Yesterday I accompanied a group of campus ministry leaders doing some training in Seattle as they visited a Mosque in Redmond (MAPS–Muslim Association of the Puget Sound). I introduced this Christian group to my friends in the Muslim community, in part to have an important encounter with each other. Too much is said about the other community out of ignorance and it often fosters animosity. This we all know. We were hosted for 2 hours by our Muslim friends who are in the midst of Ramadan, not eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset. 
I asked our presenter, Oraib, if she was hungry. She laughed and said no. We heard repeatedly by another presenter how ISIS does not represent Islam, but are criminals who violate the teaching of the Qur’an, taking verses out of context to support their campaign of destruction. He also said that they will disappear eventually because many leading Muslim countries are waking up to the dangers of ISIS and beginning to fight against them.
Speaking of waking up. Oraib also shared with us the origins of coffee and its influence in the birth of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. The path of coffee came through the Muslim world, a little known truth to many who like to only align Islam with ISIS. One historical reference actually found coffee used in a Sufi Monastery in Yemen to help keep the monks awake for evening prayers. Coffee was slowly introduced into Europe through Istanbul and later Venice.
“Europeans who used to start the day with beer or wine were hitting up caffeine. Instead of being relaxed or drunk, they were on fire. It literally turned Europe over. A social revolution ensued as coffeehouses sprang up alongside bars and pubs. Just like their alcoholic predecessors, everyone came to the local cafe for a drink. But this time, being energetic and springy, the conversations were more intellectual than emotional.” (http://bit.ly/1Gqfos2)
One of my first rules in peacemaking is truth telling. Too often we see our own nuanced understanding (especially of texts from our holy books if speaking from a religious community), as equal to the truth, and the nuance of the other as an outright lie. We need to listen better and be honest about our own blindspots.
