Watching TV helped me see America. Can it help America see me?

The Afghan experience: United States of Al tells the story of an Afghan interpreter who comes to America to live with Riley, his best friend and a Marine veteran. — File photo/CBS

ON Sept 10, 2001, I was teaching an introduction to Islam class at the University of Iowa, where I was, at the age of 28, the first full-time professor of Islamic studies in the history of the state. That day, I had about 15 students in my class. Two days later, an additional 272 students showed up.

I’ve spent my entire career trying to help non-Muslims in the West understand Islam as a religion, a culture and an ideology. For years I was the friendly face of Islam on cable TV, the guy making jokes on Jon Stewart and getting into arguments on Fox News, trying to reframe Americans’ perceptions about my faith and culture. My first book, No God But God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, became an international bestseller. I really thought I was making a difference.