Some of the same ideas apply to matters of faith. Not when someone says, "We want you to give up your faith in God or your basic principles," but perhaps, say, on the issue of where you donate to charity. A moderate person would be open to discussing that issue.

At the end of the book, you say explicitly that there is a lack of Muslim leadership in the U.S., and your chapter on Siraj Wahhaj demonstrates this. Young progressive-minded Muslims often express a hope that as second- and third-generation American Muslims take leadership positions in student associations and mosques, Muslim culture will become less conservative. Did you see any signs of that happening?

I have seen hopeful signs in many places. In some cases, it's really not up to me, as an outsider, to even label those signs as hopeful, but they're worth noting.

I'll point you to a brief section in the book about the ISNA convention that came in the wake of the horrible bombings in London in 2005. A series of public statements were made there that were blunter, clearer and, to my ear, much more helpful and leaving no room for misunderstanding on the subject of terrorism.

When people ask me, "How come Muslims never denounce terrorism?" my first answer is, "Your premise is wrong. They denounce terrorism over and over again." Then I acknowledge that many of the statements - certainly before 9/11 and some after 9/11 - have qualifications that cause non-Muslims to ignore them. The statements in 2005 and since then have been more clear-cut. They say, "We, as Muslims, have a responsibility both inside and outside our communities to say terrorism is never ever justifiable." That's a demonstration of leadership. That deserves to be praised and encouraged.

Just the other day, a Muslim guy in Knoxville, Tenn., was telling me how some people from his generation were using democratic processes to take over the leadership of his mosque. It was not a coup of any sort - it happened through the open processes of electing a new board of directors, an executive committee, and so forth. He said the changes were a small-scale version of the ascendance of Ingrid Mattson to the presidency of ISNA.

I haven't reported on that mosque myself, so I don't know exactly what's going on there. But what he told me points toward a new self-consciousness among Muslims who have grown up in this country and their sense that, "Now it is our turn to step up and become leaders." It's inevitable that the very accomplished immigrants who are now in their 60s and 70s will surrender control of national organizations and local mosques and Islamic centers. Where that will all go is an open question.

American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, Dec. 2006)