Noor is the tale of three brothers attempting to rescue their sister Noor, who has been kidnapped during Ramadan. Each brother represents a different ideological position in the contemporary Islamic world. While exploring the crisis of modern Islam, Noor is a heartfelt treatise for religious tolerance. Ahmed points out that the play could be set in Baghdad but also Cairo, Karachi or Kabul. The Trial of Dara Shikoh tells the story of the eldest son of 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Heir apparent, Dara Shikoh is a learned scholar with a strong belief in the unity of different faiths:...

Although there are over one billion Muslims in the world, and over ten million in the West, most discussions of Islam are based on clichEs or outright prejudice. This lively and compelling book sets out to bridge the gulf of misunderstanding. Islam, argues Akbar Ahmed, does not mean the subordination of women, contempt for other religions, opposition to the modern world, or barbaric punishments for petty crimes. One cannot fully come to terms with modern Islam without understanding its sources and traditions.