# Should all religions be free to compete without state backing?

*Rational choice theory: should every religion simply compete freely?*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/t0phqrnjjby/s/11/
- Date: 2022-08-19 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Salman Rushdie & The Satanic Verses | Mufti Abu Layth (55:22–56:41)
- Status: latest answer on its topic; general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0pHQRNJjBY&t=3322s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/t0phqrnjjby/

**Topics:** Blasphemy, insult and free speech; Islam and modernity

**Question as asked:** What about applying rational choice theory to religion: instead of having a state-backed [?] Islam, let every religion flourish and compete?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth agrees religion should not be forced on anyone and that people may criticise it freely, but says criticism with an objective is different from insults meant only to hurt.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says nobody has the right to force religion on others and that people may criticise religions freely, but that analytical criticism differs from insult, which only aims to hurt.

**Evidence, his words at 55:31:** “people have the right to criticize things if you don't believe in something you have the right to criticize criticize it you have the right to show where it doesn't make sense” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0pHQRNJjBY&t=3331s)

## Longer summary

A questioner suggests applying rational choice theory to religion, letting every religion flourish and compete instead of having a state-backed [?] Islam. Mufti Abu Layth agrees that nobody has the right to force religion on others and that people have the right to criticise and show where something does not make sense. He repeats that analytical criticism, which has an objective and lets people see the point, is different from insult, which he calls petty, with no end other than to hurt.

## Sources and names cited

- freedom to criticise is not freedom to insult

## Transcript (machine tier, 55:22–56:41)

[54:58] [Laughter] it was uh you know let's move on let's move on uh let's not get distracted by uh by the by the runway i wanted to actually discuss the satanic verses themselves so before that let's just move to some questions um right what's

[55:31] uh aptly rational choice theory to religion instead of having to state back islam let's just just let all flourish let every religion compete like them sure look i'm not saying people have the right to shove religion down your throat they don't and i have no qualms i feel that people who do not people have the right to criticize things if you don't believe in something you have the right to criticize criticize it you have the right to show where it doesn't make sense but there's a difference between just being rude and insulting and between

[56:10] being analytically critical about something because that has a an objective to it you see when i criticize something when i critique something when i satirize something and i show the points people can see oh yeah that makes sense when i just insult something just call their mama this uh call the wife for this call them this this is just this is just dumb it's petty it's like there's no end game to that except just like a little child i'm just um trying to get hurt you i'm trying to

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment T0pHQRNJjBY/s/11. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/t0phqrnjjby/s/11/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.