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44 answers in 29 recordings, 2015 to 2025. 19 with a checked position in his own words.
Indexed so far: 259 of 1,859 recordings (1,904 answers, 2014 to 2025). Anything below may change as the rest are indexed. Limits of the data
Oldest first. A checked position shows what he holds, then the sentence he says, word for word from the transcript, with its moment. Years without one list the answers that have not been checked yet. Recordings not yet indexed may hold more.
· How should Muslims respond to Islamophobia?
Mufti Abu Layth says Muslims should respond to Islamophobia by beginning with themselves: learning so as not to misstate Islam, keeping links with the ulama as the community's lifeline, and improving how they communicate.
“we need to correct our own understanding I feel that we do need to all Muslims need to be proactively engaged in learning”
47:24TranscriptCite 2015-04-06-S13corrected
· Did the Prophet take Safiyya the night her husband was killed, as the Tommy Robinson clip claims?
Mufti Abu Layth says that Muslims who have not studied Islam should not debate far-right figures, and that the scenario the debater conceded, killing Safiyya's husband and father and taking her that night, can only be described as rape and is not what happened.
“so what do you mean where does it say that's rape that is not what happened why are you conceding to them why are you accepting this”
3:09TranscriptCite 2018-02-21b-S01corrected
· How do we know the Quran is the word of God, if not by reason?
Mufti Abu Layth says that arguments for the Quran's truth which rest on the book asserting its own truth, its uniqueness, its eloquence, its lack of mistakes or its verses about rain and fruit are no stronger than a spiderweb, and that revelation can only be known to be true through reason.
“if that's what you're building your faith on that is weaker than a spiderweb as Allah says in the Quran”
36:19TranscriptCite 2018-04-09-S06corrected
· Why would an apostate deserve death, and what about the three days to repent?
Mufti Abu Layth says an apostate cannot be killed for disbelief, since that would make every disbeliever deserving of death, and that giving an apostate three days to return on pain of death is absurd, coerces hypocrisy and belittles the Prophet's thirteen years of preaching in Makkah.
“you are assuming that you can convert anybody back to faith within three days then in that case why do you go out and convert the world”
44:57TranscriptCite 2018-05-10-S11corrected
· Do any Sunni scholars say mut'ah is not haram?
Mufti Abu Layth says the debate's 'then marry your daughter to me' retort was an immature and stupid thing to say.
“the usual kind of responses which I found very immature like you know okay if you think motaz okay then marry your daughter to me”
4:28TranscriptCite 2018-07-21-S02corrected
· As a convert, should I try to convert my spouse or family?
Mufti Abu Layth says there is no harm in speaking about Islam but no need for an obsession with trying to convert people.
“there's no need for this obsession to try to convert people”
39:31TranscriptCite 2019-05-10-S08corrected
· How should Muslims respond to an ex-Muslim who criticises the Quran?
Mufti Abu Layth holds that people who are genuine in their search should be left to search wherever it takes them, and that Muslims should not attack an ex-Muslim critic as a person.
“if people are genuine in this search then let them let them search wherever that search takes them”
5:07TranscriptCite 2019-07-25-S02corrected
· 'Islam gave these rights first' and blinding people with jargon
Mufti Abu Layth says that throwing in impressive philosophical jargon makes Muslims look much weaker to those who know and to non-Muslims.
“it makes you look much weaker than you actually are”
39:51TranscriptCite 2019-08-04-S07corrected
· Was it right to slap someone for insulting Islam?
Mufti Abu Layth says he condemns any kind of assault.
“I condemn any kind of assault okay I look we are not look look at the entire animal kingdom”
2:10:59TranscriptCite 2020-10-27-S19corrected
· If miracles don't break nature's laws, what is the point of miracles?
Mufti Abu Layth says Muslims may privately believe in supernatural miracle stories, though he does not think they are correct; his only problem is when they are preached as standard Islam.
“I will say that I don't believe they're correct but I'm not going to try to force you or strongarm you. My only problem is when you preach them as standard Islam”
1:32:09TranscriptCite 2021-01-05-S19corrected
· Why is quoting science to defend hadith like camel urine risky?
Mufti Abu Layth says that when you quote scientific material to prove absurdities, it will more often than not come back and sting you.
“you see when you quote scientific stuff to prove absurdities it will more often than not come back and sting you and bite you in the rear end”
1:34:07TranscriptCite 2021-02-16-S29corrected
Mufti Abu Layth says he does not think debates really yield results, since humiliating someone in an argument only makes them hate you more.
“if it's a debate i don't think these really uh yield results”
8:24TranscriptCite 2021-10-25-S03corrected
· Should Muslims tell gay people what the Quran says about homosexuality?
Mufti Abu Layth says that when speaking generally about issues in a country such as America one speaks about its norms, not its exceptions.
“so when you're speaking generally about issues in a country you're going to speak about the Norms not the exceptions”
11:27TranscriptCite 2023-02-22-S02corrected
· Should Sunnis preach to Shia Muslims about what they get wrong?
Mufti Abu Layth says he is not personally for Sunni-Shia debating because he feels it does no good and only does harm.
“I'm not personally for all the kind of Sunni Shia debating thing because I feel it does no good it just does harm”
37:02TranscriptCite 2023-02-22-S07corrected
· Is it my duty as a Muslim to preach to others?
Mufti Abu Layth says Muslims have a duty to be an example, not a duty to preach.
“we have a duty to be an example there's a difference not a duty to preach”
38:19TranscriptCite 2023-02-22-S08corrected
· What should Muslims focus on in confusing times?
Mufti Abu Layth says the best possible thing a person can do is focus on themselves and be an example of light.
“the best possible thing you could do is focus on yourself be an example of”
40:42TranscriptCite 2023-02-22-S09corrected
· Was the Prophet harsh with people?
Mufti Abu Layth says the Prophet did not come from intimidation but from mercy and compassion for the world.
“even if they do work they work from a fear angle an intimidation the prophet came from a mercy a compassion for the world”
8:46TranscriptCite 2023-05-09-S02corrected
· Why do religious debates make people so defensive?
Mufti Abu Layth says debating is so wrapped up in the ego that it is not healthy and is not what iman is about.
“it's just something which you know maybe some people have it some people don't but it is so wrapped up in the ego that it's not healthy and it's not what Iman is about”
18:54TranscriptCite 2023-05-09-S04corrected
· Spread love, and take account of the damage our words have done
Mufti Abu Layth says that all Muslims, himself included, have to take themselves to account for the damage their past words may have done.
“include myself in this that what damage we may have done already with our words you know I I we all have to take ourselves into account for that”
21:34TranscriptCite 2024-09-29-S05corrected
How many of these answers cite each (guest speech left out). Cited means named as evidence or discussed, not necessarily accepted: open the answers to see which.
These answers state a view in order to discuss it, often to reject it. They are never read as his position.
Cite a statement by its id: Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment id, with the date and the address of its page. Citation formats
