Fethullah Gülen

Fethullah Gülen was a Turkish Islamic preacher and writer who inspired the Gülen movement, an international network of schools and civic organizations.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: A Turkish politician who served as prime minister and president and became Gülen’s former ally and political adversary. Their alliance against Turkey’s military establishment gave way to a bitter struggle for political power.
Gülen movement: An international network inspired by Gülen, encompassing schools, media, businesses, and civic organizations. It is the collective project built around Gülen’s teachings and personal authority.
Erzurum: A city in eastern Turkey and the birthplace of Fethullah Gülen. Gülen’s early life in Erzurum preceded his emergence as a preacher.
2016 Turkish coup attempt: A failed military coup in Turkey on 15 July 2016 that killed more than 250 people. The Turkish government accused Gülen of directing the coup; he denied involvement.
Justice and Development Party: A Turkish political party founded in 2001 that has governed Turkey for most of the period since 2002. The party was once aligned with Gülen-linked networks before their alliance collapsed.
Abdullah Gül: A Turkish politician who served as president from 2007 to 2014 and helped found the Justice and Development Party. His political rise overlapped with the period when Gülen-linked networks gained influence in Turkey.
Hizmet: A Turkish word meaning “service,” used by supporters to describe the Gülen-inspired civic and religious movement. The name expresses the movement’s self-understanding as service through education and social engagement.
Said Nursi: A Kurdish Sunni Muslim theologian whose writings inspired the Nur movement and influenced later Turkish religious thought. Gülen drew on Nursi’s emphasis on faith, education, and engagement with modernity.
Turkish purges after the 2016 coup attempt: Mass dismissals, arrests, and institutional closures carried out in Turkey after the failed 2016 coup. Authorities used alleged links to Gülen’s network as a basis for a sweeping crackdown.
Islamism: Political movements that seek to shape public life according to interpretations of Islam. This broader political category helps distinguish Gülen’s civic and educational strategy from party-centered Islamic politics.

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