Live Online Book Forum 

# *Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance*

### (St. Martin’s Publishing Group, April 2021) 

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Date and Time 

April 13, 2021 11 AM - 12 PM EDT 

Location 

Live Online 

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##### Featuring 

[![Mustafa Akyol Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-11/akyol-cropped-new.jpg?itok=VLgHg13I)](/people/mustafa-akyol) 

[Mustafa Akyol](/people/mustafa-akyol)

Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

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](https://x.com/AkyolinEnglish) [ 

](mailto:makyol@cato.org) 

![Jack Miles](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-04/Jack-Miles-cropped.jpg?itok=c05CZwYJ) 

Jack Miles 

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English and Religious Studies, University of California, Irvine

[![Ian Vásquez](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Ian%20Vasquez.jpg?itok=yBS_mzpm)](/people/ian-vasquez) 

[Ian Vásquez](/people/ian-vasquez)

Vice President for International Studies, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/vasquezian) [ 

](mailto:ivasquez@cato.org) 

In his new book, Mustafa Akyol diagnoses “the crisis of Islam” in the modern world and offers an authentic way forward. Diving deeply into Islamic theology, and sharing lessons from his own life, Akyol reveals how Muslims lost the universalism that made them a great civilization in their earlier centuries. He especially demonstrates how values often associated with Western Enlightenment—freedom, reason, tolerance, and an appreciation of science—had Islamic counterparts, which sadly were cast aside in favor of more dogmatic views, often for political ends.

Join us to hear Akyol discuss the leading themes in his book, with commentary by Jack Miles, a professor, a Pulitzer Prize–winning author, and one of the country’s most prominent voices on religion.

## Additional Resources

- [The Muslims Who Inspired Spinoza, Locke and Defoe](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/opinion/enlightenment-islam-robinson-crusoe.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage) by Mustafa Akyol
- *[Reopening Muslim Minds ](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/documents/Reopening-Muslim-Minds-St-Martins-Flyer.pdf)*[Flyer](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/documents/Reopening-Muslim-Minds-St-Martins-Flyer.pdf) by Mustafa Akyol
- [It Is Time To Revive The Islamic Enlightenment](https://www.cato.org/blog/it-time-islamic-enlightenment) by Mustafa Akyol

![rmm-cover.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/promo_block_book_cover_1x/public/2021-04/rmm-cover.jpg?itok=ILj5X_Lr) 

##### Featured Book 

### *[Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance](https://www.amazon.com/Reopening-Muslim-Minds-Freedom-Tolerance/dp/1250256062?tag=catoinstitute-20)*

Elucidating complex ideas with engaging prose and storytelling, *Reopening Muslim Minds* borrows lost visions from medieval Muslim thinkers such as Ibn Rushd (aka Averroes) to offer a new Muslim worldview on a range of sensitive issues: human rights, equality for women, freedom of religion, or freedom from religion. While frankly acknowledging the problems in the world of Islam today, author Mustafa Akyol offers a clear and hopeful vision for its future.

[Purchase Book](https://www.amazon.com/Reopening-Muslim-Minds-Freedom-Tolerance/dp/1250256062?tag=catoinstitute-20) 

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