Q&A: Reading the Quran
Reading the Quran
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Is it permissible to read the Quran?
I know about the leniencies for the sake of understanding and teaching, and "know what to answer," but I am not a halakhic authority and I have no one to answer; no one has ever tried to convert me to Islam. Still, it bothers me that people often attribute various things to Islam, like "Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Quran" and "Muhammad said that Jews must be respected," and I am relying only on what people say. I would be glad to know what is actually written there and not depend on outside sources.
What do you think? And is there a difference between the Quran and the New Testament in this respect?
Thanks in advance
Answer
I don’t think there is any problem. First, there is also what you would answer yourself. Second, if you are doing this in order to study history or politics, and not in order to adopt the book’s content, there is no prohibition in that (and as is known, many halakhic decisors permit reading the New Testament for the sake of historical study, even though Christianity is considered idolatry by many halakhic decisors, whereas Islam is not). Therefore, what I wrote applies to the New Testament as well, and certainly to the Quran.
Discussion on Answer
If there is no problem reading it, why would there be a problem keeping it in the house? Lest you come to read it? 🙂
“And you shall not bring an abomination into your house.”
No?
I don’t recall any prohibition against bringing it into the house. Especially since this is not an actual object of idolatry, but at most a book that contains such content. And of course, as I wrote, if it is permitted to read it, then it is certainly permitted to bring it into the house.
More power to you.
According to the overwhelming majority of Orthodox rabbis and the leading rabbis of the generation, this is forbidden. It has even been said that some parts of Islam are indeed considered idolatry.
I have a copy of the New Testament at home. I took it out of historical interest, but right now I have a long line of books waiting for me, so it’s just lying around. Is there any problem with simply keeping it in the house?