Doha – Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Turkish Muslim cleric who founded the powerful Hizmet movement and was accused by Ankara of orchestrating a failed 2016 coup attempt, died Sunday evening at the age of 83.
His death was announced by the website Herkul, which publishes Gulen’s sermons.
Gulen, a former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999.
He was a controversial figure, revered by his followers as a moderate Islamic scholar promoting education and interfaith dialogue, while vilified by the Turkish government as a dangerous conspirator seeking to overthrow the state.
Born in 1941 in the eastern Turkish province of Erzurum, Gulen built a global network of schools, charities, media outlets and businesses, amassing significant influence both in Turkiye and internationally.
His relationship with Erdogan continued to grow stronger, however, it exploded in 2013 following corruption investigations targeting the Turkish leader’s inner circle.
Tensions reached a breaking point with the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers sought to seize power using tanks, jets and helicopters.
The putsch was quashed, but not before 251 people were killed.
Erdogan squarely blamed Gulen, though the cleric steadfastly denied any involvement.
“As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt,” Gulen said in the coup’s aftermath.
In the ensuing crackdown, around 150,000 public sector workers were suspended or dismissed and 77,000 people were arrested on accusations of Gulen links.
Gulen’s once-powerful movement, designated a terror group by Ankara, has been systematically dismantled in Turkiye, with hundreds of associated schools, companies and media outlets shut down. In response, Gulen has denounced the “witch hunt” against his followers.
Speaking to Reuters in 2017 from his Pennsylvania compound, he appeared frail but defiant, vowing he had no plans to flee the US to avoid potential extradition.
Despite repeated demands from Ankara, American officials did not initiate proceedings to return the ailing cleric to Turkiye.
Gulen’s death marks the end of an era for a deeply influential and equally divisive figure in modern Turkish history.
His vision of an Islam compatible with science, education and interfaith tolerance attracted a global following, but also potent enemies who accused him of stealthily seeking to infiltrate and subvert the Turkish state.
Those battles, in the end, defined his legacy as much as his religious teachings.
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