Author denies book undermines Islamic scholars, institutions

 

Ahmet T Kuru during the forum at Gerakbudaya in Petaling Jaya today. On the left is moderator Daniel Teoh from Liga Rakyat Demokratik.

PETALING JAYA: A US-based political scientist has denied that his book, titled “Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment”, was written to undermine the role of Islamic scholars and institutions.

Ahmet T Kuru said his book is solely an argument advocating peaceful coexistence between Islamic thoughts, and equilibrium among the political, religious, intellectual, and economic classes.

“This is the first time that I have been accused of being a secularist,” Kuru, the director of Islamic and Arabic studies at the San Diego State University, said at a forum held at Gerakbudaya here today.

“When I was younger, secularists criticised me and questioned how one could be educated and be religious simultaneously.”

Kuru said the book’s core idea is to emphasise that “diversity in ideas creates a sphere of innovation”.

He argued that the power structure in today’s Islamic society represses the intellectual system, leading to the stagnation of the Islamic world, which was not the case during the first six centuries of Islamic civilisation.

The launch of Kuru’s book, which has been translated to Malay, was originally scheduled to be held at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia tomorrow, but was called off following what Kuru described as “pressure from conservatives”.

Days before the book launch was called off, Kuru had said on X that he “faced hostility” and was accused of being anti-Islam when the event was announced.

However, a think tank, the Islamic Renaissance Front, is assisting him to organise the launch at the University of Nottingham campus in Kuala Lumpur at 3pm tomorrow.

Kuru revealed that the book had undergone a rebranding when it was released in the Netherlands.

Similarly, in Malaysia, he said, he had requested the publisher not to include the word “Islam” in the title, but it was “overlooked”.

Emphasising the importance of engaging in debate and being critical, he said: “We can be critical while remaining respectful to tradition and looking forward to the future by learning from history.

“That’s the idea.” - FMT