Robert Spencer probes the Quran and other sacred documents to find out why the world's fastest growing faith tends to arouse extremism. A student of the religion for the last twenty years, he brings a critical sensibility to this brave, searching work.

Prologue : what does Islam really stand for? -- Is Islam a religion of peace? -- Does Islam promote and safeguard sound moral values? -- Does Islam respect human rights? -- Does Islam respect women? -- Is Islam compatible with liberal democracy? -- Can Islam be secularized and made compatible with the Western pluralistic framework? -- Can science and culture flourish under Islam? -- The crusades : Christian and Muslim -- Is Islam tolerant of non-Muslims? -- Does the West really have nothing to fear from Islam?