Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Seeds of Arab Spring sown in Islam's past, author says
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Follow Reuters
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
YouTube
Read
Los Angeles braces for weekend of "Carmageddon"
9:59am EDT
Pentagon to treat cyberspace as operational domain
2:07pm EDT
Apple pays S.Korean user compensation over iPhone tracking
5:48am EDT
Obama walks out of tense US debt meeting - aide
13 Jul 2011
Bernanke: Cutting too much too soon could hurt U.S.
|
4:05pm EDT
Discussed
119
Obama, lawmakers meet for 75 minutes on debt impasse
100
Obama and lawmakers regroup to seek debt deal
98
WRAPUP 1-Taxes still a stumbling block in U.S. debt talks
Watched
Circus magic transforms sand
Wed, Jul 13 2011
Hefner's revenge; Ryan Reynolds stops traffic
Fri, Jun 17 2011
A Tokyo-Paris flight in under three hours on the horizon
Fri, Jun 24 2011
Seeds of Arab Spring sown in Islam's past, author says
Tweet
Share this
Email
Print
Related News
Syrian military kills four in renewed assaults
Wed, Jul 13 2011
High-spending Arab tourists flock to Turkey
Wed, Jul 6 2011
Syrian forces shoot dead 14 in Hama: activists
Tue, Jul 5 2011
Gaddafi can stay in Libya if he quits: rebel chief
Sun, Jul 3 2011
Tunisians take pride in 'Arab spring' slogans, humour
Fri, Jul 1 2011
Analysis & Opinion
Russian Muslims ask Moscow to lobby Saudis for increased haj quota to Mecca
Hizb ut-Tahrir urges Pakistanis to take to the streets for Islamic rule
Related Topics
Entertainment »
Fashion »
Arts »
Writer Mustafa Akyol speaks during the Council on Foreign Relations 'Religion and the Open Society' Symposium In New York March 25, 2008 in this publicity photo released to Reuters July 13, 2011. Akyol's new book, ''Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty,'' which is being released in the United States on July 18, aims to tell people that there is a long history of freedom in the Islamic world.
Credit: Reuters/Don Pollard/Council on Foreign Relations/Handout
By Andrea Burzynski
NEW YORK |
Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:31pm EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eight year-old Mustafa Akyol was looking at a book in his grandfather's library when he saw something that shocked him: a passage advising parents to beat impious children.
Now, Akyol is a journalist in Turkey, and he hopes the Arab Spring shows a different side of Islam: one where there is no conflict between Islam and political freedom.
His new book, "Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty," which is being released in the United States on July 18, aims to tell people that there is a long history of freedom in the Islamic world.
"The fact that so many Arab countries have been run by dictators fostered the myth that it's the only type of government that those countries can produce," Akyol told Reuters. "The current uprisings are showing that this is wrong."
With news of the Middle East dominated by suicide bombers, violence and despotic leaders, Akyol worries that it's easy to get the wrong idea about his religion.
In his book, he argues that Islam has a rich history of supporting freedom and tolerance. Harkening back to a time when Muslims were more open than European Christians, he highlights many examples of progressive thought from Islamic history.
Recounting a record of religious tolerance under Muslim rule, Akyol traces this tradition to the time of the Prophet. In 7th century Medina, for instance, Jews were allowed to openly practice their religion with the protection of their Muslim rulers.
People in Syria, Yemen and other countries who are campaigning for democracy today, can look to history for inspiration, Akyol said. He offers up the notion that the governmental ideas of one respected 10th century Muslim thinker, Al-Farabi, sound almost identical to modern democracy.
IMAGE MAKEOVER
Akyol offers Turkey -- his home country -- as proof that democracy can thrive in the Muslim world.
The nation made a peaceful transition to multi-party democracy in the 1950s, and Akyol believes that Turkey can inspire Muslims around the world.
The author argues that the recipe for Turkey's success is a liberal economy tempered by Muslim values.
"The government here openly values Muslim tradition," he said. "Economic progress is also important. It was the engine of change in Turkey."
The Islamic religion may not have been the driving force behind the recent Arab uprisings, but many onlookers remain curious about the role it may play.
Akyol hopes that old-school ideas about Islam won't hold up in the face of democratic trends that are rapidly moving through the region.
"For a long time, democracy was flatly rejected by many Muslim intellectuals, but that is changing," he said. "Now there's more understanding that democracy can be consistent with Islamic values as well."
