“Crescent and Dove brilliantly infuses sound social science with religious interpretations of Islamic sources. The fresh analyses and insights provided by Huda and these diverse contributors are concise and convincing, adding the cultural dimension needed to comprehend the contemporary Muslim world. The contributors demonstrate a skillful and contextual knowledge of Islamic sources and challenge several traditionally held viewpoints. This book is a must-read for strategists, professionals, educators, and students of peace and nonviolence in the Muslim world.”    

—Amr Abdalla, University for Peace


“A book of tremendous importance and sublime clarity that completely upends the widespread perception of Islam as a religion of violence and intolerance. The essays in this collection should be read by all who wish to understand the role of Islam and Islamic thought in global affairs.”

—Reza Aslan, author of No god but God and Beyond Fundamentalism


“Few topics are more important today than religion and peacebuilding. Qamar-ul Huda’s groundbreaking Crescent and Dove is a must-read for policymakers, scholars, and students of international affairs in a world that too often fails to distinguish between the acts of a tiny minority of extremists and the religion of Islam.”

—John L. Esposito, professor of religion and international affairs,
Georgetown University
 

“Few books have the potential to make a dramatic and positive impact on the world, but that is the case with Crescent and Dove. Expanding existing theory on conflict resolution and peacemaking in Islam, this book shows how peace is made and conflicts resolved in Muslim communities throughout the world. It introduces the topics of Muslim peacemakers, religious symbols and discourse, cultural practices and influential documents that all further peaceful Muslim communities and conflict resolution between Muslims and others. The often-ignored role of Muslim women as leaders for peace and agents of change is another important contribution.”

—Ingrid Mattson, professor of Islamic Studies, Hartford Seminary, and president of the Islamic Society of North America


“Behind explosive headlines and horrific images of violence is a quieter story of ordinary Muslims around the world drawing on the same faith to build peaceful communities. Crescent and Dove: Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam tells this story.  Drawing upon case studies and expanding on existing theory, Qamar-ul Huda takes readers to the largely unknown world of Islam-inspired peacebuilding. The book gives us a rare window into the existing tools and resources inherent in Islam to resolve conflict and promote cooperation. No policymaker, development leader, or civil society worker engaging Muslim societies can afford to miss this book.”
—Dalia Mogahed, executive director, senior analyst, Center for Muslim Studies, GALLUP

“This comprehensive edition analyzes the principles, methods, and approaches of peacemaking and conflict resolution in Islam and offers insightful recommendations for developing efficient practical skills and knowledge for religious leaders in the field of peacebuilding. Qamar-ul Huda’s well-timed work is a formative contribution to future studies as well as practical initiatives in the field.”

—Mehmet Pacaci, affiliate professor, George Mason University


“This timely and incisive critique analyzes the intellectual heritage of Islam and the practical challenges of peacemaking, conflict resolution, mediation, and reconciliation in Muslim communities. Written by preeminent Islamic scholar Qamar-ul Huda and other experts, Crescent and Dove underscores the importance of Islamic peacemaking and peacebuilding initiatives at all levels in Muslim communities worldwide—initiatives by high-ranking scholars, regional and local-level politicians, imams, teachers, lawyers, activists, religious educators, artists, musicians and other civil society actors. The broad, strategic, and insightful recommendations for developing institutional capacity to prevent violent conflict and to promote sustainable peace make this a seminal work that should be required reading for agents of peace everywhere.”

—Abdul Wahab, ambassador of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to the United Nations