In brief
Fethullah Gulen, the influential Islamic cleric who navigated both political alliance and controversy, has passed away while living in exile. His followers and critics alike will remember his profound impact.
Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish cleric whose influence on Turkish politics and society garnered both fervent supporters and vocal critics, has died at the age of 83 in a hospital in the United States. Gulen had lived in self-imposed exile since 1999, following a fallout with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his once-close ally. His death late Sunday was confirmed through a posting on Herkul, a website that shared his sermons, although a specific cause was not disclosed.Initially, Gulen and Erdogan were political collaborators, with Gulen's movement, known as Hizmet, promoting education and interfaith dialogue, all while embedded in Turkey’s Islamist framework. However, relations soured dramatically in the wake of the failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016, which resulted in the Turkish government designating Gulen's movement as a terrorist organization. Following the coup, Erdogan's regime initiated a significant crackdown, resulting in the detention of over 100,000 individuals and the purging of approximately 150,000 public workers.Once influential in Turkish society, Gulen's followers—a group known as Gulenists—faced severe political and social ostracism following the government's purges. Schools and media outlets linked to Gulen were forcibly shut down, leading to an exodus of many of his supporters. Despite the intense scrutiny, Gulen consistently denied any involvement in the coup, leading to persistent allegations from Erdogan's government accusing him of being an American operative, thereby heightening tensions between Turkey and the U.S.Gulen's complex legacy includes a vision of Islam that embraced science, free markets, and interfaith dialogue, alongside the darker portrayal painted by his detractors. His passing marks the end of a significant chapter in Turkey's tumultuous political narrative.Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for the publication, will continue to cover the ramifications of Gulen’s death within the broader context of Turkish politics and society.
