Gülen: Violent Response To Anti-Muslim Movie Damaging Islam's İmage

World renowned Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said an anti-Islam movie that has caused sometimes violent protests by Muslims across the world is an abuse of freedom of speech and condemned the violent response to the film as "wrong" that is damaging the image of Islam.



"The violent response was wrong and strayed from the straight path," Gülen said in his op-ed published on Thursday in the Financial Times.



Gülen said Muslims should not be indifferent with respect to the attacks on the Prophet Muhammad and on the contrary, he said they must show the utmost sensitivity and caution. He claimed that the deliberate instigation and creation of turmoil in the Muslim world is not new and that Muslims' sacred values were attacked in the past. Gülen urged Muslims not be beguiled or enticed but instead speak out to prevent those who are more easily provoked from resorting to violence.



He said when any negative comment is made about the Prophet, however slight it may be, a Muslim should feel deep sorrow. "Yet expressing that sorrow is a different matter. Irresponsible actions by individuals damage the image of Islam and destroy the very tradition they are claiming to defend," he underlined.



He condemned suicide bombings, killing of US ambassador and consulate workers and said indiscriminately killing innocent civilians is tantamount to barbarity. Gülen claimed that if it is Muslims who are carrying out these attacks, it means that they are entirely unaware of what Islam is all about and are committing the biggest crime in the name of Islam.



Gülen added that a Muslim should respect the sacred values of Christians, Jews, Buddhists and others as he expects his own religion and values to be respected.



"In reacting, a Muslim should not sway from the proper middle path. Many correct forms of response can be found by appealing to the collective conscience of society and to the international community," Gülen said.



He described the hate speech that is designed to incite violence as an abuse of the freedom of expression. He said it violates the rights, dignity and freedoms of others while pushing humanity toward conflict in an age of horrifying weapons. He argued that instead of falling victim to the instigation of others, Muslims should appeal to the relevant international institutions, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) or the UN, to intervene, expose and condemn instances of hate speech.



"We can do whatever it takes within the law to prevent any disrespect to all revered religious figure, not only to the Prophet Muhammad," Gülen noted.



Gülen added that the attacks on the Prophet Muslims have repeatedly experienced are to be condemned, but the correct response is not violence.



"Instead, we must pursue a relentless campaign to promote respect for the sacred values of all religions," Turkish Islamic scholar concluded.