotent beings for the sake of delicacy and mildness. We must not forget that female lions are still lions.”
http://www.slife.org/the-meaning-of-life/children/282-bringing-up-the-young
Perversion and homosexuality
“Sexual Perversion: A Major Sin. Islam, while regulating one’s sexual drive, has prohibited illicit sexual relations and all ways that lead to them, as well as homosexuality. Homosexuality is considered a reversal of the natural order, a corruption of male sexuality, and a violation of the rights of women. The spread of this unnatural practice disrupts a society’s natural life. It also makes those who practice it slaves to their lusts, thereby depriving them of decent taste, decent morals, and a decent manner of living. The Qur’anic account of Prophet Lut’s (Lot) people should be sufficient for us..”
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
On aids and HIV
“Is It Right When People Link HIV to “The Beast of the Earth”, One of the Signs of the Last Day?”
“HIV may be epidemic in some parts of the world but, all praise and thanks to God, the least infected peoples are Muslims, whether in Muslim countries or others. The noble values and morality of the Islamic way of life have protected Muslims against such a disaster, even though they have suffered a long and intensive campaign to renounce that way of life. HIV is a visible feature of the impurities that flow under (or along with) so much of the mainstream of the “modern lifestyle”; but, for reasons that need not been gone into here, I think it better to avoid dwelling on the useless, on what is vain or absurd or immoral.”
http://en.fgulen.com/questions-and-answers/2106-is-it-right-when-people-link-hiv-to-qthe-beast-of-the-earthq-dabbat-al-ard-one-of-the-signs-of-the-last-day
The solution to everything is… Islam
“Can Islam Solve Every Problem? Yes, it can. What we say on this subject has been said already by many people. The many conversions to Islam even in the West are a strong argument for Islam’s ability to solve a wide range of problems.
Who knows how to run a factory better than its designer and builder? When we want to get a simple electronic device to work, we consult someone before we use it. In the same way, the One who created us knows best how our individual and social life should be conducted. Obviously, He also would give us the best and the most suitable system by which to conduct ourselves: Islam.”
http://en.fgulen.com/questions-and-answers/1119-can-islam-solve-every-problem
The west, unbelief and those born in non-islamic countries
“We believe that the global balance will change in the near future. Especially in Turkey, Turkish Central Asia, Egypt, Pakistan, and some other places, Muslims will regain their consciousness and raise up strong individuals who will resemble the early Muslims in their desire to establish Islam and its high values in other lands. Only through sustained and sincere effort will Islam once again become a major and respected factor in the world, and will the voices of its followers be heard. This is not impossible.”
“If those who heard the Prophet’s message and invitation, and witnessed the truth and light of Islam, reject it and turn away from it, they will go to Hell. Whether those who have heard the Divine Message live in Islamic countries is beside the point; what matters is that they heed and obey that Message. Those who do not do so will go to Hell-even if they were born and lived in Islamic countries.”
http://en.fgulen.com/questions-and-answers/604-what-happens-to-people-born-and-living-in-non-islamic-countries
“I suppose the wonder of the twenty-first century will appear to be that our people and the peoples related to us will attain their rightful place in the international balance of power. Such an emergence, which will change the flow and direction of the history of the world, will rotate about the axis of the soul, morality, love, and virtue. Through the spiritual struggle (jihad) which we can also call “a struggle for knowledge, morality, truth, and justice,”
http://en.fgulen.com/the-statue-of-our-souls/1985-the-consciousness-of-responsibility
“We are convinced that the West will one day acknowledge the truth of Islam, and that the prediction made at the beginning of the twentieth century by Said Nursi will come true: ”The Ottoman State is pregnant with a Western one, as the West is with an Islamic one. Both will give birth to what they are pregnant with.”
http://en.fgulen.com/prophet-muhammad-the-messenger-of-god/918-truthfulness
“Unbelief is an unforgivable ingratitude. The one who denies Him Who brought him into existence from non-existence and endowed him with many kinds of faculties like reason intellect heart memory and insight and inner and outer senses and Who nourishes him with numerous varieties of food and drink has doomed himself to eternal punishment. Such people prepare their own doom. And their punishment must be equal to their action (of denial).”
