"This book shows that the only possible way forward is by the assiduous cultivation of mutual respect. It should be read, but then-even more important-it should be acted upon." "Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's message-that pluralism and tolerance are historic fundamentals of the Islamic faith-is like drinking fresh water in a desert of rising international radicalism." "This is an invigorating glimpse into the heart and mind of a wise Muslim seeking the higher ground, and a moving example of the impact of the American experience." "As someone with roots in both East and West, who has spent most of a lifetime attempting to build bridges between our cultures, I welcome this urgently needed book.... Imam Feisal speaks from the heart about the higher ground on which we can all unite. It is a book brimming with hope." "After two disastrous wars against Muslim countries, it is more than ever necessary to get objective and sympathetic information about Islam, which is provided here by a very competent Muslim scholar living in the United States. An excellent work of bridge building!" "Abdul Rauf offers a searching, thoughtful, and reasoned alternative to the shrill doomsayers who proclaim a 'clash of civilizations.' His learned and highly readable book affirms, and itself demonstrates, that a dialogue of civilizations is both possible and necessary." "The publication of this book, when so much misunderstanding about Islam abounds in the West, is a timely event. The author, deeply rooted in both worlds, provides objective and serious responses to challenges that Islam faces today, and his book is a valuable bridge between the religion that is his and that he represents and the world in which he lives."
Feisal Abdul Rauf was born in October 23, 1948. He is a Kuwaiti-born Egyptian-American Sufi imam, author, and activist whose stated goal is to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West. From 1983 to 2009, he served as Imam of Masjid al-Farah, a mosque in New York City, located only twelve blocks from the site of the former World Trade Center. He founded the ASMA Society, a not-for-profit educational and cultural organization building bridges between the American public and American Muslims, and cofounded the Cordoba Initiative, a multifaith effort to help heal the relationship between the Muslim world and America. He has written three books on Islam and its place in contemporary Western society, including What's Right with Islam Is What's Right with America, and founded two non-profit organizations whose stated missions are to enhance the discourse on Islam in society. He has condemned the 9/11 attacks as un-Islamic and called on the U.S. government to reduce the threat of terrorism by altering its Middle Eastern foreign policy. Author Karen Armstrong, among others, has praised him for his attempts to build bridges between the West and the Muslim world. In 2010, Sufi Imam Rauf received national attention for his plans to build Park51, an Islamic Community Center, two blocks from Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.