
Mustafa Akyol is a visiting senior fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College. He is a Turkish journalist and author, studied political science and history at Bogazici University. Since early 2000's, he has been a columnist in national Turkish newspapers. Since fall 2013, he is also a regular contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. He has published six books in Turkish. His 2011 book, “Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty” was published in the United States the W.W. Norton. The book was long-listed for the Lionel Gelber Prize, a literary prize awarded by the University of Toronto for the best nonfiction book in English that seeks to deepen public debate on significant international issues, and praised by The Financial Times as “a forthright and elegant Muslim defense of freedom.” The book has been published also in Turkish, Malay and Indonesian. In Feb 2017, another book by Mr. Akyol, "The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims" was published by St. Martins Press. The book has received praise from the New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, The National Catholic Reporter, and more. Mr. Akyol is also a public speaker who has given hundreds of lectures and talks on numerous platforms, including TED, where he spoke on “Faith vs. Tradition in Islam.” Since Jan 2017, Mr. Akyol is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College, based in Massachusetts, USA.
Mustafa Akyol is a visiting senior fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College. He is a Turkish journalist and author, studied political science and history at Bogazici University. Since early 2000's, he has been a columnist in national Turkish newspapers. Since fall 2013, he is also a regular contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. He has published six books in Turkish. His 2011 book, “Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty” was published in the United States the W.W. Norton. The book was long-listed for the Lionel Gelber Prize, a literary prize awarded by the University of Toronto for the best nonfiction book in English that seeks to deepen public debate on significant international issues, and praised by The Financial Times as “a forthright and elegant Muslim defense of freedom.” The book has been published also in Turkish, Malay and Indonesian. In Feb 2017, another book by Mr. Akyol, "The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims" was published by St. Martins Press. The book has received praise from the New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, The National Catholic Reporter, and more. Mr. Akyol is also a public speaker who has given hundreds of lectures and talks on numerous platforms, including TED, where he spoke on “Faith vs. Tradition in Islam.” Since Jan 2017, Mr. Akyol is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Freedom Project at Wellesley College, based in Massachusetts, USA.
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a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:27:"Debate: Islam and the State";s:12:"thePermalink";s:61:"https://www.islamicity.org/100938/debate-islam-and-the-state/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:16:"Mustafa Akyol+..";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:56:"https://img.youtube.com/vi/m7oPD2jAqdM/maxresdefault.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:5:"video";s:7:"theIcon";s:33:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:43:"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7oPD2jAqdM";s:11:"theCategory";s:39:"Faith & Spirituality|/explore/faith";s:6:"theTag";s:28:"caliphate|/explore/caliphate";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Mar 28 2024";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:39:"March 28, 2024 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:24:"Mustafa Akyol+..|/source";s:5:"theID";i:100938;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:27:"Debate: Islam and the State";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
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a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:75:"Session 2: Democracy vs. Theocracy (Rule of the People vs. the Law of God?)";s:12:"thePermalink";s:104:"https://www.islamicity.org/series/session-2-democracy-vs-theocracy-rule-of-the-people-vs-the-law-of-god/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:14:"Aryeh Cohen+..";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:52:"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HFITzi2c4vc/maxresdefault.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:5:"video";s:7:"theIcon";s:33:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:43:"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFITzi2c4vc";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Americas|/explore/americas";s:6:"theTag";s:28:"democracy|/explore/democracy";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Oct 28 2022";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:41:"November 2, 2022 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:22:"Aryeh Cohen+..|/source";s:5:"theID";i:81755;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:75:"Session 2: Democracy vs. Theocracy (Rule of the People vs. the Law of God?)";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:66:"The Islamic Jesus: A Gap Or Bridge Between Christians And Muslims?";s:12:"thePermalink";s:98:"https://www.islamicity.org/11334/the-islamic-jesus-a-gap-or-bridge-between-christians-and-muslims/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:83:"http://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Umayyad_Mosque_Damascus.jpeg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:34:"christianity|/explore/christianity";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Dec 22 2021";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:39:"March 30, 2017 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:11334;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:66:"The Islamic Jesus: A Gap Or Bridge Between Christians And Muslims?";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:35:"Proof of God in Intelligent Design?";s:12:"thePermalink";s:68:"https://www.islamicity.org/79310/proof-of-god-in-intelligent-design/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:81:"https://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/universe-creation-isp.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:54:"creation and evolution|/explore/creation-and-evolution";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Nov 14 2021";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:41:"October 14, 2021 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:79310;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:35:"Proof of God in Intelligent Design?";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:46:"It Is Time To Revive The Islamic Enlightenment";s:12:"thePermalink";s:80:"https://www.islamicity.org/77339/it-is-time-to-revive-the-islamic-enlightenment/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:76:"https://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/iStock-914169356.