Ziauddin Sardar argues that free thinkers are essential for any culture to survive and thrive; Aziz al-Azmeh outlines how Abbasid Culture established freethinking humanism; Oliver Leaman highlights the significance of the twelfth century Andalusian philosopher ibn Rushd; Ebrahim Moosa seeks meaning in the ethics of the tenth century blind poet and atheist, Al-Maarri; Robert Irwin examines the thought of the controversial Sufi Al-Hallaj; Abdelwahab El-Effendi explores the 'Second Islam' of the executed Sudanese thinker, Mohamed Taha; Aamer Hussein suggests that we need to embrace the ideas of the poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal; Eva Hoffman looks at the notion of free thought in the work of the Noble Laureate Czeslaw Milosz; Nazry Bahrawi is impressed by the 'heretical' interpretations of the Egyptian scholar Nasir Hamid Abu Zaid; Alev Adil vexes lyrical about Aisha, the youngest wife of the Prophet; and Johan Siebers is convinced that we need to free ourselves from all ideologies.

About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.