This review is biased and does not cover all the particular elements of the book. What is written is what I took as grist for the deacon's mill.

On one hand Deacon George Dardess takes us on a personal journey of his desire to learn more about the Koran. In another way his new book Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians is a profound exploration of the common threads that can be seen in the banners of the Islamic and the Christian faiths. To think about these common threads, as George points out, opens up an appreciation for the Islamic faith tradition. At the same time, these reflections add a depth of understanding to our own Catholic Christian traditions. George, a linguist by training, uses key Islamic words as the 12 chapter titles. He then appends a Christian Bible theme to the Arabic to make his point.

Chapter 3 is entitled "Salat andTaqwa and the Ten Virgins" Salat is literally the bending at the waist that is done 5 times each day as part of the required worship ritual by faithful Muslims. Taqwa is translated from the Arabic as attentiveness and refers to the total commitment of body, mind and heart to the praise of the Lord. These elements of Islam resemble the Mathean story of the Ten Virgins but are more broadly reflected in all the gospel writings about faithfulness and watchfulness.

Chapter 4 "Abd and Wali and Martha and Mary" deals with the age old tensions between the active and contemplative life; between the concerns for the self and the community. Abd in Arabic means slave; Wali means patron and they are paired to describe the dual responsibilities that are required of the faithful to look out for members of the community as well as to follow the required individual practices.

Chapter 8 "Jihad and Fighting the Good Fight" brings to mind all the violence that is attributed to the fundamentalist Muslims. In fact "Jihad" has a dictionary definition of being a struggle, to strive in a righteous cause. George says that Jihad "rightly conceived, begins with an examination of conscience and a purging, or at least a candid acknowledging, of the self-interest that afflicts many if not most actions, even those carried out in the name of good causes." This explanation strips away the dread of the word. It is easy to relate this explanation to Paul's passion to spread the word, to build Christian communities, and to bring more people into Christ's family.

Clearly, George presents us with an unabashed effort to present Islam and its local faithful in a very positive light. In the context of 9/11 and what has followed, George has provided a wonderful beginning for Catholics and Muslims to burrow into our commonalities.

I recently heard a man ask at a public forum how he might approach a mosque to learn about Islam -- could he stop in at a service as he might at a church? Should he call the mosque and ask for the imam? He really could use "Meeting Islam" and the inspiration of George Dardess' candid account of approaching the Islamic Center of Rochester, N.Y.
Dardess, a knowledgeable Christian, Catholic deacon and former teacher, thoughtfully and theologically works his way through his encounters with Muslims, their beliefs and practices. His writing is easy to follow, and the personal anecdotes, for example, the trip to a monastery, are memorable. The chapter titles show at a glance which aspects of his Christianity he will reflect upon as he learns certain Islamic teachings.
I haven't known many people who decided to study Arabic decades after graduation. This author's journey began this way and the story is truly admirable and delightful. Plus, we benefit from Dardess' love of languages as he explains the meaning and pronunciations Arabic words.
This book, in the end, can not only help readers learn basic Islam, but also may help ease the discomfort some Christians have about dialogue with Muslims. A friend calls this book a "healing book."