Communication, or lack thereof, is the cause of much of the world’s unrest. People fear and react badly to what is new, different or strange. This is a cause of many of the world situations today. Unscrupulous leaders exploit this ignorance and use it to foster hate, dissension and rebellion. Al Queda feeds on miscommunication.
Understanding Islam provides a source for looking into the Islamic world and understanding it, correcting many of the misconceptions that Westerners have. It provides an historical context within which respect for Islamic culture can develop. It shows the Westerner the Islamic viewpoint. It chastises the Islamic world for allowing misunderstandings to continue. It explains to Muslims why the West just doesn’t “get it.” It plots out the steps necessary to deal with and correct relationships with the Islamic world.
Reading Understanding Islam is not just a first step toward understanding, it is the first step toward peace.