Is it alright for a Catholic (or any Christian really) to read the Koran?

[theidler]

I cannot believe this is actually a hot button issue here…
I point to St. Thomas Aquinas as my guide for how Christians are to expose themselves to viewpoints other than their own.
He studied the writings of the pagan philosophers in depth. He learned much from the Islamic philosophers, as well as the Jewish as well. He did not simply throw his hands up in the air, declare them un-Christian and therefore not worth reading at all, and leave it there.

That said, I think there needs to be some spiritual maturity had on the part of the person reading spiritual works outside of their own faith tradition - by this I mean that they are spiritually mature and founded in their faith enough that contrary opinions will not shake them.

Learning is not wrong. You can disagree with the Qur’an until the cows come home - that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to read it for the purpose of expanding one’s knowledge. I have texts of many world religions, and yet I have chosen to be baptized Catholic this very year.

In other words, relax. There are bigger fish to fry other than Catholics wishing to broaden their learning while still retaining their faith and convictions.

 

[boleyn2010]

I cannot believe this is actually a hot button issue here…
I point to St. Thomas Aquinas as my guide for how Christians are to expose themselves to viewpoints other than their own.
He studied the writings of the pagan philosophers in depth. He learned much from the Islamic philosophers, as well as the Jewish as well. He did not simply throw his hands up in the air, declare them un-Christian and therefore not worth reading at all, and leave it there.

That said, I think there needs to be some spiritual maturity had on the part of the person reading spiritual works outside of their own faith tradition - by this I mean that they are spiritually mature and founded in their faith enough that contrary opinions will not shake them.

Learning is not wrong. You can disagree with the Qur’an until the cows come home - that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to read it for the purpose of expanding one’s knowledge. I have texts of many world religions, and yet I have chosen to be baptized Catholic this very year.

In other words, relax. There are bigger fish to fry other than Catholics wishing to broaden their learning while still retaining their faith and convictions.

And may I ask what can be learned from the koran in relation to God? There is enough in The Bible to keep any man occupied for a lifetime’s reading. Plus, the truth, can only be found in the inerrant word of God, The Bible. What do you seek from the koran?
Peace be with you.
Francis.

 

[theidler]

boleyn2010:
And may I ask what can be learned from the koran in relation to God? There is enough in The Bible to keep any man occupied for a lifetime’s reading. Plus, the truth, can only be found in the inerrant word of God, The Bible. What do you seek from the koran?
Peace be with you.
Francis.

If I read the Qur’an, it would be for the sake of knowledge concerning what Muslims believe, not for what I believe. This should be rather obvious.

 

[Melanilove]

I believe that if you’re reading it into a “researching” way, and not a worshiping way, then it is perfectly fine!! My brother in law picked up a book on Hare Krishna because he wanted to learn more about it, and I think it’s fine to do that, sometimes we all need to get educated on things such as that.

God bless you,
Melani

 

[jakasaki]

The best way to understand the koran is to read it in chronological order, however, the book is not written in this manner.

It is written from longest chapters called suras & verses called ayah’s.

It’s all jumbled up.

There is no separation from Medina “revelations” to Mecca “revelations”

So, in order to read it as it is written & compiled from Uthman, you must read all of the tafsirs to understand the verses.

And once you dwell into the tafsirs, some of them will upset you because they distort Christianity and the Bible.

The koran & tafsirs go hand in hand. You cannot read one without the other for a better understanding of what it is talking about.

 

[sparrowhawk28]

Thanks everyone for your replies, they made for good reading =)

I found it quite difficult to persevere with my reading of the Quran as it presented itself as a very complex text, so I have put it on hold - perhaps until a time when I have more time to tackle it. But I did learn something important from the small part that I read.

What I learnt is this - tolerance really isn’t possible, but humility is. For a long time I considered myself to be a tolerant person, but now - after reading a small part of the Quran - I have realised that this isn’t correct or possible (not only for me, but for anyone). A great deal of Islamic doctrine presents a direct contradiction to Christian belief. I don’t see how I can profess a Christian faith and claim that Jesus is the Son of God, and then say that the Muslim view that Jesus is merely a prophet is valid and able to be tolerated. It just doesn’t work, and it can challenge one’s own faith.

