Secular Jihadists For A Muslim Enlightenment

Watch the video version of this conversation (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/shia-muslims-21564006  In this episode, we speak to Zara Kay, a member of the Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Jamaat, a large and very prominent Shia Muslim community spread across the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa, Canada, and London. Zahra speaks to us from Australia. We focus on Shia Islam, and the ex-Muslim experience for those of us from the Shia community, and in Zahra’s case, the Khoja Shia Community. Check it out. Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com   The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state of Israel. That's what we have been told, but we haven't received our checks yet. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate the support of our current donors. Please consider supporting by sharing the podcast with your fellow heathens or by donating at https://www.patreon.com/SJME  Subscribe to Th

Watch the video version of this conversation (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/ex-muslims-syed-21402575 Ex-Muslims of North America (EXMNA) is at the frontlines of tomorrow. The organization is only five years old, yet is growing faster than ever, with thousands of members and counting. EXMNA is currently conducting the widely covered #NormalizingDissent college campus tour with ex-Muslim speakers, and features a series of phenomenal, moving personal videos about those who dared to leave the Islamic faith that have gone viral. We are joined by Muhammad Syed, the president and co-founder of the organization. Recently, EXMNA attended the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) conference in Houston, where our very own Armin was part of a small group of ex-Muslims booted from a Starbucks for, well, being ex-Muslims. We will discuss where we came from, where we are today, and where we go from here. Don't miss this! Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secular

There are some things we know about Muhammad—but what's more interesting is what we don't know. The earliest surviving biography of Muhammad, by ibn Hisham, is from over 200 years after his death. That biography is based on an earlier biography by Ibn Ishaq which did not survive to the present day except in fragments, but itself was written over 100 years after Muhammad's death. Almost everything we know about Muhammad aside from the scant details in the Quran, almost every story we hear, is from these early biographies. The first time Muhammad's name ever appeared on any official state document was on a coin, over 50 years after he died. There is no mention of him in any other state documents, including those of the Umayyad caliphate. All six of the "authentic" hadith compilations began a full 200 years after his death, based on oral traditions passed from generation to generation. The only reliable indicator from his lifetime is the Quran, which mentions him only four times by name, but is also remarkably c

In this episode, we discuss Armin’s recent visit to the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) with Ex-Muslims of North America (EXMNA), where he and a few other ex-Muslims were asked to leave a Starbucks at the Hilton simply for wearing t-shirts saying things like, “I’m an ex-Muslim. Ask me why.” We also discuss how ex-Muslims can engage with Muslims in debate. We also discuss ex-Ahmadi Muslims, the Judeo-Christian roots of Islam, Dan Gibson’s documentary “The Sacred City,” and a variety of other topics. Watch the video version of this conversation (patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/ali-armin-answer-21385335  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com  This is episode is one of our live public Q&A sessions. Here you can find dates and times for all our scheduled live Q&A sessions which includes links to where you can join us live next time and ask your questions: https://www.facebook.com/events/172503603405302/  The Secular Jihadists

We speak to Salwa, a young Saudi woman who made her escape from Saudi Arabia at great risk. Now she is a refugee in Canada, a vocal atheist, and her social media posts documenting simple, daily life for a free woman in Canada have drawn tens of thousands of followers from her home country. In this episode, she is joined by her translator friend Mustafa, another Saudi atheist and refugee. We talk about her incredible escape, her life in Saudi Arabia, her views on the Crown Prince, and her destination had she been caught: the Dar Al Reaya, a female prison system where Saudi women who bring "shame" to their family—including victims of rape and abuse—are kept, tortured, and even sold to high bidders. This is a must-listen episode. Watch the video version of this conversation (patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/escape-from-21095396   Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com  The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious suppor

In this AMA episode, we talk about engaging with Muslims, Imam Tawhidi, the difference between Sam Harris's and Robert Spencer's approaches to criticizing Islam, the significance of the Arab Spring looking back now, Hindu nationalism, Faith Goldy's mayoral run, Trump's approach to Israel/Palestine, Sunni-Shia differences, and most importantly, whether Armin should reproduce. Watch the video version of this show: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ali-armin-answer-21033897 Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com  Here you can find dates and times for all our scheduled live Q&A sessions which includes links to where you can join us live next time and ask your questions: https://www.facebook.com/events/172503603405302/   The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state of Israel. That's what we have been told, but we haven't received our checks yet. In the meantime, we greatly appreciat

A key element of the Enlightenment was the emergence of Biblical criticism as an academic discipline. This practice, which arose out of the German Enlightenment in the 1700s, was centered around applying a non-sectarian, reason-based approach to studying scripture in order to avoid dogma and bias. Biblical criticism was instrumental in the neutering of pre-Enlightenment Christianity, challenging and normalizing the notion of Biblical inerrancy and helping shatter taboos like blasphemy. In Islam, the Quran is still seen by the vast majority of Muslims as the inerrant, literal word of Allah, the Creator of the Universe—and criticizing it or even questioning it carries dire penalties across the Muslim world. Fortunately, a new generation of secular Quranic skeptics from the Muslim world, like Abdullah Gondal, are challenging the Quran—its history, its authenticity, its claims of preservation, and its claims of truth and divinity. Join us as we dive into everything you wanted to know about the Quran with this bri

