Theological Communication, and the Ethics of Encounter: A Comparative Study of Interfaith Dialogue in Fethullah Gülen and Ismail Raji al-Faruqi

This paper presents a comparative study of interfaith dialogue in the thought of Ismail Raji al-Faruqi and Fethullah Gülen, two leading Muslim intellectuals who shaped contemporary approaches to religious encounter. The main objective is to analyze their theological and philosophical foundations, epistemological approaches, and ethical-institutional expressions, highlighting both convergences and divergences. The study employs a qualitative comparative methodology, combining textual analysis of primary works—such as al-Faruqi’s Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life and Gülen’s Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance—with interpretive analysis of secondary literature to situate their ideas within broader intellectual and socio-political contexts. The findings reveal that both thinkers ground dialogue in tawhid (the oneness of God) but operationalize it differently: al-Faruqi advances a rational-universalist, civilizational framework emphasizing scholarly rigor, comparative religion, and policy engagement, while Gülen promotes a relational-ethical model focused on compassion, service (hizmet), and grassroots communal initiatives. Al-Faruqi’s dialogue is conceptual and systematic, offering structural clarity, whereas Gülen’s is experiential and affective, fostering trust and coexistence through lived practice. The study concludes that these approaches, though distinct, are complementary: al-Faruqi provides intellectual and civilizational frameworks, while Gülen contributes relational warmth and practical service. Together, they exemplify how Islamic thought can construct an ethics of encounter that balances academic rigor with lived compassion, offering valuable guidance for interfaith engagement in pluralistic societies.