Instead, through reading, research and deepening my respect for others, I discovered the possibility of and beauty in humility. I have found that even though I don’t agree with a lot that I read in the Quran, I can respect and appreciate the differences because I respect people who follow the teachings of the Quran. And this has encouraged me to grow in faith, in understanding and in love for my fellow man.

Differences should be acknowledged and valued rather than shunned. No person is greater or lesser than another. We are all called to peace, love, hope and fellowship in spite of contradiction. Argument presents a hindrance to any fulfilment of these goals.

May God bless you.

 

[Elisabeth51]

I’m a fairly devoted Catholic. I have several friends of differing faiths and have always had an interest in learning about other religions. Recently I found a copy of the Koran and began reading it, but I’ve been a bit hesitant in continuing due to doubts.

While parts of the Koran have been confronting, for the most part it’s been inspiring to read - particularly passages which speak of God’s majesty and glory. Reading it has also encouraged me to read the Bible more, to understand how the texts relate to one another and to form a greater appreciation and respect for the importance that the Koran holds for many people.

Reading the Koran hasn’t posed any threat to my faith, but even so - is it advisable for me to continue reading?

How else would you debate with them? How else would you know what they believe? St. Paul said he became all things to win some, a Greek to the Greeks, etc…I can see it would be dangerous if you were weak in your faith. I remember a in college Protestant girl going to literal pieces in the professor’s office because we had to read part of the Hindu holy book, I was next to see our professor and he asked me if I had a problem with it. I said no, how can I try to convert a Hindu to become Christian if I don’t know what they believe to start with?

I don’t think it’s a problem as long as you are doing it to improve your knowledge so you can discuss with Muslims and possibly convert them.

I do know a Catholic girl that became Muslim 2 years after marrying a Muslim guy…but she didn’t know the why’s of our faith, so she had nothing to stand on against his arguments.

 

[gkrohm]

There are many interesting reflections on this thread. I concur with the thoughts of Theidler and Sparrowhawk about the value of study of Islam.

To go back to the original question, I have seen the Koran in several parish libraries. I first picked up the Koran from my own parish library and read it casually. This introduced me to many surprising things and excited me to study why the Koran reverences Mary as the virgin mother of Jesus. Jesus is one of the great prophets of Islam who will be the judge of humanity at the end of the world. This was a remarkable finding.

I would “bet the ranch” that Pope Benedict has studied the Koran. His famous speech at the University of Regensburg (2006) quotes the Koran in a very sophisticated argument (misunderstood by the popular media).

Through my studies of the Koran and Islam I have been an instrument of the Holy Spirit to my Muslim friends and associates. I had the pleasure of explaining the Christian view of the Trinity to a group of young Muslim men in the main mosque in the capitol of Turkey. It was a very powerful experience for me, and I think for the young men. One of them commented with a smile at my passionate comments: “You should have been an Iman.”

 

[Brofessor]

Absolutely! I loved reading the Koran and it gave me a much deeper respect for Islam.

 

[Sara_Balzano]

You can, but I do not advise it, because it is BORING. When my ex-boyfriend’s father converted to Islam, I decided to read the Quran out of curiosity. Since I could not find a Maltese, Latin, or Italian translation, I decided to order an English translation from the web.

I did manage to read throught the entire book, but it took me a long, long time, since it could not keep my interest. It is without a doubt the work of a man and not God Himself.

 

[sparrowhawk28]

Absolutely! I loved reading the Koran and it gave me a much deeper respect for Islam.

Thank you! I hope to try and pick it up again sometime.

You can, but I do not advise it, because it is BORING. When my ex-boyfriend’s father converted to Islam, I decided to read the Quran out of curiosity. Since I could not find a Maltese, Latin, or Italian translation, I decided to order an English translation from the web.

I did manage to read throught the entire book, but it took me a long, long time, since it could not keep my interest. It is without a doubt the work of a man and not God Himself.

I actually saw your name and wondered if you were Maltese. My father’s family is Maltese =)

I think that through translation texts can lose some of their original power and meaning. This happens in some instances with the Bible, though from my understanding it seems to happen a lot more in relation to the Quran. The beauty and true meaning of the words can only really be discovered when they are read in the original language - Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, whatever. Modern translations can be close, but never 100% certain.

