Fethullah Gülen: A Life Lived in Exile and Controversy
By your favourite ensemble of cheeky comedians, where observation meets the absurd.
Well, folks, it seems that the controversial, the self-exiled, and the notoriously polarising Fethullah Gülen has taken his final bow, leaving the stage at the ripe age of 83 on October 21, 2024. According to Turkish sources reported by the BBC, Gülen passed away in a Pennsylvania hospital. Yes, he chose the land of cheesesteaks and baseball over his home turf—talk about a commitment to “living the American dream,” albeit with a twist of irony.
Once upon a time—in a land not so far away—Gülen was the right-hand man to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. They were practically best mates, sharing deep philosophical debates over Turkish tea. Fast-forward to a few scandals later, and they went from “BFFs” to having a feud that could make any soap opera look like a Disney flick! When Gülen found himself becoming public enemy number one, it was like watching a friendship crumble on social media—but a lot more dramatic, with plenty of accusations and a coup attempt to spice things up.
What a plot twist! Blamed for the 2016 coup attempt, Gülen had some serious accusations thrown his way. The Turkish government painted him as the puppet master of an operation that involved soldiers running around like they were in a poorly coordinated military parade. Who knew Turkish politics could rival the antics we see at a primary school play? Despite the turmoil, Gülen was quick to deny the charges, insisting he wasn’t orchestrating anything more sinister than a little conversation about moderate Islam—a far cry from the “We need some explosives here!” narrative the government pushed.
His preaching promoted a version of Islam that emphasized education, modesty, and hard work. You’d think he was trying to sell us on self-improvement like some motivational speaker at a retreat! From running schools to establishing a following that could make the most popular boy band look like an amateur group, Gülen’s influence was immense. But hey, when your former buddy Erdoğan vows to close your schools and expunge your loyalists from power, it might make you rethink your choice of friends.
Ah, the coup of July 15, 2016—an event so chaotic it sounds like an over-the-top action movie where the twist ending starts before the first act even ends. Soldiers storming various establishments, explosions lighting up the Turkish night sky, and, surprise, the whole thing fizzled into an embarrassing surrender. The coup leaders declared themselves champions of democracy, which, in an amusing twist, had about as much credibility as a cat hosting a dog show. The aftermath? A thorough housecleaning of the government. Talk about a serious case of “you’re out of the club!”
Since then, the fallout from that day has led to a barrage of arrests, and thousands found themselves caught in a web of dubious charges. Even the European Court of Human Rights had something to say about this mess, condemning the arbitrary detention of 426 judges and prosecutors. It’s like a game of legal “whack-a-mole,” and good luck trying to poke them down when they just keep popping up to remind you they’re still there!
Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim preacher of Turkish origin, died on October 21, 2024 at the age of 83, writes the BBC referring to Turkish sources. Gülen lived in self-imposed exile in the United States and died in a hospital in Pennsylvania.
Gülen used to be a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, but later the imam, who settled in America, was named as his main enemy. Gülen was once one of the most influential people in Turkey and Erdoğan’s mentor with hundreds of thousands of followers, but in the last decade, the Turkish state started a showdown against the Gülenists.
President Erdoğan blamed the Gülen movement for the 2016 coup attempt, but Gülen denied the allegations. The preacher became known for promoting a tolerant Islamic faith that emphasizes selflessness, modesty and hard work. According to Gülen, young people in Turkey have lost their way, but proper education can offer a solution to this. His movement first took part in running schools, then opened educational institutions in Turkey and other countries.
Gülen’s followers quickly gained a foothold in business, but also gained high positions in the government and the army. Erdoğan turned against his ally in 2013, later vowing to close the movement’s schools and rid the Turkish government of the Gülenists. Police supporting the Muslim cleric were accused of carrying out raids against Erdoğan’s allies, which is why the Turkish government officially declared the Gülen movement a terrorist organization in 2016.
On July 15, 2016, a faction of the army attempted to overthrow Erdoğan, claiming that it was doing so in defense of democracy. The soldiers attacked TV stations, exploded in Istanbul and Ankara, but also shot at the Turkish parliament and the presidential office. However, neither the Turkish public nor the entire army supported the coup attempt, so the military faction leading the coup surrendered.
The Turkish government blamed Gülen, but he denied the charges and condemned the coup attempt. After the incident, serious retaliation followed: a third of the military leadership and thousands of government officials were arrested. The participants of the coup attempt have since been sentenced to multiple life sentences by an Ankara court. And Turkey was condemned by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for the arbitrary detention of 426 Turkish judges and prosecutors.
Gülen has lived in voluntary exile in the United States since the 1990s. Turkey requested the extradition of the cleric, but the US first requested evidence of Gülen’s participation in the coup. Gülen remained in the United States until his death.
