"For six decades Kenneth Cragg has been recognized and praised as one of the West's most gifted interpreters of Islam. In this latest work, Cragg argues that the West must put aside a "spiritual imperialism" that draws on western prescripts alien of Muslims and "learn to come within" Islam. Only then can a conversation begin that can relieve the misunderstandings and suspicion that has grown between Islam and the West - especially since 9/11." "Cragg makes clear that a misunderstanding of the tenets of a religion is a condition religious have suffered through the centuries and one to which Islam is no exception. He argues that the terrorists of 9/11 perverted the Qur'an's meaning and yet argues that fanaticism cannot be healed by being deplored or rebuked. Instead, the factors that induced it need to be resolved so that the "anxieties they shelter can be patiently allayed." The Qur'an and the West offers a means of study that reaches for a deeper knowledge of the Qur'an, engendering a new understanding of its holy teachings, and opening a means for a fruitful discourse."--Jacket.