“A civil but honest dialogue...As illuminating as it is fascinating.” —Ayaan Hirsi Ali Is Islam a religion of peace or war? Is it amenable to reform? Why do so many Muslims seem to be drawn to extremism? And what do words like jihadism and fundamentalism really mean? In a world riven by misunderstanding and violence, Sam Harris—a famous atheist—and Maajid Nawaz—a former radical—demonstrate how two people with very different religious views can find common ground and invite you to join in an urgently needed conversation. “How refreshing to read an honest yet affectionate exchange between the Islamist-turned-liberal-Muslim Maajid Nawaz and the neuroscientist who advocates mindful atheism, Sam Harris...Their back-and-forth clarifies multiple confusions that plague the public conversation about Islam.” —Irshad Manji, New York Times Book Review “It is sadly uncommon, in any era, to find dialogue based on facts and reason—but even more rarely are Muslim and non-Muslim intellectuals able to maintain critical distance on broad questions about Islam. Which makes Islam and the Future of Tolerance something of a unicorn...Most conversations about religion are marked by the inability of either side to listen, but here, at last, is a proper debate.” —New Statesman

The book describes the challenge of modernity faced by Muslims and Christians and the issue of religious pluralism. It describes Muslims' encounters with Christianity in the first half of this century and their participation in organised dialogues initiated by the Churches in the second half. It highlights their apprehensions and expectations in dialogue and issues of co-existence in the world today. The book focuses on six prominent Muslim personalities who represent a wide spectrum of Muslim opinion and three international organizations and their attitude towards dialogue.

Islam recognizes a plurality of religions and asks Muslims to respect other religions. The primary role of interfaith dialogue is to remove misunderstanding and accept difference, the aim being to generate a climate of peaceful coexistence and harmonious social relations. And this is perhaps more needed today than ever before, as mankind is increasingly called upon to exercise tolerance in a markedly volatile world, where living and working together in diversity is fast becoming the norm. Interfaith dialogue is by no means easy, defensive reaction; uncomfortable exchange and an overwhelming desire to avoid a perceived compromise of deeply held principles are some of the pitfalls that can easily cool commitment and the best of endeavors. It is here that this Guide makes an important contribution. The book is designed to guide Muslims who are interested and/or involved in building relations with those of the Jewish and Christian faiths.

The Qur'an is God's verbatim speech for most traditional Muslims. Qur'an in Conversation reflects how this sacred text of Islam comes into dialogue with the contemporary world through the voices of the eloquent interpreters gathered in this volume. In Qur'an in Conversation, author Michael Birkel engages North American Muslim religious leaders and academics in conversations of scriptural interpretation. Scholars, practicing imams, and younger public intellectuals wrestle with key suras of the Qur'an. Qur'an in Conversation demonstrates a wide spectrum of interpretation and diversity of approaches in reading Islam's scripture. The discussions directly address key issues in Muslim theology--good versus evil, the nature of God, and the future of Islam. Younger North American Muslims read the Qur'an in varied ways; this is analogous to the diverse ways in which Jews and Christians have interpreted their own holy books. Michael Birkel welcomes people of goodwill into a public conversation about the current role of Western Muslims in Islam. Qur'an in Conversation encourages non-specialists and Muslim scholars alike to imagine how the Qur'an will be interpreted among North American Muslims in years to come. --Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies, University of North Carolina "Publishers Weekly"

In Common Words in Muslim-Christian Dialogue Vebjørn L. Horsfjord offers an analysis of texts from an international dialogue process between Christian and Muslim leaders. Through detailed engagement with the Muslim dialogue letter A Common Word between Us and You (2007) and a large number of Christian responses to it, the study analyses the dialogue process in the wake of the Muslim initiative and shows how the various texts gain meaning through their interaction. The author uses tools from critical discourse analysis and speech act analysis and claims that the Islamic dialogue initiative became more important as an invitation to Muslim-Christian dialogue than as theological reflection. He shows how Christian leaders systematically chose to steer the dialogue process towards practical questions about peaceful coexistence and away from theological issues.

This book was written by a Muslim author who believes "that in the Bible, Jesus never claimed to be God; that Jesus did not die on the cross; that the miracles performed by Jesus were also performed by many other prophets, and even disbelievers; and that Jesus prophesied the advent of the Prophet Muhammad. All of this and much more is detailed from the clear passages of the Bible."

This book examines how Christian-Muslim dialogue is envisioned by four present-day Lebanese thinkers: Great Ayatollah Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah, Doctor Mahmoud Ayoub, Metropolitan Georges Khodr and Doctor, Father Mouchir Basile Aoun.

In a world that is too often seen as a cloash of civilizations, some believe there is another way, a path that involves engagement, dialogue, and respect. In Thomas Michel's new book, Peace and Dialogue in a Plural Society, he explores how Fethullah Gulen is one of those speaking most vocally in favor of a world community, where different faiths and nations can come together at one table to solve the multitude of problems facing today's world. Exploring the spiritual roots of Gulen and the Hizmet Movement, as well as drawing parallels between his own work as a Catholic priest, Michel shows how Hizmet has helped build a blueprint for intercultural communication in a time when too many voices are trying to stoke the fires of discord. Through education, dialogue, and a respect for basic human dignity, Michel finds a foundation in Gulen's faith and Hizmet's service upon which a healthy, diverse society can be built.

This detailed study by Jutta Sperber shows how the magisterium of the Roman-Catholic Church, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and various parts of the Muslim world from Saudi Arabia to Iran have been engaged in Christian-Muslim dialogues. The mainly anthropological topics range from tolerance and human dignity, the position of women and children, media and education, to mission, resources and nationalism. They paint an interesting picture of the position of Man before God and the world in both Christianity and Islam.