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:32:"book review|/explore/book-review";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Jul 2 2021";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:39:"April 11, 2021 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:77339;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:46:"It Is Time To Revive The Islamic Enlightenment";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:44:"Christian and Islamic View: Man on the Cross";s:12:"thePermalink";s:77:"https://www.islamicity.org/11363/christian-and-islamic-view-man-on-the-cross/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:80:"http://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/bible-cross-crescent3.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:30:"interfaith|/explore/interfaith";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Dec 5 2019";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:38:"April 3, 2017 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:11363;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:44:"Christian and Islamic View: Man on the Cross";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:34:"Who’s Afraid of Arabic Numerals?";s:12:"thePermalink";s:64:"https://www.islamicity.org/22318/whos-afraid-of-arabic-numerals/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:74:"http://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Arabic-Numerals.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:34:"al khwarizmi|/explore/al-khwarizmi";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Nov 16 2019";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:42:"November 16, 2019 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:22318;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:34:"Who’s Afraid of Arabic Numerals?";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:39:"Shariah’s Winding Path Into Modernity";s:12:"thePermalink";s:70:"https://www.islamicity.org/12480/shariahs-winding-path-into-modernity/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:78:"http://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/islamic-law-pencil2.gif";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:48:"islamic law (sharia)|/explore/islamic-law-sharia";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Jul 16 2017";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:38:"July 14, 2017 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:12480;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:39:"Shariah’s Winding Path Into Modernity";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:33:"Is Islam Compatible with Freedom?";s:12:"thePermalink";s:66:"https://www.islamicity.org/11578/is-islam-compatible-with-freedom/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:82:"http://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/freedom-arabic-patterns.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:5:"video";s:7:"theIcon";s:33:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:184:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Featured|/explore/featured";s:6:"theTag";s:48:"understanding islam|/explore/understanding-islam";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"May 9 2017";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:36:"May 9, 2017 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:11578;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:33:"Is Islam Compatible with Freedom?";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:28:"Faith vs. Tradition in Islam";s:12:"thePermalink";s:61:"https://www.islamicity.org/11382/faith-vs-tradition-in-islam/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:0:"";s:6:"isWhat";s:5:"video";s:7:"theIcon";s:33:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:184:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:39:"Faith & Spirituality|/explore/faith";s:6:"theTag";s:74:"islamic culture and civilization|/explore/islamic-culture-and-civilization";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Apr 6 2017";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:38:"April 4, 2017 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:11382;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:28:"Faith vs. Tradition in Islam";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:59:"New questions about worship with spread of the Muslim world";s:12:"thePermalink";s:75:"https://www.islamicity.org/10362/new-questions-worship-spread-muslim-world/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:79:"http://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/summer_night_finland.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:36:"fasting (sawm)|/explore/fasting-sawm";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Jun 14 2016";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:38:"June 14, 2016 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:10362;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:0:"";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:59:"New questions about worship with spread of the Muslim world";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:53:"The Islamic Roots of Democratic Rebellion and Liberty";s:12:"thePermalink";s:86:"https://www.islamicity.org/7875/the-islamic-roots-of-democratic-rebellion-and-liberty/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:85:"https://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/islam-democracy-protest-1.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:40:"bashar al-assad|/explore/bashar-al-assad";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Sep 1 2011";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:17:"September 1, 2011";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:7875;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:196:"The history of the Muslim civilization shows that Islam has been understood in many different ways, and while it sometimes has been used to support tyrants, it more often than not challenged them.";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:53:"The Islamic Roots of Democratic Rebellion and Liberty";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}
a:17:{s:8:"theTitle";s:19:"God, gold and Islam";s:12:"thePermalink";s:51:"https://www.islamicity.org/3186/god-gold-and-islam/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:13:"Mustafa Akyol";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:82:"http://www.islamicity.org/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/watersedge__1200x400.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:26:"Articles|/explore/articles";s:6:"theTag";s:58:"united states of america|/explore/united-states-of-america";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Nov 1 2007";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:16:"November 1, 2007";s:9:"theAuthor";s:21:"Mustafa Akyol|/source";s:5:"theID";i:3186;s:10:"theExcerpt";s:213:"The Anglo-Saxon story shows that modernization can come within a religious, not necessarily a secular, medium, if the religion in question is "dynamic," not "static." But is Islam open to being a dynamic religion?";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:19:"God, gold and Islam";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:80:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=mustafa-akyol";}