‘Islamic Faith’, author Fethullah Gülen, Tughra Books, page 121, books.google
http://www.mlife.org/faith/faith/499-unbelief-is-an-unforgivable-ingratitude
On hell and satan
“Satan tries to lead us astray by inviting us to unbelief and dissipation. Our evil-commanding self was given to us so that we could rise to higher ranks by refining it. Followers of satan, unbelievers who are ruled by their desires and their evil-commanding selves, close their conscience to innumerable signs of God in themselves…”
Islamic Faith, author Fethullah Gülen, Tughra Books, page 121, books.google
‘So since one minute’s unbelief is like a thousand murders according to the law of human justice someone who lives a life of twenty years in unbelief and dies in that state deserves imprisonment for fifty-seven billion two hundred and one thousand two hundred million years. It may be understood from this how conformable with Divine justice is the verse. “They will dwell therein for ever”.’
http://pearls.org/life-s-basic-questions/Punishment/802-how-can-incarceration-in-hell-for-an-infinite-duration-for-unbelief-during-the-life-be-justice.html
The purpose of establishing the homes, hostels, schools, and other institutes
“If parents are educating their children properly, if a place of worship is rousing its community with thoughts of eternity, if a school is awakening hope and faith in its pupils, we can say that they are serving their purpose and are therefore sacred. If this is not the case, they are no more than devilish traps that divert us from the truth. We may apply the same standards to unions, trusts, political institutions, and societies in general.
Founders and directors of institutions should frequently remind themselves of why the institutions were established, so that their work does not stray from its objective, but remains fruitful. If they do not do this, they begin to forget the purpose for establishing the homes, hostels, schools, and other institutes, and so work against themselves, just like a person who forgets the purpose of his or her creation.”
http://www.eseeds.org/content/view/245
On privacy, desire, looking at private parts
Islam prohibits a man and woman who are not married to each other from being alone together in a private place where there is no fear of being interrupted by someone else. This is done to prevent such illicit sexual activities as touching, kissing, embracing, or having sexual intercourse.
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
Islam prohibits people from looking lustfully at people of the opposite sex for the eye is the key to the feelings and the look is a messenger of desire.
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
Looking at the Private Parts of Others. Islam defines ‘the private parts’ as those parts of the body that must be covered in front of others. For men this is the area between the navel and the knees which other men and women are not allowed to see. For women this area is her whole body except her face hands and according to some scholars her feet. This prohibition applies to all men who are allowed to marry the woman in question.
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
Marriage and polygamy
“Modern civilization rejects polygamy as unwise and harmful to social life. As observed even in animals and plants the cardinal purpose for and wisdom in sexual relations is reproduction. The resulting pleasure is a small payment determined by Divine Mercy to realize this duty. Marriage is for reproduction and perpetuation of the species. Being able to give birth at most once a year to become pregnant during half of a month and entering menopause around 50 one woman is usually insufficient for a man who can sometimes impregnate until the age of 70 or more. That is why in most cases modern civilization is obliged to admit prostitution. Even if the purpose of marriage were sexual gratification polygamy would be a lawful way to realize it.”
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
On artificial insemination, legal adoption, contraception
“Islam safeguards lineage by prohibiting adultery and fornication and legal adoption, thus keeping the family line clear and ‘uncontaminated’ by any foreign element. Thus artificial insemination is forbidden unless the donor is the husband.”
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
Marriage’s primary objective is to preserve humanity through continued reproduction. Accordingly. Islam encourages large families and blesses both boys and girls. However family planning is allowed for only valid reasons and recognized necessities. At the time of the Prophet the common method of contraception was coitus interruptus (withdrawing the penis from the vagina just before ejaculation thereby preventing the influx of semen). The primary valid reason for contraception is that the pregnancy or delivery might endanger the mother’s life or health. Past experience or a reliable physician’s opinion should guide the couple in such matters.
http://www.thewaytotruth.org/pillars/family.html
Islam is the real way to freedom…
“Islam is the way to real freedom, one which allows no serfdom, promises all men freedom, and independence in thought, action, property and religion, and safeguards man’s integrity as well his honor and dignity. Islam also frees man from the captivity of his lusts; sensual pleasures should not tempt and corrupt him. Drinking, permissiveness, gambling, night clubs, mixed social activities, bad movies, fornication and adultery, sex outside marriage, pornography, overspending, conspicuous consumption, arrogance, greed, etc. are all the humiliating factors for him which take his honor and dignity away and have been used by all kinds of colonialism, exploitation and imperialism.”