Statement from Fethullah Gulen Condemning Violence Following Attack on U.S. Consulate in Libya

"                    I have learned with sadness about the attack on the United States Consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi which resulted in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, consulate personnel and several others. I strongly condemn this heinous attack which targeted public servants representing their country in Libya and thus were guests of Libyan government and people. On this sad occasion I reiterate my condemnation of all forms of terror regardless of its perpetrators and the purposes for which it is carried out.

“As we witness other violent protests in Cairo, Yemen and elsewhere, my message is that lasting change will only result from peaceful expressions of reaction and open dialogue. Consorting to violence and targeting human life for protest constitute a betrayal of the soul of the very Islamic tradition that many of these protestors seemingly claim to defend.  What suits Muslims is to express their reactions in a peaceful and calm manner that befits the dignity of their faith.   

“I send my sincere condolences to those who lost loved ones in the tragedy, to the United States Government, to American people and especially to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton under whom the ambassador and his staff have been serving. I share their pain in my heart and I pray for the fast recovery of those who were injured.”

About Fethullah Gulen

 Mr. Fethullah Gulen is known and respected among Turkish Muslims as well as Muslims and non-Muslims from around the world as an authoritative mainstream Muslim scholar of the Sunni tradition, to which 87–90% of the world’s Muslim population belongs. He was among the first influential Muslim figures to publicly condemn the 9/11 attacks. He is also a thinker, a poet, a prolific author, an educational activist and an opinion leader. His readership in Turkey is estimated to be millions. His influence outside Turkey is growing daily as his works are translated into many languages including English, Arabic, Russian, German, Spanish, Urdu, Bosnian, Albanian, Malay and Indonesian. He recently received the 2011 Peace-building Award from the East West Institute in New York.

About Alliance for Shared Values

The Alliance for Shared Values, is a non-profit umbrella organization serving as a centralized collaboration platform, and a unified voice for its member dialogue and cultural organizations in the United States. The Alliance is composed of a diverse set of organizations dedicated to promoting philanthropy, community service, intercultural and interfaith understanding to elevate humanity and bring greater peace. The Alliance for Shared Values works to promote projects and initiatives for community enrichment by facilitating networking, the sharing of best practices and augmenting local resources of its member or partner organizations.

Contact:                David Vermillion                                                 (212) 614-4355

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