I met Hocaefendi in person only once, and the dua (prayer) that he made for us remains a most treasured gift. Instead, I came to know him through the hizmet community. Attending their sohbets (reading circles), learning about the Risale-i Nur with its rational approach and powerful metaphors for understanding faith and the nature of Allah swt, I grew in faith. Traveling, working with them, and witnessing their service changed me. Their perfected adab (manners), filled with sincerity and concern for others, opened up a side of myself that laid dormant, buried under the layers of growing up in a Western society that prized concern for oneself and material striving above any sacred journey. It says in The Bible, “by their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16). Judged from that perspective, Fethullah Gülen must surely be considered one of the most successful men of our times.

It was 2007 when I first met with people of hizmet (people of service), although I didn’t know of their common spiritual heritage at that time. I simply attended sohbets hosted by Turkish sisters, which, unfortunately for me, were in Turkish. Still the warmth of their company and hospitality kept me returning and hoping to learn more.

Then with Ramadan of 2008 approaching, one local organization offered a few converts the opportunity to travel to Turkey so that we could experience Ramadan in an Islamic country. There, I had my true introduction to hizmet.

I felt like I had hit gold. In my eight years since taking my shahada, I had been searching for a community that resonated with me, where I felt I could belong. Hizmet blended service with religiosity and spirituality—a continual struggle to improve oneself to draw closer to the Creator. This approach echoed my upbringing in my Catholic family-of-origin. After that life-changing trip, I wanted nothing more than to serve alongside them. It wasn’t easy, as they didn’t quite know what to do with me—an outsider by nationality, language, and gender, but I persisted, and they eventually started giving me various tasks and ways to serve.

In 2015, the decision was made to offer an English version of Hocaefendi’s sermons. I had the privilege to be a small part of that process for the very first videos. I edited the translation and along with a few other converts, we debated how we wanted them to be—namely, voice-over or subtitles. We unanimously settled on subtitles, as we didn’t want to miss the experience of hearing Hocaefendi’s voice, emotions, and pacing. Alone in my office, editing those sermons, I felt myself transported, stepping into a stream of light and goodness.

Although some might describe Hocaefendi as “old-fashioned,” there’s no doubt, but that he was a man of the times in which he lived. He encouraged the community to read their time well. Yet, he was deeply connected to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). And through his speeches, he reached back in time and brought the Prophet and his companions to us today.

I recently reread those sermons from so long ago. He advised those dedicated to service to “Constantly feel like you are newly born. Feel like Allah has just sent down His message to you. Imagine that this revelation descending from the heavens is entirely new and vivid. See the new wisdom that this book unveils to you today as a deeper, more profound insight than you understood yesterday.”

In conveying the stories of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions in a way that made them alive and relevant to our struggles today, he inspired noble volunteers throughout the world towards constant striving. It is through their sincerity, that others, like me, found our humanity. Gülen constantly reminded his followers to strive for Insān-i Kāmil, to strive to become the ideal human.

We need the ideal human today more than ever.

Humanity, this is what Hocaefendi constantly called us to—to be more fully human. We need an understanding of what this means in our world more than ever today. People present sanitized versions of themselves on social media, while AI and algorithms threaten to distort the truth and our understanding of the world. The great powers of the world act more like Empires seeking wealth and domination, rather than serving as beacons of light.

In these trying times, I leave you with this recommendation from our beloved Hocaefendi,

Renew your ship every day when you wake up in the morning. … As if you are renewing your vows, as if you are revising everything once again, say to yourself, “What should I do to feel everything as fresh as the first time when I felt them…like the dew on the rose petals sent from heaven, showering me with gorgeous smiles?”