THE BOOK OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

The Book of Contemporary Issues is part of a twelve-part curriculum being developed and published by The Book Foundation. It seeks to promote reflection on human values as they apply in the context of daily life in Western societies. Topics addressed include mass media, advertising and consumption, cultural and generational transitions, the role of faith in today's societies, the creative arts, health and recreation, and approaches to personal decision making. The book combines original writings with anthologized contributions, juxtaposing diverse points of view while highlighting complementary writings by non-Muslim and Muslim authors. The diversity of perspectives presented is intended to challenge tendencies to settle for easy answers or longstanding assumptions regarding the meanings of Islamic teachings. It seeks to uphold the model of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who guided human beings to better understand their purpose in Allah's creation and beyond and to fulfill that purpose using all that Allah has given us and all that is available to those who "seek knowledge from cradle to grave."

No text or teaching orders Muslims to stop the development of their thinking in the twelfth century, the fourteenth century, or even the nineteenth, twentieth, or twenty-first century. To be a Muslim is to continually pursue new and better ways to fulfill the purpose of Islam. By spurring discussion of contemporary issues in the context of Islam and human values, this volume endeavors not only to increase understanding of Islam, but also to provide individuals of all faiths and backgrounds with tools for weighing the choices that confront humanity.