Mustafa Akyol TED talk on modernizing Islam

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Mustafa Akyol TED talk on modernizing Islam

Once again, here is an extremely interesting talk by Mustafa Akyol. I found his comments to be encouraging from several angles--mostly because it appears his vision of Islam is growing within the Muslim world.

It's also interesting to note his view of Turkey as opposed to the rest of the Middle Eastern Muslim world.

Mustafa Akyol: Faith versus tradition in Islam

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I hold the position that if you want to change a culture, you have to get to the leaders within that culture. They are the ones who have to do it. You just can't do it from the outside.

When you see a popular Muslim intellectual talking so clearly about separating tradition from faith, you know other important Muslims are reading him. They are the ones who have to be reached and he is reaching them. May there be more. The masses will follow once Akyol's kind of ideas become mainstream among them.

Michael

[BaalChatzaf]

When you see a popular Muslim intellectual talking so clearly about separating tradition from faith, you know other important Muslims are reading him. They are the ones who have to be reached and he is reaching them. May there be more. The masses will follow once Akyol's kind of ideas become mainstream among them.

Michael

Don't hold your breath until then. You might turn blue and die.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Richard Wiig]

Once again, here is an extremely interesting talk by Mustafa Akyol. I found his comments to be encouraging from several angles--mostly because it appears his vision of Islam is growing within the Muslim world.

Do you have any actual evidence for that?

It's also interesting to note his view of Turkey as opposed to the rest of the Middle Eastern Muslim world.

Once again, what gives his opinion on Turkey any substance? I see a Turkey that has become politically closer to the Iranian regime and become increasingly hostile to Israel. Those are two facts, and there are many more, that are contrary to his view.

I hold the position that if you want to change a culture, you have to get to the leaders within that culture. They are the ones who have to do it. You just can't do it from the outside.

The leaders in the Islamic world are the Clerics and Imams. What evidence is there that the clerics and imams are adopting Mr Akyol's views? How much standing does Mr Akyol actually have in the Islamic world? Do you know?

When you see a popular Muslim intellectual talking so clearly about separating tradition from faith, you know other important Muslims are reading him. They are the ones who have to be reached and he is reaching them. May there be more. The masses will follow once Akyol's kind of ideas become mainstream among them.

Michael

Reading him is one thing, agreeing with him is another. It would be nice to know if the most respected Islamic scholars actually agree with Mr Akyol before getting too optimistic about it. Personally I think Mr Akyol walks hand in hand with Noam Chomsky.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

In compensation, the video below is the real enemy in Islam. You want to see a contrast about as big as it gets? Watch the video in the opening post, then immediately watch the one below.

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KsbP93S6KBM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Islam haters would have people not see the difference between Mustafa Akyol and Rafiah. The subtext of their message of hatred is that this is all the same thing.

Well it isn't.

I have eyes and ears to use for my own observations. I don't close these magnificent organs of the human body to everything but their hatred and biased opinions.

That's how I use my organs. The reader can freely choose how to use his or hers.

Michael