Islam and Liberty Podcast

"Between Texts and Freedom: Where Islamic Thought Meets the Modern Idea of Liberty" is a podcast series that seeks to re-engage contemporary audiences with Islamic philosophy and to reposition its rich intellectual tradition in addressing today’s concerns. It aims to explore the concept of freedom in Islamic thought in comparison with modern political understandings of liberty.

The April episode “Who Owns the Self? Islam, Obedience, and Liberty” features the host Souad Adnane, a researcher with a PhD in Public Policy from George Washington University and a longstanding interest in Islamic thought. She is a founding member of the classical liberal think tank, Arab Center for Research, Morocco, and a former board member of the Islam and Liberty Network. Souad is also an economic development specialist with over 15 years of experience across the MENA region, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia, providing advisory support to governments and international organizations. 

The guest, 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 is the author of books such as The Islamic Moses: How the Prophet Inspired Jews and Muslims to Flourish Together and Change the World (2024), Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance (2021), Why, as a Muslim, I Defend Liberty (2021), The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims (2017), and Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty (2011), all of which have been translated into various languages.

The Thinking Muslim, a popular podcast, defined Akyol as “probably the most notable Muslim modernist and reformer.” In July 2021, the UK magazine Prospect listed him among “The World’s Top 50 Thinkers.”

In addition to his work at Cato, Akyol is a senior lecturer at the Islamic Civilization and Societies program at Boston College and the director of the Islam and the Muslim World course at the Foreign Service Institute.

Subscribe to ILN's Substack: https://blog.islamandlibertynetwork.org/

Welcome to the first episode of the Edraak Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Ali Salman and Noor Netusha Nusaybah introduce the Edraak series and the thinking behind its expansion into Edraak Weekly and Edraak Monthly.

The conversation unpacks Edraak’s core vision: developing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the Muslim world by moving beyond conflict-centric and security-focused narratives. The hosts explain the structure of Edraak Weekly, which tracks key developments across four zones of the Muslim world, and Edraak Monthly, which will feature long-form analysis, podcasts, and book reviews.

This episode also situates Edraak within the broader mission of the Islam and Liberty Network, focused on advancing informed conversations around religious, economic, and political freedoms in Muslim societies.

Subscribe to ILN's Substack: https://blog.islamandlibertynetwork.org/

How do students in Moroccan Madrasas achieve Arabic fluency in just a few years, without the use of modern tools?
Dr. Mohamed Bufaris, Associate Professor and Imam at Zaytuna College, explains the powerful teaching methods employed in traditional Madrasas, such as Madrasa Igleh. In this rich conversation moderated by Badr Tachouche, discover how holistic learning, close teacher-student bonds, and deep immersion in Arabic poetry and grammar foster both linguistic mastery and intellectual independence.

This discussion explores how Madrasas balance tradition and modern needs, the significance of Arabic in understanding Islamic texts, and how these centuries-old institutions are adapting to contemporary challenges without compromising their core values.

🔹 Highlights:

Arabic instruction for non-native speakers

The role of the “Sheikh” in holistic education

Poetry and memorization in Arabic mastery

Madrasas as community and spiritual centers

Educational relevance in today’s world

📌 Keywords: Madrasa education, Arabic fluency, traditional Islamic learning, Zaytuna College, Mohamed Bufaris, Islamic pedagogy, Arabic language instruction

#Madrasa #ArabicLearning #IslamicEducation #TraditionalLearning #ZaytunaCollege #DrMohamedBufaris #MoroccoMadrasas #ArabicForBeginners

Dr. Mustafa Radji, a senior professor from the University of Mustaganum in Algeria, delivered a webinar presentation on the role of Sufi endowments in Algerian civil society, discussing their historical significance and potential for addressing contemporary challenges. The presentation explored how waqf (Islamic endowments) systems can support social welfare, particularly for women and refugees, while highlighting the need for legal reforms to empower Sufi institutions in North Africa. Despite facing various challenges in establishing the Hayek Institute of Economic Thinking in Algeria, Dr. Radji continues to work with civil society and Sufi organizations to promote economic freedom and civil society development rooted in Islamic tradition.

Is religious conversion an ultimate expression of free choice? How does embracing Islam in secular society reshape one's sense of identity and freedom?

Join us as Dr. Václava Tlili explores the complex journey of Czech converts to Islam, framing religious conversion not as a single moment but as a gradual process shaped by personal experience and existential searching. Discover how individuals navigate between societal expectations and their inner quest for authenticity and spiritual meaning in a country with little historical connection to Islam.

Speaker: Dr. Václava Tlili, Cultural Anthropologist specializing in Islamic religious expressions, affiliated with Department of Middle Eastern Studies, Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
Discussant: Noor Netusha Nusaybah, Program Manager at ILN
Moderator: Dr. Ali Salman, CEO at ILN

You can also watch the full webinar recording here.

 

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Thank you for listening to our podcast and see you in the next one!

This is part of the Edraak series, an initiative by the Islam and Liberty Network Foundation (ILNF) designed to deepen our understanding of liberty and its various manifestations in theoretical, legal, and social contexts.