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No, not the best idea

Reader comment on item: The Canadian Islamic Congress Discusses the Old Testament
in response to reader comment: Yes, read the Koran!

Submitted by rwtw (Australia), Jul 19, 2006 at 06:31

Further to the comment by Carl Goldberg - I agree with what Dr Pipes says - not to read it - particularly remembering that he says not to read it for political insight.

My reasons are two.

Firstly, to do with the nature of the Koran. I don't have the quote to hand, since I am just replying to the blog entry - Thomas Carlyle has an eloquent statement to the effect that the Koran is such a confused, inchoate mess as to be beyond the patience of any educated westerner. The quote is worth looking for. It is not a readable book - you won't get through it.

Secondly, more pertinently : my reading suggests that the sources for modern Islamism are only remotely to be found in the Koran. To be sure people like Qutb, who, I understand, was a vital player in legitimizing political violence in the modern world, find their source in the Koran, but it is their interpretation which is behind the proliferating violence - you won't find it directly in the Koran.

I think the general reader would do well to defer to the scholar in this instance - follow Dr Pipes' advice.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (12) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
mohamed in the old testament [13 words]robert esteredileMar 14, 2009 18:05152300
1Actions speak louder than words . [155 words]Phil GreendJun 9, 2007 10:1697022
NO parallels in the Tanakh to match the debauchery and bloodlust fournd in the Koran [490 words]Dr RJPJul 28, 2006 15:3551080
At first I thought this was Tanakh bashing [21 words]RamonMay 18, 2009 10:2051080
Dependency of Muslims [60 words]VijayJul 19, 2006 17:4650226
Carl Goldberg Is Right [262 words]Harry SweeneyJul 17, 2006 13:3849926
use of "old testament" expression is passe [44 words]s. vladimerJul 17, 2006 10:3549910
1The Canadian Islamic Congress Discusses the Old Testament [106 words]pund_kamathJul 17, 2006 07:0449896
Yes, read the Koran! [357 words]Carl GoldbergJul 16, 2006 19:1849838
Well said, but..... [127 words]PDMJul 17, 2006 09:5649838
No, not the best idea [199 words]rwtwJul 19, 2006 06:3149838
Reading the Koran [232 words]Carl GoldbergJul 19, 2006 16:2649838

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