This book uses 'The Innocence of Muslims' controversy as an entry point into the study of relations between Christians and Muslims in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. Instead of dismissing the condemnations and joint reactions as shallow and ritualised displays of solidarity, Anna Hager argues that they offer insights into the mechanisms of Christian-Muslim relations. Christians and Muslims, including Islamist figures, channelled the potential violence - turning it into an occasion to strengthen inter-communal relations and, crucially, their own positions.