Liberal Fascination With “Islam-Lite” and the Humanizing Muslims Industry

Many attempts to humanize Muslims celebrate not diversity in Islam, but rather “Islam-lite”—the visible absence of Islam in the actions and mannerisms of self-identified Muslims.

Line art depiction of Aziz Ansari.

The second season of the popular Netflix series, Master of None, is being hailed by many as one of the best shows offered by a streaming service today. One reviewer called the show warm, welcoming, and audacious, while another enthusiastically praised it as “a perfect mix of sarcasm and sincerity.” Perhaps the most uniq…