Yasmine Mohammed, a Canadian activist with roots in Gaza, grew up in a relatively conservative Muslim family. In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, she described how she broke free from extremist ideologies and also outlined her multifaceted approach to activism and the challenges facing free thinkers in Muslim communities worldwide.
Mohammed is the author of Unveiled, and the president of the Free Hearts Free Minds organization. “The goal of my activism is to continue to spread the truth and light, and counter dominant narratives that are extremely oversimplified,” Mohammed stated emphatically.
She emphasized the critical importance of challenging what she termed the “Islamophobia meme,” which she believed provided a convenient cover for extremists by shutting down legitimate criticism of Islam. Mohammed described her approach as twofold, addressing both Western misconceptions and supporting those within Muslim communities who seek change.
According to Mohammed, her first focus is on educating Western liberals about the harsh realities faced by those living under or escaping from strict Islamist rule. “I want them to recognize how their cultural relativism and their moral relativism is actually causing harm to people who are victimized by Islam, and it’s also causing harm to themselves,” she explained, arguing that well-intentioned but misguided Western policies were inadvertently enabling extremism and creating what she described as “suicidal policies” in their own countries.
“So, the first prong is educating my Western quote unquote ‘allies.’ I don’t know if they are or not,” Mohammed pondered. “Obviously many are allies, but there are many that are also so extreme that they are not. They are Communists or Marxists, who believe in destroying the West in the same way that Islam does.”
THE SECOND prong of Mohammed’s activism involves providing crucial support to Muslim individuals who are questioning their faith. Through her organization Free Hearts Free Minds, she has created a community for those who often face isolation, danger, and trauma after renouncing their religion. “We are the only charity on the planet supporting people from Muslim homes who are overcoming religious trauma,” Mohammed said proudly.
She elaborated on the organization’s mission: “We offer a safe space. Many who renounce Islam end up losing friends and family and everybody they’ve ever known. It’s an incredibly difficult process, and we overcome it together and we support each other.” Mohammed emphasized that Free Hearts Free Minds goes beyond just providing support: “it empowers its members to become activists and change-makers in their own right.”
Reflecting on her personal journey, Mohammed shared how her background profoundly influenced her current work. “My background was very dark, very scary – full of a lot of darkness,” she recalled. “And my activism today, my work today is really just taking all of that darkness, all of that negative energy and transforming it into light: transforming it into positive energy.”
A voice for the silenced
The Yasmine Mohammed podcast plays a crucial role in amplifying voices that are often silenced in mainstream discourse. While it initially focused on women from the Middle East, she has since expanded its scope to include a broader range of perspectives.
“There are so many vital voices that are being lost in the noise,” she explained, “because the voices that are being amplified are people like Bassem Youssef, who is just interested in confirming all of the antisemitic narratives,” she said, referring to the popular Egyptian-American media personality who has used social media to promote anti-Israeli and sometimes antisemitic discourse.
The activist expressed deep frustration with what she sees as oversimplified narratives dominating discussions about complex issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict. “Too many are refusing to take a step back to take a look at history and understand all of the nuance,” Mohammed argued passionately. She stressed the importance of hearing from people with direct experiences, such as those who have lived under the oppression of Hamas’s rule in Gaza, rather than relying on outside commentators who may lack firsthand knowledge of the situation.
“We’re only hearing this oversimplified narrative of Israel as the oppressor, Palestinians as the oppressed, and we’re not taking a step back to learn about all of the violence that has happened throughout these 80 years,” Mohammed elaborated. She pointed out the danger of relying solely on voices that confirm preexisting biases or ideological positions.
The author also spoke about her efforts to combat antisemitism, which she described as deeply ingrained in the cultures she grew up in. “I had to do that work: very humbling, difficult work of overcoming the antisemitism that was instilled in me literally from birth,” she shared, her voice showing a combination of regret and determination. Mohammed explained that her commitment to Holocaust education stems from her own journey of unlearning prejudices and recognizing the humanity in those she was taught to hate.
“Through my work in Holocaust education and through visiting Yad Vashem, I can see how so much of what is happening today is mirroring what happened in the days before the Holocaust,” Mohammed warned. She expressed deep concern about what she perceives as rising antisemitism globally, particularly in Western countries where she believes it is often overlooked or minimized.
MOHAMMED REVEALED that the next guest on her podcast is a man named Mansoor Al Hajj, who grew up in Saudi Arabia – “and he’s going to talk to us about how that was a huge part of his journey as well. When he went to the Holocaust memorial in DC, he said he walked in those doors as one man, and walked out a completely different man. He had never in his life imagined Jewish people to be victims – that they could even be victims.”
The activist called for greater awareness and action from non-Jewish allies in combating antisemitism and extremism. “We can’t just stand by and leave this community to fight these fights on their own,” she claimed. “We have to do our part to be allies.” Mohammed argued that the threat of antisemitism should concern everyone, not just the Jewish community, as it often serves as an indicator or symptom of broader societal intolerance and extremism.
The podcast host emphasized the interconnectedness of various forms of extremism and intolerance. She argued that the threat posed by radical ideologies extends far beyond any single community. “After they’re finished with the Jews, they’re going to move on to the Christians, and then on to anybody who does not follow their ideology,” she warned, referencing extremist manifestos and historical patterns of persecution.
Challenges faced by women in Muslim-majority countries are also a main focal point of Mohammed’s activism, especially due to what she described as the continuing suppression of their voices. “You can see that in Afghanistan and Iran today they prohibit women from singing or speaking in public because they are following the edicts of the religion that say that the voice of a woman is basically nakedness.”
The West is Next
The activist concluded by expressing deep frustration with what she sees as a dangerous combination of ignorance and arrogance in Western societies regarding the threats posed by extremist Islamist ideologies. Addressing Western readers directly, Mohammed said: “You guys don’t even understand how slowly you’re committing suicide. There must be greater vigilance, education, and critical thinking to counter these challenges.”
According to the Free Hearts Free Minds founder, there is a mainstream acceptance of Islamist antisemitism in the West, especially in her native Canada. “This is part of the success of the new Marxism, which is an extremely antisemitic ideology but still sort of ubiquitous in our media, our places of education and even in our governments.”
Mohammed reiterated her commitment to amplifying marginalized voices, challenging oversimplified narratives, and promoting critical thinking about complex global issues. Her work, she emphasized, is not just about critiquing problems but about offering solutions and support to those seeking to break free from oppressive ideologies.
“And so that’s why it’s really important for me to speak out,” Mohammed stated, “because there is a toxic mix of ignorance and arrogance in the West, where they are completely ignorant about these powers that are hoping to subvert them – and are being very successful in doing so.”
Mohammed’s tireless efforts through her writing, podcasting, and organization continue to shed light on issues often overlooked in mainstream discourse. Her unique perspective as someone who has lived on both sides of the ideological divide lends credibility and urgency to her message. As global tensions continue to rise, voices like hers play an increasingly crucial role in fostering understanding, challenging preconceptions, and working towards a more inclusive and tolerant world.