Remembering Tarek Fatah: An Unconventional Voice on Secularism and Freedom of Speech

His unconventional perspectives on various subjects, including Islamic history, left a lasting impact on many.

Tarek Fatah was a prominent journalist and commentator known for his views on secularism, human rights, and freedom of speech. As an Indian Muslim, the writer of the text came across Fatah's videos about seven-eight years ago and was impressed by his unconventional perspectives on various subjects, including Islamic history. While the writer did not always agree with Fatah's opinions, they found his ideas unlike anything they had previously encountered. Fatah's love for India and its Indic culture was remarkable, but he lacked the practical experience of living as an ordinary Indian Muslim, making it difficult to bridge the gap between different communities of India. Fatah's legacy is conflicted, and while he was a vocal supporter of marginalized communities, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals, many Muslims celebrated his death and labeled him an apostate, which is unfortunate. The writer argues that Muslims should be able to tolerate dissenting voices, even if they find their words unpleasant, and engage in debating and critiquing ideas and arguments instead of deciding who is a Muslim and who is not.