Were there any influences other than Turkish or Islamic in the development of Fethullah Gülen’s view of the world?
In 1961, Fethullah Gülen was sent to Iskenderun as part of his compulsory military service.
His commanding officer assigned to him the duty of lecturing soldiers on faith and morality. Recognizing Fethullah Gülen’s intellectual ability, the officer gave him many Western classics to read. Throughout his military service Fethullah Gülen maintained his simple, ascetic lifestyle.
In 1963, following military service, Fethullah Gülen gave a series of lectures in Erzurum on Rumi and moral issues.
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