In over a dozen face-to-face encounters with the hidden elite of the Muslim world, Joyce Davis reveals extremes in opinion, providing a personal glimpse of the kind of people influencing the development of Islamic thought today. Adopting traditional dress to gain access to a range of Islamic leaders normally off-limits to westerners, Davis sheds new light on our view of the Islamic world.

While these men and women possess religious principles and moral leadership that many western readers will find admirable, they also express sentiments that are alarming. The interviews are conducted with an even-handedness, resulting in an unbiased portrait of the players in one of the most volatile regions in the world. What becomes clear from these profiles is that some of the people who once provoked our fear are worthy of our trust, while others, undeniably, are not.

This is a revealing collection of interviews that unveils the thoughts and personalities of Muslim thinkers and leaders.