There’s a case for burning all the holy books

There’s an unintended irony about the (eventually aborted) campaign last week by Terry Jones, the pastor of a fringe church in Florida, to make a bonfire of copies of the Koran on the grounds that it was an “evil book”. Jones isn’t the first man of Christian faith who was broadcasting to the world his loathing of the Koran and, more broadly, of Islam. Since the 8th century, when Islam spread across Europe, that religion and its Holy Book have served as objects of hatred — and, on occasion, fear — for Christians.

Christian clergymen and scholars branded the Koran the “work of the devil” that was dangerous to Christian souls, and this revulsion was immortalised in popular Christian literature and hymns down the ages.

The “clash of civilisations” continued right up until the 16th century, when the Ottoman Empire, expanding through conquest, was at its apex. In the 16th century, however, German theologian Martin Luther advanced an effort to publish Latin translations of the Koran — in the belief that free dissemination of Koranic ideas among Christians would refute “the abomination of Mohammed” and do “grievous harm” to the Turks. Fighting efforts to censor and prevent the translation and dissemination of the Koran, Luther wrote: “To honour Christ, to do good for Christians, to harm the Turks, to vex the devil, set (the Koran) free…”

Full report here DNA

Salman Rushdie supports mosque near Ground Zero

Controversial Indian-origin author Salman Rushdie has spoken out in support of a mosque near Ground Zero, an issue that has sparked a religious row in US amid opinion polls suggesting that majority of Americans oppose it.

"It's just a stupid argument," Rushdie said at the Brooklyn Book Festival in New York.

"Of course they should be able to build a mosque there," he was quoted as saying by the New York Post.

The writer also noted that the controversy regarding the proximity of the mosque near the World Trade Centre made no sense, since the mosque was inside the World Trade Centre itself.

Rushdie also spoke against the burning of Qurans, which had been planned by Florida Pastor Terry Jones.

Full report here Times of India

Emirates owner to sell Quran inscribed by Aurangzeb

The manuscript of the holy Quran - parts of which are believed to have been inscribed by Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor of India - will be up for grabs at an auction to be organised by the German auction house Auktionshaus Sebök on October 9.

According to a statement released on the official website of the auction house (www.seboek-auctions.com), the over 300-year-old manuscript of 14.5cmx24cm size will be auctioned in Bamberg by its current Emirates owner, who chose to remain anonymous.

The owner, said Auktionshaus Sebök, acquired the copy of the Quran after it was passed down through generations of the family by his greatgrandfather, who served as the governor of Oudh during the rule of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor of the country.

The manuscript has lavish golden insets and consists of sheets of paper handcrafted from rice and natural materials.

Full report here India Today

Rosaiah releases Telugu version of the holy Quran

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah on Thursday released the Telugu version of the holy Quran.

CD FORM
The Quran was translated and brought in a book and CD form by Abdul Rahim Mohammad Maulana, a nephrology specialist working in Holy Mecca.

The Chief Minister lauded the efforts of Dr. Abdul Rahim, who migrated from Hyderabad, for not forgetting his roots and bringing out the holy book in Telugu.

FREE OF COST
Dr. Abdul Rahim informed that the copies of the translation were being supplied free of cost to Haj pilgrims. He also said that he had designed a video CD of Quran to ensure that even illiterates could understand it.

Full report here Hindu

Kannada Translation of Quran Released

The Kannada translation of holy Quran by Syed Habeebullah Pookoya Tangal Madani, renowned writer and scholar, and published by Al-Madeena and Marseen Publications, Mangalore, was released on the premises of Syed Madani Dargah, Ullal in Mangalore on Saturday July 31.

R Mohammad Madani, Marseen Publications, recited a few verses from the Quran after which Al-Haj Fazal Koyamma Tangal, Koora carried out the dua and released the translated version of the Quran titled 'Pavitra Quran' by handing over the first copy to Mangalore MLA U T Khader.

Al-Haj Ibrahim Musliyar Bekal, Udupi kazi, in his inaugural address, said that the translated versions of the holy Quran will help remove misconceptions about the religion of Islam from the minds of the people, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Udupi kazi lauded teh efforts as without translation a layman would find it difficult to have greater understanding of Quran originally in Arabic.

Full report here Daijiworld

A literary treasure from Hindu-Muslim culture

Hoshruba is a fantasy epic written in 19th century Muslim India. Now Muhammad Ali Farooqi has produced the first ever translation of "Hoshruba" into any language. In this interview with Lewis Gropp he talks about this unique epic, Urdu literature, and the colonially induced Urdu-Hindi divide.

Hoshruba – The Land of the Tilism was produced in 19th century Muslim India. In how far are the "magic" elements of the epic part of Islamic culture, and: is there evidence of protests of orthodox Muslims against this epic?
There is a difference between the reaction to magic and occult elements in the Christian and Islamic traditions. Some Islamic scholars in India did object to the reading of this epic but they grounded their opposition not on the influence of magic in the tale, as, for example, the Vatican does today with tales of sorcery.


When we look at the Islamic tradition we see that the Quran itself acknowledges the power of magic; a chapter contains the mention of witches who cast spells by blowing on knots. It refers to an event when magic spells were cast on Prophet Muhammad by his opponents. Similarly, the belief in the supernatural is also incorporated in Islamic tradition. Belief in the jinns – who are mostly invisible – is an article of faith for all Muslims.

The jinns are mentioned in the Quran, and there are, as well, recorded traditions of Prophet Muhammad's encounters with jinns. Equally, there is a very strong tradition of occult sciences of divination that is traced back to Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law and the fourth caliph of Islam, Ali. These are some of the reasons why magic and the supernatural were not objected to in these tales.

The story was found objectionable for other reasons: for example women in particular were advised not to read it because of the prevalence of bawdy and raunchy elements which were unsuitable for their ears. These stories were also found objectionable because their reading did not morally or spiritually improve a person.

Full interview here Qantara

AMU exhibits rare books

The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis inaugurated an exhibitfion of books on Seerat, Quraniyat and specimen of Quranic calligraphy at Maulana Azad Library recently.

Rare and illuminated copies of Holy Quran and calligraphic specimen were displayed today at the Seerat exhibition.

A large number of students, faculty members and other dignitaries including Nawab Ibne Saeed of Chhatari and Prof. Shamim Ahmad were also present.

Full report here India Edunews