An excellent exploration of Islam in Western Europe has developed from early immigration and settlement to the point where a native generation is developing ways of being European and Muslim. England is given special attention as a case study, but as the discussion moves into the present and the future, reference is made to all of western Europe. Factors in this process not only arise from the Muslim communities themselves but also from the inherited structures of European society and state. Although the issues are complex and tense, the author is generally optimistic about the outcome.

In recent years there has been much talk of a clash between the Muslim world and Christendom, most of it superficial and media-driven. There has also been a recent intellectual attempt to identify a new threat from Muslim fundamentalism. This work set out to explore the reality behind the myths.