Table Of ContentM. FETHULLAH GÜLEN’S UNDERSTANDING
OF SUNNAH
Submitted by
Mustafa Erdil
A thesis in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
School of Theology
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Australian Catholic University
Research Services
Locked Bag 4115
Fitzroy, Victoria 3065
Australia
23 JULY 2016
1 | Pa ge
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP AND SOURCES
This thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part
from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or
diploma.
No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text
of the thesis.
This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any
other tertiary institution.
All research procedures in the thesis received the approval of the relevant
Ethics/Safety Committees (where required).
Mustafa Erdil
23 JULY 2016
Signature:
ABSTRACT
The aim and objective of this study is to highlight the importance of and the status
of hadith in Islam, as well as its relevance and reference to sunnah, the Prophetic
tradition and all that this integral source of reference holds in Islam.
Furthermore, hadith, in its nature, origin and historical development with its
close relationship with the concept of memorisation and later recollection came about
after the time of Prophet Muhammad. This study will thus explore the reasons behind
the prohibition, in its initial stage, with the authorisation of recording the hadiths and
its writing at another time. The private pages of hadith recordings kept by the
companions will be sourced and explored as to how these pages served as prototypes
for hadith compilations of later generations.
The Qur’an and hadith, as they exist as integrals parts complementing each
other, provides the impetus and emphasis of the interpretation of the Qur’an
by hadith. In addition, this research will also identify the law-making characteristic
of hadith after the Qur’an, and the implications and regulations the hadith project and
provide in their role as the second primary source of Islam.
The approach of Western scholars to the Qur’an and hadith will also be a
focus, considering why their perceptions of hadith are quite different from those
of Muslim scholars. Within this specific definition of hadith, its meaning according to
Islamic terminology becomes synonymous with the word ‘sunnah’, also translated
broadly as tradition, practice discourse, and prophetic observations and approvals.
The critical approach to religion with the emergence of the Age of
Enlightenment in Europe prompted Western scholars to formulate some overly critical
views and perceptions of Christianity and Judaism. Later these scholars chose to
3 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
subject Islam to the same process of criticism and investigation as their own
respective religions. Significantly, Western scholars’ approaches differed
fundamentally from the more traditionally accepted perceptions of hadith held by
Muslims in this regard.
To counter the discourse, the teachings and written works of Fethullah Gülen
will be analysed and brought into the spectrum. Muslim scholars, by
convention, bring evidence from the Qur’an, as well as the sunnah, to emphasise the
importance of sunnah since the early period of Islam. In this regard the teaching of
hadith by Islamic scholar and thinker Gülen will be utilised as a source and reference
point. Unlike what has hitherto been prescribed in traditional madrasahs, Gülen’s
perspectives and contributions to the discipline of hadith, and innovative new
methods he introduced, would be another perspective of this study.
As for methodology, the method of investigation will rely on a research
technique ‘for the objective, systematic, and qualitative description of manifest
content of communications’. Therefore, this research will employ content and
discourse analysis which is a social science methodology that is based on an
understanding of human communication, including writing and context.1
1 Siddiqi Muhammad Zubayr, Hadith Literature İts Origin, Development &Special Features
(Cambridge,UK: The Islamic Text Society, 1993).p,220
4 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
Acknowledgements
My special thanks will first and foremost go to Professor Ismail Albayrak, Professor
Raymond Canning and Dr. Edmund Chia under whose supervision this research was
produced. I am obliged to them for their time and limitless support provided during
this enterprise. This thesis would not have taken form without their fortitude. I am
genuinely obliged to the Australian Catholic University, for awarding me an APA
scholarship and grants for the conference in US which assisted me in completing my
study in the best way. I owe warm thanks to Dr. Mark Stone zealously editing this
study. I also genuinely appreciate Dr. Salih Yücel and Dr. Recep Dogan for their
participation in my confirmation and pre-submission seminars.
