Christians who have read the Koran?

**TripleB** · Apr 23rd 2010, 12:46 AM

I'm a 7th grade Math teacher but this year, due to budget cuts, I'm having to teach one class of Social Studies. Over the past two weeks we've been discussing the major religions of the world.

I'm a Baptist so I know the most about Christianity...very little about other religions.

Today we started discussing Islam and watched a video that at times compared the Bible to the Koran.

I went to the library today and picked up two books: The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran and The Qur'an translated by Haleem.

Anyway, I guess I'm just wondering if any Christians here have read The Koran and your thoughts on it?

Thanks.

TripleB

**GreekAsianPanda** · Apr 23rd 2010, 01:00 AM

I've read parts of it, but I haven't read the whole thing. I don't like that the surahs aren't in the chronological order in which the "revelations" were given to Muhammad. I also dislike the concept of "abrogation," in which later revelations that conflict with earlier revelations cancel out those earlier revelations; it allows Muslims to quote the earlier, more peaceful verses of the Quran to convince people that Islam is a religion of peace, when in reality those have been abrogated by violent commands. It makes my angry. GRRRRRR.....

***markedward*** · Apr 23rd 2010, 03:25 AM

My honest opinion: As a work of literature, I found it to be kind of poetic. As a work of theology, it's awful.

**TripleB** · Apr 23rd 2010, 10:46 AM

I guess that's what I was wondering...is the Koran worth reading if you are a Christian? I've looked at bits and pieces of it and found those parts easy to read and as you stated 'poetic.'

I know that in one of the books I borrowed from the library it stated that some Muslims feel that unless you are a Muslim you shouldn't read (or even pick up) the Koran. And it seems some Christians feel that if you are a Christian and read the Koran you are commiting a sin.

I think it all goes back to your beliefs and how strong they are.

I keep a Bible in my public classroom because I feel that if you are a Christian you can pick it up and read it as a non-fiction book. If you are not a Christian then you can pick it up and read it as a work of fiction/literature.

Thanks for all your input.

TripleB

**GreekAsianPanda** · Apr 23rd 2010, 11:37 AM

I suppose it's worth it. Islam might be the largest religion in the world someday (due to high birth rates, of course), and with all those Muslims out there, knowing the Quran to some degree will help in witnessing.

***daughter*** · Apr 23rd 2010, 12:33 PM

I've read an English language translation by a Muslim scholar. It does strike me as a poetically beautiful work in many places, (I love the constant refrain at the start of each chapter: "in the Name of God, the All Merciful, the All compassionte") but there are parts that knock me sick. For example, the denigration of Jesus into just a man (albeit a great one), the limiting of God's power by stating that He can't be a Father (God can be, and is, everything that He wants to be.) It totally obscures the message of the cross... in fact it turns God into a cheat who faked the crucifixion of Jesus, and takes Our Lord right off the cross. Nobody could be saved by reading this book, which promotes works based theology. Not to mention the fact that it promotes war against us "infidels."

I believe that a Christian may read it, of course, a Christian may read anything. But is it profitable to read it? For some people it is... I lived in a part of the UK where I was constantly coming into contact with Muslims when I read the Koran, and it helped me to witness to them. In fact when I moved across the country the guy who drove my stuff was Muslim, and I ended up having a six hour plus witness encounter with him, and I really hope that God used me to reach him on some level.

If you're not going to witness to Muslims though, I'm not sure it's much use to read. Not necessarily harmful... and I wouldn't recommend it for new Christians.

**CaptainM** · Apr 23rd 2010, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by TripleB

...is the Koran worth reading if you are a Christian?

Yes, it is worth reading to some degree depending on how much you want to know. With a basic understanding of Muslim belief's, Christians can witness to them with some ease. But if you're wanting to read it for theological or enlightenment value - forget it!

Originally Posted by TripleB

I know that in one of the books I borrowed from the library it stated that some Muslims feel that unless you are a Muslim you shouldn't read (or even pick up) the Koran. And it seems some Christians feel that if you are a Christian and read the Koran you are commiting a sin.

Muslims believe you must wash your hands before touching their "holy" book. But I've never met a Christian who felt that reading the Koran was sinful (unless of course reading it for some sick and twisted reason)...

Originally Posted by TripleB

I keep a Bible in my public classroom because I feel that if you are a Christian you can pick it up and read it as a non-fiction book. If you are not a Christian then you can pick it up and read it as a work of fiction/literature.

You can still do that? I didn't know teachers were allowed to have Bible's in the classroom. Is this a Christian school?

**TripleB** · Apr 23rd 2010, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by CaptainM

Muslims believe you must wash your hands before touching their "holy" book. But I've never met a Christian who felt that reading the Koran was sinful (unless of course reading it for some sick and twisted reason)...

You can still do that? I didn't know teachers were allowed to have Bible's in the classroom. Is this a Christian school?

I believe it was because that Christian felt someone might be swayed into Muslim beliefs and forgetting their Christian values.

It is a public school, I do have it in my classroom (actually 2 copies) and nobody has told me to remove it it yet, in fact at the start of this year each teacher received a nice framed piece of art worth with the American flag on it and in huge yellow letters 'IN GOD WE TRUST', we have a 15 minute reading period at the start of the day so students actually see me reading the Bible a couple days a week. So I feel very fortunate to be teaching where I am

TripleB

***Clavicula_Nox*** · Apr 23rd 2010, 01:56 PM

My Arabic isn't strong enough to read the thing yet, and I won't read it in English. To improve my reading/writing comprehension, I am planning on reading both books side by side.

**notuptome** · Apr 23rd 2010, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Clavicula_Nox

My Arabic isn't strong enough to read the thing yet, and I won't read it in English. To improve my reading/writing comprehension, I am planning on reading both books side by side.

Arabic muslims will tell you that the quran cannot be read in any language apart from arabic. It is a pollution to translate the quran into english. Arabic muslims do not accept american muslims as true muslims but see them as infidels.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

***daughter*** · Apr 23rd 2010, 02:37 PM

Funnily enough that's how I learned French, long before I was Christian... when I was eleven a teacher gave me a New Testament in French, and I read the gospels in it. Okay, I spoke rather old fashioned French for a long time though.

Perhaps you could also get yourself a Bible in Arabic, and read from that as well? Kudos on teaching yourself Arabic by the way... if I ever went back to the Midlands in the UK I'd probably do the same. How long have you been learning?

***Clavicula_Nox*** · Apr 23rd 2010, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by notuptome

Arabic muslims will tell you that the quran cannot be read in any language apart from arabic. It is a pollution to translate the quran into english. Arabic muslims do not accept american muslims as true muslims but see them as infidels.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Which has nothing to do with me trying to improve my skill at reading and writing Arabic. Since I'm not a Muslim, nor have any intention of becoming one, I don't see what Arab muslims and American muslims have to do with anything that I was talking about.

Perhaps you could also get yourself a Bible in Arabic, and read from that as well? Kudos on teaching yourself Arabic by the way... if I ever went back to the Midlands in the UK I'd probably do the same. How long have you been learning?

I picked up bits of the language the two times I was in Iraq. I'm not a perfect speaker and, without any way to practice, it's slipping ever so quickly.

**CaptainM** · Apr 23rd 2010, 03:51 PM

You can purchase a copy of the Koran with the Arabic and English side by side so you don't have to look at two books. The one that comes to mind has study notes at the bottom and references to the Bible. I think it's an apologetic piece, but not sure about that. I'll try and find the actual name of this great production.