Today I received an electronic-mail message from Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, dated January 21, 2015. It contains a letter addressed to the youth in Europe and North America, and it concerns lies about Islam. As far as I can see, the message was not forwarded to me. In fact, it came directly from the sender. What is more, I am the only recipient listed in the heading. All this contributed to my careful reading of the message.

Ayatollah Khamenei starts by explaining why he is addressing the youth rather then their parents, let alone politicians. This is because the future of Europe and North America is in the hands of the youth. His main concern is the spread of lies about Islam that are flooding the world as of late. Thus he has two requests. First, the youth should study the incentives behind the widespread tarnishing of the image of Islam. Second, the youth should gain direct knowledge of this religion by studying its sources, such as the Koran.

The letter strikes me as perfectly reasonable. The two requests make quite a lot of sense to me, too. In addition, I must admit that I feel rather flattered by Ayatollah Khamenei for sending it to me in spite of my advanced age. I am young at heart, to say the least. But I would like to add one more source that could add direct knowledge about Islam to the youth of Europe and North America: The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night. All by itself, it will help guard against lies about Islam. I can only hope that Ayatollah Khamenei will agree with me on this score.

Addendum (December 8, 2015)

I have heard from Ayatollah Khamenei never again, but my advice of adding my favorite book, known as Alf layla wa layla in Arabic, to the reading list for the European and North American youth still stands. This collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian tales goes back to the Islamic Golden Age, which starts in the Eighth Century and ends in the Thirteenth. As scholars generally agree, the earliest tales in this book come from India and Persia, and they were translated into Arabic in the Eighth Century. Many of the Arab stories were most likely added in the Ninth Century and later. But the current compilations and translations are the work of many a European scholar, too. The first such compilation appeared in the English language early in the Eighteenth Century. Some of the tales—such as those about Aladdin’s lamp, Ali Baba and the forty thieves, and the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor—are now familiar all around the world. The book is thus a collective endeavor that brings the proverbial east and west together better than any other. Most important, it presents Islam in a way that every youth in Europe and North America would recognize as very much in line with their own views of Christianity and/or Judaism. Whence my advice in the first place. Returning to Ayatollah Khamenei, I still hope that he will agree with me on this score.