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The David McWilliams Podcast

The Islamic Enlightenment

The David McWilliams Podcast

David McWilliams

News & Politics

4.6643 Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tensions in the Middle East are escalating, following Israel’s surprise attack on targets across Iran on Friday, and ensuing strikes between the two powers continued over the weekend. The Muslim world has often been accused of a failure to modernise and adapt. Christopher de Bellaigue disagrees and charts the forgotten story of the Islamic Enlightenment – the social movements, reforms and revolutions that transformed the Middle East from the early nineteenth century to the present day. Modern ideals and practices were embraced across the region, including the adoption of modern medicine, the emergence of women from purdah and the development of democracy. We look behind the sensationalist headlines in order to foster a genuine understanding of Islam and its relationship to the West. 

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Transcript

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1:22.2

Hey there, welcome to the podcast. It's John here. It's dockkey book festival season, so we're going to be bringing

1:28.5

you some special episodes recorded there over the weekend. And this one is particularly timely.

1:34.9

In light of what looks like war breaking out between Israel and Iran, Matt talks to author

1:40.5

and historian Christopher the Balag about modern-day Iran and the Islamic Enlightenment,

1:46.1

the social movements, reforms and revolutions that transfigured the Middle East from the early

1:51.2

19th century to the present day. While the Muslim world has often been accused of a failure

1:56.8

to modernize and adapt, Christopher de Belag charts the forgotten story of the Islamic Enlightenment,

2:02.7

where modern ideals and practices were embraced across the region,

...

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