Fethullah Gulen

Turkish author, educator, and Muslim scholar living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, USA. He has been described in the English-language media as an imam "who promotes a tolerant Islam which emphasises altruism, hard work and education" and as "one of the world's most important Muslim figures." He is the founder of the Gülen movement (known as Hizmet meaning service in Turkish), and the inspiration figure for its largest organization, the Alliance for Shared Values. In his sermons, Gülen has constantly emphasized the importance of education and interfaith tolerance and dialogue. Gülen's followers have built over 1,000 schools around the world and are engaging in interreligious and intercultural social activities.

Gülen does not advocate a new theology but refers to classical authorities of theology, taking up their line of argument. His understanding of Islam tends to be moderate and mainstream. Gülen is inspired from Said Nursi's teachings and modernizes them. His teachings differ in emphasis from those of other mainstream Islamic scholars in two respects, both based on his interpretations of particular verses of the Quran. He teaches that the Muslim community has a duty of service (Turkish: hizmet) to the "common good" of the community and the nation and to Muslims and non-Muslims all over the world and that the Muslim community is obliged to conduct dialogue with not just the "People of the Book" (Jews and Christians), and people of other religions, but also with agnostics and atheists.

Gülen is actively involved in the societal debate concerning the future of the Turkish state, and Islam in the modern world.