As it’s a truly beautiful fall day here in Minnesota (eerily similar to 9/11/2001), I sat outside for a while reading the first half of What Do Muslims Believe? : The roots and realities of modern Islam by Ziauddin Sardar. A brief (140 small pages) but helpful introduction to Muslims and Islam. Sardar starts with a fairly concise, straightforward answer to “What makes a Muslim?” and then explores the historical and modern complexities. I’ll be returning to this book after a bit of a break & nap. Should be helpful preparation for the early evening “Prayerful Action: Reading the Qur’an on September 11, 2010” I’ll be attending.