We are often told, “Never meet your heroes.” But this advice doesn’t always hold true; it depends on the individual. Some remarkable people, when closely examined, fall short and disappoint. After all, we all have human failings, and no one is perfect.

But in the case of someone like Hocaefendi, or Fethullah Gülen, meeting him face to face, getting to know him on several occasions, and spending two decades meeting volunteers and activists in the Hizmet Movement around the world, I can confidently say he is a hero who stands up to close scrutiny.

It needs to be understood that at this point in history, and this has been going on now for a good decade, Hocaefendi and his Hizmet Movement have been subject to incredible slander and real persecution. People have died in prison and been treated in the most horrible fashion. In one sense, it's a pity that Hocaefendi lived these last 10 years to bear witness to this, because he was clearly a sensitive soul, and this must have broken his heart. On the other hand, his steady, quiet leadership and his demonstration of a commitment to non-violence and to returning hate with love and to serving humanity were borne out by his lifelong service, including these last 10 years.

It's remarkable, with all the persecution and slander, that there has been no return of violence from members of Hizmet. This reflects the incredible character and vision of Hocaefendi, which in turn embodies a rich tradition of Sufi Islamic thought going back more than 1,000 years. If we are to test religious leadership and to attest religious thought, surely the test is in how it's lived out in practice. And surely the biggest test comes under persecution.

I'm very grateful to have known Hocaefendi a little bit. I'm very grateful to know the many volunteers in the Hizmet Movement. As somebody who studies political leadership and politics, social movements, and studies religious thought and religious movements, including religious extremism, I'm as prepared as anyone to be cynical about religious movements. However, I am equally ready to acknowledge when individuals truly embody the principles they preach. When people walk the walk as well as talk the talk, it goes beyond mere conviction—it becomes a source of inspiration. As a Protestant Christian, I can say that my own faith and my aspiration to become a better person, by the grace of God, have been strengthened through my encounters with Hocaefendi and the Hizmet Movement. It's an inspiration to me and a constant reminder of the need to seek to do better and to become less selfish and to work harder to serve humanity.

I'm grateful for the opportunity of having known Hocaefendi. I mourn with his many friends and large global family at his passing. But I'm also grateful for a long life of service, a life filled with much sickness and being forced into exile, suffering persecution, but using that opportunity as a witness, an opportunity to bear witness to a love for humanity and a love for service. It's a privilege to have been able to witness this.