Inspiring Words
I love my friends
neither with heart nor with mind
Perchance ... Heart stops ... Mind forgets ...
I love my friends with my soul.
It never stops, nor forgets ...
Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi
The Contemporary Role of the Family in Society
The Rumi Forum presents "The
Contemporary Role of the Family in Society" at George Mason
University.
Thursday, April 8th
Registration Starts 8:30 pm
Room 163 in the Research I Building
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
In this ever shrinking world, the effects of globalization
not only affect nations and organizations, but each and
every individual. War, famine, disease, financial crisis
amongst numerous other difficulties have taken their toll on
all levels of society throughout the globe. One institution
as a result of the recent global challenges has been
undermined and shaken – that institution is the family.
Issues regarding the role of each family member, their
contributions to society and overcoming social problems,
poverty in the current economic crisis giving rise to
hopelessness and an uncertain future for many are some of
the key parameters that need to be addressed. This
conference hopes to provide a platform for some of the
numerous issues and problems facing families in the hope
that it will be a means for overcoming common difficulties
within the dynamic status and definition of what a family
actually stands for in the 21st century.
Click for the flyer
Free and open to the public (registration required)
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Lecture at Dr. Akbar Ahmed’s course at American University
Emre Celik and Jena Luedtke were both guest speakers for
Dr. Akbar Ahmed’s course entitled "The World of Islam"
at American University.
The guests spoke about the Sufi tradition and the influence
of Sufism on Fethullah Gulen's ideas of service to others
and the development of the Gulen Movement as a positive
global influence in regards to building bridges between
disparate communities and increasing awareness of others and
overcoming prejudice by education and service. The Rumi
Forum is very grateful to Dr. Akbar Ahmad for his gracious
hospitality and to the students of “The World of Islam” for
being a most welcoming and engaging audience.
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RUMI FORUM IS NOW ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND YOUTUBE
Click on the above icons to follow Rumi Forum on Twitter,
Facebook, and Youtube. The Rumi Forum is dedicated to
fostering greater understanding through the numerous social
networks that are available to the wider community. Visiters
to these sites will have access to and be updated on our
podcasts, videos, upcoming events and other information.
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Chapter News
Fairfax, Virginia:
The Rumi Forum is proud present a new Rumi Forum Chapter in
Fairfax, Virginia. Dr. Aise Huma Taban will be the
Coordinator of the Fairfax Chapter. Dr. Taban received her
B.Sc. in Food Engineering at Hacettepe University in Ankara,
Turkey in 1993, and her M.Sc. & Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the
University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in 1998 and 2003,
respectively. She continued her studies as a Post Doctoral
Scholar between 2004-2008. During her graduate studies, she
was one of the founders of the Graduate Student Club, Women
in Dialog (WIND) in 2006.
After moving to Colorado in 2008, Dr. Taban established
similar programs as a volunteer of the Multicultural Mosaic
Foundation in Denver. Upon her move to Northern Virginia,
Dr. Taban has been involved in numerous dialogue and
cultural events.
The Rumi Forum is very proud to have Dr. Taban on board as
the Coordinator of the new Fairfax Chapter and we’re looking
forward to many new and exciting events with our friends in
Northern Virginia.
Lexington Kentucky:
As a part of Cultural Diversity Festival and Islamic
Awareness Week, the University of Kentucky's Catholic
Studies Department and Interfaith Dialogue Organization (IDO)
Rumi Forum hosted a lecture by Dr. Sidney Griffith on "The
Qur`an in Christian Thought" on Thursday, Feb. 25th, in the
W.T. Young Library Auditorium with the support of Rumi Forum
(Washington, DC).
Read more: Lecture by
Dr. Sidney Griffith Gave Historical Perpectives on "The
Qur`an in Christian Thought"
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Meeting with Turkish Organizations
Numerous American Turkish organizations' representatives visited Rumi forum to discuss important common issues and to also meet the President, Emre Celik. The Turkish American community has played a major role in bridge building through the role model that the Rumi Forum has established. The Rumi Forum encompasses all in its approach to dialogue with the hope that the wider American community will benefit.
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Gülen Conference
CALL FOR PAPERS
“The Gülen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, and Aspirations”
This conference is interdisciplinary in nature so that the
work of the conference can begin to draw important
connections between analyses of the movement from the
perspectives of disciplines such as: theology, religious
studies, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, urban
studies, literature, history, philosophy, law, psychology,
economics, political science, and international relations,
as well as many others.
Organizers:
For more information, please visit:
http://www.chicagogulenconference.org
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New Web site on Honorary President, Fethullah Gulen
A new web site highlighting the views and writings of
Fethullah Gulen and those who have been inspired by his
ideas. Articles from those that have had contact with the
Gulen Movement or admire its ideals are also presented.
www.fethullah-gulen.org
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NEW BOOK: The Gülen Movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam
This is one of the first academic books about Fethullah
Gülen, a Turkish scholar and preacher, and the civic
movement he inspired in Turkey and ultimately throughout the
world. The movement is rooted in moderate Islam and is
committed to educating youth, fostering interfaith and
intercultural dialog, assisting the needy in society and
contributing to global peace. Based on interview data and
visits to Gülen-inspired institutions, the book describes
the movement from a sociological perspective, especially
through the lens of social movement theory. It is the first
book, grounded in empirical methodology, to describe the
movement to a Western audience. It will be of special
interest to social scientists interested in religious
movements, religious scholars seeking information on Islamic
movements and the general public eager to discover a
moderate Islam that promotes humanitarian projects.
http://www.amazon.com/G%C3%BClen-Movement-Sociological-Analysis-Moderate/dp/1402098936
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In The Media
The Crisis in Turkey? by
John L. Esposito
Professor of Religion and International Affairs at
Georgetown University
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/the-crisis-in-turkey_b_482829.html
The protocols of the learned elders of Fethullah Gülen
by Mustafa Akyol
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=the-protocols-of-the-learned-elders-of-fethullah-gulen-2010-03-16
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From the Archive
The Necessity of Interfaith Dialogue: a Muslim Approach by Fethullah Gulen:
http://www.fethullahgulen.org/about-fethullah-gulen/messages/972-the-necessity-of-interfaith-dialogue-a-muslim-approach.html
Spiritual Leader in a Global Islamic Context by Salih Yucel:
http://rumiforum.org/gulen-movement/spiritual-leader-in-a-global-islamic-context.html
A Different Jihad by Barney Zwartz, The Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/world/a-different-jihad-20090721-ds12.html
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