Evangelical Islam Part 3: The Irrelevance of the Philosophers (ft. Ashmal & Bilawal)

In the latest installment of the “Evangelical Islam” series, Ashmal and Bilawal join our hosts to explore the ideological, social, and philosophical underpinnings of Sunni Muslim discourse in the American diaspora.

The conversation dissects the preponderance of Youtube debaters and Dawah influencers, the reliance on recycled apologetics, and the lack of contemporary Sunni thought leadership (10:42). The group questions the mainstream Sunni emphasis on discipline and regurgitation over critical thinking, and contrasts this with both Shi’a scholarly structures and broader philosophical lenses—such as Marxist materialism (14:28).

Together, the hosts investigate the vacuum of original thought in the South Asian-Sunni diaspora, the performative religiosity of “Redemption Arc” Muslims, and the anti-intellectualism perpetuated by institution ...