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Syria: Assad orders release of “revised” Qur’an to stop “distortion”

Jul 18, 2015 10:13 am By Robert Spencer

Bashar Assad Quran

It would be very interesting to see how exactly Assad’s Qur’an is revised, but this article contains no specific information. If it changes any of the wording, it is unlikely to be accepted by any Muslims, in part because Assad is himself not an orthodox Muslim but an Alawite, and primarily because Muslims consider the Qur’an the perfect, eternal and inviolable word of Allah. And because they believe that, if this edition changes any of the words of the Qur’an, Sunnis and Shi’ites alike will probably view it as an insult to Islam, and call for Assad’s removal and murder solely for the crime of sponsoring and endorsing it.

If, on the other hand, it changes none of the words, but only challenges established interpretations, it may make some headway among Assad’s loyalists, but is unlikely to move received and established opinion among the vast majority of Muslims.

“Syrian President Bashar al-Assad updates Koran to stop ‘distortion’ or ‘misleading’ information,” by Rose Troup Buchanan, Independent, July 17, 2015:

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has ordered the release of a new “revised” version of the Koran in order to correct “distortion” and “misleading” lessons, state television reports.

The president, currently conducting a brutal campaign against his own citizens in a vicious civil conflict, authorised the publication of the “new standard version” of the Islamic holy book.

He announced the change on television with Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed, the Minister of religious endowments (Awqaf), and members of the Ministry’s Permanent Committee for the Holy Koran Affairs on Monday.

Official state reports indicate the new version will contain simplified letters standardised by official “accredited standards” set by Koranic scholars.

“We truly need such acts at this critical stage of distortion and misleading,” the President told state media.

The new version will be printed and distributed throughout the now-fractured state….

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Filed Under: Featured, Islamic reform, Qur'an, Syria Tagged With: Bashar al-Assad


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Comments

  1. Brian says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 10:20 am

    Let’s hope he expunged the Median verses of violence.

    • Huck Folder says

      Jul 24, 2015 at 2:10 am

      “We cannot see how deliverance will come [through Assad?] or when it will come, but nothing is more certain that every trace of mohammed’s footsteps, every stain of his infected, corroding fingers will be sponged and purged and, if need be, blasted from the surface of the earth.”

      With apologies to WSC

  2. rev g says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 10:31 am

    I don’t see this ending well.

  3. John spielman says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 10:46 am

    best thing would be to torch the qur’an and outlaw the hadiths of muhammed pbuh* and introduce the Gospel of John from the New Testament
    pbuh* -perpetual banishment unto hell!

  4. Peter Buckley says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 10:53 am

    Yet more proof that Islam is collapsing.

    “Moderate” muslims have been seeking a way to alter the Quran for some time now:

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/09/08/get-over-the-quran-burning.html

    But the whole raison d’etre of the Quran is that it is the Final Word of God.

    Altering it merely proves that it isn’t what it claims.

    As I believe Peter (not his brother Christopher) Hitchens once said to a muslim during one debate:

    “I’m afraid you’re stuck with it”.

    Hilarious…………..

    • Naeema Rahman says

      Jul 23, 2015 at 4:16 pm

      to be clear.. the arabic written script of the Quran is not what they are changing.. that is in tact and the word of God… it is the translation into Arabic and English and other languages that need to be revised… the written style of the Quran in Arabic is a classic Quranic style…most Arabic speaking people need to study and and understand the Quran…… for example there is no where in the quran where the head covering is part of the dress code for women (in general) this is either a missunderstanding or a delebrate transllation of the Quran by Bigots and tyrants.

      • Peter Buckley says

        Jul 23, 2015 at 5:10 pm

        Which Quran?

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91AM7665cbo

        http://www.answering-islam.org/Nehls/Ask/collect.html

  5. Evolution says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 11:05 am

    Obama must be fuming over this.

    • Bassam says

      Jul 18, 2015 at 12:32 pm

      LOL

  6. Don Foss says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 11:05 am

    The most egregious kind of blasphome, changing, deleting or adding to the very word of Allah. Even caccooned in his palace with hundreds of guards 24/7 for the rest of his life, Assad is now in danger from anyone close to him who’ll be rewarded for taking him out.

  7. Don McKellar says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 11:12 am

    This is very interesting. I would like to know what exactly he changed. And what “distortions” is he talking about? I guess he figures he’s got nothing to lose, so why not print one that reflects his take on it.

    However, he’ll never beat the greatest and best version of the Koran. The one written in Saddam Hussein’s blood. That just makes me laugh. I wonder if the Islamic State has it yet? When they do, there’s nothing they can do about it — because they won’t destroy a Koran. Too funny.

  8. Katnis says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 11:28 am

    Islam needs a reformation. Let’s hope this is a start.

    • JIMJFOX says

      Jul 18, 2015 at 1:00 pm

      “Islam needs a reformation”
      Wrong. Islam needs extermination.

      • particolor says

        Jul 19, 2015 at 6:25 am

        JIM If that wasn’t so funny Id laugh ! 🙂

    • duh_swami says

      Jul 18, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Islam cannot and will not be reformed…No Mahoundian looking forward to Paradise is going o provoke Allah by redefining his religion for him…

  9. Wellington says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 11:38 am

    My revised version of the Koran would have all blank pages. It would be a good start.

    • Angemon says

      Jul 18, 2015 at 3:20 pm

      I believe I have several of those at home. I call them toilet paper, though.

      • particolor says

        Jul 19, 2015 at 6:32 am

        The fun hasn’t begun yet ! Assad hasn’t told them yet that the Old Version will be burnt in the Palace Furnace next winter to keep warm ! 🙂
        Forgive him Allah for He knows not what he does ! 🙁

  10. simon says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 11:55 am

    He looks stressed for a President whose country is occupied by Islamic State.

