Qur'an desecration
Encyclopedia
The term "Qur'an desecration" is defined as insulting the Qur'an
by defiling or defacing it.
Most traditional schools of Islamic law require wudu
(ritual handwashing) before a Muslim
may touch the Qur'an, which is regarded as the literal word of God
in its untranslated Arabic
form. Muslims must always treat the book with reverence, and are forbidden, for instance, to pulp, recycle, or simply discard worn-out copies of the text; instead, burning or burying the worn-out copies in a respectful manner is required.
Respect for the written text of the Qur'an is an important element of religious faith in Islam
. Intentionally insulting the Qur'an is regarded as a form of blasphemy
. Desecrating a copy of the Qur'an is punishable by imprisonment in some countries (life imprisonment in Pakistan, according to Article 295-B of the Penal Code) and has been punishable by death in Afghanistan
, Somalia
and Pakistan
.
military base in Guantanamo Bay fueled a widespread controversy and were blamed for deadly Muslim riots. A US military investigation confirmed 4 instances of Qur'an desecrations by US personnel (2 of which were described as "unintentional"), and 15 instances of desecration by Muslim prisoners. According to CBC News, "The statement did not provide any explanation about why the detainees might have abused their own holy books."
In May 2005, a report in Newsweek
(9 May 2005), claiming that U.S. interrogators desecrated the Qur'an at Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), led to deadly Muslim protests sparked by the article.
In 2007, a Nigerian Christian teacher, Christianah Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin
, was stabbed to death after allegations she had desecrated a Qu'ran.
In 2010, Rev Terry Jones
of the Dove World Outreach Center
, a church in Gainesville, Florida, provoked international condemnation after announcing plans to burn a Qu'ran
on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The plans were subsequently cancelled. However, on March 20, 2011, Terry Jones oversaw the burning of a Qur'an. In response, Muslims in Afghanistan formed a riot in which 12 people were killed.
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
by defiling or defacing it.
Most traditional schools of Islamic law require wudu
Wudu
Wuḍhu is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water often in preparation for formal prayers...
(ritual handwashing) before a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
may touch the Qur'an, which is regarded as the literal word of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
in its untranslated Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
form. Muslims must always treat the book with reverence, and are forbidden, for instance, to pulp, recycle, or simply discard worn-out copies of the text; instead, burning or burying the worn-out copies in a respectful manner is required.
Respect for the written text of the Qur'an is an important element of religious faith in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Intentionally insulting the Qur'an is regarded as a form of blasphemy
Islam and blasphemy
Blasphemy in Islam is any irreverent behavior toward holy personages, religious artifacts, customs, and beliefs that Muslims revere. The Quran and the hadith do not speak about blasphemy. Jurists created the offence, and they made it part of Sharia. Where Sharia pertains, the penalties for...
. Desecrating a copy of the Qur'an is punishable by imprisonment in some countries (life imprisonment in Pakistan, according to Article 295-B of the Penal Code) and has been punishable by death in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
History
In mid-2005, allegations of deliberate desecration of the Qur'an in front of Muslim prisoners at the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military base in Guantanamo Bay fueled a widespread controversy and were blamed for deadly Muslim riots. A US military investigation confirmed 4 instances of Qur'an desecrations by US personnel (2 of which were described as "unintentional"), and 15 instances of desecration by Muslim prisoners. According to CBC News, "The statement did not provide any explanation about why the detainees might have abused their own holy books."
In May 2005, a report in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
(9 May 2005), claiming that U.S. interrogators desecrated the Qur'an at Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), led to deadly Muslim protests sparked by the article.
In 2007, a Nigerian Christian teacher, Christianah Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin
Christianah Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin
Christianah Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin , , was a Christian Nigerian teacher who was lynched by Muslim pupils for allegedly desecrating the Qur'an at a secondary school in Gandu, Gombe State, Nigeria, on March 21,...
, was stabbed to death after allegations she had desecrated a Qu'ran.
In 2010, Rev Terry Jones
Terry Jones (pastor)
Terry Jones is the senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainsville, Florida, the author of book Islam is of the Devil, and a 2012 Independent presidential candidate.-Biography:...
of the Dove World Outreach Center
Dove World Outreach Center
Dove World Outreach Center is a 50 member non-denominational charismatic Christian church in Gainesville, Florida led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. The church first gained notice during the late 2000s for its public displays and criticism of Islam and gays, and was designated as...
, a church in Gainesville, Florida, provoked international condemnation after announcing plans to burn a Qu'ran
2010 Qur'an-burning controversy
The Dove World Quran-burning controversy arose in July 2010, when Terry Jones, the pastor of the Christian Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, U.S., declared he would burn 200 Qurans on the 2010 anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Media coverage resulted in international...
on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The plans were subsequently cancelled. However, on March 20, 2011, Terry Jones oversaw the burning of a Qur'an. In response, Muslims in Afghanistan formed a riot in which 12 people were killed.
External links
- "Newsweek says Koran desecration report is wrong", David Morgan, Reuters (Washington, DC), 15 May 2005, webpage: WTFrep-185 (access 2009-12-03).
- Afghan protest over 'burnt Koran', BBC, 25 October 2009.