Hizmet is a global organization that supports the principles of human rights, equal opportunity, democracy, non-violence, and embracing religious and cultural diversity.
Hizmet is an organization that originated in Turkey in the 1970s as a response to social issues such as violent conflict among ideologically and politically driven youth, poor economic conditions, and state-imposed discrimination. The name Hizmet, meaning "service" in English, reflects the organization's goal of serving the community.
Hizmet has evolved from a local community in Turkey to a global movement, with participants from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, locations, languages and religions.
Their focus is on:
Promoting philanthropy and community service
Investing in education for cultivating virtuous individuals
Organizing intercultural and interfaith dialogue for peaceful coexistence
Hizmet participants are motivated by the ideas, teachings, and vision of Fethullah Gulen, who believed in the importance of personal spiritual devotion and expressing that through serving others. He believed that serving others is a way to serve God.
Fethullah Gulen is an Islamic scholar, preacher, and social advocate, who has inspired millions with his decades-long dedication to education, community service, and interfaith harmony. He is considered as one of the world's most significant Muslim figures and has reinterpreted certain aspects of Islamic tradition to address the needs of modern Muslims. He has devoted his life to fostering interfaith and intercultural dialogue, community service, and making quality education accessible. He was the first prominent Muslim public figure to publicly denounce the 9/11 attacks and express sympathy for the American people.
Fethullah Gulen, in the following two decades, became one of the most recognized and respected figures in Turkey by leading the effort to provide access to quality education for all, not just for the wealthy students from urban areas. He inspired the creation of scholarships, free tutoring centers, college preparatory courses, schools, and student hostels, which gave rural students who were previously disadvantaged access to education and helped to change the social landscape of Turkey. In the last two decades, Hizmet participants have expanded education opportunities worldwide, from Central Asia to South Africa, Australia to the Balkans, by building schools, dormitories, and tutoring centers, offering college preparatory courses, mentoring students, and providing financial aid to those in need.
Fethullah Gulen was born into a humble family in Erzurum, Turkey in 1941. He studied natural science, Eastern and Western philosophy, as well as Islamic tradition in his early years. In the late 1950s, he moved to Edirne, and in the 1960s to Izmir, the third-largest province in Turkey. It was there that he began to form his views. His speeches and activism caught the attention of scholars, academics, college students, and the general public. He spoke on a wide range of topics including religion, peace, education, science, the economy and other pressing social issues, with a particular focus on social justice, in various venues from mosques to conference halls.
The private, non-sectarian schools established by Hizmet participants emphasize science, math, literature, and multicultural understanding, and many of their students have excelled in international math and science competitions. Hizmet schools in conflict-ridden areas such as the Philippines, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Bosnia, have become known for promoting inter-religious and interethnic harmony. Fethullah Gulen has also been a vocal advocate for women's education and empowerment, which is a progressive stance that contrasts with the views of more traditional Islamic leaders.
Hizmet supporters have built hospitals that provide affordable access to quality healthcare and volunteer doctors have provided free medical care to areas in need. A significant relief organization within Hizmet has mobilized thousands of volunteers and raised hundreds of millions of dollars to aid disaster victims in Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa. Fethullah Gulen has reinvigorated the Turkish tradition of interfaith dialogue and strongly advocates for democracy, equal opportunities, pro-science, and non-violence. One of the fundamental principles of his teachings is the celebration of religious, cultural, social, and political diversity. He believes this diversity is part of divine will and encourages people to have a place for everyone in their hearts.
Gulen’s lifelong work on interfaith cooperation has earned him recognition from Christian and Jewish leaders in his homeland Turkey and a personal audience with the late Pope John Paul II. He is also the recipient of New York-based East West Institute’s 2011 peace award. His efforts have also been praised by other global leaders who recognize his vital role in fostering mutual understanding and peace as well as his leadership in humanitarian initiatives. In 2008, Gulen was ranked among top 100 in Foreign Policy and Prospect magazines’ joint poll of the “Top 100 Public Intellectuals.” In April 2015, he was awarded with 2015 Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award by Martin Luther King Jr. International
