Fethullah Gülen's Legacy

The exiled Turkish cleric died this week, leaving a controversial legacy.

Hello Scorpio season… so many birthdays… Happy birthday Emily, Sarah, Kim, Kasia, (I miss our podcast), and Ambassador Stone!

Happy Halloween! 🎃 And early happy Diwali! ✨

And, yes, my Mets were eliminated. It was painful, but that’s not something new. As the season came to a close, I started to put my father’s death into perspective. Here’s a piece about my dad and the Mets.

Earlier this week, Fethullah Gülen, a controversial Turkish cleric passed away. This week, Jenny Abamu reflects on Gülen’s legacy. Thank you Jenny. — Elmira

Earlier this week, Fethullah Gülen, the Turkish Muslim cleric who fled Turkey in 1999, passed away in Pennsylvania. He was 83. As the leader of a global Islamic movement that preached tolerance, his legacy is paradoxical — a mixture of opportunity and setbacks. 

Gülen worked to lift up Turks marginalized by the secular state. In doing so, his movement contributed to driving Turkey to be a more conservative, religious society. 

I first heard the name Fethullah Gülen in an undergraduate course on the Middle East when my professor compared the Turkish cleric to Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic theologian. As part of the class, we read about how Gülen started his movement in Turkey, providing social services to underserved communities and quietly offering spaces for Muslims who wanted to practice their faith more openly. 

Turkey, for much of the 20th century, had a secular government that restricted religious expression. The Islamic headscarf was illegal in public institutions for years, men couldn't grow long beards, and at one point, even the call to prayer was required to be in Turkish rather than Arabic. It was an environment where openly practicing Islam often meant facing exclusion by the state.

Gülen, however, found a way to navigate this landscape. His schools and charitable work emphasized social good rather than religion outright. It allowed him to quietly weave religion back into public life in a way that was more acceptable in the secular state. The Gülen movement evolved into the global Hizmet ("Service") Movement, establishing schools, universities, and dialogue centers around the world. 

Over time, his followers gained significant influence in various sectors of Turkish society—including education, media, and the judiciary. They established preparatory schools (dershanes) that helped students excel in national exams, leading to positions in government institutions. Historians note that this movement paved the way for the rise of the current leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the AKP party in Turkey. 

This rise in influence unsettled the secular establishment and later, Erdoğan himself.

Eventually, Gülen and Erdoğan clashed. The pivotal clash occurred around 2010, following the Mavi Marmara incident—a deadly confrontation between a Turkish flotilla and Israeli forces. Gülen publicly criticized Erdoğan's handling of the situation, marking the beginning of their rift. This tension intensified when Gülen’s followers in the judiciary and police began investigating corruption within Erdogan’s inner circle in 2013. Feeling threatened, Erdoğan accused Gülen of forming a "parallel state" and began purging his followers from government positions.

In 2012, I moved to Turkey to teach English. Unintentionally, I ended up at one of Gülen’s schools in Beylikdüzü, just outside of Istanbul. The school was new, well-funded, and seemed academically strong. Initially unaware of its affiliations, I soon noticed differences. The Gülen schools were more conservative and religious. Male and female teachers were separated; all the women wore scarves, though as a yabancı (foreigner), I wasn’t required to. The experience was eye-opening—the Gülen I had studied, focused on charity and education, contrasted with the more conservative reality on the ground.

In the United States, the religious aspects of Gülen’s schools are downplayed. As an education reporter in Houston, I visited a charter school reportedly connected to Gülen sympathizers. The school was part of a broader network of Turkish-run institutions that have been points of controversy. Critics questioned whether they promoted Turkish nationalism, scrutinized their contracting practices, and speculated about subtle religious teachings. School leaders denied these accusations, and the schools, which perform relatively well, remain operational.

In Turkey, things changed after the 2016 coup attempt. Erdoğan blamed Gülen for orchestrating the failed overthrow from his exile in Pennsylvania. Despite Gülen’s denials, Erdoğan launched a massive purge, shutting down Gülen-affiliated schools—including the one where I taught—and forcing thousands of his supporters to flee the country. Gülen’s influence within Turkey was effectively quashed, but his global network continues to operate, albeit under increased scrutiny.

