MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – In a recent episode of the Wonderhome Library podcast, a member of the Muhammadiyah Council for Religious Opinion and Tajdid Mohammad Syifa Amin Widigdo explored Reopening Muslim Minds by a Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol. The discussion, aired on Wednesday, April 23, focused on the importance of combining faith with reason and ethics.
Syifa began by asking a powerful question: Why are many people disillusioned with religion, and why did the intellectual revolution happen in Europe but not in the Muslim world?
Akyol, known for his bold ideas, was once detained and deported from Malaysia in 2017 for his earlier book, Islam without Extremes, which challenged rigid religious thinking. In his latest work, he invites Muslims to rethink their beliefs through logic, philosophy, and moral reflection.
The podcast centered on the book’s first chapter, which examines a 12th-century novel by Ibn Tufail, Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan. The story followed Hayy, a boy raised by a gazelle on a deserted island. With no human guidance, he learned about science and nature through his own observation.
At age 49, Hayy began to think deeply about life, death, and the origin of the universe. His journey took a new turn when he met Asal, a traveler from a nearby island. Asal read scripture with reason, unlike his king, Salman, who followed it literally. Hayy and Asal’s conversations explored questions about ethics, God, and human nature.
But when Hayy visited Asal’s island, he found a troubling contradiction. The people appeared religious, but their society was corrupt and lacking in moral values. Disappointed, Hayy and Asal returned to the quiet island, realizing that religious rituals without ethics were meaningless.
Syifa explained that Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan was translated into Latin in the 17th century as Philosophus Autodidactus by Edward Pococke. The book later influenced European thinkers and writers, including Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. It also inspired the Quakers, a Christian group who believe in an “inner light” as a guide to truth.
These ideas had a lasting impact. Thinkers like William Penn, who promoted religious freedom in Pennsylvania, and Benjamin Franklin, who fought for human rights and opposed slavery, were shaped by them. The novel’s message even helped promote education and voting rights for women in the West.
Still, Syifa noted that the Muslim world has struggled to embrace similar ideas. According to Akyol, many Muslims are disappointed with religion because it often emphasizes rituals while neglecting moral values. He argues that reason is frequently ignored in favor of strict legal rules and dogma.
As a solution, Akyol calls for blending rational thinking and personal reflection with religious practices to create a more balanced, ethical faith.
Syifa ended the podcast by encouraging listeners to reflect on the lessons from Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan.
“Ideally, reason and ritual should go hand in hand,” he said, hoping this message will inspire Muslims today to rediscover their faith in a more thoughtful and meaningful way.
