Would you delete a copy of the Koran?

[WT Sharpe]

I don't have an ebook of the Koran, and like most Westerners I've never read it in the original Arabic, but I have read the Penguin translation (N. J. Dawood translator) a couple of times. I'm not a book-burner, and the only reason I would delete a copy (without keeping a backup) of the Koran is if it was a poor translation, badly formatted, or the text was full of errors. I do have a few Bible translations on my Kindle for research, and a few religious texts from other traditions on my PC as well as my physical bookshelf, and this thread reminds me that an ebook of the Koran would be a welcome addition. Anyone have any recommendations as to which edition is the best?

[FlorenceArt]

Tom, here is a discussion about this.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Tom, here is a discussion about this.

Thanks, Florence!

[rhadin]

If my device came with the Koran or with any version of the Bible, I would delete it. I'm not into religious persuasion.

The question really should be would I read the Koran to learn about it? To that I would say yes, just as I would consider reading one of the Bibles to learn about the religion it represents. But the truth of the matter is that none of the bibles or korans are particularly meaningful when it comes to understand religious views because each sect within a religion has a different slant on the meaning. For example, is the 6-days to create the earth incontrovertible fact meaning 6 24-hour days or is it parable? If God did dictate the Bible, why are there so many versions?

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by rhadin

If my device came with the Koran or with any version of the Bible, I would delete it. I'm not into religious persuasion.

The question really should be would I read the Koran to learn about it? To that I would say yes, just as I would consider reading one of the Bibles to learn about the religion it represents. But the truth of the matter is that none of the bibles or korans are particularly meaningful when it comes to understand religious views because each sect within a religion has a different slant on the meaning. For example, is the 6-days to create the earth incontrovertible fact meaning 6 24-hour days or is it parable? If God did dictate the Bible, why are there so many versions?

Very true. Studying sacred texts can be useful for many things, but not to understand the religions that are supposedly based on them.

[ellimak]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Very true. Studying sacred texts can be useful for many things, but not to understand the religions that are supposedly base on them.

They're not useful totally on their own, no. You need some kind of interpretation or context to make sense of it. Of course, some religious texts are more central than others. The Qur'an is definitely key to the daily worship of Muslims, though. I would argue that in terms of actual practice, it has much more relative importance than the Bible. But again, you're both right -- you need a little bit more than just the book to go on.

[WT Sharpe]

I read religious texts for, among other things, insight into the human condition.

[wodin]

Not only would I, but I have.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rhadin

If my device came with the Koran or with any version of the Bible, I would delete it. I'm not into religious persuasion.

The question really should be would I read the Koran to learn about it? To that I would say yes, just as I would consider reading one of the Bibles to learn about the religion it represents. But the truth of the matter is that none of the bibles or korans are particularly meaningful when it comes to understand religious views because each sect within a religion has a different slant on the meaning. For example, is the 6-days to create the earth incontrovertible fact meaning 6 24-hour days or is it parable? If God did dictate the Bible, why are there so many versions?

The reason for reading the Koran is the same as the reason for reading the Bible - it gives you an understanding of the societies that base their cultural mores on that particular religious text. Regardless of whether one regards the Bible as having any spiritual meaning, its teaching underpin western society, and the same is true of the Koran and middle Eastern society. You cannot truly understand those societies without a knowledge of the foundation on which they are built.

[lene1949]

I voted 'No', because I haven't read it, yet... Maybe never will..

[kacir]

I have read the Koran when I was much younger. Just to understand the philosophy behind a great culture that gave us many interesting things (like discovery of alcohol ;-))

[Public] Burning of Koran, or a Bible, or a Torah, or defacing a Buddha statue do not have any other reason than to say to the fellow human: "Look, how much I hate you. Look what I am willing to do just to piss you off.". It makes me very sad to see such viciousness.
Saying "I hate you" to a fellow human is against my philosophy. I do not really believe in Karma (other than what you receive here on Mobileread ;-) ) but spending your time here on Earth hating someone is really, really not good for you.

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by ellimak

They're not useful totally on their own, no. You need some kind of interpretation or context to make sense of it. Of course, some religious texts are more central than others. The Qur'an is definitely key to the daily worship of Muslims, though. I would argue that in terms of actual practice, it has much more relative importance than the Bible. But again, you're both right -- you need a little bit more than just the book to go on.

I'm not sure I agree with you, if I understand you correctly. You do need context to understand what the writers of the Bible of Quran meant. But it won't tell you what their followers read in them. It seems to me that many Christian beliefs are based on late inventions or wacky "interpretations" of the original texts.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by TGS

I might delete a copy of the Koran in just the same way that I might delete a copy of any other book - because for me it is just a book. What I wouldn't do is delete a copy of the Koran as an expression of some anti-Islamic sentiment or as some kind of act of provocation - which seems to be what motivates the current spate of book-burning.

What TGS said.

[nohmi2]

Originally Posted by lene1949

I voted 'No', because I haven't read it, yet... Maybe never will..

With the amount of books that I have in my TBR file, I will also probably never get around to reading it.

Cheers.

[astra]

One day all of us will have to read it...
So, don't burn/delete your copy if you have one.