Do people of different faiths, different histories and backgrounds share similar goals and objectives? How are citizens of Muslim countries different from Americans in their aspirations and perspectives? Does humanity, at its core, share common values ones that can form the basis of peaceful co-existence for people from different parts of the world belonging to different religions? Do we really understand each others perspectives? These questions have never been more important than they are now, as two societies stare at each other across an abyss that threatens to engulf us all. About the Author Irfan Husain was born in Amritsar, India, in 1944 and migrated with his family to the newly created state of Pakistan three years later. Educated in Karachi, Paris and Ankara, he joined the civil service in 1967 after obtaining a masters degree in economics. He has pursued a parallel and covert career as a freelance journalist for most of his working life, writing under a succession of pseudonyms. As Mazdak, he became a popular columnist on the Internet edition of Dawn, a newspaper he has been writing for over the last two decades. Since 2002, he divides his time between the UK, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.