My time in Turkey left me with a nuanced view of Gülen. I saw firsthand how his movement helped people. The woman I lived with in Istanbul was raising her daughter alone while her Kurdish husband was in jail. She had nowhere to turn until Gülen’s school offered her a job, allowing her to support her family. Stories like hers were common. Yet, I also saw how the movement’s conservative values pushed Turkey, a bastion of Islamic liberalism, in a more conservative direction, driving it away from Western ideals.

For me, Fethullah Gülen’s story is unsettled. Was he a force for good, providing education and opportunities to the marginalized? Or did his movement contribute to societal divides and political unrest? His legacy—particularly in education—is undeniable, but it sits at the intersection of religion, politics, and social change. In the end, Gülen’s life teaches us that movements are rarely simple, and their impacts are often a difficult balance between progress and contention. His legacy, much like Turkey itself, remains at the crossroads. — Jenny

Jenny Abamu is the Editor-in-Chief of JAM CQ, a new international business publication focused on global business opportunities, strategy, and cultural intelligence. She previously served as a Foreign Service Officer for the US Department of State.

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I’m opening up my column to others. Please pitch me your op-ed idea/perspective. Let’s get more female perspectives. Email me on endeavoringe@gmail.com or respond to this post.

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Event alert!

In NYC, on Monday, October 28, 6pm, Elmira will moderate a panel entitled, Does Engaging the Taliban Legitimize Gender Apartheid? She will be joined by Kaavya Asoka, Annie Pforzheimer, Erica Gaston, and Fatema Ahmadi. Please join! RSVP here.

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Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

Conflict in the Middle East 

• Israelis celebrated Yahya Sinwar’s death last week. How they did, particularly on the left, concerns Lisa Goldman. She writes about the triumphalism and racism that otherwise “doveish” journalists used to describe the Hamas leader’s demise. (New Lines) 

• Imene Guiza also looks at reactions to Sinwar’s death on social media where she found those who praised the late Hamas leader and those who criticized Israel for releasing the drone footage of his final moments. (Middle East Eye)

• Kate Brannen and Elmira referred to Audrey Kurth Cronin’s work on terrorist groups. This week, she writes that Sinwar may be dead, but Hamas is likely to survive. (Foreign Affairs) 

• Meanwhile, Israel continued to drop bombs on Gaza and prevent humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinians, increasing the threat of disease and famine. Ruwaida Amer provides us with a first-hand account of the dire conditions in Gaza, which is especially important since Israel will not allow foreign reporters into the territory. (Slate)

• Listen: The Axis of Resistance is the Iran-led coalition of actors that includes Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis (the H club!). As we know, the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas have been eliminated and, thereby, have weakened this alliance. What is its future? Randa Slim, Fatima Abo Alasrar, and Charles Lister dish it out with Matthew Czekaj. (Middle East Institute)

Amid the horror in Gaza, Stephanie Kleine Ahlbrandt reflects on the survivors of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima back in 1945. This year, Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization for atomic bomb survivors, won the Nobel Peace Prize. Ahlbrandt underscores the importance of resilience and collective efforts. (Journeys Within and Beyond) 

BRICS summit 

• What is the BRICS group? Originally, the grouping of the fastest growing emerging market countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. That was back in 2001 (the term coined by someone at Goldman Sachs). Those countries gathered this week in Russia, along with some others, including Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, who have accepted membership. 👀 (There are 36 countries at this week’s summit.) How are the BRICS expanding and how will this impact the Western alliance? Mariel Ferragamo explains. (CFR)

• Turkey, a NATO member, is also in Moscow. Aslı Aydıntaşbaş puts Ankara’s aspirations to join the BRICS into perspective. While, Lynn Kuok, Tanvi Madan, Angela Stent, Yun Sun, Tara Varman, and Valerie Wirtschafter and lay out different aspects of the BRICS summit. (Brookings) 

• Here’s an interesting tidbit: Marta Biino reports that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have turned down invitations to join the BRICS. 😲(Semafor) 

US 

Elon Musk is giving away $1 million to individuals who register to vote and sign his petition supporting the first and second amendments. The legality of his actions is certainly in question. Yet, as Maria Bautista notes, what is more troubling is that as someone with billions of federal contracts at stake, he is trying to buy the election for Donald Trump. (USA Today) 

The way governments respond to natural disasters has always been politicized. Donald Trump and the GOP’s political weaponization of recent hurricanes is the latest example. Frida Ghitis weighs in. (WPR)

Africa 

Officials in Mozambique announced the results of the October 9 election, amid widespread allegations of fraud. Daniel Chapo, a 47-year-old lawyer who ran on the ruling party ticket, won. The ruling party, Frelimo, has ruled the country for 50 years. There have been protests and violence. 

