The recent news from Afghanistan, where the Taliban seized power
once again to rule in the name of God, brings to mind a broader
trouble: Islam, the second-largest religion in the world, has some
harsh interpretations that defy human freedom--by imposing
religious practices, discriminating against women or minorities, or
executing "apostates" or "blasphemers. In Why, as a Muslim, I
Defend Liberty, Cato Institute senior fellow Mustafa Akyol offers a
bold critique of this trouble by frankly acknowledging its roots in
the religious tradition, while also presenting counterarguments.
Akyol argues that liberty is compatible with Islam if it is
understood as a voluntary faith and not a coercive system, as many
Muslims already see it. However, other Muslims understand Islam,
indeed, as a coercive system that sees no difference between what
is religiously right and legally enforceable. Moreover, these
coercive Muslims' beliefs are not groundless: they rely on
traditional interpretations of the Sharia (Islamic law). Yet the
two fundamental sources of the Sharia--the Quran and the Prophetic
example--also include seeds of freedom, Akyol argues. He explores
little-noticed grounds for human rights, toleration and rule of law
in the Quran, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and the complex
history of the Islamic civilization. It is past time, he argues, to
grow those seeds into maturity and to reinterpret Islamic law and
politics under the Quranic maxim, "No compulsion in religion."In
short chapters, Akyol digs into big questions: Why do Muslims need
to reform the Sharia? Is there something to revive in the Sharia?
Should Muslims really glorify conquest and supremacy, or instead,
believe in the social contract? Is capitalism really alien to
Islam, which has a rich heritage of free markets and civil society?
Finally, he addresses a suspicion common among Muslims today: What
if liberty is a mere cover used by Western powers to advance their
imperialist schemes?With personal stories, historical anecdotes,
and theological insights, this is the little big book on the
intersection of Islam and liberty.
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