  11. American says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 12:40 pm

    If somehow Muslims can get over the claim that what’s currently in the Qur’an is the word of GOD and cannot be changed, and even if the revision takes out all of the violent Medina passages and leaves just the more peaceful Mecca passages, you still have the Sira and Hadiths which reinforce the violent, extremist aspects of the Islamic ideology. You have to get rid of everything, which means you have to get rid of Islam.

    • JIMJFOX says

      Jul 18, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      Absolutely!

  12. duh_swami says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 1:12 pm

    This is another example of ‘divine Islamic logic’, doomed to failure. Who is going to buy this Quran, who is going to read it, who will abide by any new revelations, who will care? The jihad will continue no matter what his Quran says.

  13. Jan Aage Jeppersen says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    The Quran dont need to be revised, it must be scrapped and eradicated from the surface of the earth.

  14. Buraq says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    Revised ‘perfection’ …?! This could get very interesting and messy. Hope it leads to a massacre of clowns by other clowns.

    • particolor says

      Jul 19, 2015 at 6:39 am

      Clown V Clown ? There’s a New Book in that ! 🙂
      OR A new Horror Film ? 🙂

  15. donnie d says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    what a joke. what does that make him?. an allahs witness? hahaha

  16. Kepha says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    and they accuse the Jews and Christians of altering the Old and New Testaments!

    Then again, I understand there are a couple of offbeat recensions of the Qur’an out there in North Africa and among the Shi’ites (who, for their part, would probably accuse the Sunnite readings of being corrupt). I read this somewhere, but would appreciate someone with a little more scholarship in the area commenting.

    • Edward says

      Jul 19, 2015 at 11:37 am

      “and they accuse the Jews and Christians of altering the Old and New Testaments!”

      Abrogating the Quran is how the Islamic religion adherents remold their dignity….every redacting of their playbook should increase their up ranking “we are the best” benchmark mantra! If the Assad’s Quran version causes the Muslim’s proud scale to go negative, we will be seeing huge (quran fueled) bonfires!

  17. Nathan says

    Jul 18, 2015 at 7:43 pm

    It’s probably going to be… very short!

    We have a saying over here…. You can’t polish a turd!

    • particolor says

      Jul 19, 2015 at 6:46 am

      🙂 🙂

  18. katarzyna says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 12:56 am

    Assad just want to appear as a moderate in the eyes of international community.

  19. rcourtemanche says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 8:12 am

    How likely that the new version would soften the Quran’s harsh image, really? And is Assad an authority to make changes to it?

  20. Jay Boo says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 11:24 am

    Qur’an
    Religious Porn
    It defiles all human decency.

  21. staffsgt7 says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    Instead of announcing it – slither it in more and more into the madrassas, stores, mosques, etc. Don’t let the ‘Islamic rulers’ (that is what imams/clerics call themselves) know what is happening. And when they find out – hopefully it is too late to do anything about it.

  22. Michael Copeland says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    The ancient Topkapi manuscript of the Koran differs from the accepted current version in 2,270 places.
    See Jay Smith
    Textual Integrity of Bible and Qur’an (Jay Smith) – YouTube

  23. Champ says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    Revise the quran?

    But they can’t give muhammad (perdition be upon him) a makeover …

    That evil guy will *forever* be the ‘perfect example’ to muslims — forgetting that he was in fact a liar, murderer, pedophile, rapist, etc, etc.

    Revise the quran? I suggest reading the Bible!

    • Champ says

      Jul 19, 2015 at 3:16 pm

      Revise the quran? …whatta fool’s errand.

    • rev g says

      Jul 19, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      They don’t forget those things about Mo, that is what makes him the perfect example. But they know we won’t agree, so they temper their words in order to receive.

  24. mach37 says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    Fat chance getting Iran’s imams to accept the changes, and ISIS apparently listens to only its own imams. Isn’t the difference between Sunnis and Shiites over who has the “more authentic” interpretation of the Koran? How does Assad expect either the Sunnis or Shiites to accept his version of the book? How many other sects are there in Islam? Assad apparently already belongs to a third sect, the Alawites – there must be others.

  25. awake says

    Jul 19, 2015 at 4:44 pm

    If Assad genuinely wanted to reform the Qur’an, he would simply print and distribute the New Testament.

    • Champ says

      Jul 19, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      Bravo, Awake! …good one 😀

  26. RG says

    Jul 20, 2015 at 11:21 am

    The words of Jesus Christ: If the blind lead the blind, they both shall fall in the ditch…. That had to be equal to a ‘Stand-up performance’ in his day. I’m sure his disciples doubled over laughing at that one. Guaranteed, the Tonight Show would have booked him (Jesus), hands down! Too bad Assad can’t come up with an equal Stand-up performance–only because HE’S THE ONE THAT EVERYBODY IS LAUGHING AT, NOT WITH!!!!!

  27. Tjay says

    Jul 20, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    Lots and lots of footnotes explaining how the verses don’t mean what they say.

  28. S R Wakankar says

    Jul 22, 2015 at 8:15 pm

    There is difference between Islam and Arab Islam which is a brand of Islam.
    The true real Islam is totally different from this typical brand of Islam. We have to go for it and search it out in the annals of history and antiquity.
    The grand old ancient tradition of non-Arab Asia’s non-Arab DHARMA is the REAL Islam. This tradition of Dharma known as the SANATAN DHARMA of India is the true authentic Islamic tradition and the AfPak region is its place of birth.
    I beg pardon to state this once again as I have been putting this always before the world and scholars and intellectuals in particular.
    The non-Arab tradition of DHARMA of non-Arab Asia which is non-Muhammadan and non-Koranic and in SANSKRIT Language is the real Islamic tradition.
    -S R Wakankar

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