Whoever takes the reins in Mozambique, writes Tendai Marima, the country’s leader, needs to address the dwindling security situation in the country’s north, where there is a growing Islamic insurgency. (Foreign Policy) 

Last week we noted that Cameroon’s 91-year-old president, Paul Biya has been MIA. He resurfaced this week. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Asia

Frenemies again. After five years, the leaders of China and India held bilateral talks on the margins of the BRICS summit. The two countries had clashed over the Himalayan border that they share. Have they resolved the issue? Genevieve Donnellon-May and Amit Ranjan discuss. (The Interpreter) 

Last week, we noted that there were indications that North Korea was sending soldiers to fight against Ukraine. There is more evidence that that is the case. Meanwhile, Ellie Cook wonders if North Korea is gearing up for war with South Korea? Over the weekend, following the discovery of a South Korean drone allegedly spying on the North, officials in Pyongyang threatened retaliation. (Newsweek) 

In Turkish, there is a saying, beterin beteri var. There is always someone worse. (It sounds better in Turkish…) That might be true in Indonesia as Prabowo Subianto took up the reins as the country’s new president. Human rights and tolerance had already been in decline before he took power. In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, peaceful protestors have been subject to intimidation and harassment, write Rosalind Ratana and Cornelius Damar Hanung. (The Diplomat)

The Americas

Cuba has been in the dark for the past week. A tropical storm knocked out the country’s power grid, causing nationwide blackouts. Ellen Ioanes explains that this crisis is a result of years of neglect and disinvestment. (Vox) 

The Caribbean’s small islands are being hit by a crisis of hurricanes and Farah Nibbs says that colonialism has a lot to do with it. She explains how communities were developed to put those who are marginalized at the most risk. (The Conversation)

Europe

In Moldova, the pro-Western president, Maia Sandu failed to win a majority. So, she will face off with a pro-Russian opponent this weekend. The good news is that along with voting for president, Moldovans cast ballots in a referendum on whether to remain on a path to EU membership. It narrowly passed, despite allegations of Russian interference. Victoria Olari and Shelby Magid answer five questions. (Atlantic Council) 

Georgia, the country, goes to the polls this weekend, to vote in a general election. The stakes are high as the incumbent Georgian Dream party, which has close ties to Russia, is pushing for another victory, while the EU-oriented opposition struggles to keep the country oriented toward the West. Nicole Wolkov, Davit Gasparyan, and Frederick Kagan lay out future scenarios, depending on who wins — or if the ruling party will have to share power in a coalition. (Institute for the Study of War) 

Science and Climate Change

Representatives from over 175 countries are gathered in Colombia this week and next for COP16 to discuss all things biodiversity. How far will nations go to put an end to the rapid decline of biodiversity? That’s the big question, says Catrin Einhorn. (NYT)

Technology

Since February of 2021, there have been over 300 internet shutdowns in Myanmar. Nu Nu Lusan explains the ways people try to overcome these blackouts to work and communicate. (Rest of World)

Under the Radar 

Norway’s PM, Jonas Gahr Støre, wants to increase the minimum age limit on social media in an effort to protect children from the “power of the algorithm.” Miranda Bryant with the details. (Guardian)

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Opportunities

In DC, CSIS is hiring for its Middle East Program - a Program Coordinator/Manager & Research Associate

Also in DC, CFR is hiring a Research Associate for its Geoeconomics Program

In NYC! Or DC…. Semafor is hiring for a Senior Creative Strategist

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Editorial Team

Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Editors:

• Catherine Lovizio

• Emily Smith