Cato senior fellow Mustafa Akyol is one of the world’s most widely recognized scholars on issues of freedom and tolerance in the Muslim world, with a column in the New York Times and previous books that have been banned by several authoritarian governments. Once, he was even detained by Malaysia’s religious police on charges of violating that nation’s religious censorship.

In a new book for Lib​er​tar​i​an​ism​.org, Why, as a Muslim, I Defend Liberty, Akyol explores both his own faith and the history of Islamic thought to make the case for freedom. Muslims currently account for more than one in four people on Earth, and most Muslim-majority nations suffer under repressive illiberal regimes, many of which are grounded in a belief in Islamic theocracy.

But it wasn’t always this way. During the Middle Ages, liberal thinking and scientific innovation thrived in the Muslim world, while Europe stagnated under feudalism and illiberal religious authoritarianism. Even throughout the 19th century, liberal reformers were a prominent presence in the politics of nations such as the Ottoman Empire and Iran. One of the ironies Akyol notes is that Islamic fundamentalism, far from being ancient, is to a large degree a modern phenomenon, in many instances fueled by anti-Western and anti-colonial backlash.

Across eight chapters, Akyol addresses the need for liberty across the entire spectrum of personal and economic freedoms and takes on misconceptions that Islam is inherently intolerant and oppressive. First, he addresses the misconception that forced conversion and piety enforced by the states are Quranic mandates. He points to the much stronger scriptural case against such laws, citing the verse “There is no compulsion in religion.” (2:256)

The book also traces the history of a Muslim case for economic liberty and makes the case for reclaiming a heritage of free markets and property rights in Muslim societies. Lastly, he addresses the widespread misconception among Muslims that liberty and democracy are Western conspiracies or impositions rather than being grounded in universal truths.

As the Muslim world continues to grapple with the scourge of authoritarianism, Akyol offers a glimpse of a better future, one where rights are respected and moral and material progress can be made without any need to jettison faith in one of the world’s great religions.

Why, As a Muslim, I Defend Liberty is available for purchase from major booksellers and at cato​.org/​books.