I also will like to deliver my special thanks to the ACU Library staff
(especially Strathfield Campus) and friends for assisting me to consume all the
resources I needed for the research. Last of all, I am also genuinely indebted to my
family for their patience, dedication and endless support.
5 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Context of the study and Intended Area of Research ............................................. 10
Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 13
Research Questions .................................................................................................... 14
Organisation of Thesis ............................................................................................... 15
Literature Review ...................................................................................................... 16
Early History of Hadith Collection .......................................................................... 16
Muslim approach to hadith in contemporary time ................................................... 18
Literary Works about Fethullah Gülen ..................................................................... 23
Literary Works Regarding Fethullah Gülen’s View on Sunnah .............................. 25
Electronic sources .................................................................................................... 29
Methodology ............................................................................................................ 30
Chapter One: Hadith in Islam and its importance. ................................................ 35
Hadith and sunnah (prophetic tradition) as primary sources in Islam ..................... 35
Definition of hadith? ................................................................................................ 37
Relationship between hadith and sunnah ............................................................. 39
Hadith as the second primary source .................................................................... 44
Technical terms for various types of hadith ......................................................... 47
Development of hadith literature ............................................................................. 48
Recording of hadith in the time of the Prophet .................................................... 48
Prohibition on writing hadith ................................................................................ 50
Permission for writing hadith ............................................................................... 53
Veracity of the companions in recording of hadith .............................................. 55
Qualities sought in Hadith narrators (Rawi) ......................................................... 59
Interpreting the Qur’an by prophetic tradition (sunnah and hadith) .................... 63
Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 69
Chapter Two: Thoughts and assessments on hadith in contemporary time......... 71
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 71
Western and Muslim worlds from scholarly, religious and philosophical
perspectives .............................................................................................................. 72
Western literary works of hadith studies: ............................................................. 75
Motives urging the West to study Islamic sciences and hadith ............................ 81
Western views on the recording of hadith ............................................................ 85
Effects of modernism on Muslim scholars’ perception of hadith ........................ 92
6 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 96
Chapter Three: M. Fethullah Gülen’s understanding of sunnah.......................... 99
Brief Biography of Fethullah Gülen ......................................................................... 99
Gülen’s understanding of sunnah ........................................................................... 100
Gülen’s description of sunnah ................................................................................ 102
The evolution of Islamic and Hadith discipline according to Gülen ..................... 110
Recording, ascertaining and compilation of sunnah .............................................. 128
Gülen’s thoughts .................................................................................................... 128
The first compilers of Prophetic tradition in the Islamic community. ................... 142
Sunnah’s function according to Gülen ................................................................... 147
Legislative aspect of sunnah ............................................................................... 148
Sunnah’s interpretations of the Qur’an ............................................................... 151
Sunnah explains ambiguities in the revelation ................................................... 156
Sunnah specifically delimits verses .................................................................... 157
Sunnah sets conditions for verses’ injunctions ................................................... 158
Gülen’s knowledge in the field of sunnah ............................................................. 161
Revelation-hadith correlation ................................................................................. 175
Gülen’s defence of hadith ...................................................................................... 180
Gülen’s response to non-Muslim scholars ............................................................. 184
Response to Muslim intellectuals ........................................................................... 199
Chapter Four: Gülen’s usage and interpretation of sunnah ............................... 211
Gülen’s application of sunnah in his own life ........................................................ 211
His criteria for Selection and Usage of Hadith ...................................................... 222
Science and faith-based action ............................................................................... 223
Belief and examples from sunnah .......................................................................... 226
Interest in every member of the community .......................................................... 228
Staying away from expectations ............................................................................ 229
