Who Owns the Self? Islam, Obedience, and Liberty

Who Owns the Self? Islam, Obedience, and Liberty

From Islam and Liberty Podcast by Islam and Liberty Podcast

April 17, 2026 · 38 min · Episode 91

About this episode

The episode explores the intersection of Islamic thought and modern concepts of liberty through a discussion with Souad Adnane and guest Mustafa Akyol.

"Between Texts and Freedom: Where Islamic Thought Meets the Modern Idea of Liberty" is a podcast series that seeks to re-engage contemporary audiences with Islamic philosophy and to reposition its rich intellectual tradition in addressing today’s concerns. It aims to explore the concept of freedom in Islamic thought in comparison with modern political understandings of liberty. The April episode “Who Owns the Self? Islam, Obedience, and Liberty” features the host Souad Adnane, a researcher with a PhD in Public Policy from George Washington University and a longstanding interest in Islamic thought. She is a founding member of the classical liberal think tank, Arab Center for Research, Morocco, and a former board member of the Islam and Liberty Network. Souad is also an economic development specialist with over 15 years of experience across the MENA region, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia, providing advisory support to governments and international organizations. The guest, Mustafa Akyol, is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, where he focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. He is the author of books such…

People in this episode

Host: Souad Adnane

Guest: Mustafa Akyol

Topics covered

  • Islamic thought
  • liberty
  • obedience
  • freedom
  • public policy

Keywords

  • Islam
  • liberty
  • obedience
  • freedom
  • public policy
  • Islamic philosophy
  • MENA

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cato Institute, Arab Center for Research, Islam and Liberty Network

Books & works: The Islamic Moses: How the Prophet Inspired Jews and Muslims to Flourish Together and Change the World, Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance, Why, as a Muslim, I Defend Liberty, The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Mu

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