Some books have perfect timing. This is one of them. According to a recent Gallup World Religion Survey, a majority of Americans have little or no knowledge about Islam. Also, the study revealed a disturbing American bias against Muslims. The contagious disease of Islamophobia can be cured, and a strong antidote may be found in John L. Esposito’s new book, “The Future of Islam,” (Oxford, 2010).

Esposito is one of America’s leading experts on Islam. He is the author of more than 35 books, and the editor-in-chief of “The Oxford History of Islam” (2000) and “The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World,” (2001).

Esposito is a professor of religion and international affairs and of Islamic studies at Georgetown University and the founding director of Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.

“For Americans and Europeans,” Esposito writes, “understanding Islam and Muslims is both a domestic imperative (to know one’s fellow citizens and neighbors) and a foreign policy priority.” Ignorance of Islam is no longer acceptable in our global community. As he reminds us, Islam is enormously diverse, and is one of the fastest growing religions in the world today. With a population reaching 1.6 billion, Muslims represent nearly a quarter of the people on earth. “Islam and Muslims today are integral players in global history.”

Understanding Islam begins with the five pillars of the faith. Esposito explains these and other aspects of Islamic history and politics in clear and understandable language for any reader.

He challenges the dark stereotypes of Islam and the sinister images of Muslims, especially in the Western media, and lambasts American Christian preachers of hate, who demonize Muslims for political purposes.

They include Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Franklin Graham, Rod Parsley and John Hagee. He also takes aim at divisive Muslim preachers, such as Omar Bakri Mohammed, Abdullah El-Faisal, Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza Al-Masri.

Their noisy campaign of religious intolerance is dangerous and unrepresentative of mainstream Islam. “They spew their theologies of hate,” Esposito writes, “condemning the very countries and societies they live in, and calling for violence and warfare at home and in Muslim countries.”

Esposito sees hopeful signs in contemporary Muslim voices of reform, moderation and pluralism. One of these is Sarah Joseph, a British Muslim convert, who founded “emel: The Muslim Lifestyle Magazine,” in 2003. Distributed in 30 countries, emel is a symbol of progressive Islam in a European context. Another influential voice belongs to Tariq Ramadan, one of the world’s most prominent Muslim thinkers.

An Oxford University Professor, Ramadan is the author of many notable books, such as, “In the Footsteps of the Prophet;””To Be a European Muslim,” and “Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation.”

Ramadan believes the task for Muslims is not to reform Islam, but to reform their understanding of it. He offers a radical call for openness in faith, knowledge and service. Ramadan encourages Muslims to reach out “without dogmatism and in collaboration with other traditions, to the ethical reform of the contemporary world.”

Esposito praises Muslims for building bridges within Islam and with other faith traditions. “The Amman Message” (2004-05) was a show of theological unity by diverse Muslim communities and schools of thought.

This important statement rejects “extremism as a deviation from Islamic beliefs” and affirms “Islam’s message of tolerance and humanity as a common ground among different faiths and peoples.”

In “A Common Word Between Us and You” (2007), Muslims initiated an international interfaith dialogue, emphasizing the shared beliefs, values and concerns of Islam and Christianity. Esposito laments the negligible media coverage of these two worthy endeavors.

However, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah attracted noteworthy attention for his UN interfaith initiative, called “Culture of Peace” (November 2008). Representatives from 75 countries participated in this global summit. Is an Abrahamic renaissance on the horizon for the twenty-first century? Esposito expresses his hope for the development of a robust Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition.

This could open the door to a remarkable future for all of humanity. John L. Esposito has created a path to this door in his splendid book.

Joseph Richard Preville is an American writer living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.