My latest in PJ Media: If you’re concerned about the implications for the geopolitical scene, as well as for the Church, of the conversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque, relax: in a piece by the prominent Turkish moderate Muslim Mustafa Akyol, the New York Times is here to tell you that what’s happening is […]
Bruce Bawer: Mustafa Akyol, the New York Times’s Islamic Flimflam Man
Here is a superb takedown by Bruce Bawer of the Islamic “moderate” Mustafa Akyol, whose disingenuousness we have exposed here at Jihad Watch many times. “The New York Times’s Islamic Flimflam Man,” by Bruce Bawer, PJ Media, February 21, 2019: On February 18, in keeping with its apparent goal of remaining America’s most reliable source […]
Hugh Fitzgerald: “Islamic Modernist” Mustafa Akyol Betrays More of His Worldview Than He Likely Intended (Part 4)
Whereas the West views many Middle Eastern countries as medieval, Akyol said, Middle Eastern countries view the West as exploitative and hypocritical. He said the best way for Western countries to promote secularization in Middle Eastern countries is to remain principled and set an example through their actions. The West does not think of Middle […]
Hugh Fitzgerald: “Islamic Modernist” Mustafa Akyol Betrays More of His Worldview Than He Likely Intended (Part 3)
Akyol paints a picture of progress, steady but very slow, in encouraging change in Islam. But in fact, there has been backsliding in the very place where a secular Muslim society had been taken the farthest: Kemalist Turkey. Erdogan turns out to be the anti-Ataturk, he and his aides appearing proudly with their hijabbed wives […]
Hugh Fitzgerald: “Islamic Modernist” Mustafa Akyol Betrays More of His Worldview Than He Likely Intended (Part 2)
Since this point in history, however, Akyol said the Islamic world has begun to fall behind in the development of human rights. The implication here is that the Islamic world was at one time equal to, or perhaps even superior to, the West in its recognition of human rights. When was this ever the case? […]
Hugh Fitzgerald: “Islamic Modernist” Mustafa Akyol Betrays More of His Worldview Than He Likely Intended (Part 1)
The instructive and revealing piece was published about ten weeks ago, but with Mustafa Akyol again spreading his deceptions around Christmastime, it is worth recalling: “Lecture explores religious freedom in Islam,” by Thomas Murphy, The Observer, October 24, 2018: Mustafa Akyol, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity and […]
Islamic “reformer”: “Islamic orthodoxy deviated from its foundations by abrogating the peaceful verses of the Quran”
Juan Cole’s book about Muhammad is a work of fantasy. “Cole offers an ambitiously revisionist picture of the father of Islam, replacing the idea of a militant leader with one of a peacemaker who wanted only to preach his monotheism freely and even sought ‘multicultural’ harmony.” Great, except Muhammad wasn’t really a seeker after “multicultural” […]
Christianity Today touts ancient forged document as basis for “Muslim-Christian peace today”
Christianity Today has been taken in by sharpies who aren’t telling it the truth. Mark Durie is right: the document that this story is primarily about is “pious propaganda.” The ancient covenant Muhammad supposedly made with Christians, known as the Achtiname, is indeed supposed to have been written by Muhammad around 628 to the monks […]
New York Times claims that “True Islam Does Not Kill Blasphemers”
This is the second Islamic apologetics article that the New York Times has published in as many days (here’s my takedown of the other one). When did the Times sign up to be the media arm of the Muslim World League? In any case, here is a quick test of whether what Mustafa Akyol says […]
Mustafa Akyol: The Great Pretender as Reformer
Mustafa Akyol is a Turkish journalist and lecturer on Islam who presents himself as both a loyal Believer and as a determined Reformer, one whose understanding of the true Islam, if only it were to find favor among 1.5 billion Muslims, would allow the Faithful to slough off the unpleasant aspects of Islam, in Akyol’s […]