The publication of Akyol's Islamic endorsement of democracy is well-timed with the still unsettled government in Egypt, the war raging in Libya, fighting in Yemen and unrest in Syria. Western nations remain concerned that religious radicals could hijack the Arab Spring, but Akyol makes a case for a brand of Islam that is less menacing.
"With this book, I want to give ammunition to liberal Muslims around the world to argue for an Islam that supports individual freedom instead of totalitarianism," he said.
Entertainment
Fashion
Arts
Tweet this
Link this
Share this
Digg this
Email
Reprints
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on reuters.com.
Add yours using the box above.
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Friday, 15 July 2011 Gold prices soar on U.S. debt default worries
South Sudan admitted to U.N. as 193rd member
|
First time jobless claims down slightly to 405,000
Blockbuster offers special deal to unhappy Netflix customers
Shaq is back: "The Big Analyst" joins TNT as NBA analyst
Number of American juveniles in custody falls
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 breaks midnight pre-sale records
Jason Belmonte snares ESPY award as "Best Bowler"
Kidnapped Estonians in Lebanon freed
"Glee" creator says Lea Michele, Cory Monteith won't be back after third season
Gold prices soar on U.S. debt default worries
Mexican soldiers find record marijuana plantation
|
Analysis: Press barons lose information monopoly in Twitter era
|
Blockbuster targets disgruntled Netflix customers
|
Connecticut AG questions Groupon coupons
|
A former baseball star looks to ace video games
|
Young plus skinny = hot? Think again, say Emmy voters
|
Potter fans hope to keep magic alive after movie
|
Harry Potter whips up early magic at box offices
|
Man arrested for second Letterman theater break-in
|
On-screen smoking in youth movies sharply declines
|
Seeds of Arab Spring sown in Islam's past, author says
|
India PM vows to bring Mumbai bombers to justice
|
As U.S. wars wind down, drones gain new prominence
|
Crackdown escalates in east Syria, protesters killed
|
Libya rebels regroup but battle exposes weakness
|
Twenty Turkish soldiers, Kurdish rebels killed in clash
|
Pakistan spy chief visit to U.S. went very well
|
Tito Ortiz goes from nearly cut from UFC to main event of UFC 133
Venezuela's Chavez to get cancer treatment in Brazil
|
South Sudan admitted to U.N. as 193rd member
|
Changes to be introduced to Manhattan Beach volleyball event
India Table Tennis still without coach after Anders Johanssons change of heart
In Ahmadis' desert city, Pakistan closes in
|
David Ferrer into Bastad quarters; Vinci ousted in Palermo
Log jam at top of the leaderboard at Viking Classic
Rosenhaus wants Harrison suspended after lockout
Pentagon to use offense against cyberattackers
Alberto Contador loses ground in Stage 12 of Tour, lands eighth behind winner Sanchez
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, Orioles reliever Gregg suspended four games
Tale of two Toms: Watson meets namesake Lewis, who shares Open lead
Exclusive: TSMC to make Apple chips on trial
|
Sony Ericsson makes surprise quarterly loss, hit by Japan
|
Oracle wants to question Google's Larry Page
|
Cyber theft illustrates Pentagon security challenge
|
Groupon adds 11 underwriters, new risk warning
|
Mad Men, Modern Family to defend Emmy wins
|
Drew Peterson demands halt to TV movie on murder case
|
U.S. drawdown begins in Afghanistan
|
Syrians mount biggest protests so far, 20 killed
|
Mullah Omar, headscarves and bizarre Afghan peace talks
|
World's biggest diamond hub suffers hit in Mumbai blasts
|
Egyptians extend protest, say army not doing enough
|
Drake cancels concert due to death in the family
Debt crisis taxes cozy Greek Church-state ties
|
US recognizes Libyan rebel council as official governing body
U.S. turns Saddam's half-brothers over to Iraq
|
In Ahmadis's desert city, Pakistan closes in
|
Chris Colfer learns he's leaving 'Glee' via Twitter
Cocaine-filled sub seized off Honduran coast
Kampala accord approval by Somali parliament cheers UN envoy
Volkswagon sells record 4 million cars worldwide during first half of year
Mogadishu hospitals running out of medicine
Bret Michaels cancels 'Super Cruise' with fans
Three brothers arrested for killing mom over Yahtzee
Edwards trial on campaign finance charges set for October
Two appear in court over alleged Joss Stone plot
|
Son of Pink Floyd guitarist jailed for fees riot
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights