Prof. Richard Webb is a Professor and Dean Emeritus of the College of Arts and Humanities at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He received the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Musicology from University of Cincinnati. He is the Organ Principal of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. He has performed solo concerts and appeared as guest artist with orchestras throughout the United States, England and Spain.

“Hizmet’s charity activities impressed me and and my wife to an astonishing degree when we first went to Turkey, and committed us to many ways of participating and giving back once we returned to the United States.”

“Kimse yok mu means, “is there anyone there?” That’s a question that I can’t even say without it bringing tears to my eyes, because one can picture any situation of need and the need not being fulfilled, and someone looking at you with great pity, seeking your help and saying, “is anybody there to help me?” Well, yes, there are thousands, and how can they be mobilized? They can be mobilized on a perpetual basis if they are inspired from within and connected from without. That’s what the Movement has done.”

“It is a transparent, open, giving, loving force, which in any way has been looked at many times. Journalists have been given every opportunity to study it. Sociologists have studied it. There are many excellent books to which one can refer. Journal articles, television programs that can be accessed, where extensive studies have been done of Hizmet, to verify that, again, its decentralized aspects, with such a vast participation and such a great preponderance of the charity going directly from individuals and small groups to the need right in front of the hands, looking into the face that has said, “is anybody there?” and coming directly forward to do it.”