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Copies Of Qur'an Removed From Los Angeles Schools
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Yusuf Ali's popular translation dubbed "anti-Semitic" |
LOS ANGELES, Feb.12 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - At least three hundred donated copies of the English translation of The Holy Qur'an were removed from Los Angeles public schools last week amidst charges that some of its footnotes contain alleged anti-Semitic remarks.
The Meaning of The Holy Qur'an, a translation done by renowned Indian scholar Abdullah Yusuf Ali in 1934, is widely considered to be the most popular translation in the world. The copies were donated in December to the Los Angeles Unified School district by the Los Angeles-based Omar Ibn Khattab Foundation as a goodwill gesture in the wake of the September 11 attacks in order to promote tolerance and understanding.
Jim Konantz, director of information technology for the school district, told the Los Angeles Times he received a complaint from a history teacher last Monday who alleged that some of the book's footnotes were anti-Semitic.
After reviewing a copy, Konantz said that he instructed principals to secure all copies in their offices until a final decision is taken on what to do with them. "It's not an issue of whether the Qur’an should be available in the library," Konantz said. "It's like any other research volume. But these interpretations are certainly in question."
Konantz did not reveal the exact footnotes in question, but newspapers have speculated that it is probably the mention of Jews as "arrogant," "illiterate" and "men without faith," in the translation that caused offense to the history teacher.
Konantz said he has convened a meeting to review the translation. He said the meeting would include history teachers, representatives from the Jewish community, and the donor, the Omar Ibn Khattab Foundation.
IslamOnline could not reach Dafer Dakhil, director of external affairs at the Omar Ibn Khattab Foundation, Monday, but he told news agencies last Thursday that he regretted the gift had been found offensive.
"We do not condone anything that is detrimental to understanding. If the books are offensive, they should be removed," Dakhil told news agencies.
Other Muslim leaders have expressed shock at the school district's decision to remove the copies of The Holy Qur'an.
Aslam Abdullah, editor of Los Angeles-based The Minaret magazine told IslamOnline the decision clearly trespasses the rights guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.
"It is a violation of the First Amendment. I am hoping for the day when an attorney may take up this and similar issues on behalf of the Muslim community," he said.
"Today the interpretation is removed, and tomorrow the demand may be to remove,” other verses in the Qur’an that some may find objectionable, Abdullah added.
The American Library Association (ALA), usually in the forefront of campaigns to defend banned books, has not issued its position on the controversy. Several e-mails to ALA officials have gone un-answered.
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