“There is today a deliberate reverence and respect about the west’s dealings with Islamic culture. If this new mood increases interest in Islamic art, that can only be a good thing. But despite the fact that we are now much more likely to know Muslims personally, our appreciation of their culture hasn’t gone as far as it might. If we have any interest at all, it is likely to be stuck at the level of museum culture – expressing wonder at beautiful antique objects in an enthusiastic but faintly uncomprehending way.”