Qu'ran Ownership

[Cruxis117]

If I have this in the wrong place I apologize. I wanted to know: Is it a sin to own a Qur’an and to read it, when wanting to learn about the Islamic faith? I don’t want to convert, but I do wish to understand why they believe what they do and to be educated. Is this permissible?

 

[JacquesMaritain]

If I have this in the wrong place I apologize. I wanted to know: Is it a sin to own a Qur’an and to read it, when wanting to learn about the Islamic faith? I don’t want to convert, but I do wish to understand why they believe what they do and to be educated. Is this permissible?

Hi

There is nothing wrong with owning a Koran…I own one myself, and have read it. It is impossible to rationally discuss other religions if you are unable to read their books, which is a good enough reason to own one right there. In addition, maybe you will have to talk to a Muslim who claims certain things about Islam that…well, just don’t jive with what you read/hear/experience. So by all means, get a Koran (or Qu’ran, if you must).

That being said, watch the translations. I’m no expert in Arabic, obviously, but I have noticed that many recent “translations” into English tend to (how shall we say it) “sanitize” the text to make it more appealing to western readers…an example would be the Sura (chapter) “On Women”, which tells us that men should control women because Allah (their word for God) made men superior to them, and that if they are to be good women, they must obey their husbands. If they don’t, the men should “send them to their beds apart and beat them” (4:34). Verses like this don’t go over very well in the Western world, obviously, so many modern versions “clean up” this sort of thing. I got an early English edition from the 1950s (before Political Correctness about Islam started taking over academia). Don’t get one that has been “Englished” by some Saudi madrassa (ie, one handed out in a Mosque)…get an impartial translation (as I said, one that came out from before the time people started worrying about how the text would be perceived by its readers).

Jacques

 

[thistle]

If I have this in the wrong place I apologize. I wanted to know: Is it a sin to own a Qur’an and to read it, when wanting to learn about the Islamic faith? I don’t want to convert, but I do wish to understand why they believe what they do and to be educated. Is this permissible?

You might also want to get a book called The Bible and the Quran by Father Jacques Jomier, O.P. It shows (with references) the errors in muslim beliefs about the Bible and Christ.

 

[TBolt1000T]

I don’t know what the Church’s official position is on this, but in my oppinion, if it doesn’t tempt you to convert, then I don’t see any problem reading it. When you start getting the temptation to convert, that’s when I would stop reading it. Hopefully, someone can clarify what the Church’s position is on this.

 

[exoflare]

I don’t know what the Church’s official position is on this, but in my oppinion, if it doesn’t tempt you to convert, then I don’t see any problem reading it. When you start getting the temptation to convert, that’s when I would stop reading it. Hopefully, someone can clarify what the Church’s position is on this.

The Church doesn’t have an official position on this; there’s no need for one. Anyhow you’re correct, there’s nothing wrong just with reading it.

 

[achmafooma]

No, not sinful at all…as long as you aren’t letting it shake your faith.

I own two translations of the Qur’an (I’ve read one, the other is on my [lengthy] reading list), a Jewish translation of the Bible (Old Testament), and numerous Protestant Bible translations in addition to my main Catholic Bible translations.

The Catholic Bibles are my go-to Scriptures, of course, but all the other books are for research purposes, understanding other faiths, etc. There is nothing sinful about understanding other faiths, so long as we keep everything in the right context. We can’t engage other faiths if we don’t understand them.

God bless you.

 

[DJgang]

You might also want to get a book called The Bible and the Quran by Father Jacques Jomier, O.P. It shows (with references) the errors in muslim beliefs about the Bible and Christ.

That sounds interesting…thanks for info.

I have a Koran.

 

[roveau]

The Vatican library has several copies.