Quarterly Journal of Political
Research in Islamic World

Given the importance of human rights in today's world, a significant concern for Muslim societies is how to address this issue while preserving Islamic values. In this regard, various theoretical reflections have been made by Muslim thinkers. One such thinker is Fethullah Gülen, the leader of the "Hizmet Movement" in Turkey, known for his moderate approach and middle-ground interpretation of Islam. Since modernist and orthodox Islamic perspectives have taken extreme paths in dealing with universal human rights values, adopting a moderate approach in this area is of paramount importance. Therefore, the question addressed in this article is: what is the status of human rights in Gülen's thought system, and what challenges does it entail? Using the method of thematic analysis and adopting a critical discourse approach, an attempt has been made to explore his works and find a suitable answer to this question. The findings indicate that Gülen, by combining Islamic teachings, mystical philosophy, and modern ideas, presents a unique interpretation of human rights that is consistent with universal values and, at the same time, based on religious principles. However, the findings suggest that Gülen's ideas have faced challenges such as accusations of alignment with Western liberal values, the lack of a coherent executive framework for the practical realization of these views at the governmental level, and the widespread suppression of the Hizmet Movement after the 2016 coup in Turkey. Nevertheless, this research concludes that despite all these challenges and limitations, Gülen's human rights discourse can serve as a model for the connection between Islam, democracy, and human rights in Muslim societies.