201. Islam, Christ, and Liberty | Mustafa Akyol

5 snips

Nov 8, 2021

Mustafa Akyol, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, delves into the deep connections between Islam and Christianity. He discusses the vital role of the Virgin Mary in both faiths and explores how religious interpretations can influence civil liberties. The conversation touches on the importance of church-state separation, the dynamics of belief in governance, and the need for modern reinterpretations of Islamic texts to support coexistence. Akyol also highlights the complexities surrounding women's rights in Islam, advocating for a balance between tradition and contemporary values.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Separation of Church and State

The statement "Render unto God what is God's and unto Caesar what is Caesar's" had a profound impact on Western history.
It allowed for the separation of political processes from theological influence, fostering independent political systems.

INSIGHT

Reinterpreting Scripture

For centuries, Christians didn't interpret "render unto Caesar" as justification for secularism.
It was used to defend divine rights of kings until reinterpreted to support separate authorities.

INSIGHT

Islamic Modernism and Religious Freedom

Islamic modernism advocates for reinterpreting Quranic verses, like "there is no compulsion in religion," to promote religious freedom.
Akyol's book was banned in Malaysia for advocating this view.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Reopening Muslim Minds

A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance

Mustafa Akyol

In "Reopening Muslim Minds," Mustafa Akyol advocates for a reinterpretation of Islamic teachings to promote reason, freedom, and tolerance. He challenges traditional interpretations that have led to extremism and oppression, arguing for a more inclusive and progressive understanding of Islam. Akyol emphasizes the importance of religious freedom and the separation of religion and state, advocating for a society where Muslims can practice their faith freely without compromising their rights or the rights of others. The book is a powerful call for reform within the Muslim world, urging a return to the core values of Islam while embracing modern ideals of liberty and justice. Akyol's work is a significant contribution to the ongoing dialogue about Islam and the West.

Islam Without Extremes

A Muslim Case for Liberty

Mustafa Akyol

The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims

Mustafa Akyol

In 'The Islamic Jesus', Mustafa Akyol provides a Muslim viewpoint on Jesus, tracing how he became a prophet in Islam. The book explores the historical and theological connections between early Christianity and Islam, particularly focusing on the similarities between Jewish Christianity and Islamic teachings about Jesus. Akyol discusses how Jesus can serve as a model of piety and moral principles for Muslims today.

Why, As a Muslim, I Defend Liberty

null

Mustafa Akyol

In "Why, As a Muslim, I Defend Liberty," Mustafa Akyol articulates his personal journey and intellectual arguments for defending liberty within an Islamic framework. He connects his faith with his commitment to individual rights and freedoms, demonstrating how a commitment to liberty is not only compatible with Islam but also essential to its true spirit. Akyol challenges the notion that Islam is inherently incompatible with democratic values, offering a compelling case for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. He draws on historical examples and theological arguments to support his position, providing a nuanced and insightful perspective on the relationship between Islam and the West. The book is a powerful testament to the importance of religious tolerance and the pursuit of justice.

This episode was recorded on October 18th, 2021.

Mustafa Akyol joins me to discuss Muslim history and tradition. We touch on subjects like Jesus Christ from a Christian and Muslim perspective, the Virgin Mary's role in the Quran, separation of church and state as an ideology, the dangers of literalism when facing religious texts, and much more.

Mustafa Akyol is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, where he focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. He's contributed as an opinion writer for the New York Times since 2013, covering politics and religion in the Muslim world.

Published by W. W. Norton, his 2011 book, "Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty," presents a strong argument for Islamic liberalism. The book was long-listed for the Lionel Gelber Prize for best nonfiction book. It was also praised by The Financial Times as "a forthright and elegant Muslim defense of freedom." His other books include "Reopening Muslim Minds" and "The Islamic Jesus."

Find Mustafa's most important book, "Reopening Muslim Minds," here

https://amazon.com/Reopening-Muslim-Minds-Freedom-Tolerance

His book "The Islamic Jesus," discussed in this episode, is at

https://amazon.com/Islamic-Jesus-Became-Prophet-Muslims

Find a free PDF of his book "Why, As a Muslim, I Defend Liberty" at

https://libertarianism.org/books/why-muslim-i-defend-liberty

Or visit his page at the Cato Institute:

https://cato.org/people/mustafa-akyol

_____

[00:00] Introduction

[02:47] Regarding the separation of church and state, what do Christians and Muslims have in common?

[10:36] What are some similarities between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?

[11:05] "I see the world's history, and I see a Judeo-Christian/Islamic history because it's all Abrahamic monotheism starting at Judaism." Mustafa Akyol

[11:46] What the Three Abrahamic religions have in common—monotheism, rooting in the same tradition; and strange insistence on a book as the bedrock of culture

[12:45] Unique ideas of religious and societal tolerance through different ages in history

[21:10] The connection Jesus and Islam

[28:45] What is the totalitarian impulse?

[29:30] "I think it is an understatement of the severity of the totalitarian problem to attribute it merely to the religious." - Jordan Peterson

[31:27] Critiquing the inevitable flaws of the purely secular state. The benefits of a higher law on the unification of people and not deifying human rulers

[34:59] "There is another value in Sharia law—[it] was separate from the rulers, even above the rulers." - Mustafa Akyol

[39:35] Briefly touching on the ruling class in Saudi Arabia. A brief history of the Wahhabi's rise to power, and how a group of extreme thinkers gained more power than would have been naturally possible

[45:36] Bad Ideas from the West are, in fact, devastating

[48:45] A modern Muslim's take on religion, power, and the birth of Islam with the prophet Muhammad

[55:15] "The whole thorny moral problem of what to do when you are being oppressed is not something let's say as a species we have figured out." - JBP

[01:18:51] "The inherent problem with literalism in interpretation. The perspective of the reader creates so much of the truth in this model that they can then impose on the world around them." - JBP

[01:26:20] Regarding reason and Sharia law, one group has said that Sharia indicates what's inherently right and wrong in the world. Another group, that it only creates that difference through the imposition

[01:27:01] Mary's role in the Quran and Islamic tradition

[01:31:29] The influence of gnostic Christian gospels on Muhammad in Mustafa's opinion. The odd state of the Jewish Christians who were accepted by neither side

[01:35:16] Final questions on Jesus Christ from Christian and Muslim perspectives

[01:43:35] Wrapping up

_____