Developed in response to the events of September 11 2001, these 14 articles from prominent Muslim thinkers offer a provocative reassessment of Islam's relationship with the modern world. Confronting issues such as racism, justice, sexuality and gender, this book reveals the real challenges faced by Muslims of both sexes in contemporary Western society. A probing, frank, and intellectually refreshing testament to the capacity of Islam for renewal, change, and growth, these articles from fifteen Muslim scholars and activists address the challenging and complex issues that confront Muslims today. Avoiding fundamentalist and apologetic approaches, the book concentrates on the key areas of debate in progressive Islamic thought: 'Contemporary Islam,' 'Gender Justice,' and 'Pluralism.' Articles featured include: Khaled Abou El Fadl on reclaiming the beautiful in Islam; Farid Esack on how to define 'Progressive Islam' in the wake of September 11; Ebrahim Moosa on the debts and burdens of critical Islamic thought; Amina Wadud on issues of race and class in North American Muslim identity. With further contributions on subjects as diverse and controversial as the alienation of Muslim youth; Islamic law, marriage, and feminism; and the role of democracy in Islam, this volume will prove thought-provoking for all those interested in the challenges of justice and pluralism facing the Muslim world as it confronts the twenty-first century.