 

[sparrowhawk28]

There are many interesting reflections on this thread. I concur with the thoughts of Theidler and Sparrowhawk about the value of study of Islam.

To go back to the original question, I have seen the Koran in several parish libraries. I first picked up the Koran from my own parish library and read it casually. This introduced me to many surprising things and excited me to study why the Koran reverences Mary as the virgin mother of Jesus. Jesus is one of the great prophets of Islam who will be the judge of humanity at the end of the world. This was a remarkable finding.

I would “bet the ranch” that Pope Benedict has studied the Koran. His famous speech at the University of Regensburg (2006) quotes the Koran in a very sophisticated argument (misunderstood by the popular media).

Through my studies of the Koran and Islam I have been an instrument of the Holy Spirit to my Muslim friends and associates. I had the pleasure of explaining the Christian view of the Trinity to a group of young Muslim men in the main mosque in the capitol of Turkey. It was a very powerful experience for me, and I think for the young men. One of them commented with a smile at my passionate comments: “You should have been an Iman.”

I liked their reverence of Christ and Mary also. It made me feel as though - despite the fact there are many differences - there is a great connection between the two faiths.

It’s wonderful that you’ve been able to offer such guidance and information to your friends and associates. I think learning more about other faiths can really encourage dialogue and connection.

 

[stevekehl]

Yes, you can read it. Yes, we should live at peace with people of other religions. No, there is no great connection between the two faiths. Mohammed initially thought the revelation was from Satan until his wife convinced him otherwise.

 

[sparrowhawk28]

Yes, you can read it. Yes, we should live at peace with people of other religions. No, there is no great connection between the two faiths. Mohammed initially thought the revelation was from Satan until his wife convinced him otherwise.

Peace is very, very important.
But if there is no connection, how does one explain the similarities relating to Christ and his Mother?

 

[gkrohm]

Yes, you can read it. Yes, we should live at peace with people of other religions. No, there is no great connection between the two faiths. Mohammed initially thought the revelation was from Satan until his wife convinced him otherwise.

The above post is very correct about living in peace with other faiths.

But it is absolutely wrong about the connections between Islam and Christianity. There are literally dozens of references to OT and NT persons and events in the Koran. An entire chapter of the Koran is devoted to Mary the mother of Jesus. Jesus is one of the major prophets in the Koran, and they profess that he will come on the last judgment to judge humanity.

I have studied the history of Islam from learned scholars, and I never heard of Mohammed thinking that revelation [meaning Christian and OT] was from Satan. He believe the revelation in the OT and NT was distorted and full of error, which he may have said was caused by Satan.

Some historians plausibly connect Mohammed’s learning about Christianity with missionaries that were evangelizing in Mecca, his ancestral home. He clearly had knowledge of many Christian doctrines. He accepted many, but strongly rejects some, e.g., divinity of Jesus and Jesus’ death.

I attended an interfaith meeting last night [sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago] in which Muslims read the Koran regarding Mary and Catholics read the Gospel of Matthew re the sermon on the mount. We then exchanged views on our favorite scripture passages and engaged in silent prayer for peace. It was very moving.

 

[sparrowhawk28]

The above post is very correct about living in peace with other faiths.

But it is absolutely wrong about the connections between Islam and Christianity. There are literally dozens of references to OT and NT persons and events in the Koran. An entire chapter of the Koran is devoted to Mary the mother of Jesus. Jesus is one of the major prophets in the Koran, and they profess that he will come on the last judgment to judge humanity.

I have studied the history of Islam from learned scholars, and I never heard of Mohammed thinking that revelation [meaning Christian and OT] was from Satan. He believe the revelation in the OT and NT was distorted and full of error, which he may have said was caused by Satan.

Some historians plausibly connect Mohammed’s learning about Christianity with missionaries that were evangelizing in Mecca, his ancestral home. He clearly had knowledge of many Christian doctrines. He accepted many, but strongly rejects some, e.g., divinity of Jesus and Jesus’ death.

I attended an interfaith meeting last night [sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago] in which Muslims read the Koran regarding Mary and Catholics read the Gospel of Matthew re the sermon on the mount. We then exchanged views on our favorite scripture passages and engaged in silent prayer for peace. It was very moving.