Armin's viral "Allah is Gay" video at Vancouver's Pride celebrations brought out a barrage of homophobic death threats against him and his family from religious Muslims. Raif Badawi and his recently arrested sister Samar found themselves at the center of an international diplomatic firestorm between Saudi Arabia and Canada. We talk about these and other issues related to Islam's prisoners of conscience. We also answer your questions and discuss a range of other topics related to Islam, Muslims, and the latest happenings around the world. Watch the video version of this conversation (patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/ask-us-anything-20809335  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com    The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state of Israel. That's what we have been told, but we haven't received our checks yet. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate the support of our current

The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) is the largest advocacy group for atheists in the United States. At the organization, constitutional and civil rights attorney Andrew Seidel works to ensure that the government obeys the First Amendment and that Thomas Jefferson's "Wall of Separation" between church and state remains tall and impregnable. Andrew joined us on the podcast to talk about the history of secularism in the United States; the impact of Christianity and Christian fundamentalism on American politics today—especially in light of the Trump presidency and recent events like the Masterpiece Cakeshop controversy and the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy; America's historical and current approach to Islam and Muslims; and more. Watch the video version of this conversation (patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/religion-in-u-s-20361941  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com      The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks

In this month’s Ask Us Anything episode, we take on your questions about whether Islam was spread by the sword, Pakistan’s recent election results, conservative vs liberal Muslims, the best versions/translations of the Quran for English speakers, the utility (or not) of comparing things to Nazism, the impending release of Anjem Choudary from prison and how to respond to it, the various ideological elements that played into the Iranian Revolution, our views on Tommy Robinson, and much more. Be sure to check out our recent episodes with Matt Dillahunty, Steven Pinker, Jerry Coyne, Maryam Namazie, and more. This podcast is free for all listeners, but patrons do get special perks—consider giving a dollar or more at www.SecularJihadists.com. Here is the link to all our scheduled live Q&A sessions. Join us live next time and ask your question: https://www.facebook.com/events/172503603405302/

Matt Dillahunty is an atheist activist and true pioneer of the current movement. Raised as a Southern Baptist, Matt became an atheist after studying to become a minister. From the early days of his widely popular show, The Atheist Experience, to his recent Pangburn event with Jordan Peterson, Matt has proven to be one of the most articulate and masterful debaters of our time. We spoke with him about how ex-Muslims can engage religious Muslims in debates; how to have a good, effective argument with persuasive power; the state of the atheist movement today; how the art of debate can continue to propel this fast-growing movement into the future; and yes—his widely viewed debate with Jordan Peterson. Watch the video version here (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/matt-dillahunty-20320169  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com  The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state

In many countries—especially Muslim-majority countries—atheists live in mortal danger. Thirteen of these countries—Afghanistan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen—officially punish atheism with death. This grim reality led the Center for Inquiry (CFI) to start the Secular Rescue program, designed to provide emergency assistance to writers, bloggers, publishers, and activists who face threats because they are freethinking non-believers. In this episode, we speak to Robyn Blumner, the CEO of CFI and executive director of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS), about this lifesaving, heroic initiative. She told The Atlantic that Secular Rescue is “an underground railroad of sorts for non-believers in countries where simply expressing doubt about religious belief is a criminal offence or where it may lead to grave physical harm.” If you have ever been in danger for your ideas, or know someone who has, this

Masih Alinejad is the Iranian journalist and activist who founded #MyStealthyFreedom, inviting women in Iran—where the Islamic headscarf (hijab) is mandatory—to post pictures of themselves without it. The project went viral, and is making international headlines today more than ever. Masih's riveting book, The Wind in My Hair: My Fight for Freedom in Modern Iran, is now available, and Armin calls it one of the best books he has ever read. She joined us on the podcast to talk about it, we had SO much fun. (Rest assured, every time Masih and Armin broke out into Persian, Ali insisted on immediate translations.) You'll feel inspired, you'll feel moved, and most importantly, you'll laugh. Check it out. Watch the video version here (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/mystealthyfreedo-19887093  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com     The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great

Steven Pinker is the Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Better Angels of Our Nature and most recently, Enlightenment Now, which Bill Gates has called "my new favourite book of all time." He joins us in this episode of Secular Jihadists for a wide-ranging and truly fascinating conversation about Enlightenment values, religion, humanism, "reform," and other topics as they pertain to the Muslim world. Watch the video version here (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/steven-pinker-19859337  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com  The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state of Israel. That's what we have been told, but we haven't received our checks yet. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate the support of our current donors. Please consider supporting by sharing the podcast with your fellow heathens

