Abstract

This chapter argues that political oppression perpetuates inequalities through a culture of fear. In this culture of fear, freedom of expression becomes a real challenge. Through Muhammad Iqbal’s framework developed on the Islamic traditions, it revolves around three points: the ethical nature of man is good; the essential nature of man is his will; and the ethical ideal of Islam is to liberate people from fear and thus give them a sense of their potential. It attempts to show that Islamic teachings on the principles of unity and equality emphasize that both the oppressor and the oppressed need to be helped with kindness and care, which means exclusion of all forms of arrogance, hatred, and violence whether in the name of peace or religion. The framework of Iqbal can help in understanding the common ground of Western scholarship and Islamic teachings about the struggle for freedom of expression in the culture of oppression and fear.