Thank you for your clarifications.
That interfaith meeting sounds like it would have been a very beautiful experience

 

[couponfit]

I don’t think you should read the Qur’ān unless you are a seasoned apologist who is very knowedgeable about the Christian faith. Even then, you should only be reading it if you are going to refute it or bring Muslims to the Christian faith.

The god of the Qur’ān is not the Holy Trinity. The Qur’ān specifically says “He [Allah] begetteth not, nor is he begotten” (Qur’ān 112:3). This is a direct contradiction of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The god of Islam was an Arabian moon god idol worshipped alongside other idols in the Ka’ba in Mecca (the most holy shrine of Islam) Why is the crescent moon the emblem of Islam? Think about it.

The Qur’ān is an evil book, full of verses calling for war against unbelievers. To see the real Islam, I recommend Prophet of Doom by Craig Winn. Islam is the sworn enemy of Christ and Christianity, and we should not let political correctness or religious tolerance cloud our judgement. Their goal is to Islamise the world and make us all live under Shari’ah law.

Wow, for someone who urges others not to read the qur’an, you sure do quote it well.

 

[couponfit]

I’m a fairly devoted Catholic. I have several friends of differing faiths and have always had an interest in learning about other religions. Recently I found a copy of the Koran and began reading it, but I’ve been a bit hesitant in continuing due to doubts.

While parts of the Koran have been confronting, for the most part it’s been inspiring to read - particularly passages which speak of God’s majesty and glory. Reading it has also encouraged me to read the Bible more, to understand how the texts relate to one another and to form a greater appreciation and respect for the importance that the Koran holds for many people.

Reading the Koran hasn’t posed any threat to my faith, but even so - is it advisable for me to continue reading?

From what you wrote, I would say sure. But, one thing to point out is because you are asking and referring to doubts, I suggest you do so in conjunction with conference from a priest if need be.

 

[sparrowhawk28]

From what you wrote, I would say sure. But, one thing to point out is because you are asking and referring to doubts, I suggest you do so in conjunction with conference from a priest if need be.

Ah - I never actually thought of asking a priest for advice! Thank you for your suggestion!

 

[gkrohm]

I don’t think you should read the Qur’ān unless you are a seasoned apologist who is very knowedgeable about the Christian faith. Even then, you should only be reading it if you are going to refute it or bring Muslims to the Christian faith.

The god of the Qur’ān is not the Holy Trinity. The Qur’ān specifically says “He [Allah] begetteth not, nor is he begotten” (Qur’ān 112:3). This is a direct contradiction of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The god of Islam was an Arabian moon god idol worshipped alongside other idols in the Ka’ba in Mecca (the most holy shrine of Islam) Why is the crescent moon the emblem of Islam? Think about it.

The Qur’ān is an evil book, full of verses calling for war against unbelievers. To see the real Islam, I recommend Prophet of Doom by Craig Winn. Islam is the sworn enemy of Christ and Christianity, and we should not let political correctness or religious tolerance cloud our judgement. Their goal is to Islamise the world and make us all live under Shari’ah law.

I have made a pretty extensive study of Islam, both history and theology, and have interacted with Muslims regarding religious beliefs in Turkey, Jordan, and Tunisia. I find the above statement to be way off base, both historically and in contemporary belief of most Muslims I have met. It is hard to refute that during the first centuries of the Islamic empire, Islam tolerated Christians pretty well. Sure, they were restricted on building new churches and from public liturgies/parades on the streets. Yes, they imposed a tax on Christians and Jews, but the tax was roughly equivalent to the tithing expected of Muslims. On balance, Muslims were more tolerant of Christians than vice versa. The behavior of the Crusaders was pretty reprehensible, especially the slaughter after the sack of Jerusalem by Crusaders in 1099.

I am not an apologist for Islam. My study indicates massive problems with the entrenched beliefs of Muslims regarding the life and inspiration of Muhammad and the nature of the Qu’ran as a historical document. Yet, there is beauty in the way Muslims glorify God. I believe it is the same God we Catholics worship, though with a much different understanding of the complex and mysterious nature of God.