European Muslims, Civility and Public Life: Perspectives On and From the Gulen Movement

Description

This collection deals with challenges and opportunities faced by Muslims and the wider society in Europe following the Madrid train bombings of 2004 and the London Transport attacks of 2005. The contributors explore the challenges to the concept and practice of civility in public life within a European context, and demonstrate the contributions that can be made in this regard from the thought and practice of the global movement inspired by the Turkish Muslim scholar Fethullah Gulen. The importance and distinctiveness of the teaching of Fethullah Gulen and the practice of the movement is that it is rooted in a confident Turkish Islamic heritage while being fully engaged with modernity. It offers the possibility of a contextualised renewal of Islam for Muslims in Europe while being fully rooted in the teachings of the Qu'ran and the Sunnah of the Prophet. This volume is an important contribution to the study of the movement, which advocates the freedom of religion while making an Islamic contribution to the wider society based on a commitment to service of others. The movement and initiatives inspired by the Turkish Muslim scholar Fethullah Gulen began in Turkey, but can now be found throughout the world, including in both Europe and in the 'Muslim world'. Bloomsbury have a companion volume on The Muslim World and Politics in Transition: Creative Contributions of the Gulen Movement, edited by Greg Barton, Paul Weller and Ihsan Yilmaz.

Paul Weller is Professor of Inter-Religious Relations at the University of Derby and Visiting Fellow in the Oxford Centre for Christianity and Culture at Regent's Park College, University of Oxford, UK. Ihsan Yilmaz is Associate Professor of Political Science at Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey.

'As an NGO representative and political activist, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Articles by eminent scholars who are well versed in the western traditions as well as eastern values, deal with many sensitive issues, such as: the identity of Muslims in the West, integration processes, education and faith and the challenges of terrorism, violence against civilians and the benefits of intercultural living. The message is clear: science and faith are not confrontational, a true inter-religious society is the need of the hour and Muslim communities are an integral part of the West.' -- Bashy Quraishy, Secretary General for EMISCO - European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion, Strasbourg and Chair of the Advisory Council of the European Network Against Racism, Brussels A welcome and timely publication...one text that I would recommend people to read cover to cover. -- Ian G. Williams, Markfield Institute of Higher Education, UK * The Muslim World Book Review *