Hijrah dimension of the sunnah ............................................................................. 231
Examples of God consciousness (taqwa)-fear of God (makhafat Allah) and self-
examination (Muhasaba) from sunnah .................................................................. 232
Some interpretations regarding women’s issues .................................................... 235
Women in pre-Islamic era ................................................................................... 237
Women in different civilisations and in the modern era ..................................... 238
Time of the Prophet and women in general Islamic concept .............................. 240
Women in our days according to Gülen ............................................................. 243
7 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
Women’s right to education and status as educationists ..................................... 246
Equality between genders and Gülen’s view ...................................................... 248
Gülen’s approach to tasattur (being covered/headscarf) .................................... 251
Polygamy in Islam and Gülen’s perspective ....................................................... 255
The notion of tolerance and dialogue and Gülen’s thoughts .................................. 263
Gülen's academic level of interfaith dialogue and proposed solutions ............... 267
Works of tolerance based on sunnah .................................................................. 270
Interpretations regarding terrorism and suicide bombers ................................... 274
The definition of jihad in Islam and Gülen’s approach ...................................... 274
Terrorism and the approach of the Qur’an and sunnah to jihad ......................... 277
Suicide, suicide bombings and the approach of the sunnah ............................... 279
The Sunnah’s Influence on Conflict Resolution ................................................. 282
Chapter Five: Gülen as a student of hadith. .......................................................... 285
Gülen’s teachers and his works .............................................................................. 285
Gülen’s teachers ..................................................................................................... 285
Works that he has read ........................................................................................... 288
Gülen as a teacher of hadith and his teaching methods ......................................... 289
Gülen’s teaching methods ...................................................................................... 293
Lesson preparations ............................................................................................ 295
Summarising ....................................................................................................... 296
Comparing, discussing and commenting ............................................................ 298
The question and answer method ........................................................................ 301
Using technology for educational purposes ........................................................ 301
The Islamic sources taught by Gülen .................................................................. 302
How do Gülen’s opinions reflect on academia ...................................................... 304
Some perspectives on Gülen’s educational practices ............................................. 304
The logic of reasoning and researching in theology .............................................. 306
The sensitivity in making provision of Islamic science ......................................... 312
Chapter Six: Conclusion.......................................................................................... 314
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 314
Significance of the results and general conclusion ................................................ 315
The contributions of the thesis ............................................................................... 318
Limitation of the Study .......................................................................................... 319
Recommendations for future research .................................................................... 320
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 322
8 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................... 327
9 | M. Feth ul l ah Gül en ’s Und er st an din g of Sun na h
Context of the study and Intended Area of Research
The aim of this study is to emphasise the position and importance of hadith in
Islam, its close relationship with the concept of sunnah, and its nature, origin and
historical development. Exploring the recordings of hadith in the time of Prophet
Muhammad,2 while specifically drawing attention to the fact that they were written
down under his direct supervision, this study will highlight the reasons behind the
prohibition, at one stage, and authorisation of recording the hadiths in writing at
another time. It will also explore the private pages of hadith (sahifah) recordings kept
by the companions—these pages served as prototypes for hadith compilations for later
generations.
Gülen is a post-modern contemporary writer and scholar with a large
worldwide following. His works have been translated into many languages. He is a
balanced thinker understanding the surrounding issues related to my thesis. Gülen is a
specific hadith scholar with a balanced view strikingly creates understanding of past
and present issues and challenges issues arising from critiques and rejecters of hadith
both in the modern- secular as well as the Islamic world.
This study investigates Gülen’s understanding of hadith and sunnah as well as
his approach to hadith, his views on sunnah as a primary source, and the place and
value of sunnah in his daily life. Furthermore, his methods of interpretation and
teaching of hadith will be surveyed and explored. An involved study requires some
background information on hadith as a prelude to the topic. In this study, however,
this background information will be limited to thoughts and assessments on hadith in
contemporary time, such as historical research on hadith in the West, epistemological
differences between Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, and effects of modernism on
2 Prophet Muhammad will indicate as “the Prophet” in this research
10 | M. Fethu l lah Gü l en’s Un d er sta nd in g of Sunn ah
