Ten things everyone needs to know about Islam
Islam and Muslims today suffer unjustly from a bad reputation. Largely as a result of media coverage of criminal terrorist activities carried out by a tiny minority of extremist elements in the last decade or so, many people have developed a negative image or stereotype of Islam and Muslims.
The Columban Mission Institute has re-printed Ten Things Everyone Needs to Know About Islam by Professor John L. Esposito to counter the negative stereotypes and prejudices and to provide accurate information on Muslims and Islam.
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, Professor Esposito was called upon to address a wide range of audiences seeking explanation of those events. He collated the pressing questions that his audiences constantly asked him and published his answers in What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam. The book is the result of his many years of study, scholarship, lecturing, publishing and dialogue with Muslims. His answers are clear, direct, balanced, and informative.
In the 29 page booklet, the nearly one hundred questions and answers are whittled down to ten core questions and answers. For those who need to start with the basics, these are answers to the top ten most urgent questions about Islam that are on everyone’s mind.
We are delighted that this effort to promote better understanding is already proving very popular. In the last month alone we have moved nearly five hundred booklets – one Catholic bishop bought copies for every priest, lay pastoral leader and lay leader in his diocese; a secondary school teacher bought copies for every student in Year 11; and many others have bought multiple copies to pass on to family, friends and colleagues.
It is a valuable resource for teachers, catechists, parish workers and social workers.
The $4 price tag is deliberately minimal to ensure that the book is affordable to everyone and out of reach of no one. In our 21st century globalized world where Muslims and Christians together make up over fifty percent of the world’s population, we can no longer afford to be ignorant about each other.
Rev Dr Patrick J McInerney is the Coordinator of the Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations CMI.
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