Mustafa Akyol


Mustafa Akyol is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, focusing on Islam and modernity, and the author of Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance.

Articles by Mustafa Akyol
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather in front of the White House on Jan. 13.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather in front of the White House on Jan. 13.
Activists of the Pakistani Sunni Tehreek organization burn a poster of French President Emmanuel Macron during an anti-French protest in Lahore on Nov. 1, 2020.
Activists of the Pakistani Sunni Tehreek organization burn a poster of French President Emmanuel Macron during an anti-French protest in Lahore on Nov. 1, 2020.
A police van patrols in front of Hagia Sophia during a two-day lockdown imposed prevent the spread of COVID-19 on April 11,  in Istanbul, Turkey.
A police van patrols in front of Hagia Sophia during a two-day lockdown imposed prevent the spread of COVID-19 on April 11, in Istanbul, Turkey.
Pope Francis prays in front of a crucifix that in 1552 was carried in a procession around Rome to stop the Great Plague, at the San Marcello al Corso church in Rome on March 15.
Pope Francis prays in front of a crucifix that in 1552 was carried in a procession around Rome to stop the Great Plague, at the San Marcello al Corso church in Rome on March 15.
Ekrem Imamoglu, the newly elected mayor of Istanbul, speaks to supporters after taking the mayoral mandate in front of the Istanbul municipality building on June 27.
Ekrem Imamoglu, the newly elected mayor of Istanbul, speaks to supporters after taking the mayoral mandate in front of the Istanbul municipality building on June 27.
A woman walks behind a campaign posters of the far-right Swiss People's Party depicting a woman wearing a burqa against a background of a Swiss flag on Nov. 23, 2009 in Corseaux near Vevey. (Fabrice Cofrini/AFP/Getty Images)
A woman walks behind a campaign posters of the far-right Swiss People's Party depicting a woman wearing a burqa against a background of a Swiss flag on Nov. 23, 2009 in Corseaux near Vevey. (Fabrice Cofrini/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Summit at the Istanbul Congress Center on April 14, 2016. (Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Summit at the Istanbul Congress Center on April 14, 2016. (Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he delivers a speech on December 20, 2016 in Istanbul, during the opening cerenomy of the Avrasya (Eurasia) Tunnel, the first ever road tunnel underneath the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul from Europe to Asia and the latest project in the Erdogan's plan of transforming Turkey's infrastructure.
Turkey in October 2013 opened the Marmaray rail tunnel underneath the iconic waterway, the first link beneath the waters that divide Europe and Asia. But the new Avrasya (Eurasia) Tunnel is the first tunnel for cars underneath the Bosphorus and aims to relieve congestion in the traffic-clogged Turkish megacity. Other schemes, which Erdogan boasts are his "crazy projects", include a gigantic third airport for Istanbul, the first ever bridge across the Dardanelles straits and even a Suez-style shipping canal for Istanbul. / AFP / OZAN KOSE        (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he delivers a speech on December 20, 2016 in Istanbul, during the opening cerenomy of the Avrasya (Eurasia) Tunnel, the first ever road tunnel underneath the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul from Europe to Asia and the latest project in the Erdogan's plan of transforming Turkey's infrastructure. Turkey in October 2013 opened the Marmaray rail tunnel underneath the iconic waterway, the first link beneath the waters that divide Europe and Asia. But the new Avrasya (Eurasia) Tunnel is the first tunnel for cars underneath the Bosphorus and aims to relieve congestion in the traffic-clogged Turkish megacity. Other schemes, which Erdogan boasts are his "crazy projects", include a gigantic third airport for Istanbul, the first ever bridge across the Dardanelles straits and even a Suez-style shipping canal for Istanbul. / AFP / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan looks on during a ceremony at the Ataturk Mausoleum to mark 94th anniversary of Turkeys Victory Day in Ankara on August 30, 2016.  
Turkish authorities arrested an editor from the leading Hurriyet daily on August 30, continuing a sweep of the media triggered by last month's failed coup, the newspaper said. / AFP / ADEM ALTAN        (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan looks on during a ceremony at the Ataturk Mausoleum to mark 94th anniversary of Turkeys Victory Day in Ankara on August 30, 2016. Turkish authorities arrested an editor from the leading Hurriyet daily on August 30, continuing a sweep of the media triggered by last month's failed coup, the newspaper said. / AFP / ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 15: The silhouette of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seen in front of the Presidential Seal of Turkey during the 9th International student Gathering organized by Turkey Youth Foundation and Federation of International Student Associations  at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul, Turkey on May 15, 2016. (Photo by Abdullah Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 15: The silhouette of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seen in front of the Presidential Seal of Turkey during the 9th International student Gathering organized by Turkey Youth Foundation and Federation of International Student Associations at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul, Turkey on May 15, 2016. (Photo by Abdullah Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)