Abstract
To grasp both the significance of the life and teachings of Fethullah Gulen and the depth of the fears and accusations aimed at him by his critics, it is necessary to place him in the context of Turkish history, especially as it relates to the complicated issue of religion and politics. Throughout Turkish history there has never been a complete separation of Islam and the state. However, in the new republic created by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923 one of the six pillars of the state was secularism, based on the French model of state control of religion. In this chapter, I will outline the major shifts that occurred in Turkey over the past 100 years in defining the role of Islam in state politics.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
