# What does the Mufti think of Fethullah Gulen?

*Fethullah Gulen: he knows little beyond his schools*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/s/16/
- Date: 2021-02-16 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #202| Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (58:48–59:57)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PntsaR8ck&t=3528s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/

**Topics:** Views on contemporary scholars; Middle East and the wider world

**Question as asked:** What are your thoughts on Gulen? He has been designated a terrorist by the Turkish president, whereas his jamaa promotes peace and dialogue.

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth says he knows little about Gulen beyond his influential network of schools with an Islamic ethos, and will read up on him.

## Longer summary

After adding that Ibn Taymiyya nonetheless performed greatly on many rulings and asking why he should be taken as so supreme, Mufti Abu Layth reads a super chat asking his thoughts on Gulen, whom the Turkish president has designated a terrorist while his jamaa promotes peace and dialogue. He says he does not know much about him: only that he set up many schools, not madrasas but regular schools with an Islamic ethos, and was very influential. He says he will read up on him.

## Sources and names cited

- Fethullah Gulen

## Transcript (machine tier, 58:48–59:57)

[58:10] well what don't you use reason you know you know what's that even supposed to mean the quran instructs you to use reason so they say oh yeah but uh you know but do you say akalizov so you say well is this in the quran sunnah no oh who told you which one to take then oh our dada ibn taymiyah well last time i checked ibna taimiya wasn't god and he wasn't the prophet he was however somebody who suffered from mental health issues

[58:47] and albeit you know still performed on on many uh rulings greatly but he was someone who obviously suffered throughout his life you know for god's sake why why should we be taking him to be so supreme yeah uh all right so let's move on i see saracen says shukran for the super chat much love much love uh what are your thoughts on turkish gulen he has been designated a terrorist by the turkish president where jamaa promotes peace and dialogue

[59:26] i don't know too much about him i just heard that he had set up a lot of islamic schools and by islamic schools i don't think madrasas but more like regular schools except with an islamic ethos to them and he was very influential this is all i really know about him i i don't know much more but uh inshallah i'll read up on him

[59:56] you talk about reason and the quran being created so much it's a valid question bro sunnis believe that the quran was created ashadis believe that now but i've mentioned this before you see what they do is they're embarrassed of it so they hide the wording and replace it with words that the common public wouldn't understand so they don't use the word in fact if you read the asha'ira text they will say

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment --PntsaR8ck/s/16. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/s/16/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.