David Powers, professor of near eastern studies at Cornell University and author of “Studies in Qur’an and Hadith: The Formation of the Islamic Law of Inheritance,” comments on why Muslims view desecration of the Koran as a powerful assault, in light of news that Florida Pastor Terry Jones was arrested Wednesday with kerosene-soaked copies of Islam’s holy book in his truck.
Powers says:
“Muslims regard the Koran as the literal word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and any desecration of the Koran or any slanderous statement made against the Prophet has been categorized as blasphemy in Islamic law since the first century of Islamic history.
“Burning a Koran is thus seen as a direct assault on both God and the Prophet, which explains the strong reactions Muslims feel to attempts like the one made by Pastor Jones to burn Korans.”
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