Muhammed Fethullah Gulen Hocaefendi (Turkish: [fetul'lah jy'len] - the honorific Hoca Efendi, used among followers, translates to "respected teacher"); born 27 April 1941 is a Turkish preacher, former imam, writer, and political figure. He is the founder of the Gulen movement (known as Hizmet meaning service in Turkish), which is 3 to 6 million strong in Turkey and has an empire of affiliated banks, media, construction companies, and schools, especially those providing primary and secondary education, in Turkey (in which business entities and foundations have been closed down by the Turkish government by the thousands in 2017) and in Africa, Central Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Hizmet's most populous organization is a moderate Islamic advocacy group, Alliance for Shared Values.
1970s, 1980s, and 1990s
During the political violence in Turkey between the right and left in the 1970s, Gulen "invited people to practice tolerance and forgiveness." Following the 1980 military d'etat, in which the military targeted communists, Gulen gave his "explicit assent" to the coup, saying:  I want to also add that the architects of the coup also took some positive administrative decisions. They shook society to renew itself once again. They defeated the Communist movement which recruited some misguided youth who wanted Turkey to be under Soviet influence. They intentionally or unintentionally prevented our country from entering into quagmire and into a long bloody struggle. Moreover, they gave opportunities to some decent children of our homeland to serve our nation.  Following the political violence of the preceding years, Gulen expected that the coup would reestablish stability and lead to a subsequent restoration of democracy. Gulen's assent to the coup later prompted criticism from Turkish liberals.  Despite Gulen's support for the coup, the military authorities issued an arrest warrant against him, which was revoked by a "state security court" in 1986.  In the 1980s and 1990s under Turgut Ozal, Gulen and his movement benefited from social and political reforms, managing "to turn his traditional and geographically confined faith movement into a nationwide educational and cultural phenomenon" that "attempted to bring 'religious' perspectives into the public sphere on social and cultural issues." The growth of the Gulen movement sparked opposition from both Kemalists, who perceived the movement as threatening to undermine secularism, and from more radical Islamists who viewed the movement as "accommodating" and "pro-American."

Q: How did he gain fame?
A: unknown
What was an early notable event related to him?
During the political violence in Turkey between the right and left in the 1970s, Gulen "invited people to practice tolerance and forgiveness."
During the political violence in Turkey between the right and left in the 1970s, Gulen "invited people to practice tolerance and forgiveness."