Taking the Muslim call to prayer as his starting point, the author unravels the significance of the muezzin's haunting cry, considering prophethood, prayer, politics and community to present a more complete understanding of Islam. It becomes clear that the Islamic call to prayer transcends the boundaries of religion, containing a summons for Christians and Muslims alike. Drawing upon both scholarship and his own abiding spirituality, Kenneth Cragg's study of the two faiths pays homage to both, drawing them out of the shadows of enmity and into the light of mutual understanding.