Cutting-edge global dialogue between Muslims and ChristiansIn late 2007 Muslim leaders from around the world together issued in the pages of The New York Times an open letter to Christian leaders inviting cooperation as a step toward peace. That letter, "A Common Word between Us and You," acknowledged real differences between the two faiths but nonetheless contended that "righteousness and good works" should be the only areas in which they compete. The 138 signatories included over a dozen grand muftis, an ayatollah, and a Jordanian prince, and the document was widely considered a groundbreaking step toward reconciliation between Islam and Christianity-two major religions with a great deal in common.That original letter and a collaborative Christian response-"Loving God and Neighbor Together"-both appear in this remarkable volume. Building on those original momentous documents, A Common Word further includes subsequent commentary and dialogue between Muslim and Christian scholars addressing critical and frequently asked questions. All in all, this eventful book encapsulates a brave and encouraging move toward harmony and accord between two world religions so often seen to be at odds.Contributors: Martin Accad, Judge Bola Ajibola, Habib Ali Al- Jifri, David Burrell, Harvey Cox, Joseph Cumming, John Kerry, Rick Love, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Dr. Aref Ali Nayed, Andrew Saperstein, Reza Shah- Kazemi, Miroslav Volf, Melissa Yarrington, HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal

No word in English evokes more fear and misunderstanding than 'jihad'. To date the books that have appeared on the subject in English by Western scholars have been either openly partisan and polemical, or subtly traumatised by so many acts and images of terrorism in the name of jihad, and by the historical memory of nearly one thousand four hundred years of confrontation between Islam and Christianity. War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad aims to change this. Written by a number of Islamic religious authorities and Muslim scholars, this work presents the views and teachings of mainstream Sunni and Shi'i Islam on the subject of jihad. It authoritatively presents jihad as it is understood by the majority of the world's 1.7 billion Muslims today, and supports this understanding with extensive detail and scholarship. Though jihad is the central concern of War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad, the range of the essays is not confined exclusively to the study of jihad. The work is divided into three parts: War and Its Practice, Peace and Its Practice, and Beyond Peace: The Practice of Forbearance, Mercy, Compassion and Love. War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad aims to reveal the real meaning of jihad and to rectify many of the misunderstandings that surround both it and Islam's relation with the 'Other'.

Cutting-edge global dialogue between Muslims and ChristiansIn late 2007 Muslim leaders from around the world together issued in the pages of The New York Times an open letter to Christian leaders inviting cooperation as a step toward peace. That letter, "A Common Word between Us and You," acknowledged real differences between the two faiths but nonetheless contended that "righteousness and good works" should be the only areas in which they compete. The 138 signatories included over a dozen grand muftis, an ayatollah, and a Jordanian prince, and the document was widely considered a groundbreaking step toward reconciliation between Islam and Christianity-two major religions with a great deal in common.That original letter and a collaborative Christian response-"Loving God and Neighbor Together"-both appear in this remarkable volume. Building on those original momentous documents, A Common Word further includes subsequent commentary and dialogue between Muslim and Christian scholars addressing critical and frequently asked questions. All in all, this eventful book encapsulates a brave and encouraging move toward harmony and accord between two world religions so often seen to be at odds.Contributors: Martin Accad, Judge Bola Ajibola, Habib Ali Al- Jifri, David Burrell, Harvey Cox, Joseph Cumming, John Kerry, Rick Love, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Dr. Aref Ali Nayed, Andrew Saperstein, Reza Shah- Kazemi, Miroslav Volf, Melissa Yarrington, HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal

No word in English evokes more fear and misunderstanding than 'jihad'. To date the books that have appeared on the subject in English by Western scholars have been either openly partisan and polemical, or subtly traumatised by so many acts and images of terrorism in the name of jihad, and by the historical memory of nearly one thousand four hundred years of confrontation between Islam and Christianity. War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad aims to change this. Written by a number of Islamic religious authorities and Muslim scholars, this work presents the views and teachings of mainstream Sunni and Shi'i Islam on the subject of jihad. It authoritatively presents jihad as it is understood by the majority of the world's 1.7 billion Muslims today, and supports this understanding with extensive detail and scholarship. Though jihad is the central concern of War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad, the range of the essays is not confined exclusively to the study of jihad. The work is divided into three parts: War and Its Practice, Peace and Its Practice, and Beyond Peace: The Practice of Forbearance, Mercy, Compassion and Love. War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad aims to reveal the real meaning of jihad and to rectify many of the misunderstandings that surround both it and Islam's relation with the 'Other'.