Everyone wants to know what happened at the two back-to-back Jordan Peterson vs. Sam Harris Pangburn Philosophy events in Vancouver last month. (Videos of the events won't be out until the next two events in the UK are completed.) Fortunately, our very own Secular Jihadists host Armin Navabi is Director of Media at Pangburn Philosophy, and was there, behind the scenes, for both nights—before, during, and after. He did this exclusive AMA episode after the event where he discussed Harris and Peterson's conversation at length and answered our patrons' questions. Watch the video version here (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/jordan-peterson-19696199  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com  Here you can find dates and times for all our scheduled live Q&A sessions which includes links to where you can join us live next time and ask your questions: https://www.facebook.com/events/172503603405302/   The Secular Jihadists has been made possi

In this episode, we are joined by the renowned evolutionary biologist and New York Times-bestselling author of Why Evolution is True, Jerry Coyne. Jerry is currently a professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, and recently published Faith vs. Fact: Why Science and Religion are Incompatible. We talked about what science is, how it works, what people most misunderstand about it, and why the very concept of faith is fundamentally unscientific. We also talked about some of the scientific claims in religious scriptures. Don't miss this. Watch the video version here (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/jerry-coyne-why-19493921  Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com    The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state of Israel. That's what we have been told, but we haven't received our checks yet. In the meantime, we greatly appreciate the support of our current donors. Ple

“Let Bangladesh revoke the citizenship of these enemies of Islam! If not, we will hunt them down in whatever part of God’s world we find them and kill them right there!” These words appeared on a kill list of about twenty secular bloggers in Bangladesh, published by the Islamic terrorist group Ansarullah Bangla Team. One of the names on the list was Raihan Abir, who joins us on this episode of Secular Jihadists. Raihan's friend and colleague, Avijit Roy, with whom he co-authored their book Philosophy of Disbelief, was hacked to death by Islamic fundamentalists with machetes in early 2015. Also hacked to death the same year were Washiqur Rahman, Niloy Neel, Ananta Bijoy Das, Faisal Dipan (Raihan's publisher), and several others. "I knew it was my turn," Raihan said chillingly at the time. And he was right. After escaping several threats to his life, this brilliant young editor of Mukto-Mona, a Bengali/English blog on freethinking and science co-founded by Avijit and his wife Bonya, eventually found refuge by m

The US embassy has moved to Jerusalem, and violence has erupted yet again in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Iran deal has been cancelled by the United States. People are again talking about whether they're "pro-Israel" or "pro-Palestine." There's an assumption out there that Muslims are pro-Palestine, so ex-Muslims must be pro-Israel. Is this true? Is it that simple? Can you be both, or neither? Armin also shares his thoughts on the Iran deal, based on his correspondence with people of all political persuasions inside Iran. Ali and Armin try to put it all together in this episode—with insights you may not hear in the mainstream media. Check it out. Watch the full video conversation here (for patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/israel-palestine-19193562   Listen to this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast app: http://secularjihadists.com    The Secular Jihadists has been made possible thanks to the gracious support of the Illuminati and the great state of Israel. That's what we have been told, but

In this episode, we spoke to Leon Korteweg, a young man in the Netherlands who joined a group of white nationalist skinheads and neo-Nazis soon after the 2004 assassination of Theo Van Gogh in broad daylight. Van Gogh had worked with Ayaan Hirsi Ali in producing the short film "Submission,” which criticized the oppression of women in Islam. “[The group] offered me a radical solution to the escalating conflict between 'our Dutch culture' and everyone else, including the Muslim terrorists who killed Van Gogh: ‘All foreigners out,’” he says. Over the following 7 years, Leon has gradually moderated his views, been de-radicalized, and gradually moved to the political left—a process he describes as difficult. With time he was able to leave the skinhead group behind and invent his own version of nationalism that was less and less xenophobic, ethnic, and exclusivist. Ultimately, he rejected the idea of nationalism altogether, which he now considers harmful, like religion. We talked about the various factors that led

Rafya is a Pakistani woman who was married off at seventeen. After enduring years of mistreatment and abuse, she finally gathered up the courage to leave her husband, but this came with a cost: he ripped their three-year-old daughter from her arms. When Rafya tried to get her back, he registered a blasphemy case against her — which is potentially punishable by death in Pakistan. Having moved to the United States at this point, Rafya not only had to travel to Pakistan monthly for court dates in the custody battle, but also do it at great risk to her life, which was repeatedly subject to threats of everything from acid attacks to death. Rafya joined us to talk about her story in an absolutely riveting conversation. She described her initial marriage, her eight-year fight in Pakistani courts to get her daughter back, and what others in her situation can learn from her experience. As dark as this sounds, you'll also find yourself laughing out loud at her incredible sense of humor and infectious wit as we did. A t