Fethullah Gülen’s Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Sri Lanka Explosions
April 21, 2019– I was shocked and deeply saddened by the devastating news of explosions in Sri Lanka that killed more than 200 and left at least 450 wounded. I firmly condemn this horrific attack, which turned a day meant for the celebration of Easter by Christians around the world into bloodshed.
Nobody should have any doubt that these senseless attacks are not aimed at Sri Lankan people or Christians, but at all humanity. They are meant to add another incident to the cycle of violence that target peace, tranquility and solidarity of humanity.
In the wake of this heartbreaking tragedy, we should remember that every human is created with dignity by God and every human life is equally valuable. I hope and pray that this tragic incident urges us to foster dialogue, mutual respect and internalization of our common humanity, and rehabilitate those whose lives are driven by hate. I also hope and pray that humanity can come together to marginalize and eventually root out all totalitarian ideologies that use violence as a weapon.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to families and relatives of the victims and to the people of Sri Lanka and offer my prayers for fast recovery to those who were wounded. I pray to God that people will be able to congregate in places of worship and join in celebration without fear of being targeted, and this tragic incident becomes a distant memory in the pages of history without being repeated.
About Fethullah Gülen
Fethullah Gülen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate, whose decades-long commitment to education, interfaith dialogue and altruism has inspired millions in Turkey and around the world. Gülen is the honorary chairman of the Rumi Forum, Washington, DC and the Intercultural Dialogue Platform, Brussels, Belgium.
About Alliance for Shared Values
The Alliance for Shared Values (AFSV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as a voice for cultural organizations affiliated with Hizmet, a civil society movement inspired by prominent preacher and peace advocate Fethullah Gülen. The Alliance strives to promote peace and social harmony by helping reduce misinformation and false stereotypes about any or all ethnic, cultural and religious communities. To learn more about the Alliance, please visit www.afsv.org.
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