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A Muslim scholar who thinks

Posted in Irshaddering Thoughts on Nov 16, 2008

I get a lot of angry mail from Muslims who insist that the only voices worth heeding are those of “the scholars.” So they should love this article.  It’s about a bona fide Muslim academic who doubts the existence of the Prophet Muhammad.  Money quote:

Prof. Kalisch says he “never told students ‘just believe what Kalisch thinks,’” but seeks to teach them to think independently. Religions, he says, are “crutches” that help believers get to “the spiritual truth behind them.” To him, what matters isn’t whether Muhammad actually lived but the philosophy presented in his name…

He is finishing a book to explain his thoughts. It’s in English instead of German because he wants to make a bigger impact. “I’m convinced that what I’m doing is necessary. There must be a free discussion of Islam,” he says.