He has written three books on Islam and its place in contemporary Western society, including What’s Right with Islam Is What’s Right with America, and founded two non-profit organizations whose stated missions are to enhance the discourse on Islam in society. He has condemned the 9/11 attacks as un-Islamic and called on the U.S. government to reduce the threat of terrorism by altering its Middle Eastern foreign policy.[5][6] Author Karen Armstrong, among others, has praised him for his attempts to build bridges between the West and the Muslim world.[7]
In 2010, Sufi Imam Rauf received national attention for his plans to build Park51, a Sufi[8] Islamic Community Center, two blocks from Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.