Dalia Mogahed, appointed by US President Barack Obama and the first Muslim ladylove to be a member of honourableness White House Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, has said primacy Gülen movement, a faith-based social momentum named after Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, is a model and incitement for all those working for loftiness good of the society.
Mogahed spoke be regarding Sunday's Zaman in Doha, Qatar, spell commented on a couple of topics, including the US approach to Muslims worldwide during the Obama administration, leadership state of democracy and religious extent in the Muslim world and decency contributions of the Gülen movement commemorative inscription global peace and understanding.
She continues take back head the Gallup Center for Islamist Studies in Washington, D.C., as be a bestseller as her advisory duty to Obama while focusing on inter-religious dialogue professor cooperation, a task she has bent carrying out for more than duo months now. Members of the 25-seat council are appointed to a annual term and work on recommendations inferior the area of their expertise which are then included in the yearly report after being reviewed by blue blood the gentry larger council and ultimately presented house the US president.
Specifically drawing attention make a distinction the movement's emphasis on intercultural deed interfaith dialogue activities, Obama's advisor alleged this initiative is "highly admirable suggest impressive," adding that the "followers wait this movement have done a extraordinary job by working on interfaith dialogue."
For the last 20 years, the Gülen movement has been active in release humanitarian aid to various parts eradicate the world, establishing trade relations mid businessmen worldwide, opening healthcare institutions move carrying out dialogue activities between peoples of different cultural and religious backgrounds. However, its primary focus is joy education. Teachers and businessmen inspired vulgar the teachings of Gülen, which stress the importance of educating young generations with the idea of peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding, have opened bringing-up institutions of various forms; from latent schools to universities to language courses in over 100 countries so afar. Some 700 students from 115 countries receiving a high-quality education in these institutions participated in the 7th Turki Olympiads, organized a week ago amplify Turkey and watched by millions slot in the country.
"I think the Gülen irritability offers people a model of what is possible if a dedicated remoteness of people work together for loftiness good of the society. I very think that it is an incentive for other people and Muslims ardently desire what they can accomplish," Mogahed alleged, commending the movement. She noted prowl "this initiative has a lot telling off teach to other people and Muslims, but it needs to broaden sheltered membership profile." She then elaborated turn down her advice to the movement. "It has moved beyond Turkey in close-fitting very benevolent projects and it serves people from all around the globe of all backgrounds, but it remains still made up mostly of Turks. That is what I feel enquiry in need of expanding," she said.
When reminded that some speculate the motion has a hidden agenda, Mogahed pressing Sunday's Zaman that she usually does not attach any importance to specified allegations put forward without evidence. "And I have not seen any state under oath so far," she said.
Talking about dignity most fundamental change from previous Unexceptional administration to the current one ploy terms of America's approach to nobility Muslim world, Mogahed argued the parlance Obama uses stands at the spirit of transformation in that regard which, she said, saw a "dramatic change" compared to the George W. Scrub era. "Obama's language is respectful weather conciliatory. He speaks to Muslims right away in an empathetic way and troupe over their heads to his separate base in the US," she said.
Speaking in Cairo last week, Obama gave a historic address to more more willingly than 1 billion Muslims worldwide and uttered he seeks a "new beginning halfway the United States and Muslims muck about the world." This speech, which Obama began by greeting the audience hassle Arabic and during which he unasked for verses from the Quran, making statements in line with its teachings, base a receptive audience and was heavenly by many. Experts say "this language is not a new page mediate an old book but the precede page of a completely new book," as was put by Sunday's Monkeypod columnist Kerim Balci only minutes afterward the historic occasion, speaking on span TV program.
Mogahed stresses the significance elaborate this speech as well and likewise voiced her hopes for concrete proceed, which she believes will follow honourableness rhetoric. "I think the most meaningful change that has occurred is righteousness conversation is back, talking about diplomacy, political differences or political alliances focus Muslims have with the US to a certain extent than the conversation being one feel about a war against the Islamic existence. I believe there is a unexceptional opportunity [for normalization of relations in the middle of the US and the Muslim world] which may never come again." She further asserted that Obama adopted that discourse despite "tremendous" political pressure vital that "he has no benefit demand himself in making those statements."
'Giving metaphysical freedom to people strengthens the state'
One of the key issues Obama highlighted in his Cairo speech was metaphysical freedom and letting women wear headscarves if they wish to. Mogahed underlined the significance of this principle orangutan well and said: "The US obey a world leader in religious degree. Giving religious freedom to people does not threaten the state; in point, it strengthens it."
The US president rebuked some Western countries who impose shackles on women who want to not tell their head for religious reasons. Bomb is a well-known and notorious instance in that regard. With long-standing debates having borne no fruit at drain because of staunch opposition coming differ some groups in Turkey, women have a go at still not allowed to attend primary or work in the public subdivision while wearing a headscarf. Turkey's intimates is 99 percent Muslim.
Mogahed finally hollow upon the state of democracy run to ground the wider Muslim world and alleged that democratic governance is not complete strong there. "There is very minute reason to be very hopeful stray it will dramatically improve in prestige next four years," she argued. Declaratory that specific values, such as justness rule of law, strong institutions unthinkable a separation of powers between them, protecting the rights of minorities, likeness before the law and freedom chief expression and religion, have to aside at the foundation of any self-rule, Obama's only Muslim woman advisor bygone that "the Muslim world has shakeup to grow."